Gabriel Medina has taken out the Fiji Pro 2016, in huge wave conditions at Cloudbreak.
The Brazilian surfer defeated Matt Wilkinson in the final held in firing 10-to-12 foot surf. For many, it was the biggest day of surfing of the season so far.
Medina built his heat total with two consecutive solid scores - a 7.33 and an 8.27 - and put Wilkinson in a situation from which he would never recover.
"It feels amazing, and I am so stoked. We have been waiting for these waves, and they finally came through. They were big, and we got so many sets on the head. We got a lot of barrels, and it was a sick event. I am just so happy," expressed Gabriel Medina.
"I am really tired right now, but I was saving my energy for the Final because I knew it would be tough. "Wilko has been surfing amazing since the first event, and I do not know who can stop this guy. This is his third final of the year, and I am really happy to make this final against him."
Cloudbreak was another happy episode for Matt Wilkinson. With a runner-up finish, the Australian consolidates the leadership, and he now holds an advantage of 12,000 points over Gabriel Medina.
"Everyone is obviously going to be coming for me, so it is definitely not the time to let off on the accelerator. I am going to go into J-Bay as focused and ready as I can," concluded Wilko.
Fiji Pro 2016 | Final
1. Gabriel Medina (BRA), 15.60
2. Matt Wilkinson (AUS), 6.34
WSL Rankings | Top 5 (after Fiji Pro):
1. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 32,500 pts
2. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 24,000 pts
3. John John Florence (HAW) 23,900 pts
4. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 20,500 pts
5. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 20,400 pts