Baum was equal 12th on the World Surf League's Challenger Series rankings after a round of 16 performance at the US Open of Surfing last month, but the Redhead-based South African is set to drop in the standings after bowing out with a third in her four-woman heat on Monday (local time).

In slow, inconsistent conditions, the goofy-footer started well with a 5.5 from a long backhand ride.

However, she struggled to find a decent back-up score, earning a 3.33 from a shorter backside effort with 10 minutes remaining.

It left her needing a 6.77 to jump into the top two on best two-wave scores and advance, but she could find only a 0.83 with her third and final ride.

Portugal's Yolanda Hopkins (12.40) won the heat from Hawaiian Zoe McDougall (12.26). Baum (8.83) and Argentine Josefina Ane (3.66) were eliminated.

Baker bounced back from a first-round elimination at the US Open at Huntington Beach with a second-placing in his opening surf at Ericeira.

The Merewether regular-footer, who dropped 19 spots on the men's CS to 65th after the US Open, needed a 6.11 late in his heat to jump from fourth to second and he had a nervous wait until well after the siren for his last score to drop.

Baker strung together a long ride to the beach with less than three minutes remaining and he was finally rewarded with a 6.7.

It gave him a 12.87 total, edging out Brazilian Luel Felipe (12.27) for second. Caio Ibelli (Brazil), who was 25th on the Championship Tour this year, was first with 15.4. South African Shane Sykes (11.60) was last.

Baker had started the heat with a 6.17 from a flowing eight-turn ride. He backed it up with scores of 3.63 and 3.83 before producing his best performance of the heat late under pressure.

He faces Kauli Vaast (France), Vasco Ribeiro (Portugal) and Ramzi Boukhiam (Morocco) in the round of 48.

Merewether's Philippa Anderson, who was equal 15th on the CS after making the last 16 at the US Open, faced Sara Wakita (Japan), Chelsea Tuach (Barbados) and Camilla Kemp (Germany) in the final heat of round one early on day three.

Anderson led midway through the heat but then needed a 5.27 with nine minutes remaining to rise from third to second and progress.

She fell early on a promising wave then made a final charge, earning a 4.03 on a ride that ended with an incomplete turn.

Wakita won the heat with a total of 13.50 from Tuach (11.23), Anderson (9.13) and Kemp (4.50).

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