Pipeline: Medina Triumphant

I set my alarm for 5am knowing full well I’d miss the round 4 heats. It’s a decision that will haunt me for days as I didn’t get to see Joel Parkinson in a jersey for the final time – live. Basically, if Mick Fanning is God, then Joel Parkinson is Jesus of the Australian surfing world. I’ve been lucky enough to meet both and I can safely say that the way Parko comes across on television is exactly how he is in real life - just a super relaxed and engaging guy. The tour won’t be the same without him or his nose next year…

Anyway, I dialled into the WSL app on my iPad just as Conner Coffin and Gabriel Medina were paddling out for their quarter final. Medina had a slow start, or maybe it was a calculated start, I’m actually not too sure. I’m confident if you asked the Brazilian he’d say he was always in control of the heat, even though Coffin had the jump with two waves clocking a total of 14.26. With Medina without a score, I was starting to dream big of a Julian Wilson world title. That dream would be short lived. With however many minutes to go (it was all a blur) Medina went into full psycho mode and got the two best waves of the day. The first was a Pipe special with a cheeky air grab thrown at the end. It was a 9.43. What felt like seconds later, Medina dropped in on a Backdoor gem and threw down the most technical line, somehow managed to get spit out, only to receive a perfect 10. It was a big statement and Wilson would now have to rely on wining the whole event on the proviso that Media would lose his semi-final.

Kelly Slater won the next heat and would find himself in a semi-final. Pretty good for a 46-year-old who’s hardly surfed this year. However, his heat with Yago Dora was really just buying time before Wilson paddled out for his battle against Frenchman Joan Duru, who somehow created an upset during the last stop on the European leg in crappy Portugal conditions. I was watching it live in the office and almost smashed my computer screen. But whatever, right!?

Back to Pipeline, I can’t help feel that Wilson has had to try harder for his waves than Medina throughout the whole contest. I’m not too sure if it was Parko or Mick that said ‘the wave picks you’ when surfing Pipe, but regardless it seems to be a true statement. Anyway, Wilson got off to a good start with a solid Backdoor pit, albeit with a sketchy attempt at an alley-oop that had seven stiches on his heel written all over it. He got a 7, and then backed it up with another solid wave, scoring a 6.50. It looked as if the heat would go to Wilson, until Duru dropped a solid 8.60 on a perfect Pipe barrel. With time ticking away, and priority with the Frenchman, I was holding my breath. Duru literally needed a score in the 4 range. Thankfully, the ocean went flat, and Wilson got through to the semi-final by the skin of his teeth.

Enter Medina and ‘worst dressed on tour’ (according to Parko) Jordy Smith. There is definitely no love lost between these two and if I know Jordy (which I don’t) I’d tell you he would have had no issues in crushing Medina’s dream of a second title. And the way the South African started would agree with my ‘based on absolutely nothing’ statement. He slotted a nice Backdoor barrel and came out with a score in the 7 range – advantage Smith. However, Medina was just getting warmed up and hit back with a similar score, then somehow sold Smith some candy resulting in the big fella ejecting from his board whilst losing priority in the process, only to see the young Brazilian do his thing and rip a 9.10 wave – advantage Medina. Then, in true Pipeline fashion the ocean seemed to go quiet and the Brazilian crowd on the beach began to sing a little louder. As the minutes counted down it became more apparent who would be crowned the 2018 World Champion. And sure enough, the hooter sounded, and Gabriel Medina won his second title. However, in true sportsmanship fashion, Julian Wilson was the first to paddle over and congratulate Medina, even though he was about to take on Kelly Slater in his semi. What a bloody legend.

Julian Wilson beat Kelly Slater. Although don’t ask me anything about the first 10 minutes of their heat because I literally have no idea what happened. This is fair enough given what had just happened. But still, it would have been appreciated if the WSL rocked a split screen – just saying. That’s neither here nor there though. Wilson did what he had to do to give him a shot at the title. It just so happens that Medina is an absolute freak and wasn’t having any of it. Cue the final which meant absolutely nothing, but absolutely everything at the same time…

Gabriel Medina has never been a Pipe Master. Julian Wilson has. For us suckers it probably doesn’t mean much, however, for Medina it undoubtedly means more than we care to imagine. So yeah, the final had a bit riding on it. And if I’m being perfectly honest I was asleep for the first five minutes. Turns out the old 5am wakeup call isn’t as exhilarating when you’re not actually surfing yourself. However, thanks to my dog’s chronic snoring (yeah I chucked her bed in my room the night before for this purpose) I was able to get up and watch the final 28 minutes. But to be honest I had already checked out. I’d seen the surfing Medina had been producing and just knew that my boy Julian wasn’t going to match it. I was right. And with this profound realisation I could finally have a shower and get ready for work…

Bring on 2019.

@wetsuitoutlet

Written by Sam Quennell