Rookie Tiago Pires of Portugal upset eight-time surfing world champion and current ratings leader Kelly Slater of Florida today in the third round of the Rip Curl Pro Search men's contest.

The third round was completed in 6-foot waves "somewhere" off Indonesia.

Needing a 7.16 points in the final moments of the heat, Pires scored an 8.40 and the win.

"There were two waves at the end of that heat and he went on the first one and I took the second and it turned out to be a really good wave," Pires said. "When I came out of the barrel and into the channel, everyone was screaming. This is the biggest win of my career. I have won a few ASP WQS (World Qualifying Series) events, but to beat Slater here in these conditions is amazing."

Pires is the first World Championship Tour competitor to defeat Slater in 2008.

"When I came up through the cave it felt like I won the event," Pires said. "There were so many people screaming and cheering. It felt really good. I guess it's a big deal that no one else had beat him this year, but I've been training hard and I hope to be going much further in this event."

Slater, who has won a staggering four out of five events on the ASP World Tour this season, contemplated a tactical mistake.

"I knew I shouldn't have gone on that first wave," Slater said. "Congratulations to Tiago as he surfed really well. He's definitely not one who I underestimate and he is probably one of the best barrel-riders in the world. It was one of those situations that I played through in my head about a minute before it actually happened, but that happens from time to time. Before the contest started, I said my luck would have to run out somewhere and I guess it was here."

Hawai'i surfers Andy Irons, Bruce Irons and Fred Patacchia Jr. won their respective third-round heats to advance.

Andy Irons, the defending champion of the event, was one of the standouts of the day. He received a two-wave score of 17.33 (out of 20).

Fellow Hawai'i surfers Roy Powers and Pancho Sullivan were eliminated.