The surfing world is set to welcome Gabriel Medina back to competition in 2026. After a year away from competition, due to an injury sustained during last year’s preseason training, the Brazilian superstar returns to a very different landscape in both the World Surf League and his personal life. The Championship Tour format has changed, he is no longer sponsored by Rip Curl, he switched his jersey number from 10 to 1, he is dating again for the first time since the 2021 season – when he claimed his third world title – and his biggest rival, John John Florence, is out of the title race. So, at 32, what can we expect from Medina’s return? Is he ready to shine immediately, or will he need time to work his way into form? And what exactly has he been doing while not wearing an official event jersey?
Andy King, who is not currently working with Medina but coached him during his legendary run in 2021, shares insights drawn from more than two decades in the game. “It’s purely up to his choice whether he commits to an entire season, whether he gets the world title or not. He’s that far ahead of everybody else, in physicality, so the only thing that, again, would just be what level of commitment that he’s coming with. If he wants that world title, basically give him the trophy now.”
Gabriel Medina hasn’t been quite the spectacular figure we expect ever since reaching his career goal of becoming a three-time WSL world champion. Injuries, personal turmoil and a victory drought have defined the most recent chapter of one of the greatest goofy-footers in history. The career downturn began shortly after his 2021 title victory. Medina separated from his then-wife, stepped away from competition to focus on his mental health, struggled to regain consistency upon returning and never made it back to the top five and the WSL Finals. Now comes the real test: proving he still belongs at the very pointy end of his generation and in professional surfing, that proof only comes one way – by winning. The challenge is even greater without Rip Curl by his side after a 17-year partnership; with no new board or wetsuit sponsorship announced, it remains uncertain which gear he will ride in his comeback.
In some respects, it seems like Medina is 17- years-old all over again, just starting his professional career with a clean slate – wondering what he might achieve? However, now there is the added pressure of expectation. Gabriel’s step-father, Charlie, one of the most colourful figures in pro-surfing, is back in Gabriel’s corner and confident he will make a successful return to competition. “I’m following Gabriel closely and I can see how motivated he is, Charlie told Tracks. “He’s a natural competitor, someone who really rises to the occasion. The most important thing right now is that he’s motivated. Over the last ten years he’s been the most successful surfer in the world in terms of results. I think he’s coming in very strong this year and I have a lot of confidence that he can win another world title.”
It is reasonable to expect Gabriel to start the 2026 CT season hitting the ground running, but at the same time, there are new faces – such as defending world champion Yago Dora – who could prove to be a thorn in the side of his fairy-tale return.
In King’s view, there aren’t many other surfers besides Yago that can stop Medina. “Not yet. Without John John, it’s more of a one threat scenario. There’s a couple of surfers coming through, but they aren’t ready yet. I’m unbelievably blown away by Yago, no doubt he will be Gabe’s biggest threat.”
Gabriel Medina’s lack of competitive rhythm could be a major factor, although the Brazilian has been putting in the work, training on both natural and artificial waves. We may see him participate in an official event soon, but it is unlikely that this will happen in the Challenger Series. If all goes according to plan, he will make his official return, after an absence of one year and seven months, at Bells Beach in April, which kicks off the year.
Fans haven’t seen Gabriel claim an event title since Margaret River in 2023, leaving more questions than answers about his ability to be a title contender on the Championship Tour. Yet despite these competitive uncertainties, Medina remains a beloved figure out of the water. His popularity in Brazil has not waned, and fans continue to follow his every move, celebrate his past achievements and cheer for his return.
Often utilising wave pools as a setting, Medina has been showing off his skills on social media, posting videos of surfing sessions and impressing fans around the world.
King says he approves of the wave pool training strategy.
“The depth of training and the preparation he had is probably going to work in his favor, to be honest, because he’s had an opportunity to explore new combos, new equipment and he’s been quite smart about it. He hasn’t rushed back in this at all. It’s going to be a 14-month preparation.”
While off Tour, Gabriel also launched his new brand Medininha, which is aimed at inspiring kids to get into surfing. The project includes youth-oriented boards and accessories and also hosts events like the Medininha Surf Day at his hometown beach in Maresias, bringing young surfers together and promoting a love for the sport and the ocean. He seems to follow in his idol Ayrton Senna’s footsteps, connecting with young fans, participating in social initiatives, and staying close to those who aspire to become like the role model they admire.
Although haunted by past events, in recent months he has stayed away from controversies – such as those involving his friendship with Brazilian football star, Neymar – though their genuine bond remains strong. Medina has also made several public appearances at major sporting events. He and Neymar were last seen together watching an NFL game in Sao Paulo in September, enjoying a relaxed atmosphere, and later in November, Medina joined his friend Lewis Hamilton at the F1 Grand Prix in the same city. Meanwhile, Gabriel Medina’s current romantic relationship is low-key, featuring only in a few pictures on official social media.
He’s still one of Brazil’s major sports stars and by far the most famous surfer in South America and was building good form to start the 2025 season. While his Olympic quest at Teahupo’o fell short of the gold he had hoped for – mostly due to the lack of rideable waves in the semifinal – it marked the beginning of a rebuild, helping him regain momentum. That progress, however, was interrupted when he suffered a severe pectoral injury to his left shoulder during a training session in Maresias, Brazil, just weeks before traveling to Hawaii to begin the 2025 Championship Tour campaign.
The revamped Championship Tour has plenty on offer for Medina. Although WSL was forced to put Jeffreys Bay on “sleep mode” for 2026, the new spot, Raglan, offers a long-running, left point break that one can readily imagine Gabriel Medina tearing up. Overall, he has won at least once at eight of the twelve stops, if we include The Surf Ranch – the former artificial wave event, now replaced on the calendar by Abu Dhabi. While the two locations have some minor differences they both utilise Kelly Slater’s wave technology and Medina has shown he is a formidable force in this style of competition – although we’ll have to wait and see if current disputes in the Middle East throw a curve ball at the WSL’s scheduling and the Abu Dhabi event. Meanwhile, Step-dad Charlie is adamant that Gabriel can win on any wave. “Today I see Gabriel with the best backside on Tour, so it doesn’t really matter if the wave is going left or right. Whatever event or wave he’s surfing, he’ll always be one of the favourites.”
King loves the new Tour. “The structure is brilliant, I’m so excited that it has returned (to a season-long point format). The fact that it has more performance lefts on Tour, I can totally understand why Gabe chose to return. If there had been equal lefts and rights on Tour, I reckon Gabe would have challenged Kelly for the amount of world titles he would have had. ” Looking toward the end of the calendar, Portugal is back in its traditional October slot, when wave conditions are usually optimal. Pipeline’s 15,000-point event (A win is usually 10 000 points) can be a huge factor for surfers fighting for the world title – especially considering that John John Florence is unlikely to participate – and it’s a wave that suits Medina exceptionally well, given his experience and past success in Hawaii. We can also expect him to thrive in Tahiti and Fiji, events framed around heavy, left barrels. Given these factors, Gabriel may emerge as an early but legitimate contender for the throne.
When Andy King was asked to analyse Medina’s chances based on the 2026 calendar, he didn’t hesitate. “I can’t see him being defeated in any of these events,” he said, before running through the stops one by one.
Still, two venues stand out as lingering gaps in Medina’s résumé. “I can’t believe he hasn’t won Bells yet, considering how well he actually surfs that wave,” King noted, highlighting what many view as one of the few missing pieces in his career.
Then there’s Saquarema. For King, a victory at home would carry a different weight altogether. “Rio would be an iconic victory for him. And I guess that’s when you’ve secured all your dreams,” he said.
It’s fair to say that the CT isn’t quite the same without Gabriel Medina’s presence. His hunger to win is infectious, and his rivals often raise their level when facing him. If John John Florence embodies a more laid-back, free-surfing approach to competition, Medina often does his best surfing in a heat and carries a distinctly win-at-all-costs mindset. Hopefully his love for competition is fully revived after a brief period in which he publicly admitted he had lost his desire to surf. When he is focused and, in the zone, he is virtually unstoppable.
We’ll have to wait and see if Medina returns voracious for every victory and every wave, or if he eases back into competition to find his rhythm again. He will have to be sharp and ready to go to battle against a generation that started their professional careers while the three-time world champ was already dominating on surfing’s biggest stage. That said, his rivals will have to reckon with the competitive force of the 32-year-old who can operate at an unparalleled level of intensity.
Andy King thinks that it is only a matter of time until Medina elevates his all-time status. “This coming year for his return is going to be fascinating. What he’s created for himself and what his final path looks like. And when he gets this fourth world title, I can see the greater good for the history books. Mark Richards, Kelly Slater and Gabe, he deserves that fourth world title.”
One thing is certain, when Gabriel returns to Bells, he will immediately become the centre of attention in and out of the water. His talent, experience and fierce determination are irrefutable but only time can tell if he can reclaim his aura of invincibility and once again climb to the top.
