GABRIEL
MEDINA

Talented goofyfoot pro from Sao Paulo; 2014 world champion; the first surfer from Brazil to win a WCT title. As a competitor, Medina has nerves of steel, and understands the finer points of competition better than even the cagiest of old-timers; he out-hustles opponents and well as out-surfs them. “He’s just a complete badass competitor,” American rival Kolohe Andino told ESPN. In 2014, Medina moved from contender to world champ after a dominating season in which he won three contests (the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, the Fiji Pro, and the Billabong Pro Tahiti), and finished fifth or better in eight of eleven events. At the season-ending Pipe Masters event, Medina clinched the world title just before his quarterfinal heat began. In 2015, Time magazine listed Medina on its 100 Most Influential People in the World list. He won the championship again in 2018 and 2021and won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in Teahupo’o, Tahiti.

This board is on loan from the Ripcurl collection.
Portrait photo © Ripcurl