Photo: Chauché

It wasn’t a vintage day in terms of conditions at the Quik Pro France, but one that will probably go down in history as the day 17-year-old Gabriel Medina made a giant leap into the very upper echelons of pro shred ripping.

G Medina. Photo: Cazenave

Young Gab smoked Kelly in the quarters. Kelly looked like maybe he’d used the same wax as Ace yesterday, and was in all sorts, slip slidin away all over the shop. In the semi, Gab destroyed Taylor Know (7 points versus 19.47), in a heat that looked like it should be an opening round of a major sporting event, rather than the semi final. In the other semi, which was actually a contest, Wilson did up Jordy with a couple of 9’s to Smith’s 9 and 7-odd.

JayDub. Photo: Chauché

Talking points include Medina’s 10 for a barnstormin fs air reverse. Im not sure if they still call it a ‘perfect ten’, but with a pretty flappy landing, you’d have to ask what score the same air landed clean would get. But whatever, Medina ripped it and deserved everything he got.
“I want to thank my family and God” said the lad named after the herald angel and the second holiest city in Islam (presumably he was referring to Jehova rather than Allah…)

Once again, a few things that seem a bit weird about pro surfing connies came to light.
– Why do the announcers have to ask the crowd for noise and applause, when traditionally in real sports the crowd are generally asked to be quiet… Is it coz they aren’t interested enough to clap unprompted…?
– Why, at another nearly endless Euro presentation ceremony, the crowd are asked the thank the surfers and various bods who work at the sponsoring company…? Surely, the surfers and the bods from the company should thank the crowd, no? Call me a communist…
– Why the webcasters persist on thanking the cameramen. Thanks cameramen! WHAT???? As that ever happens, ever, anywhere else. Surely, once again, the cameramen should be thanking the viewers…

Anyway, report card time:

Quik Pro France 2011: B
Gabby M: A+
Kelly Slate: C
Weather: D
Waves: C-
Po na na: C
Spenny & Jake the Snake combo: A- (very funny)
Pottz & Kleiny: C –
Presentation ceremony: F
Band that played after: U

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