What will it mean to Brazil? What will it mean to the world?
We are only in Round 2 of the Moche Rip Curl Pro in Portugal, but Gabriel Medina is so close to winning the World Title that he – and the rest of the world – can already taste it. However, everyone seems to be caught up in the questions they already know the answers to. “Is the world ready for a Brazilian champion?” Well, why the hell not? “Can Kelly stop Gabriel Medina?” It’s highly feasible, but the current leader is looking freakin’ solid and he wants that title just as much as anyone else. Conversely, very few seem interested in what will happen after he wins the World Title. What will it mean to Brazil? What will it mean to the world?
First, it goes without saying that Gabriel Medina winning the first Brazilian World Title will serve as a critical turning point in the global surfing community. In addition to the fact that there will be more Brazilians on the 2015 WCT than any other demographic, a Brazilian World Title will create a more radical, more involved surf culture in a country where the sport is already booming.
For example, nobody gave a shit about the Kansas City Royals. The last time they made it to the World Series was in 1985. Now that the Royals are killing it in the MLB playoffs, suddenly everyone with the slightest connection to Kansas City is now their biggest fan. Similarly, a fellow compatriot winning the World Title will surely strengthen the already tenacious sense of nationalism and growing interest in the sport of surfing within Brazil. In other words, we will undeniably see a profound expansion in all facets of surfing as a result of Gabriel Medina’s success. More fans, more board manufacturers, more surf brands, and more foreign and domestic investment poured into the complex web of industries associated with surfing are all likely outcomes of a Brazilian World Title.
Second, in a country where poverty is extremely pervasive, a Brazilian World Title will give hope that an improved socio-economic standing can be achieved through the thing that we all love so much: surfing. No other surfer on tour fits the rags-to-riches narrative better than Adriano de Souza. His financially challenged childhood is a sharp contrast to the prosperity achieved through surfing. This model of progression transcends national boundaries and may influence countries beyond South American borders. Interestingly, this sort of progression will foster a new breed of hungry innovators who are prepared to train harder, surf longer, and go bigger to get a piece of the pie.
Take Carlos Muñoz, for example. The entire country of Costa Rica went bananas when Carlos beat Gabriel Medina and Adam Melling in Round 1 of the Hurley Pro Trestles. Although he fell short to Medina in Round 3, Central and South America stood behind Muñoz in supporting the first-ever Costa Rican to surf in a WCT event. However, it wasn’t just Costa Rica that supported Carlos. Countries from around the world voted for him in the video trials because they knew he ripped and they wanted to give a chance to someone who they believed deserves to compete with the world’s best. This is the future of surfing – a functioning democracy in which the merit of performance triumphs.
The truth is that serious, revolutionary changes are afoot, and this topic of conversation has been seriously neglected by the surfing community. Anything regarding the future of surfing is absolutely fascinating. Whether you agree or don’t agree on where surfing is headed, it’s like outer space – just thinking about it gives you an excited, almost nervous feeling. You can bet your ass that the current and up-and-coming talent is bringing their A-game. Expect bigger airs and more grab variations. Expect deeper barrels and larger prize purses. Expect more diversity and new ideas. Expect new faces and expect more surf!
