Medina and Marks win Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic
NARRABEEN, New South Wales, Australia (Tuesday, April 20, 2021) - Caroline Marks (USA) and Gabriel Medina (BRA) have won the Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic presented by Corona, the third stop on the World Surf League (WSL) 2021 Championship Tour (CT). The iconic North Narrabeen Beach saved the best for last, hosting Finals Day in three-to-four foot surf with clean off-shore winds.
Gabriel Medina Soars to Top Spot on Leaderboard
Two-time World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) held nothing back in the Final of the Rip Curl Narrabeen Cup, posting the highest two-wave combination of the entire event to overcome Californian Conner Coffin (USA) for his 15th CT victory. Medina posted his excellent 18.77 heat total (out of a possible 20) within the first 15 minutes of the 35-minute Final with back-to-back full-rotation air-reverses.
“I haven’t had this winning feeling for a while and it feels amazing,” Medina said. “It feels good to put on that sort of a performance in a Final. Sticking my airs and hearing the crowd chant my name was really cool. I’ve had a few finals recently but was making some mistakes, but it feels good to come back here and fix my mistakes. I feel like I got better and am so happy with my performance. This has been a fun week. I’ve never had such a good time here in Australia. The Northern Beaches have been so nice, the food, the beaches, the people. We have had so much amazing support on the beach as well, it’s just been so fun.”
Today’s win puts Medina up to World No. 1 and gives him his best-ever start to a season, a terrifying prospect for the rest of the WSL Championship Tour field. The top-ranking surfer before the Rip Curl WSL Finals will have a major advantage over the Top 5 as they will be seeded into the Final Heat of the day for a best-of-three battle. Medina’s lead will be critical to his campaign on the road to the Rip Curl WSL Finals in order to give himself the best shot at his third World Title.
Although he was put in a combination situation for the entire heat (needing two scores to take the lead), Coffin leaves North Narrabeen matching the best result of his career. On his way to the Final, Coffin took down reigning World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA) along with Griffin Colapinto (USA) and Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) with his consistent and powerful rail game. Coffin will head to Margaret River sitting in fourth place on the rankings, a career-best for the 27-year-old in his fifth year on CT.
“I’m so stoked to make it into another Final,” said Coffin. “I got so smoked, but I had a good time. Gabby (Medina) is such an incredible surfer, so it was always going to be tough but his performance just then was so incredible so it was actually just cool to be a part of that. I’ve had an amazing time so far in Australia and have managed to put up back-to-back results so I’m really happy.”
19-Year-Old Caroline Marks Earns Third CT Victory
Caroline Marks (USA) earned her third CT victory today after defeating fellow goofy-footer Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) in the Final, Courtney Conlogue (USA) in the Semifinals, and Johanne Defay (FRA) in the Quarterfinals. Marks displayed incredible poise and control on her frontside, gouging the bowling lefts of North Narrabeen. Known as having one of the best backhand attacks on the CT, today Marks proved her forehand is not to be underestimated either.
“I feel so emotional actually after everything that’s led to getting here,” Marks said. “I’m just so stoked. This is the sickest feeling ever. This has been really fun. It’s been so sick to go left in an event. Narrabeen has been amazing, and I want to thank all the locals for letting us take over this epic wave for the week. I also want to thank my family, support crew, and WSL for getting me here. I’m over the moon.”
Marks was the youngest-ever surfer to ever qualify for the CT when she was 15 years old and has taken the CT by storm. In 2019, only her second year on Tour, Marks came second in the world and became an Olympic qualifier for the United States. Now, with the new Rip Curl WSL Finals, Marks’ win today gets her one step closer to qualifying in the Final 5, where she could win her maiden World Title at her home break at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California.
Moore Falls to Weston-Webb But Retains Leader Jersey
En route to the Final, Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) took down four-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) in the Semifinals and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) in the Semifinals. The Brazilian was unable to overcome Marks in her eighth Finals appearance, but her efforts move her up from World No. 5 to World No. 3 on the rankings, furthering her into the Final 5.
“Going left in an event for me is a dream come true for me,” Weston-Webb said. “I was proud of my surfing this week in Narrabeen. Newcastle definitely wasn’t my best result. Even though I felt like I surfed well there I felt like I didn’t capitalize on my opportunities. Coming to Narrabeen was all about a change of pace and momentum for myself and just to show everyone that I’ve been working on my surfing a lot. Now we head to West Aus, which is a place I love, so I’m looking forward to keeping a roll going.”
For the first time this season, Moore did not make the Final and was eliminated in equal 3rd place. Despite the Semifinal loss, the four-time WSL Champion is still in the top position on the rankings, thanks to her high placing in Narrabeen, win at Newcastle, and runner-up finish at Pipe.
Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Women’s Final Results:
1 - Caroline Marks (USA) 12.57
2 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 11.34
Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Men’s Final Results:
1 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 18.77
2 - Conner Coffin (USA) 14.10
Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Women’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 13.90 DEF. Carissa Moore (HAW) 10.80
HEAT 2: Caroline Marks (USA) 13.60 DEF. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 13.57
Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Men’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 12.50 DEF. Frederico Morais (PRT) 10.70
HEAT 2: Conner Coffin (USA) 13.83 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.03
Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Women’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.94 DEF. Keely Andrew (AUS) 10.16
HEAT 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 11.90 DEF. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 10.40
HEAT 3: Caroline Marks (USA) 12.50 DEF. Johanne Defay (FRA) 10.46
HEAT 4: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 12.16 DEF. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9.17
Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Men’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Frederico Morais (PRT) 13.84 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 11.83
HEAT 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.97 DEF. Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 12.67
HEAT 3: Conner Coffin (USA) 11.06 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 0.80
HEAT 4: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 12.50 DEF. Yago Dora (BRA) 12.00
WSL Women’s Championship Tour Leaderboard Top 5:
1 - Carissa Moore (HAW) 23,885 pts
2 - Caroline Marks (USA) 18,695 pts
3 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 16,495 pts
4 - Tyler Wright (AUS) 15,220 pts
5 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 14,235 pts
WSL Men’s Championship Tour Leaderboard Top 5:
1 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 25,600 pts
2 - Italo Ferreira (BRA) 19,405 pts
3 - John John Florence (HAW) 14,650 pts
4 - Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 12,810 pts
4 - Conner Coffin (USA) 12,810 pts
Comments
I thought that was a fantastic comp. well deserved Gabriel.
I’ll go out on a limb and say the WSL could do worse than include Narrabeen as a full time stop. Finally a nice left. Heaps of variety. Gave all sorts of approaches (surfers) a good chance.........and what’s more the locals seem to want it there
Narrabeen sure can produce reasonable waves in an average swell. Bit of a sand bank, bit of uneven swell, some bathymetry etc. In the old days still shots in the magazines a month later would have made it look perfect. Video showed the reality. But every now and then when one hit the bank right it was a quality wave.
Morgs’ barrel would be a good example of that.
For me watching all the unridden waves - it was a deadset fun park this morning.
Medina what a freak! Good to see Connor in the final, seems like a good dude and love his rail surfing. However neither of his 2 waves against Italo matched Italo’s 3 waves. Judges definitely have an agenda
Was interesting to see who could surf small high performance lefts and who couldn't. Exposed the original tour for being way too right-centric and highlighted some pretty obvious flaws in the techniques of some of the big names.
Would love to see a few more comps in lefts for balance, but so glad the beachies are done and dusted. Pumped to see some real surfing in real waves again. Yew!
I thought someone like Johanne Defay really showed how much better her backhand is when compared to Steph and Carissa
Johanne was ripping, must have grown up in lefts :)
Also thought Morgs & Frederico were good on their backhand.
Can we talk about Kanoa's 0.80 heat? Brain meltdown.
And the fact that Connor, needing an 8 something to break a hard combo, miraculously get's exactly that score? And about how he somehow floated through that comp on a fluffy bed of 5s. Mystery scoring.
But holy smokes was Gabriel good.
Awesome airs. Hope to see them at Margs and the Box.
Moment of the comp for me was Ribeira (sp?) paddling frantically toward JJF to enforce priority, JJF paddles away, 5 seconds to go, JJF gets a wave and air reverse, thanks for coming.
Will have to check out Kanoa heat.
I think this was the comp where the ausies really respected Medina.
He might be the villain, but JFC there aren’t any Australians doing what he does.
I wish there was.
This must be what the Hawaiians felt in the 70s when Rabbit and MR turned up.
It was a really good competition, better waves than Supertubos (sp) except for the first year. It reinforced my preference of watching competition surfing to free surfing, I can only watch so much free surfing, but the drama of the competition is exciting.
Was there ever any doubt one of three Zillas was going to win a close out beach break contest? Everybody else was making up the numbers.
It was an amazing week here at narrabeen , getting to surf with the best surfers in the world at you r home break was pretty surreal , and the buzz around the whole event was epic , then to cheer on our local wild card surfer was the best , hope they come back it was so good