Gabriel Medina, the hard way back, Huntington Beach

Here’s something: Gabriel Medina, electric Brazilian goofyfooter, overlooked some application forms recently and then had the unwelcome realisation that he wasn’t in the Vans US Open Of Surfing. “I forgot to sign up for the event, but I’m pretty stoked to make the trials,” he said after burning his way through the trial rounds and taking the tougher way into the main event. “I knew it was going to be hard and I was just trying to get a few waves and warm up for the main event.”

Anyone who’s surfed Huntington knows that the more time spent out there, the more beneficial – it ain’t an easy way to get dialled. “I feel good here in Huntington Beach,” Gabs continued. “It’s a beachbreak and last year I got third. I hope this year I can make one more heat. It’s always fun to be here and I like these waves.”