MEDINA Gabriel

Preferred stance
Goofy (worldsurfleague.com, 01 Dec 2019)

General
SURFING FOUNDATION
In 2017 he and his family started a foundation, called Instituto Gabriel Medina, in San Sebastiao, Brazil, on Maresias Beach. The foundation aims to give young surfers between ages 10 and 17 the support to develop their surfing careers, including coaching, mental and physical health support, nutrition, equipment and travelling costs. (institutogm10.com.br, 17 Apr 2019)

INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE
In December 2019 he was locked in a close battle with compatriot Italo Ferreira for the overall world title, when he performed a calculated drop-in against Brazilian Caio Ibelli at the Pipe Masters in Pupukea, HI, United States of America, during the round of 16 heat. Medina needed a victory in the event to keep his world title hopes alive, and was leading a low-scoring heat when he blocked Ibelli's attempt to catch a wave and potentially steal a win in the final seconds. He was penalised for interference and admitted intentionally paddling in front of Ibelli to guarantee victory in the heat. The incident attracted significant media attention, with the WSL's commissioner Pat O'Connell later issuing a statement saying the move was "deemed as gamesmanship" but not "unsportsmanlike". Medina said he simply used the rule book to his advantage. "I knew if I had an interference I was going to count my big wave. If it's in the rules, you've got to play the game. In my head, I knew what I was doing. As I said, it's in the rules." Ferreira went on to win the event, beating Medina in the final, to claim the world title, with Medina finishing runner-up. (wwos.nine.com.au, 21 Dec 2019; nzherald.co.nz, 20 Dec 2019; vanstripplecrownofsurfing.com, 2019; worldsurfleague.com, 2019)

In 2014 he became the first Brazilian surfer to win the World Surf League [then called ASP] Championship Tour overall title. In 2018 he became the first Brazilian surfer to win more than one world title when he claimed his second. (institutogm10.com.br, 17 Apr 2019)

In 2009 at age 15 he became the youngest surfer at the time to win a World Surf League [then called ASP] Qualifying Series event when he finished first in the 2009 Maresia Surf International in Florianopolis, Brazil. (worldsurfleague.com, 01 Dec 2019)