"One day, you will compete here in Brazil. Us will remember you. Get ready."
Business as usual, I suppose, as Brazilian surf fans poured on the vitriol and the usual death threats following Gabriel Medina’s shock quarter-final loss to Australian Ethan Ewing at the Surf Ranch Pro.
It was the first time in four Surf Ranch events Medina hadn’t made the final. (He’s won it twice.) His record gets even wilder when you add his win at the 2017 Future Classic speciality event there. Real hard to beat.
In a see-sawing quarter, Ethan and Gabriel both finished on 16.67 points, Ethan swinging through to the final by having the highest single wave score of the heat, a 9.07 to Gabriel’s 8.67.
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See the full heat, below, if you wanna compare, see the scale etc.
And, over on the WSL’s Instagram page, which rarely gets more than a dozen comments aside from a few bots, Brazilian surf fans went nuts.
Let’s invade Saquarema! Protest against this rigged league
When Brazil’s stage arrives, the judges get piano and judge even right, last year it was like that. Because the previous leg was El Salvador and there was that robbery there of Filipe against Griffin in the final.
Griffin is WSL darling for being American just like Ewing and Robinson for being Australian. The guys don’t accept the World Championship of another Brazilian for a financial reason and appeal to the two most important markets for surfing: USA and Australia. Justice, righteousness, right, have been relegated to the background because interest is financial. WSL is a SHAME
Ruin the sport with no shame
Bullshit!!! Medina win in water and judges win in paper….Nonsense
how far has it come. For the USA to beat the Brazilians just by stealing. Shame league!!!!!
WE MUST PROTEST IN SAQUAREMA AGAINST THIS DISGUSTING LEAGUE!!!
The absurdity was not the score of 9.07 for Ewing, BUT THE RIDICULOUS SCORE THAT MEDINA RECEIVED IN THE SAME WAVE… It seems that the judges have a higher level of demand for MEDINA. AN INJUSTICE TO THE NAKED EYES!!! EXPLAIN THIS WSL!?…
And on, and on.
Ewing, meanwhile, received a couple of tangy DMs from a man dressed as a solder called André Guizelini.
“One day, you will compete here in Brazil and us will remember you. Get ready.”
“I’m saying again, here in Brazil, we will kill you. Saquarema will be your funeral.”
Ethan posted the DMs with the note, “How good are surfing fans!”
You’ll remember the sad Brazilian faces, of course, when Griffin Colapinto beat Filipe Toledo in El Salvador last year.
Read, Brazilian surf fans apoplectic following Californian Griffin Colapinto’s “shock” win over world title favourite Filipe Toledo, “World Shame League! This event was a joke!” and Latin surf fans vow to create chaos at next World Tour event in Brazil following Filipe Toledos controversial loss to Californian in El Salvador, “The biggest protest in history in Saquarema! Bring banners, balloons, planes, boo all the time! Make them leave due to emotional stress!”)
It got so bad Griff’s mama came out swinging.
“I will protect you until the day I die! Even if I need a walker and a cane and even if you don’t need mom backup . Anyway, I’m making a point! Terrible things still happen I’m this world (I mean, watch a Dateline Episode, for F sake). And an outcome in a surf contest where the top guys still make good money is upsetting the masses? I have no words.”
Over at camp Toledo, meanwhile, Pip’s daddy Ricky just poured flames on the outrage.
“Griffin… of course you are not to blame for what is happening with the Wsl judgment… We really hope that something will be done, and that this will change, as it is becoming unbearable to see and hear the things we are hearing. during the events, I am embarrassed for the others… @filipetoledo , you have shown yourself to be a true soldier in the war, defending your homeland, where we clearly see that, you are targeted and keep moving forward! WHAT A WARRIOR!!! my congratulations son, the world is proud of you, who despite everything, has been a true “gentleman”, always responding with great ethics, respect and wisdom. So proud of the human being who has shown himself to be a true champion! And you know it…🤷♂️ “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch upon the evil and the good.”
Tell me, are Brazilians the world’s sorest losers or passionate followers whose enthusiasm should be treasured?
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Dear devoted surf fans, there is always a way to capitalize on your dramas
Obrigado Presidente Medina for speaking on behalf of the nation of Brasil.
In or out of the pool, EACH manoeuvre is scored. Usually in the ocean there are 2 or 3 turns, maybe a tube or an air. In the pool, many more, each and every manoeuvre scored on its merits.
It seems that this is forgotten in the pool. To the punter on the sidelines, it seems only a spin or shuv it should be scored, all other turns between surfers are equal.
Clearly in the eyes of the judges, each of Ethans turns had more PROGRESSION and VARIETY than Medina (turns, not airs, the majority of manoeuvres on the wave are turns). That is not mentioning the normal criteria (speed, power, flow). Ethans forehand turns are much more powerful and critical than Medina (acknowledged by judges, including a Brazilian judge)
To the punter (Brazil fan who lives 10 hours from the coast) because Medina did a spin, there is no way Ethan should be in the equation despite the other 10 turns being compared between the two.
…but Joel Tudor was suspended…
while the ghost of Liberace watches from heaven…
Those soldiers, Pip & Andre should prioritize the Chicoms stealing thier food and resources.
These Brazilians carrying on are disgusting creatures. Pure trash.
Ethan surfed amazing in the heat. Regardless of what your issue with the judges is sending Ethan messages like that is so pathetic and shows what a dickhead you are.
Ethan is a human and deserves to not be harrased. He didn’t do anything to you. He simply surfed good.
Despite the success of being a pro surfer it still isn’t nice as a young man to have people send you messages like that. It’s actually traumatic and abusive for no reason.
Andre guzilini you are a disgusting cunt. And a delusional, ugly and hopeless human being.
Also it’s worth pointing out
It seems the Brazillian fans don’t understand why powerful, precise rail carves held for a long time score well. It’s because they show perfect technique. Something your kind struggle with.
Also , flat spin reverses never scored well because they aren’t very hard to do…..
Dumbasses
Yet so many Aussie pros can’t land them.
Because they grow up in beaches in Australia with core culture and pedigree ,they let the 11 and 13 yo kids do em in the shorebreak but are more concerned with real on rail surfing and getting drained
Something something ‘free’ something ‘crying’ ?
discounted emotions
Didn’t watch finals day because I don’t really care that much but from the 15 Saturday waves I did see, they’re all lucky they weren’t surfing against Caity Simmers.
( Elton John enters the chat )
Just watched all the waves of the heat and Medina has got absolutely nothing to whinge about. Ewan rail surfing on another level and he threw the tail around enough for the progression argument. Thankful for some Brazilian led drama though !!!
This is not specifically about his heat against Ethan. JFC. That much is obvious.
The surfing I saw Ethan doing on various clips was the only thing getting my interest going this whole comp. He was absolutely shredding and had extra spice on his turns no one else was getting.
who? lol
He sounds an awful lot like the bunch that were complaining when he and Filipe got on tour and starting skipping entire waves to launch an air rev off the end section.
They only get horny for winners ,good time supporters ….ala ayrton senna
spell ?
Both Gabby and Italo were done dirty by the judges, especially Italo. It was shocking, really.
Bigger story has to be Italo. He was completely cooked. How he can take that quietly, bounce back etc – where does he go from here?
He was completely robbed. I hope he bounces back. I also think he was cooked on a score for that air on the left at Margs.
I literally had to check if this was a surf league article, cause I didn’t want to respond if it was. I don’t want to give them any press not even bad press. I’m a dude from Carlsbad California and it feels like I just watched a bully rob, abuse and humiliate another kid. But of course worse. Italo was so underscored it was blatant and shameful. Not griffins fault at all of course, but the judges and WSL. Surfing is the only sport I watch and never miss an event, and I don’t want to ever watch another WSL event again. I feel like I’d be supporting a bully. An organization that fucks people.
Buddy if you’ve made it this far watching every event your addiction is too powerful and this latest slight from your supplier will soon be forgotten
“Simple surfing “ Medina calls the surfing,I’m assuming,of Ethan’s …. Pretty crook ,very piss poor a weak just because he lost – the guys been gifted a handful of world titles ffs
Gabby speaking up for a change? We like.
You like
politely stated…bless.
True love. Righteousness. Jah. Rastafari.