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Australian star Stephanie Gilmore has won through to the semi-finals of the World Surf League's El Salvador round as top seed Carissa Moore was eliminated.

Stephanie Gilmore has won through to the semi-finals of the World Surf League's El Salvador round on an otherwise barren day for Australia.

The world No.7 will face American wildcard Caroline Marks, with the men's and women's events likely to be decided by Saturday (AEST).

World No.1 Carissa Moore was eliminated during Friday's quarter-finals, held in one-to-1.5 metre surf, as was Australian Sally Fitzgibbons.

Compatriots Ethan Ewing, Jack Robinson and Callum Robson also lost their men's quarter, while Jackson Baker and Connor O'Leary did not make it through the round of 16 earlier in the day.

Gilmore, the seven-time world champion, beat compatriot Isabella Nichols 16.20 to 12.66 in their quarter-final heat.

It will be Gilmore's second semi-final of the season and she is within striking distance of the top five, who will decide the world title in a one-day event at the end of the season.

Gilmore is the event favourite after Moore, the five-time world champion, failed to advance.

Marks has been out of action for six rounds, but returned in El Salvador as the event wildcard and now has become its giant killer.

She took down the Hawaiian star after previously beating world No.2 Bri Hennessy in the event.

Johanne Defay of France beat Fitzgibbons, while Lakey Peterson beat fellow American Courtney Conlogue to set up the other semi.

The men's semi-finals will feature world No.1 Filipe Toledo against fellow Brazilian Italo Ferreira, plus Brazil's Gabriel Medina against American Griffin Colapinto.

Ewing had a handy lead against Ferreira late in last-eight heat, but an 8.67 wave from the Brazilian turned the tables and he took it out 17.47 to 16.10.

It was Brazil 3, Australia 0 as Toledo was too good for Robson, while Medina beat Robinson and Colapinto took out Japan's Kanoa Igarashi.