Owen Wright: he won in Teahupoo for the first time | Photo: Cestari/WSL

Owen Wright has taken out the 2019 Tahiti Pro Teahupoo.

The finals went underway in six-to-eight-foot waves at the infamous Polynesian reef pass.

Wright had already started the day off with a 10-point ride and then got his revenge from last year's final against Gabriel Medina.

This time, the Australian wore a helmet and snatched the victory from the two-time world champion with two decisive waves in the last five minutes of the heat.

"I can't be happier. I was against the ropes, and Gabby was always going to be the toughest matchup. I had no priority, just snuck into those few on the inside and tried to get as deep as possible and still make it," explained Owen Wright.

The Australian surfer secured his first event win in Teahupoo and the first Championship Tour (CT) victory since claiming the 2017 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.

"I teared up out there when the hooter went. I haven't won since Snapper, and it has been so long. I've tried to win this event a lot of times, and it is amazing to finally get that today."

The next stop on the 2019 CT calendar is the Freshwater Pro. The event will run at the WSL Surf Ranch from September 19-21.

2019 Tahiti Pro Teahupoo | Final

1. Owen Wright (AUS) 17.07
2. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.93

WSL Leaderboard | Top 10 After Tahiti Pro Teahupoo

1. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 36,600 pts
2. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 35,450 pts
3. Kolohe Andino (USA) 35,175 pts
4. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 34,695
5. John John Florence (HAW) 32,690 pts

Top Stories

On March 7, 2024, Cloudbreak delivered one of the most epic swells in Fiji's big wave surfing history.

Is there any correlation between warmer or colder ocean waters and bigger waves? What is the influence of temperature on wave height?

It's one of the world's most out-of-the-radar big waves and certainly one of the most exciting surf breaks in Latin America and the South Pacific. Bienvenidos a El Buey.

Surfing is all about working the unbroken wave face and maximizing riding time. But how can you optimize and balance these two goals that cancel each other out?