Gabriel Medina

Gabriel Medina
Personal information
Born (1993-12-22) December 22, 1993
São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight 149 lb (68 kg)
Surfing career
Best year 2014 - WSL World Champion
Sponsors Matt Nabney, Rip Curl, Guaraná Antarctica, Oi, Mitsubishi Motors, Samsung Galaxy, Oakley, Gorilla, FCS, Vult, Coppertone, Cabianca Surfboards[1]
Major achievements
Surfing specifications
Stance Goofy
Favorite maneuvers Aerials

Gabriel Medina Pinto Ferreira[2] (born 22 December 1993) is a Brazilian professional surfer, also the 2014 WSL World Champion. Medina joined the world's elite of the World Surf League Tour in 2011, and in his rookie year he finished within the top 12 of the ASP (now WSL) World Tour at the age of 17.[3] In March 2014 he won the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.[4] Media sources credit him as being the second person to have executed a maneuver called the "Backflip".[5][6] Medina also became the first person ever to land this move in competition.[7]

Life and career

Born in São Sebastião, São Paulo, and raised in the city's district of Maresias, is the son of Simone Pinto Medina and Claudio de Jesus Ferreira.[8] Medina began surfing at age 9; at 11 he won his first national championship, the Rip Curl Grom Search in the category Sub-12, held in Búzios, Rio de Janeiro.[9]

Medina won many Brazilian amateur championships, becoming champion at the Volcom Sub-14, Quicksilver King of Groms, Rip Curl Grom Search, besides conquering the state championship three times. In California, he was second at the Volcom Internacional Sub-14, and in Ecuador, vice-champion of the Amateur World Sub-16 Championship.[9] At 14 years old, Medina was already at the finals of the Paulista Championship, became the Paulista Junior Champion, and surfing the World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-star event Onbongo Pro Surfing 2008 in Ubatuba, where he managed to defeat his idol Adriano de Souza, aka Mineirinho.[10]

In July 2009, Medina won a contract with Rip Curl, and thereafter endeavored to pursue a professional surfing career. Just 10 days later, Medina set a new mark as the youngest male winner of an open age pro competition by taking out the Maresias Surf International in Brazil by the age of 15 (That victory broke one of pro surfing’s longest-standing records, held by Australian Nick Wood, who won the 1987 Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach as a 16-year-old).[11]

In 2011 came the sequence of championships that took Medina to share the waves with the top surfers, surfing the WQS 6 Star Prime in Imbituba,[12] and the two WQS 6 Star in France and Spain. He was also victorious in the Pro Junior World Championship, held in French waves.[13] With his prowess and results in such a young age, Medina signed and extension contract with Rip Curl just in the same week of his debut on the 2011 ASP World Championship Tour, by the age of 17, by the mid-season rotation.[14] Medina went on to finish his rookie season with two WCT events wins (Hossegor, France and San Francisco, USA), despite competing only half of the season.[15]

In 2013, Medina went on to win the World Junior Tour (ASP) in 2013, at age 19.[16]

In the 2014 WCT season, by winning the very first event of the season, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Medina became the first Brazilian male surfer ever to win on the Gold Coast, and also the first goofy to win this contest since 2004 and less than two months after recovering from a broken leg injury suffered while surfing in Hawaii.[17][18][19] He dropped to 5th on the rankings after finishing 13th on the Billabong Rio Pro, but re-assumed the pole after winning the Volcom Fiji Pro.[20][21] Medina also won the Billabong Pro Teahupoo, the seventh WCT event of the season in Tahiti, beating in a highly competitive final Kelly Slater.[22] Later in the year, after finishing in 2nd place in the last event of the season at the Billabong Pipeline Masters in Hawaii, Medina went on to become the first ever Brazilian ASP World Champion by the age of 20 (the youngest since Kelly Slater did also in age 20 in 1992).[23]

In 2015, after a sequence of average results, Medina won the Quiksilver Pro France, capturing his sixth WCT event win and his second in Hossegor, France. After beating Mick Fanning and reaching the finals at the last WCT event of the season, the Billabong Pipe Masters in Hawaii, for the second straight year, Medina once again made history, becoming the first Brazilian ever to win the Hawaiian Triple Crown of Surfing title.[24] With Adriano de Souza winning the other semifinal later and capturing the 2015 World Title (due to Fanning's loss to Medina), the stage was set for a first time ever all Brazilian final at the Pipe Masters. Medina finished runner-up once again as de Souza became the first Brazilian ever to win the Hawaiian CT event.[25] With this second place, Medina finished the 2015 WCT season on a high note, reaching the 3rd place.

In May 14, 2016, during the Oi Rio Pro, Medina made history once again, becoming the first surfer ever to land the move "Backflip" in competition. As a result, Medina got a perfect 10 in all five judges thus beating fellow countryman Alex Ribeiro in a 2nd round elimination heat.[7][26] Medina went on to finish the competition in third place. In June 17, 2016, in the Fiji Islands, Medina won his seventh WCT event, his second in Cloudbreak, in heavy conditions. The win put him as the most victorious Brazilian surfer in the history of the CT only at the age of 22.[27]

Surfboards

Gabriel Medina has been with his shaper Johnny Cabianca since 2008.[28] Johnny Cabianca, a Brazilian living in the Basque Country, is one of the worlds most renowned surfboard shapers.[29] Gabriel is using about 100 surfboards a year.[30] Cabianca who previously shaped under the Spanish label Pukas, started his own brand in 2015. Gabriel’s first victory on a Cabianca Surfboard was the Quiksilver Pro France 2015.[31]

Results

Victories

WCT Wins
YearEventVenueCountry
2016 Fiji Pro Tavarua  Fiji
2015 Quiksilver Pro France Hossegor, Aquitaine  France
2014 Billabong Pro Teahupoo Tahiti  French Polynesia
2014 Fiji Pro Tavarua  Fiji
2014 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast Gold Coast, Queensland  Australia
2011 Rip Curl Search San Francisco, California  United States
2011 Quiksilver Pro France Hossegor, Aquitaine  France
WQS Wins
Year Event Venue Country
2012 Nike Lowers Pro San Clemente, California  United States
2011 Super Surf International Imbituba  Brazil
2011 Sooruz Lacanau Pro Lacanau  France
2011 San Miguel Pro Zarautz, Basque Country  Spain
2009 Maresias Surf International Florianopolis, Santa Catarina  Brazil
Juniors Wins
Year Event Venue Country
2013 HD World Junior Championship Florianópolis  Brazil
2011 Airwalk Lacanau Pro Junior Lacanau  France

WSL World Championship Tour

Tournament2011201220132014201520162017
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast DNP 25th 13th 1st 13th 13th 3rd
Rip Curl Pro 25th 13th 13th 9th 5th 13th 25th
Margaret River Pro - - - 5th 25th 9th -
Rio Pro DNP 25th 3rd 13th 13th 3rd -
Fiji Pro - 2nd 25th 1st 13th 1st -
J-Bay Open DNP - - 5th 5th 5th -
Billabong Pro Teahupoo DNP 5th 13th 1st 2nd 3rd -
Hurley Pro Trestles 13th 9th 13th 5th 3rd 13th -
Quiksilver Pro France 1st 5th 2nd 5th 1st 2nd -
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal 13th 2nd 25th 13th 5th 13th -
Billabong Pipeline Masters 5th 9th 13th 2nd 2nd 13th -
Rip Curl Search 1st - - - - - -
Oakley Pro Bali - - 13th - - - -
O'Neill Coldwater Classic - 5th - - - - -
Rank 12th 7th 14th 1st 3rd 3rd 3rd
Earnings $180,750 $146,750 $120,000 $431,500 $335,500 $281,750 $25,000

References

  1. ↑ http://gabrielmedinaoficial.com.br/patrocinio/
  2. ↑ "Gabriel Medina". mitsubishimotors.com.br. Mitsubishi Motors. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Gabriel Medina". Surffcs.com. Surf FSC. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Gabriel Medina Wins 2014 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast". Surfing Magazine. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "O voo de Gabriel Medina, o jovem ídolo do surfe brasileiro". Veja.abril.com.br. Veja.
  6. ↑ "Gabriel Medina completa manobra 'impossível' no Havaí: o backflip". Globo Esporte. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Air War Heats Up at Oi Rio Pro". World Surf League. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Marcello Serpa cria marca para surfista que é fenômeno mundial". Ccsp.com.br. CLUBE DE CRIAÇÃO DE SÃO PAULO. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Top 5 Surfistas Mundiais". Surfworldpt.wordpress.com. World Press. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  10. ↑ "Adriano de Souza é destronado na estréia no Onbongo Pro Surfing". Beachbite.com. Beach Byte. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  11. ↑ "THE 100 GREATEST SURFERS OF ALL TIME". surfeuropemag.com. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  12. ↑ "17-Year Old Gabriel Medina Wins 6 Star Prime Brazil". Tracksmag.com. Track Magazine. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  13. ↑ "Gabriel Medina, paulista de 20 anos: fenômeno do surfe mundial". Tiooda.com.br. Tio Oda.
  14. ↑ "Teen Surfing Sensation Gabriel Medina Signs New Rip Curl Deal In Same Week As His Official ASP World Tour Debut". Ripcurl.com. Rip Curl. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  15. ↑ "De hiperativo a fenômeno, Gabriel Medina vira o anjo do Brasil no surfe". globoesporte.globo.com. Globo Esporte. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Medina Claims Men's ASP World Junior Title". worldsurfleague.com. World Surf League. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  17. ↑ Jarvis, Craig. "Gabriel Medina Wins the 2014 Quicksilver Pro, Gold Coast". Stabmag.com. Stab Magazine. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  18. ↑ "Brazilian Gabriel Medina has world title in his sights after winning Quiksilver Pro". www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au. Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Gabriel Medina vence o WCT da Gold Coast". oglobo.globo.com. O Globo. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Gabriel Medina Wins 2014 Fiji Pro". Surfingmagazine.com. The Enthusiast Network. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  21. ↑ "Medina Wins Fiji Pro, Takes WCT Rankings Lead". worldsurfleague.com. World Surf League. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Medina Wins Billabong Pro Tahiti in Epic Conditions". worldsurfleague.com. World Surf League. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Congratulations Gabriel Medina, 2014 ASP World Champion!". World Surf League.
  24. ↑ "Medina Wins 2015 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing". worldsurfleague.com. World Surf League. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  25. ↑ "De Souza Clinches the 2015 World Title and Pipe Masters Crown on Finals Day". World Surf League. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Medina faz história ao acertar backflip, tira nota 10 e avança à 3ª fase no Rio". Globo Esporte. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Gabriel Medina vence o Fiji Pro batendo o líder do ranking na final". World Surf League. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  28. ↑ http://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/92135/johnny-cabianca-interview
  29. ↑ http://www.redbull.com/us/en/surfing/stories/1331721578245/surfboard-shapers
  30. ↑ http://www.oakley.com/en/blog/johnny-cabianca-unintended-story-surfboard-shaping-gabriel-medina/
  31. ↑ http://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/152641/magic-board-quiksilver-pro-france-medina
Achievements
Preceded by
Mick Fanning		 Association of Surfing Professionals World Champion (men's)
2014 		Succeeded by
Adriano De Souza
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