"It's been ten years that I have to be at the same level. It's very intense. It demands a lot."
Four days after winning his third world title in, let’s be frank, a canter, Gabriel Medina has told Brazil media he’s probs gonna step away from the tour next season, joining a conga line of high-profile retirees including Julian Wilson and Mikey Wright.
Medina, who is twenty seven and recently married to actress and model Yasmin Brunet, told LANCE that he isn’t particularly driven to do the whole thing over again next year.
Like, maybe it’s time to eat a sausage from the icebox without permission.
“I need to stop thinking about competition for a while, because everything I do today, food, routine… It’s all focused on competition. I never missed a step. It’s been hard to do this for years. I think the time has come when I need to take a break,” said Medina.
He ain’t a hundred percent pulling out of next year’s tour, but close.
“This year was difficult. It’s been ten years that I have to be at the same level, training, making choices to perform better… It’s very intense, it demands a lot. I want to give myself a break, but it’s something I’ll still stop to think about, leaving it day after day… Let’s see how it goes.”
The WSL has already confirmed Medina will be gifted a wildcard into the 2023 season if he does take off.
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Bingo!
Smart man. Walk away from that dung heap.
So this years title had an * and so will next years.
Ahwwwww is it so tough Medini? Awwww shame:( Hearing these spoilt brats moan about their tough lives really is a slap in the face. Sponsors: if they don’t like it pay their salaries to a worthwhile charity.
Time to put a baby in the missus, start a beer company, and ink some real estate deals with mfanno. Maybe drop an edit to keep the sponsors happy.
Meds is probably taking time off to brew bone broth…
Here’s some shade. Dirk Ziff will be taking a year off too! In fact he’ll probably be announcing that he’s done with pro surfing for good!
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“probs?”. Cmon Reilly have some self respect. You’re one of two good writers on this website…. Don’t be lazy and millennial
Icebox? WTF
Good. When he cheated that was the end of my respect for him period.
Who cheated?
Really puts in perspective how hard it really was to do what Kelly did. It’s not easy winning one let alone 11
Never underestimate the power and influence of a strong woman.
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Wow. Now if Italo, JJF, and like 13 more people drop out Kelly has a chance at number 12.
The venues next year will certainly help make that a reality more than a pie in the sky dream.
The venues are certainly more favorable for him, but dude hasn’t won a contest in a long time, much less a world title.
He hasnt been at 100% in a long time either. Those clips of him surfing lowers, he looked pretty solid. I wouldnt be surprised if he has a couple more event wins left in him. Especially if the right spots turn on
Ke12y
The WSL will be giving Berwick DeVries a wildcard for 2022 at this rate!
Now he has to buy an old shed in the Byron hinterland and start shaping boards
“Pro” surfers in the 60s n 70s only did this as a front for their drug smuggling buisness, not sure it returns the same value now days , possibly ask Nat ,he shapped about a 1000 boards at 150 bucks a pop and has not worked a day in the last 40 years.
Have u read Nats Nat and That’s that? The man love(s/d)his drugs and tag teaming chicks down the surf club with the boys
High profile CT surfer M Wright give us a break.
and i thought NOT being a globetrotting millionaire surfing for a living (with guaranteed contarcts without regard to performance) was hard
Thoughts and prayers to the Medina crew 🙏
all my best in these trying times…freshly minted champ, model wife. shit’s getting ruggedly hard out there
Give me a break. It’s fucking surfing.
In one sense I agree. In another, it’s surfing but at that level it’s pretty intense.
Surely 2022 will deserve the biggest asterisk if Gabby decides to sit it out?
You certainly can’t script a large cross section of athletes deciding they can’t be arsed to chase a title.
Nah, can’t really say that.
After all, 2/3 of Medina’s titles were won in years when JJF sat it out injured. Does that require an asterix too?