By Dan Walsh
Fifty-two-year-old Kelly Slater, surfing with part of a cadaver holding his hip together, jagged a two-metre Teahupo’o barrel and a 9.73 to start the day.
The greatest surfer of all time was the story in Tahiti on Friday (AEST). For all of 52 seconds. Because one of the heaviest waves in the world turned on one of the greatest competition days ever seen at Teahupo’o.
A day after local champion Vahine Fierro and Brazilian Tatiana Weston-Webb made history with the first perfect 10 ridden at Teahupo’o by a woman, the world’s best male surfers took on the heaving Tahitian break at its best.
Brazilian three-time world champion Gabriel Medina stole the spotlight for much of the day. By mid-morning (AEST) Medina had ridden a perfect 10 and combined it with a 9.83, coming agonisingly close to registering a ‘perfect 20’ for the heat.
The maximum 20-point score from two waves has only been achieved eight times in pro surfing history, and Medina summed up the mythical Tahitian break succinctly straight afterwards.
“The wave was just so perfect. The wave was a 10 so I just had to go,” he said of the heaving eight-to-twelve foot barrels at the venue for Olympic surfing in July. “I just feel blessed to be surfing here on this day. When it comes, it can be the wave of your life.”
Fierro, the women’s champion who was exhausted and in bed by 9pm overnight, had never seen anything like it for a competition day.
“It’s really just incredible conditions. Teahupo’o is a dream and this is just a dream day,” she said in commentary with the authority only local knowledge offers.
In all, 13 nine-point rides for the day said it all, especially considering the bar is now set higher by judges than in previous generations.
By semi-final time, Slater had fallen and Medina was feeling Teahupo’o in more ways than one. When he disappeared behind the curtain of one 2.5-metre brute that lurched out of the Pacific, the Brazilian was done for.
Gabriel Medina sacrificed some skin in pursuit of a perfect 10 ride at Teahupo’o.Credit: Instagram
When he re-emerged after an incredulous six seconds of deep barrel riding, he was suddenly riding not just another 10, but one of the best waves ever seen in the Tahiti Pro.
One last, lecherous bump in the wave face though, and he was just as suddenly tumbling face-first into razor sharp reef.
Teahupo’o took chunks from his midriff and ankle. Hawaiian John John Florence took the heat with supreme barrel-riding and an early 9.77.
Brazilian firebrand Italo Ferreira then took the world No.1 in similar fashion, starting the final with a pair of top-shelf scores that left Florence chasing shadows and swell. The Hawaiian almost got there, and on any other day, a late 9.33 would almost always be enough for victory.
French Polynesia president Moetai Brotherson on a jet ski moments after Italo Ferreira (left) wins the Tahiti Pro at Teahupo’o.Credit: YouTube
Ferreira prevailed though, delaying his first interview to say hello to French Polynesian president Moetai Brotherson sitting astride a jet ski, then pausing to admire another perfect wave purr across the Teahupo’o reef.
“I’m back baby,” Ferreira crowed into the mic from the water, having been plagued by injury in recent years.
“That was a really special [final]. Now is my moment and I’m stoked on that. Last night I was so excited, it was so hard to sleep ... my heart was pumping ‘tomorrow’s going to be big’ ... I’m so happy and I want to thank God for this moment.”
Master of ceremonies and WSL commentator Joe Turpel described the men’s and women’s finals repeatedly as the best he had seen at Teahupo’o before calling for “a bit of room” when Ferreira had set his trophy aside for a moment.
The Brazilian’s customary victory backflip off stage summed up the day. “That’s the best I’ve seen you do,” Turpel offered, after a day of Teahupo’o’s very best.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.