The young Brazilian dominated the competition at Cloudbreak
Gabriel’s foamball-wrestling 9.87 put him out of range of Nat Young, who looked like the only guy capable of getting near him this morning.
Gabriel dominated the Final of the Fiji Pro this morning. His foamball-wrestling 9.87 put him out of range of Nat Young, who looked like the only guy capable of getting near him this morning. After the shock of seeing Stu Gibson swinging in the breeze, Gabriel had taken off waaaay up the reef, past The Ledge and almost down to Vanuatu. Nat followed. They were miles out of position but Gabriel never wants to give up the first wave of the heat and if that means paddling off to New Caledonia then so be it. But he is so comfortable on this reef that it’s hard to believe he only first surfed here four years ago. Nat had been the wave magnet all event, but this morning it was Gabriel in the sweet spot. When asked afterward about where his affinity with the reef comes from, Gabriel replied, “When I’m feeling it, I don’t think about it.”
Gabriel was feeling it all the way back to Namotu Island, where he’s staying. The contest boat followed him back, the PA blaring South Pacific disco, Gabriel standing and sambaing all the way back to the island. The Brazilian flag was flying at the bow of the boat, but Gabriel was flying a few flags today.
His win here today means he leads the ratings by a fair margin, and if he can hang on until December and become the first Brazilian world champ you’ll hear a million Brazilian voices from over the horizon.
He was, of course, surfing for Brazil. There was a lone Brazilian spectator in the channel today in a beaten up ol’ sloop that looked like it had a date with the bottom of the ocean, but he was flying the Brazilian flag on the stern and Gabriel made a point of circling our boat back around to acknowledge him. But Gabriel’s win will be huge news back home, and will even cut through the World Cup noise. His win here today means he leads the ratings by a fair margin, and if he can hang on until December and become the first Brazilian world champ you’ll hear a million Brazilian voices from over the horizon. “There’s never been a Brazilian world champ and this is the chance, so I don’t want to waste it.”
Gabriel was also surfing for Namotu. When we turned up two years ago and he was staying on the island it was an odd cultural billet. Namotu is Australian-owned and over the years has earned a reputation for Aussie surfers going wild in and around the contest. Suddenly here was this young Brazilian upstart, the only Brazilian on the island, in amongst the piracy. But after making the Final that year, Gabriel came back to the island and skolled a ritual Skulldrag (essentially a whole bar in a glass) and partied as hard as any of the Aussies. The Aussies, the Fijians, and the island itself have adopted him ever since. “The Fijian crew are great they always smile and are positive and I feel just like home, I have a family here.” Gabriel is the first Namotu surfer to win the event in 15 years, the last winner being Occy in 1999. Occy went on to win the world title that year.
Ever since he won the first event of the year, the theme has been generational renewal. A decade of 30-and-over dominance is finally being challenged.
But Gabriel was also flying the flag today for his generation. Ever since he won the first event of the year, beating Joel Parkinson at his homebreak of Snapper, the theme has been generational renewal. A decade of 30-and-over dominance is finally being challenged, and while Gabriel’s Snapper win came with a few question marks over it, there was no doubt at all today. He owned it. “It’s great. The new generation is coming…I’m happy to represent my generation but it’s not just me, it’s Kolohe, Nat, they’re all going strong.” Gabriel heads to J-Bay having never surfed it before, and questions are already being raised about whether he’ll be able to surf it. The same questions were asked about him of Cloudbreak two years ago and we all know how that ended up.
Gabriel is still over at the presentation on Tavarua but is due back on Namotu any minute. The Fijians are decorating the place and firing up the barbecue for a big party this afternoon. And Gibbo is back behind the bar – shorts on – preparing Gabriel’s Skulldrag.
