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By the time finals day for the Margaret River Pro kicked in, the victims of ‘The Cut’ had been banished to the Challenger Series underworld, Kelly had returned from the dead clutching a quickly sketched CT wildcard and the event’s survivors were left to duel in shifty but rippable six-eight foot Main Break. Although the bloodstains of ‘The Cut’ were still on Joe Turpel’s shiny shoes, attention quickly turned to that other WSL buzz phrase, ‘The Final Five Conversation’.
The first semi between Medina and Chianca was a low-scoring scrap that felt like a battle of status, ego and Brazilian bragging rights. Medina is the three-time world champ who has a rep’ for being the most ruthless and effective competitive surfer in modern history. However, four comps in and on the comeback trail he hadn’t gone better than ninth and the aura of invincibility seemed to be fading, even if the hulking quads looked thicker than ever. Chianca lined up as the swaggering Brazilian bolter with the distinctive body-jive and the youthful exuberance to overwhelm any competitor. The surfing didn’t inspire but the heat provided Medina with one major test – to catch a mid-range four in the final couple of minutes to take the win. The thunder-thighs held on through a couple of deep bottom turns and his head stayed in the game to finish the wave and let Chianca know that he was still the Primeiro Brazilian.
Post heat, Chainca was dressed in jet-black head-to-toe, as if trying to cast himself as the arch villain in the title race. His comments seemed to put him even more in character. I was ‘too emotional’, suggested Chianca. “I can be more cold and less emotional,” he continued. Chianca, who retains his yellow jersey, even went on to drop an athlete’s mantra that had the commentators all gooey with approval. I need, “Cold blood, warm heart,” he quipped with a wolfish grin.
It may sound like fighting words from Chianca, but that’s far more refreshing than the stock standard, passive aggressive,“I was just having fun.” Nothing like a little niggle to make things interesting.
John John entered his semi against Griffin, equipped with one major weapon of mass destruction – the lay back jam. As Rabbit sagely pointed out earlier in the event, JJF has about twenty different versions of the turn affectionately known as the drop-wallet. Not surprisingly John John went straight to the money-manoeuvre that the judges have consistently rewarded throughout the contest. However, although two wing-dipping slashes on his flashy, red and yellow Ghost earned him a pair of fives and a baby combo, he never had quite enough cash in his pocket.
Colapinto switched up boards and took an entirely different strategy, waiting until the fourteen-minute mark for the wave he wanted. It was a bold strategy on a day when the busier surfers had fared better, and it made for anxious viewing if you were a Griffin fan.
Seated in Colapinto’s corner was Tommy Whitaker, a former winner at Maragarets and a pro surfer famed for his patient heat approach. Perhaps he’d encouraged Griff to drop anchor until he was convinced he had a wave he could convert to a meaningful score. Griff’s first strike was an 8.5. The score instantly validated his strategy but he’d still need a back-up and a little luck with limited time available. Under pressure to produce a good score, John John made a poor wave choice with priority and handed the stage to Griff, who seized on a set and dropped an emphatic nine (see below). The 17.5 heat total ensured Griff had comboed JJF at a wave that has played host to some of his finest performances. It was a massive confidence boost for the Californian, irrespective of how the final played out.
In the women’s semis Carissa Moore was able to sit in cruise mode and eclipse wildcard Bronte Macaulay who was struggling with a knee injury. The clash between Caroline Marks and Tyler Wright had a little more sting. It felt like Tyler had ridden a wave of momentum from Bells (where she won) across the Nullarbor to Margaret River. Meanwhile, Marks was looking to chop her down to size with the scything backside hook that has become her trademark. Curiously both surfers seem to have benefitted from their ‘time out’ in recent years. Marks and Wright have never looked more focused and energised. While Tyler was too strong today the result slots Marks into number four on the ratings. Finals day is a long way away, but if Marks makes it into the T5 (Top Five) she has the repertoire to go all the way.
Since Medina made his comeback half way through last year, we’ve been waiting for him to drop into that zone where he produces untouchable performances. He’d stumbled into the final and it wasn’t clear he could stifle the momentum of Griffin Colapinto, who had already beaten him twice this year. In the opening exchange Medina speared the heavy Mainbreak lip with a couple of vertical snaps and Colapinto responded with a hefty snap-to-floater, followed by a carve. The judges split them by a point, giving Griff the nod with an 8.17.
However, shortly after Medina made the leap to hyper-speed we’ve been waiting for. The window of heightened performance might only last ten minutes but often that’s enough to blast the competition out of the water. Gabby posted and eight and minutes later backed it up with a 9.5. A key factor in his raging bull performance was the range of motion in his turns. In a single move the board would swing from midnight vertical to geyser-throwing fin-chuck, all in one devastating swing of the bat.
Medina’s ten-minute blitz left Griffin chasing a 9.34 and in the final moments he had a whiff of pulling it off when he was finally in position for a worthy set.
Watching the replay he might kick himself for not pulling into the first section and snatching the win, the way Carissa Moore did against Lakey Peterson in the earlier rounds. The wave chucked hollow and a barrel-turn combo may have been enough to make the judges’ fingers twitch.
In the end Medina could have won with his back-ups and alas, Griff was left none from two in finals (Sunset the other) this year. He can take solace in the fact that he is certainly doing some of the best surfing on tour and has arguably the most complete repertoire at the moment – it’s all a matter of producing it consistently and at the right time, if he is to retain his top five slot (currently number four). Despite winning two events last year (as many as world champ Toledo and Jack Robbo) he still failed to reach finals day.
Meanwhile, as Medina said himself in ominous tones for the other competitors, “I’m baaack.”
Pro surfing is in a better place when Gabby hits top gear. Hopefully his improved form inspires the others around him to reach for the sky. He and John John now sit just outside the cut line at numbers #7 and #6 respectively. It will be interesting to see if their rivalry drags them into the T5 for Trestles.
Despite the dreamy match-up of Carissa Moore and Tyler Wright, the women’s final was a cagey affair. As the mid-range scores dribbled through it felt like we spent the whole heat waiting for one surfer to make an emphatic statement; but it never happened. In the end Carissa hung on and Tyler never rallied. While she missed the opportunity to claim back-to-back wins, Tyler retains the yellow Jersey along with Joao. Many have been surprised by his irrepressible momentum and presence at the top of the WSL pile. Let’s see if he sinks or swims in the next contest at The Pool.
Finals Day Results
Women’s Final
Carissa Moore – 11.10
Tyler Wright – 9.17
Men’s Final
Gabriel Medina – 17.50
Griffin Colapinto – 12.27
Women’s Semifinal
Heat 1
Carissa Moore – 12.50
Bronte Macaulay – 4.07
Heat 2
Tyler Wright – 15.33
Caroline Marks – 11.34
Men’s Semifinal
Heat 1
Gabriel Medina – 12.50
Joao Chianca – 10.67
Heat 2
Griffin Colapinto – 17.50
John John Florence – 11.27
Men’s Quarterfinal
Heat 1
Gabriel Medina – 14.00
Filipe Toledo – 7.00
Heat 2
Joao Chianca – 11.24
Connor O’Leary – 5.50
Heat 3
Griffin Colapinto – 11.77
Barron Mamiya – 8.83
Heat 4
John John Florence – 14.83
Ethan Ewing – 11.23
