Gabriel Medina wins Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic
Two-time World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) held nothing back in the Final of the Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic, posting the highest two-wave combination of the entire event to overcome Californian Conner Coffin (USA) for his 15th Championship Tour victory.
Medina posted an 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.
The 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.
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.
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.
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