SALLY FITZGIBBONS of Australia surfs during the Oi Rio Pro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

She's still in the competition but Sally Fitzgibbons needs a big bonus round to have any hope of reaching the final of the World Surf League tour event in California.

The world No.2 has finished 12th on the leaderboard after the three-heat qualifying stage of the Freshwater Pro at Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch in Lemoore on Friday (Sat AM AEST).

Fitzgibbons' two-wave combined score of 12.73 out of 20 made the Australian the final competitor to secure passage to the bonus run section of the event.

The remaining 12 surfers will each get one more left- and right-hand wave to try to improve their scores before the top four on the leaderboard qualify for the final.

American Lakey Peterson holds the crucial fourth spot heading into Saturday's final day of competition (Sunday AM AEST), with a 15.70 from her heat.

Defending world champion Stephanie Gilmore is fifth after her 15.00 in Thursday's (Friday AM AEST) heat.

Both Fitzgibbons and Gilmore will be concerned by the form of world No.1 Carissa Moore, who was in imposing form at the wave pool.

The American scored 16.23 including a 9.03 with her first right-hander to sit second on the leaderboard behind France's Johanne Defay (17.50).

Australia's Nikki Van Dijk has been eliminated after finishing 13th after qualifying while compatriot Macy Callaghan was 18th.

In the men's competition, Julian Wilson finished ninth on the leaderboard to be one of five Australians to secure passage to the bonus run section.

Wilson will be joined by Owen Wright, Adrian Buchan, Soli Bailey and Wade Carmichael in the 24-man stage with the top eight at the conclusion of the runs moving into the final.

Defending event champion Gabriel Medina tops the leaderboard with a 17.77 ahead of fellow Brazilian Filipe Toledo (16.07).