Ryan Callinan rose three spots to fourth on the Challenger Series and within sight of a Championship Tour return but Merewether clubmate Morgan Cibilic has work to do.
Callinan locked in another points keeper on the seven-event second-tier of the World Surf League, bowing out in the quarter-finals of the US Open of Surfing on the weekend to eventual runner-up Joao Chianca.
The 4745 points earned, together with his 7800 from a runner-up finish at the Sydney Surf Pro, has Callinan in an excellent position to return to the CT next year.
The four best results from each surfers' campaign go towards their tally, and the top 10 not already qualified make the 2023 CT. There are three events remaining on the CS - in Portugal (October 1-9), Brazil (November 1-8) and Hawaii (November 26-December 7) - although all are listed as tentative. The French leg of the CS was recently cancelled because of a lack of financial support, prompting the number of results counting in final standings dropping from five to four.
Like Callinan, Cibilic missed the mid-season cut on the CT and has been hunting a top tour return. He started with two round of 16 efforts but has fallen in the round of 48 at the past two CT contests. The 2021 world No.5 fell seven spots to 19th after the US Open.
Merewether's Philippa Anderson jumped 23 spots to 31st on the women's CS with a round of 16 run at Huntington Beach. She lost to eventually runner-up Macy Callaghan, who improved to third. Newcastle-based South African Sarah Baum slid three spots to 17th after a first-round exit. The top five on the women's CS qualify for the CT.
