- 2021-09-16
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SPORTS
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Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ World Surf League: Gabriel Medina & Carissa Moore Claim 2021 World Title at Rip Curl WSL Finals
World Surf League 2021 Championship Tour final event Rip Curl WSL Finals took place at Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California, United States between September 9th and 15th.
The event watched Gabriel Medina (BRA) and Carissa Moore (HAW) took the 2021 World Champion.
This year, some events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the earthquake in Tahiti.
So, the final event used a different rule unlike previous years.
The 2021 World Champion was decided by a one-day, winner-take-all the Rip Curl WSL Finals.
The event featured the top five men and women on the WSL Championship Tour Leaderboard at the end of the 2021 regular season.
The event was competed in four match heats.
Match 1: The number five ranked surfer competes against the fourth ranked surfer in the first Match of the day in a head-to-head competition with a traditional heat format.
Match 2: The winner of Match 1 then face-off against the number three ranked surfer in a head-to-head competition with a traditional heat format.
Match 3: The winner of Match 2 then face-off against the number two ranked surfer in a head-to-head competition with a traditional heat format.
Title Match: The winner of Match 3 moves on to the best-of-three Title Match, where they face the World Number 1 in a head-to-head competition with a traditional heat format.
The surfer to win two out of three heats becomes the 2021 World Champion.- In Men's Title Match, Leaderboard ranking top Gabriel Medina (BRA) competed with Filipe Toledo (BRA) who defeated Italo Ferreira (BRA) and Conner Coffin (USA) in six-to-eight foot south swell.
Gabriel Medina took back-to back wins in two heats, claimed the 2021 World Champion.
This marks his third World Tile. Since winning his first World Title in 2014 he has finished in the top 5 every year, including his second World Title in 2018.
“This was my biggest goal in surfing,” said Gabriel Medina. “It's not everyday you accomplish your dream. This is a special day for me, it's a day I'll remember forever and tell my kids about. This year was very intense and mentally challenging, I had to work hard, have patience and let my surf talk. I had to surf a lot to win this title!”
While Women's Title Match, the ranking leader Carissa Moore (HAW) competed with Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) who defeated Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) in Match 3.
In Heat 1, Tatiana Weston-Webb defeated Carissa Moore with 15.20 points. But Carissa Moore won Heat 2 with 17.26 points and brought tie score.
Finally, Carissa Moore took down Tatiana Weston-Webb with 16.60 points in Heat 3, claimed her fifth World Champion.
She came into the event as the reigning WSL Champion, World No. 1 and Olympic gold medallist and her victory marks the first time in her career that she has claimed back-to-back World Titles. She has been the most consistent surfer on Tour this season and is the only person to reach the Semifinals or better in all seven events.
“It was a long year and it was a very long day,” said Carissa Moore. “Today didn't start as I expected, I had to fight my way back so it made it a bit sweeter to win. I was about to have a meltdown after the first heat. I tried my best, surfed from my heart, and it worked out. I've never been in the water when winning a world title, so this is extra special. I couldn't ask for anything more!”
Rip Curl WSL Finals Results:
Men's Title Match, Heat 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.30 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.70
Men's Title Match, Heat 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.53 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 16.36
Women's Title Match, Heat 1: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 15.20 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.06
Women's Title Match, Heat 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 17.26 def. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 15.60
Women's Title Match, Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.60 def. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 14.20
Men's Match 3: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.97 def. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.44
Women's Match 3: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 13.17 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.73
Men's Match 2: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 16.57 def. Conner Coffin (USA) 14.33
Women's Match 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.33 def. Johanne Defay (FRA) 6.66
Men's Match 1: Conner Coffin (USA) 15.00 def. Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 9.84
Women's Match 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) 12.17 def. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 6.70- source : World Surf League
