Hawai'i is in a four-way tie for first place after the fourth day of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships.

Yesterday's competition was held in 4- to 5-foot waves at Maresias Beach, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

All 12 Hawai'i surfers remained in contention, including seven in the winner's bracket. Australia, Brazil and France are the only other teams with all 12 surfers still in contention.

Hawai'i has three surfers in the winner's bracket of the Boys under 18 division: Casey Brown, Torrey Meister and Kyle Ramey. They each advanced through the third round yesterday.

Meister had one of the top heats of the day with a two-wave score of 13.13.

Nathan Rex lost in the fourth round, but is still in contention in the consolation bracket (each division follows a double-elimination format).

In the Boys under 16 division, Granger Larsen and Alex Smith advanced to the fourth round of the winner's bracket.

Larsen and Smith were in the same heat in the third round. Larsen won the heat with a score of 14.67, and Smith was second with 12.77 (the top two from each heat advance).

Also in the Boys under 16 division, Tyler Newton and Dylan Melamed advanced to the fourth round of the consolation bracket. Newton had one of the top heats of the consolation bracket with a two-wave score of 15.24.

In the Girls under 18 division, Bethany Hamilton and Lipoa Kahaleuahi advanced to the fourth round of the winner's bracket.

Hamilton, whose left arm was severed in a shark attack in 2003, has advanced through three heats this week.

Monica Byrne-Wickey and Lani Hunter lost yesterday to drop into the consolation bracket.

Hawai'i, which won the team title last year, is one of 27 countries/regions in the contest. Hawai'i is recognized as its own nation for the event.

PATACCHIA, ANDY IRONS ADVANCE IN TAHITI

Fred Patacchia Jr. of O'ahu's North Shore won two heats in the Billabong Pro Tahiti yesterday.

The entire second round and three heats of the third round were completed in 4- to 6-foot barreling waves at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

Patacchia had a near-perfect score of 9.27 for a long barrel ride in his third-round victory over Brazil's Paulo Moura. Patacchia's two-wave score of 17.27 was one of the top heats of the day.

Earlier, Patacchia had a two-wave score of 16.83 in his second-round victory.

Kaua'i's Andy Irons also advanced out of the second round with a victory over Tahiti's Kevin Johnson. Irons' two best waves received scores of 8.17 and 7.5.

Andy Irons, Bruce Irons and Danny Fuller are the Hawai'i surfers who have yet to complete their respective third-round heats.

Hawai'i surfers Roy Powers and Pancho Sullivan were eliminated in the second round.

The contest is the third stop on the 2006 World Championship Tour.

The women's division did not run heats yesterday. Kaua'i's Keala Kennelly is the only Hawai'i surfer remaining.