Queensland surfer Julian Wilson found a wave in the last minute to win the world tour event in Portugal on Friday for his first elite level victory.

In pictures: Wilson wins Portugal surf title

Wilson, trailing Brazil's Gabriel Medina from the start of their half-hour final at Peniche, needed a 7.55-point wave and scored 8.43 to win 16.26 points to 15.37.

The scenario was the reverse outcome of the duo's final in France last year.

"I'm overwhelmed," said the 23-year-old Wilson who had to wait on the sand for several minutes, with Medina, while the judges tallied their scores.

"I lost to Gabriel on the buzzer last year in France and to beat him back again on the buzzer .... He was too busy worrying about me and that wave came behind and that was the scorer."

The Sunshine Coast surfer was in red-hot form earlier when he compiled a two-wave score of 19.27 points out of 20 to beat defending event champion Adriano de Souza in their semi-final.

World No.1 Joel Parkinson was beaten in the first semi, struggling to find a scoring wave against the 18-year-old Medina.

"Conditions were just terrible then," Parkinson said.

"It's a bummer, but that happens sometimes and you just have to roll with it."

His equal third finish moved him 5500 points clear at the top of the standings with two events remaining.

Amazingly, 11-time champion Kelly Slater retains second place despite his exit in the third round but the American is only 200 points clear of Mick Fanning.

Just over 2000 points further back is Hawaiian John John Florence, who lost to Parkinson in the quarter-finals.

However, competitors count their best eight scores from the year's ten events and Slater is carrying two 13th places and an injury place of 25th, meaning his adjusted total is worse than his rivals.

Wilson climbed six places in the rankings to sit sixth but 18,000 points from the lead in a contest where a win is worth 10,000 points.

Next month the WCT goes to a new location, Santa Cruz in California, with the finale at Hawaii's Pipeline in December.