Gabriel Medina Signed Up For An Indo QS, Is Going To Slaughter The Field

After back-to-back quarterfinal finishes at Snapper and Bells, Gabriel Medina sits at number five on the Championship Tour rankings, nearly 7,000 points behind the current leader and fellow 2x World Champ John John Florence.

And how do you think Medina feels about that?

On one hand, starting the year quarter-quarter is a statistical improvement for Medina, who is notorious for being a late-bloomer across most of his professional seasons. On the other hand, it’s got to be killing him that Jordy, Filipe, Italo, and worst of all John have gotten off to such a hot start following Gabby’s 2018 Title.

With nearly three weeks separating the end of Bells and the start of Keramas, CT surfers had a choice: go home and relax for 5-7 days or stick around Australasia and practice for the next event.

While we haven’t done a complete headcount, it appears most CTers have made the long (but short-lived) trip home, which is totally understandable. Having already spent over a month in Australia between Snapper and Bells, and with this next leg of events running through June 9th, a little refresh would do most competitors some good. 

But not Medina.

Following a beautiful (and disputed) heat loss against the current World #1, Medina flew straight to Bali, home of the season’s next event at Keramas, to prepare. A day after he arrived, Medina received a late invite to the Krui Pro in Sumatra (a QS 3,000 event) from the WSL’s Will Hayden-Smith – apparently, there’d been a last-second withdrawal, and the League wanted to fill that slot with a ringer.

Now, you might be wondering why the fuck Gabriel Medina would want anything to do with a QS 3,000 – especially one that’s pretty difficult to get to (several flights and a long car ride from Bali) – in the middle of his actual competitive season.

Well, have you seen the waves in Krui?

In this case, we’re talking specifically about Ujung Bocur, the venue of the Krui Pro, which is a left reef point, comparable to the Ulus racetrack but not quite as ruler-edged. Look at the video above, and tell us Medina wouldn’t go ballistic out there. The joint has barrels, turn sections, and ramps – what else could Gabby look for in a left-hander?

“Gabs is a big fan of a left point break and Krui is right up his alley, so he called me and told me he was heading over,” explained Fletch, Rip Curl’s team manager. “He said that the swell looked fun and he got the invite to surf it with no one out, so why not!”

Why not indeed. Medina accepted the offer and hopped on the next flight to Sumatra, where he’s about to surf his Round 3 heat against Jack Robinson, Jonathan Gonzales, and some poor fella from Japan.

With waves in the head-high range and Medina already having made friends with the locals, we’re left to wonder who, in this mid-level farm league event, could get anywhere close to beating the 2x World Champion.

Jackie Robbo? Luke Hynd? Coconut Willie?

According to the web commentators, Medina had a wave in his morning freesurf with an air reverse, an alleyoop, and a club sandwich, to which Dean Bowen responded, “Well boys, it looks like we’re down to a QS 2,500.”

(Here’s a separate but equally notable warm-up wave from the champ)

I don’t believe there are any legal betting services for QS events, but if there were, what do you reckon Medina would be paying to take out the whole damn thing?

$1.10?

$1.15, if the agency is feeling generous?

Nothing in sport – and especially surfing – is guaranteed, but wouldn’t you put your house on this, if you could?

If our math is correct, and it rarely is, Medina will surf his first heat around 8:30 pm PST (tonight).