"Just two years ago, I was here competing in the King of the Groms and I won that event and now I’m here in the main event and I’ve won it. It doesn’t seem real." Photo: ASP/Kirstin
Seventeen-year-old Gabriel Medina recently joined the ranks of the Top 34, and wasted no time in making an impact on the World Tour. On Wednesday, Medina defeated Julian Wilson in the final to claim his first World Tour victory.
“Just two years ago, I was here competing in the King of the Groms and I won that event and now I’m here in the main event and I’ve won it,” said Medina. “It doesn’t seem real.”
Aside from defeating Julian Wilson, Gabriel Medina also defeated 10x World Champion and current world ratings leader, Kelly Slater, in the quarterfinals.
“Not much of a performance by me,” Slater said. “I guess he surfed well; I didn’t really see much as I was just floating out the back. Unfortunately, I was out of synch the whole time and didn’t really have a chance to battle it out with him.”
The ASP World Tour heads to Portugal next on October 15, 2011. Based on the current standings, the 2011 World Champion cannot be determined until the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco (at the earliest).
QUIKSILVER PRO FRANCE FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.00
2 – Julian Wilson (AUS) 16.10
QUIKSILVER PRO FRANCE SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 19.57 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 7.00
SF 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) 18.50 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.55
QUIKSILVER PRO FRANCE QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Taylor Knox (USA) 15.17 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 9.50
QF 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.66 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 8.60
QF 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.26 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 13.77
QF 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.00 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 3.54
ASP WORLD TITLE TOP 5 (After Completion of Quiksilver Pro France):
1. Kelly Slater (USA) 50,150 pts
2. Owen Wright (AUS) 43,900 pts
3. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 35,900 pts
4. Taj Burrow (AUS) 34,450 pts
5. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 34,000 pts
