World champ Medina swings a second, CJ retires with pride, Kelly hovers nearby…
Every reader of a sentimental turn must have been pleased with the tableau with which the little drama of the Billabong Pro concluded. For what was better than the resurrection of the non-brain damaged but helmet-wearing Jeremy Flores and the world champion Gabriel Medina, who had previously been having the worst season of his life?
Yeah, the waves got progressively shittier, the swell interval shorter, the wind stronger, and Gabriel tried to hustle Jeremy out of position, failing.
But out of nowhere, Jeremy appeared at the apex of a six-footer, a ride so almost perfect (9.77, two judges calling it a ten), that Jeremy exited and formed an artificial penis over his pubis mons with his hand. Such virility! An orgiastic climax!
“It was impeccable, the flair for dramatics, foam ball drifting… again,” said Peter Mel, the channel commentator.
It was Jeremy’s great tactic, to wait only for sets, for waves that were nine or better, that threw him past Kelly Slater (in Kelly’s 152nd quarter-final), then CJ Hobgood and, finally, Gabriel Medina.
“Exact repeat, he didn’t get frazzled by Gabriel’s frantic tactics. Gabriel started scrambling all over the place; Jeremy steadied the course,” said Ross Williams.
“Had the skills to pay the bills,” said Striker Wasilewski.
Jeremy: “Gabriel is one really tactical guy. I thought I’d play his game and his game is to be really aggressive in the water. So I’d be more aggressive.”
Even radder, is Jeremy’s comeback from a head injury (read here) that kept him from competing at J-Bay. And now he wins? His first, since Pipe in 2010.
Highlights? Yeah, the first wave of the final:
Jeremy vs Kelly Slater, in the quarter finals:
Owen v Gabriel, semi one:
CJ v Jeremy, semi two:
But also, CJ Hobgood winning the AI Award for the Most Committed Surfer:
And, Filipe scored a perfect zero heat in round five! Watch here! But fans of a Filipe world title, fear not! The next event is Trestles. “He’s going to ride a white point down to Trestles! He’s such a stud!” said the commentator Ross Williams.
Billabong Pro Tahiti Final Results:
1: Jeremy Flores (FRA) – 16.87
2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) – 13.20
Billabong Pro Tahiti Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.63 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 8.70
SF 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.86 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 8.93
Billabong Pro Tahiti Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Owen Wright (AUS) 16.93 def. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 15.94
QF 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.64 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 11.00
QF 3: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.90 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 11.16
QF 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 16.83 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 15.66
Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 5 Results:
Heat 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 15.00 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 00.00
Heat 2: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.50 def. Bruno Santos (BRA) 11.76
Heat 3: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 14.36 def. Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 14.00
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.37 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 13.21
2015 WSL Jeep Leaderboard Top 5 (after Billabong Pro Tahiti):
1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 34,950 pts
2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 34,700 pts
3: Owen Wright (AUS) 34,400 pts
4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 33,200 pts
4: Filipe Toledo (FRA) 33,200 pts