Stab Predicts: A Gabriel Medina vs Kelly Slater final

After a string of painful lay days, the Billabong Pro, Tahiti swung back to life at Teahupoo today. It was four to six feet with surprise moments of added power (see: CJ Hobgood and Gabriel Medina’s waves). It was one of those days where, if you’d tuned in at the right moment, you’d have thought it was small, windblown and shit, and probably logged off. Then the next heat, you’d have missed someone getting blown out of a stand-up barrel. Which happened a few times, among other things. Here’s some observations from today at The End Of The Road.

Words by Damien Fahrenfort

Commissioner Kieren Perrow made a good call waiting for seven days.
Today was tricky, not as perfect as past years but easily as exciting. The direction made the waves unpredictable, which makes the surf a bit heavier and a lot more exciting at Chopes. While it might be 10 years until the contest sees waves like it did last year, I’d almost rather watch it as it was today.

Gabriel Medina got robbed of a 10 -point ride.
Easily one of the best barrels I’ve ever seen on out there. CJ a few heats before got a 10 for an incredible tube, but Gabs’ wave was almost twice the size and just as deep. In his post heat interview he seemed a lot more relaxed and was very quick to talk about how much he was shitting himself last year. Gabs for back to back wins? I think so.

Italo Ferraira is going to be around for a while.
The guy can do it all. I’d written him off after Snapper thinking that result came because of the poor conditions. Every event he proves me wrong and I’m beginning to believe that he’s the real deal. Sure, he might not ever win a title, but he’s going to win some contests in his years to come and tomorrow he will beat Filipe Toledo.

Five out of 12 surfers left are Brazilians.
And not because it’s been small. After Gabs’ performance last year, these guys all seem to have a confidence about them in heavier waves. They take risks and they’ve got the ability to pull it off.

Jeremy Flores is a bowse.
Gath Helmet and charging like a mad man. He’s almost making them look as cool as Tommy C did. While he just lost to Slater in Round four, I think it will be hard to beat him in a man on man heat and the mutual understanding between him and Mr Dantas will hopefully eliminate the hustle.

And one mediocre prediction for tomorrow…

It’s going to be a Kelly vs. Gabs final, again.
Out of everyone left in the contest I don’t see anyone beating these guys. While everyone else left in the draw has the skills to win, I don’t think they will get by Gabs or Slater because of the way the draw’s set. Gabs will beat Owen in the first Semi and Kelly will beat Kerr in the second Semi. The final, I’m calling Gabs because he seems a bit more excited to finally be back in good rhythm after the last few events.

Get at your Heats On Demand, here.

Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 16.97 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 12.50
Heat 2: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.13 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.00
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS) 18.23 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 15.70
Heat 4: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 16.10 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.83
Heat 5: Gabriel Medina (HAW) 19.00 def. John John Florence (HAW) 18.84
Heat 6: Bruno Santos (BRA) 16.20 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.70
Heat 7: Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 15.17 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 6.67
Heat 8: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 16.83 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 8.66
Heat 9: Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.80 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.67
Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.06 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 13.33
Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 18.87 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.60
Heat 12: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.60 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 9.50

Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.84, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.06, Kai Otton (AUS) 12.70
Heat 2: Gabriel Medina (HAW) 17.64, Italo Ferreira (BRA) 17.10, Bruno Santos (BRA) 6.84
Heat 3: Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.20, Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 11.43, Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 6.40
Heat 4: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.60, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.66, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 8.30

Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 5 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Italo Ferreira (BRA)
Heat 2: Bruno Santos (BRA) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 3: Aritz Aranburu (ESP) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)