Gabriel Medina has taken out the 2018 Tahiti Pro, in Teahupoo. It's his second win at the infamous Pacific reef break.
The Brazilian surfer defeated Owen Wright in a final held in small five-foot waves. There were few barrels, and it all came down to wave selection and maneuvering.
This time, World Surf League (WSL) made sure the contest was simultaneously broadcasted live on the official website and WSL's Facebook page.
It is a critical time of the season, and the Brazilian Storm seems to lead the world title race. Medina won in Teahupoo in the dying seconds of the 40-minute final.
Interestingly, both surfers got their best scores in the first and last waves of the clash, adding a spicy vibe to a low-scoring final.
"God gave me that last one. It was a pretty good wave. We love competing, and we love to be in the right one, in the right spot," expressed Medina, who jumped to second place in the rankings.
"I love Tahiti. I had some good finals here. I won here before, I had two second place finished, and now another win. Now, Anything is possible. I just want to keep the ball rolling, and do my best."
There are actually three surfers in the top four places of the leaderboard - Filipe Toledo (first), Gabriel Medina (second), and Italo Ferreira (fourth).
The 2018 Championship Tour will now travel to Lemoore, California, for the Surf Ranch Pro, the first official event organized by the WSL in a wave pool. The contest runs from September 6-9.
2018 Tahiti Pro | Final
1. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 13.50
2. Owen Wright (AUS) 12.07