Medina Praises Vaccines Day After Fortnite Announcement Of Jab-Status Goes Viral - Stab Mag

Live Now — Episode 3 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

1226 Views
Gabby dives for water after vax heat. Photo by Ben Reed/WSL

Medina Praises Vaccines Day After Fortnite Announcement Of Jab-Status Goes Viral

Will surf Mexico, won’t surf Tahiti.

news // Aug 8, 2021
Words by Ethan Davis
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Most fires started on social media generate more heat than light. 

On Thursday, Gabriel Medina, the Brazilian two-time world champ revealed via the live video-streaming service Twitch that he had not been vaccinated. Today, he praised vaccines and announced he would be getting the jab “soon.”

Gabe’s insta story

Translated text: “Vaccine saves lives, guys! It was a mistake that I couldn’t fit the immunization into my training schedule for this year’s challenges because I was focused on the world championships. But soon I’ll take mine. In the meantime I continue to be careful and follow the safety protocols.”

Because of France’s quarantine laws which stipulate that unvaccinated travelers must self-isolate for ten days, he will not be eligible to compete within Tahiti’s event-window, which begins five days after the end of the Mexico event. 

For Gabs, who currently sits on top of the World Rankings 13,165 points ahead of Italo in second, it is not the end of the world. In fact, earlier this week, we suggested Gabs might be better off missing the next two events entirely to focus on Final’s day prep at Trestles given the near-impossibility of Italo or Filipe overtaking him. 

Gabby can afford to lay back with his current lead. Photo: Ben Reed/WSL.

More interestingly however, was seeing how explosive the issue of vaccines was to talk about on a surf media page. In comment threads people called each other morons, dropped links to conspiracy videos and attempted to disentangle more nuanced concepts from one another such as mandated vaccines, travel passports, herd immunity and viral mutations undermining vaccine effectiveness. 

It was a clusterfuck of genuinely thoughtful, well-reasoned opinions backed by credible statistics and honest departures from mainstream group-think, and trolling, gaslighting and below-the-belt slander backed by mental illness and misinformation amplified by devious algorithms. 

While the fire raged in the comments section, Gabs got a 10-kill streak and Italo did another air-reverse. Someone stepped in shit, another zipped his foreskin in his trousers. The earth continued its orbit around the sun. 

Don’t forget to surf guys.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Cloud 9 Becomes First Surf Break To Outlaw Beginner Surf Lessons

Time to make it a universal ruling at sketchy reef breaks? A local photographer explains.

Jul 15, 2025

10 Shapers To Watch In The Next 10 Years — Part Two

A few more foam craftsmen worth keeping on your radar.

Jul 14, 2025

Watch: Rip Curl Mobilises Its Teenage Army In ‘Dunno’

A 30-minute surf film by Vaughan Blakey and Nick Pollet.

Jul 14, 2025

There’s A New Number One Surfer In The World

And it feels so right.

Jul 13, 2025

Controversial Opinion: No One Needs To Yoga In Boardshorts

8 Trunks for the traditionalist.

Jul 13, 2025

Stab Edit Of The Year: Sam Piter Stars in ‘Rogue DNA’.

French blood, thick water.

Jul 13, 2025

Matty McG Skydives Into CT Heat, But Jordy’s Still The Main Event

A full day of heats at J-Bay, and only one shark warning.

Jul 12, 2025

Correction: J-Bay All Foreplay, No Climax

Slim pickings on Day 1 of the Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025.

Jul 11, 2025

What Do Hollywood, Surf Lessons, Michael Jackson And Traction Pads Have In Common?

A Stab Interview with Teva Dexter, the man behind surfing's hardest new hardware brand —…

Jul 10, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

"The tribe has spoken," Dane Reynolds pronounced, and a surfer's torch was snuffed.

Jul 10, 2025

How Josh Ku Nearly Died Trying To Cross From Ulus to G Land by Hydrofoil

“If someone finds me dead at least they can find my phone and know what…

Jul 10, 2025

Expect No Kiss, All Climax At The “World’s Most Perfect Pointbreak”

A Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025 preview.

Jul 9, 2025

SEOTY: Liam O’Brien stars in ‘Friction of Perception’

"Hopefully I don’t come across like too much of a peanut."

Jul 8, 2025

10 Shapers To Watch In The Next 10 Years — Part One

“It’s like a drug empire, man. Cut the head off the snakes, and more will…

Jul 7, 2025

Mason Ho Joins Ritual Vision, Releases Remix Of Greatest Hits

Dion Agius riffs on the eyewear brand’s U.S. expansion, Ritualistic Tendencies, and the new stars…

Jul 7, 2025

Is It Time For A New Judging Format?

We have a modest proposal — a WSL head judge disagrees.

Jul 7, 2025

Luke Thompson Turns Last Year’s Priority Disaster Into Ballito Gold

+ earns himself a wildcard into Jbay.

Jul 7, 2025

Fiji Has Its First Professional Surfer, And He’s Unbelievable

16-year-old James Kusitino’s incomprehensible tube lounging leads to a deal with Former.

Jul 6, 2025
Advertisement