Gabriel Medina

Praia de Maresias, em São Sebastião, Brazil

Gabriel Medina is an enigma…

3 X WSL world surfing champion, social media sensation with over 14m followers on IG alone and now Olympic medallist Paris 2024 Games, the 30-year-old goofy foot is either a bright star or dark lord to surf fans world-wide depending on the day.

Unafraid to do things his own way and with an unstoppable will to win when on a roll, Rip Curl’s #1 team rider is not like anybody else.

Born and raised on the sands of Praia de Maresias a 100 kms north north of Sao Paulo in Brazil, Medina is equally at home in the shorebreak of his hometown as he is rubbing shoulders with the elite of world sport on the global stage.

His “floating Jesus” image (shot by Jerome Bouillet from the big day at Teahupo’o during the Olympics in Tahiti) where he is captured soaring above the lip line, finger raised to the sky in pure stoke post barrel remains the single most iconic shot of the 2024 Games and helped to bring more eyeballs to the sport than any single moment of the past decade. Even if it was just a kick out to the core surf community!

Few surfers can command the respect Medina does in any conditions. He can surf Pipe, Bells, Trestles, Gland, JBay, Cloudbreak and of course Teahupo’o with the best of them. His innate positioning, timing ­and feel for the ocean – attributes which belong to all great surfers ­– are the keys to his success in both competition and freesurfing scenarios.

Medina has grown up a lot since he burst onto the world tour scene as a Rookie of The Year in 2011. He may even have become one of the most likeable surfers in the world as he ages through the ebbs and flows of his surfing life. As Mick Fanning once said: “He’s a beast in the water, I am glad I am not competing against him, but on land he’s such an amazing guy he’s always welcome at my home…”

If it’s good enough for Mick…

Vitals

AKA: Gabby, Gabs, Mejine
Born: December 22, 1993
Resides: Praia de Maresias, em São Sebastião, Brazil
Height: 5’11” (180 cm)
Shaper: Johnny Cabianca
Training Ground: Maresias, Brazil
Favourite Wave: Restaurants Fiji, Teahupo’o Tahiti, Pipeline Hawaii
Inspirations: God, family, friends, Mick, Kelly & Ayrton Senna
World Titles: 3 (2014, 2018, 2021)
Olympic medals: Bronze, 2024 Paris Games (held in Tahiti)
WSL Ranking by Year:

2011: 12th, 2012: 7th, 2013: 14th, 2014: 1st, 2015: 3rd, 2016: 3rd, 2017: 2nd, 2018: 1st, , 2019: 2nd, 2020: Covid no tour, 2021: 1st, 2022: 24th (injured), 2023: 6th

Statistics

WSL World Tour Event Victories:
2011 - Quiksilver Pro France
2011 - Rip Curl Search, San Francisco, California
2014 - Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast
2014 - Fiji Pro
2014 - Billabong Pro Teahupo'o
2015 - Quiksilver Pro France 2016 - Fiji Pro
2017 - Quiksilver Pro France
2017 - MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal
2018 - Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o
2018 - Surf Ranch Pro
2018 - Billabong Pipe Masters
2019 - Corona Open J-Bay
2019 - Freshwater Pro
2021 - Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic
2021 - Rip Curl Rottnest Search
2021 - Rip Curl WSL Finals
2022- injured
2023 - Margaret River Pro

Gabriel Medina in the air above a wave. Image links to video with short interview with Gabriel about his 3 world titlesGabriel Medina in the air above a wave. Image links to video with short interview with Gabriel about his 3 world titles
Gabriel Medina at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Gabriel Medina celebrating a win Medina doing a handstand Medina with Mick Fanning Gabriel Medina wining 2021 WSL Finals Gabriel Medina Before a surf Gabriel Medina celebrating a win Gabriel Medina in Hawaii Medina getting barrelled Gabriel Medina at Bells Beach Pro Gabriel Medina wining 2021 WSL Finals Gabriel Medina on his board Gabriel Medina at Pipe Masters Medina getting barrelled Medina with Owen Wright Gabriel Medina surfing for Rip Curl Gabriel Medina surfing for Rip Curl Gabriel Medina's Ultimate Boardshort

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