Brazilians Storm Ahead

TOP OF THE WORLD: Fitzgibbons and Medina celebrate their respective wins. Photo WSL / Dunbar

Clean 4-6ft surf greeted finals day at the Rip Curl Rottnest Search presented by Corona - the fifth stop on the 2021 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) event. Strickland Bay turned it once again as Fitzgibbons (AUS) earned her 12th CT victory today after defeating Johanne Defay (FRA) in the final. Enroute, Fitzgibbons eliminated two-time WSL Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) in their Semi.

“It feels so good to be back in the winner’s circle,” Fitzgibbons said. “I set a goal to be in the Final 5 at the end of the year and I’ve been outside of it for a few events, so it's amazing to be rewarded for the work. If you give yourself every opportunity, every now and then the planets align and you can come out with the win.”

Fitzgibbons is a 12-year CT veteran who was 2nd in the world title race three consecutive times from 2010 to 2012. This victory in 2021 is critical to the Australian's World Title hopes as this season will host the new one-day format to decide the World Champions with the Rip Curl WSL Finals. Only the Final 5 surfers on the leaderboard will qualify for the Rip Curl WSL Finals, and now at #2, Fitzgibbons is in the race to take her maiden World Title at Lower Trestles in September.

STAR FISH: Fitzgibbons rockets to number 2 on the women's world rankings. Photo WSL / Dunbar

Two-time WSL Champion Medina (BRA) continued his blistering form with his second win this season and the 16th of his career. The Brazilian has made it to four out of five finals this year and has all but guaranteed himself a spot in the Rip Curl WSL Finals, the one-day format to decide the world title.

“I’ve loved my time here in Australia and especially Rottnest,” said Medina. “It’s a new place for me to visit and it’s so beautiful. The waves have been great the whole time and we have been so welcomed. This is a very special place and it’s been such a fun event for me. I made it through a lot of tough heats and am glad to win surfing the way I want to surf. I’m so happy.”

Medina saved one of his best performances for last in the final against rookie Morgan Cibilic (AUS). The Brazilian's commitment to rail and above the lip surfing, going both left and right, was a perfect match with the punchy walls on Rottnest. Medina's 15.50 two-wave combination (out of a possible 20) was enough to see him clinch his second Rip Curl Search trophy, almost a decade after winning his first at the Rip Curl Search San Francisco.

It was the fourth time this season Medina and Cibilic went head-to-head, with Medina taking victory in every match-up so far. While Cibilic is still searching for a win over one of the best surfers of this generation, he now adds a runner-up finish to his equal 3rd and 5th placings from earlier this year and moves into the Final 5, and continues to lead the 2021 CT rookie of the year.

4TH TIME UNLUCKY: Cibilic has lost to Medina 4x, but he makes the top 5. Photo WSL / Dunbar

Fitzgibbons and Defay are renowned for their confidence and finesse in big, lefthand reef breaks, so it was no surprise to see them in the final. Fitzgibbons was unstoppable, finding the best waves of the 40-minute heat and surfing them flawlessly to post a winning heat total of 15.10.

Although Defay fell short, she didn’t give up until the final minutes, posting a 7.23 and a 4.00 to almost recapture the lead in the dying minutes of the heat. After three straight Quarterfinal finishes on the Australian leg, and a runners up medal, Defay leaves Australia 5th in the rankings.

Four-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW), two-time WSL Champion Tyler Wright (AUS), and 2019 WSL Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA) all fell in their respective Semifinal heats today.

In addition to the highly coveted Search trophies, the Rip Curl Rottnest Search awarded Michel Bourez (FRA) the Rip Curl Search Best Barrel Award. Bourez was awarded a Didgeridoo handmade by Ashley Collard and Kelly Collard. The story for the Didgeridoo is about the Rottnest Island bushland that is surrounded by the ocean and waves. The white dots are the stars of the Aboriginal dreaming and stories that are shared on the Island. Within blue ocean are our spiritual Guardians that are represented by the different color dots.

TO TO BOTTOM: Defay leaves Australia having reached #5 in the world rankings. Photo WSL / Dunbar

Ashley is a Balardong Nyungar man from Kondinin Western Australia and an artist of 30 years. He was named 2013 NAIDOC Perth Indigenous artist of the year, runner up in the 2013 National Deadly awards (Education category) and winner of the Visual Art Award for the City of Kwinana’s Inaugural Arts and Culture Awards in 2018.

Ashley and Kelly, an artist of 10 years, produce art together, which include paintings on musical instruments, surfboards, kangaroo skins, and clothing. They also create murals for schools and businesses around Perth Western Australia and are musical performers and artists.

The next stop on the road to the Rip Curl WSL Finals will be the Jeep Surf Ranch Pro, which run from June 18 to 20. More at www.WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app.

STORMING THE RAMPARTS: Medina looks set for his third world title. Photo WSL / Dunbar

Women’s Final
1 - Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 15.24
2 - Johanne Defay (FRA) 11.23

Men’s Final
1 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.50
2 - Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 7.87

Women’s Semifinal
HEAT 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 15.43 DEF. Tyler Wright (AUS) 7.64
HEAT 2: Johanne Defay (FRA) 13.50 DEF. Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.83

Men’s Semifinal
HEAT 1: Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 10.67 DEF. Liam O'Brien (AUS) 8.33
HEAT 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 13.70 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 7.17

WSL Women’s Championship Tour Final 5
1 - Carissa Moore (HAW) 36,055 pts
2 - Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 28,185 pts
3 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 27,540 pts
4 - Tyler Wright (AUS) 26,050 pts
5 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 24,645 pts
5 - Johanne Defay (FRA) 24,645 pts

WSL Men’s Championship Tour Final 5
1 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 38,920 pts
2 - Italo Ferreira (BRA) 30,325 pts
3 - Jordy Smith (ZAF) 22,505 pts
4 - Filipe Toledo (BRA) 22,065 pts
5 - Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 21,290 pts