Blog_28.12.14

The end is near.

That’s not a warning of the impending apocalypse, nor is it a lazy allusion to such an event. It’s truth. The end — of this year — is quite near. And what a year it was. 2014, you were an absolute babe. You gave us an Olympics to not understand but still shout at and a World Cup to understand a little bit more and shout at even louder. You gave us an icky European economy and an even ickier virus called Ebola and then cheap gasoline. Bastard! Then you gave us an itch with Russia and a rash with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. But you weren’t all cruel. You also gave us 365 days in which it was sunny at least somewhere in the world and love and babies and turtle doves and hot fudge on ice cream and so, so much wine (too much?) and waves and coffee and that one time on tinder. Joy!

And in the end, you gave Gabriel Medina his first World Title — does it get any happier than that?

Happy Ending: It’s Over

posted by SURFING Magazine / Happy Ending / December 26, 2014

Our youngster Gabriel Medina is from Maresias, Brazil. It is incredible, what this 20 year old does with his  talent. He is surfing soo good, he is innovative, his talent is so raw and wild that that definitley nobody knows what is coming up next. Judo Airs, Kerrupt Flips, phenomenal forehand hack-to-finslide followed by critical closeout manouvers, ISA World Junior Title, King Of the Groms World Title and two ASP WT wins on his rookie year. Kelly Slater won the World Title for 12 years but now it is Gabriel Medinas time to shine.

World Titles aren’t built in a year — but for Gabriel Medina, it took only 20. Last week, Medina clinched the title and became the second youngest champion in the history of surfing (Kelly Slater still holds that record, but only by a few months). Here’s a tribute to Gabe from the folks at his longterm sponsor, Rip Curl, showing just how a boy becomes a champion.