Medina claims victory at Fiji Pro
TAVARUA, Fiji (Friday, June 17, 2016) – Gabriel Medina (BRA), 2014 WSL Champion, claimed an emphatic victory today at the Fiji Pro, besting current Jeep WSL FrontrunnerMatt Wilkinson (AUS) in solid 10-to-12 foot (3 - 3.5 metre) surf at the world-renowned Cloudbreak.
Stop No. 5 of 11 on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour, the Fiji Pro, culminated in dramatic fashion today with the remaining members of the world’s best surfers battling one another in the largest surf of the year.
Following a slow start, with both Finalists finding themselves out of position in the building swell, Medina struck with two back-to-back scores for impeccably-navigated tube rides, posting a 7.33 and a 8.27 to place Wilkinson into a combination situation. The Australian was unable to find a rhythm in the challenging conditions and Medina posted his first elite tour win since last October.
“It feels amazing and I am so stoked,” Medina said. “I just want to thank God and my family. That was a crazy week. We have been waiting for these waves and they finally came through. They were big and we got so many sets on the head. We got a lot of barrels and it was a sick event. I am just so happy.”
Today’s victory rockets the Brazilian to second on the WSL Jeep Leaderboard heading into the back half of the season.
“I am really tired right now, but I was saving my energy for the Final because I knew it would be tough,” continued Medina. “Wilko (Matt Wilkinson) has been surfing amazing since the first event and I do not know who can stop this guy. This is his third final of the year and I am really happy to make this final against him.”
Today’s second place finish strengthens Wilkinson’s lead on the WSL Jeep Rankings and the Australian will retain the Leaders’ Jersey heading into the J-Bay Open with a commanding 32,500 points. The Fiji Pro marks Wilkinson’s third Finals appearance in 2016, after his back-to-back wins on the Gold Coast and at Bells Beach.
“I am really stoked with second,” Wilkinson said. “If I came here knowing I would get a second, I would have been absolutely frothing. That Final was just so tough. It was disappointing not to get a big barrel when there were some to be had out there, but I just had twenty sets on the head and one barrel that I got caught in. Gabriel (Medina) was unbelievable out there. It is halfway through the year and I could not have dreamed of a better start. Everyone is obviously going to be coming for me, so it is definitely not time to let off on the accelerator. I am going to go into J-Bay as focused and ready as I can.”
Adrian Buchan (AUS) defeated three-time WSL Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) in the Quarterfinals before being eliminated by Wilkinson in the Semifinals. Buchan’s 3rd place finish is his best result in 2016 and his first Semifinal berth since Jeffreys Bay in 2015. Buchan was previously in 15th place on the Jeep Leaderboard and will now move to 7th.
“I’m pretty gutted right now,” Buchan said. “I spent the whole heat duck diving washed through sets. I fought back with that 7.8 midway through the heat and I just couldn’t get deep enough on that 4.1. I spent the last six minutes dodging wash-throughs again. That was frustrating, but you can’t get mad at the ocean. I’ve been pretty in rhythm all event and that heat I was completely out of rhythm. It was amazing to surf a heat against Matt (Wilkinson), but it just hurts when you are in rhythm and you have a heat like that.”
Fanning’s Quarterfinal berth earns him a fifth-place finish and sees him move to 16th place on the Jeep Leaderboard.
“It’s been an incredible event,” Fanning said. “Celebrating Taj’s final CT appearance, having a birthday, ending in pumping surf and just having a great time has made it a really special event. I appreciate all the support I’ve had throughout the window and will see everyone in Jeffreys Bay.”
Today’s Semifinal berth for Kelly Slater (USA) marks a great result for the 11-time WSL Champion, and his first Semifinal since Jeffreys Bay in 2015, after his worst ever start on the Championship Tour. During the match-up, Slater exchanged strong opening rides with Media, but the Brazilian got the edge with an excellent 8.40 over Slater’s 6.50. As sets rolled in, Medina continued to increase his lead with a 6.27. In the dying minutes of the heat, one last opportunity came through for Slater, but Medina utilized his priority to block the four-time event winner. En route to the Semifinal, Slater unleashed incredible performances including a near perfect 19.77, the highest heat total of the event. Slater will leave Fiji with a 3rd place finish and move up to 26th place on the Jeep Leaderboard.
“I am happy because I surfed well in this contest,” Slater said. “I feel like I finally got the computer working in my brain again, but I caught a couple of viruses in that heat. I probably got a little ahead of myself. I might have gotten a little too excited from the last heat and a couple of heats before that. You just have to focus on the job at hand. Gabriel (Medina) picked it right and played the heat the right way. I had my chances and made three or four mistakes. I am looking forward to J-Bay.”
Slater previously dispatched Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) in the Quarterfinals with an excellent 18.70 two-wave heat total.
John John Florence (HAW) battled eventual runner-up Wilkinson in Quarterfinal 4 but wasn’t able to take down the Australian and takes home a 5th place finish. Florence secured a solid 6.50 on his opening ride, but Wilkinson quickly captured the lead with a 7.73 and 6.90. Florence, with a 10.93 heat score, was not able to close the 8.13 point gap against Wilkinson. Florence remains in third place on the Jeep Rankings.
“The waves are really good right now and I just did not pick the best waves,” Florence said. “I had that one at the end but I was a couple feet too deep. This result is not too bad, it is still a keeper and it's only halfway through the year. I am pretty excited for J-Bay. All in all, I am pretty stoked. I had some really great waves in Fiji.”
Adriano de Souza (BRA) was dispatched by Medina in the opening Quarterfinal. Medina locked in multiple maneuvers to earn a 6.33 to take control. De Souza battled with a 5.83, but could not find a strong enough back-up score to defeat Medina. Medina scored a 4.53 to gain a 2.03 point lead to eliminate the reigning World Champion from the event. De Souza will walk away with a 5th place finish and 5th on the Jeep Rankings.
“It was a tough day out there for me,” De Souza said. “I got so many waves on my head and a broken board. Gabriel (Medina) has so many skills and he is so smart and picked the right waves. Right at the end one wave came through. Needing a 5, I tried to get deeper and then that cost me to not make it through the last wave. I am just happy to be in the Quarters, as it is a good result when looking at the full year. Now I am focusing on J-Bay. Before that I will stay here another week and get more barrels.”
Fiji Pro Final Results:
1 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.60
2 - Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 6.34
Fiji Pro Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.67 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 12.03
SF 2: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.33 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.00
Fiji Pro Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 10.86 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 8.83
QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.70 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 9.40
QF 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.60 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.40
QF 4: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.63 def. John John Florence (HAW) 10.93
WSL Jeep Leaderboard Top 5 (after Fiji Pro):
- Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 32,500 pts
- Gabriel Medina (BRA) 24,000 pts
- John John Florence (HAW) 23,900 pts
- Italo Ferreira (BRA) 20,500 pts
- Adriano de Souza (BRA) 20,400 pts
Comments
Embarrassing 'final'. 'Elite athletes' dodging the numerous, some absolutely pumping sets, or anything that looked like a bomb. Constantly caught inside, commentators jibbering and babbling about elite training and fitness. And simultaneous exhaustion.
Should have just called them in, and let those of the public with better equipment, mind set and ability surf it. These two 'finalists' are obviously more suited to Kelly's pool.
Why did you watch then ?
Slow day at the gym ?
They said it was 'elite athletes' in an amazing final! But it was a dud!
All that waving the flag, and snorting at the bag (s)! Its not helping!
Ahh.... so Truy your saying there are members of the public who are better surfers than those two? Nup, both those guys are awesome surfers and you wouldn't get a wave off them. They were sitting on the inside ledge to get the barrels, not hugging the channel for the big burgers. It seems it was too big for the inside ledge and not big enough for the outside one. I agree the term athletes is rubbish, they are not running around a track or throwing spears, and Joey can rabbit on about nothing forever and ever.
/
Yeh mem, I did, so I am. There actually are plenty of guys that thrive at and do much better than those two 'best of the elite WSL athletes', at thumping Cloudbreak, Jaws, or where ever else its big and pumping. That's just been documented too much for anyone to deny.
Where did I say I would get a wave off them? Did you see that, really? Bloody adolph had it easy didn't he! What flag (or banner for that matter) are you flying there? Why see that, and wave that torch?
I saw plenty of super, super clean, way out, and from way inside hollow bombs that went all the way though, and were well away from the wide, 'washthrough' sets. Its all on camera. Not that hard to see. Surely? Its all on camera?
Cloudbreak at its best and biggest is just too much for the 'elite athletic' ASP, WSL or whatever flag they fly, team to handle. That got highlighted ages ago. But as has been well and truly documented at many other breaks now also, when they get out of the way, and stop clogging up the inside, stop getting relentlessly picked off and stuck inside, getting in the way all the time, there truly are plenty of surfers who truly, genuinely chase and want, and actually do get all those majestic gems and bombs off the peak.
But, if you must, if you feel the flag, (or banner) unfurling, open the furnace doors!
It looks a lot easier on the camera. Friday was a difficult day. Swell too west.
If there were 20 free surfing in the lineup and all morning to do it, of course more bombs would have have been ridden. With 2 in the lineup, with just 35 minutes, under presssure, on short boards, waves breaking all over the place. Very tough.
As Sean Doherty summed up conditions.
"...the Second Reef cappers would simply wash over The Ledge and finals day would become some kind of ironman paddling event instead of a surfing contest. Watching from the boat the waves were there, but being in the spot was gonna be tricky amongst a lineup that was more white than blue."
'35 minutes, under presssure, on short boards, waves breaking all over the place. Very tough.'
'Elite athletes' thrive on, excel in very tough. Always fully prepared.
I saw them manage to get plenty of small, closing out 'washthroughs'. And, as you point out its tru wally, 'elitely' riding the wrong boards. And the skis endlessly ripping them around everywhere, despite them relentlessly getting picked off and constantly getting washed inside. Nah, those two don't stand out at all against plenty of others in the biggest, heaviest surf.
'Watching from the boat the waves were there'. That was obvious. Especially with the team and skis, those surfers much better than those two, that is, those truly elite in that scenario, would have been all over them. And the waves too. Its been documented too much to deny.
You must have spent a fair bit of time out Cloudbreak by the sounds of things Uplift.
You must burn easily under that Fijian sun after spending 90 percent of your adult life underneath fluorescent lights simulating actual physical activity.
Which sun block do you use ?
Wow I am gobsmacked. I felt that Fiji was one of the best comps I have seen in a long time. The tube riding by Slater, John John, Medina, Ace and Wilko was next level. Is there really better big wave tube riders than John John not doing the tour? Maybe Dorian but not on his backhand. Maybe JOB but you couldn't class him as an elite athlete. I must be missing something here or else I haven't contracted Tall Poppy Syndrome just yet in my middle age.
Blow in! Again! More blow in the trumpet, more snorting, grunting, reflex bag cracking and mashing from the reflex jabber. Makes my hair stand on end stuff! Again though, not a very useful comment. More denial doesn't help. Your reflex outburst, the denial, is understandable, as you say on here that you are scared of solid waves, and didn't go too well at some infamous waves. Never mind, always the 'heavy' bag to conquer!
In those waves that the two finalists relentlessly dodged, or got picked off by, there are many surfers who would easily outshine them. Its been too documented to deny. But, crazy as he was, adolph didn't have to try too hard! Always willing punters and reflex jabbers on the lawn! That's the problem.
'Elite Athletes'. So, no big deal, every performance, on the training track too, is dissected to the nth degree. Heads roll regularly, to pay the bills. All part of the territory. If you want the elite pay cheques that is.
Go Wilko keep the zika viruses at bay
Uplift/Truwally, would you say the path to being Elite is to follow a high repetition program?
Gary would certainly rate your your comments form as 'Elite' on that basis.
Give yourself a gold star.