Date: Friday, June 6, 2014 Schedule: Semifinals (Heats 1-2) and Final Conditions: Three-to-four foot (1 – 1.5 metre) waves at Cloudbreak
Semifinals
SF 1: Nat Young (USA) 14.00 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.10
Michel Bourez and Nat Young got on the board quickly in the first 35 minute Semifinal, with the two grabbing average scores to get on the board.
The first major exchange unfolded just before the 15 minute mark, with Bourez taking the first wave of the set with three big backhand blast while Young delivered four snaps of his own, but failed to complete his fifth maneuver. The Tahitian got the nod with a 7.33 to Young’s 6.17.
The Californian built momentum, navigating a technical tube ride finished with a big frontside carve for a 7.83 and the lead over Bourez with nine minutes remaining.
Bourez waited patiently to find the wave needed to surpass Young, but was unable to surpass the Californian up-and-comer.
“I’m disappointed because I made a mistake on my last wave,” Bourez said. “Nat (Young) is one of the guys who I thought would get a good result out here. I kept thinking he’d go huge out here and I’m stoked to see him into the Final. I’m super happy to make it this far, Kelly (Slater) was still ahead of me on the rankings and I didn’t want to lose before him and that happened.”
SF 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.50 vs. Kolohe Andino (USA) 9.57
Gabriel Medina paddled deep and it paid off early as he nabbed a fast tube ride and managed to fit in multiple lip cracks to earn a 6.17 and an early lead. Kolohe Andino used priority on a smaller wave an unloaded a series of tight and technical backhand blasts to clock a 4.17.
With less than 10 minutes on the clock Medina found a quick tube and after the exit the young Brazilian carved and smashed the lip to earn a monster 9.07 and leave Andino needing two scores.
Andino answered back, tucked into a tube, came out, but fell off on the carve and that was the heat. Andino backs up his Billabong Rio Pro runner-up finish with an equal 3rd place and Medina moved into the Final.
Final
Gabriel Medina (BRA) 18.40 def. Nat Young (USA) vs. 14.77
Gabriel Medina flew out of the gates first against Nat Young, unloading his complete repertoire on a clean set wave. The Brazilian delivered a frontside snap, quick tube ride and a flurry of turns for a 7.33 and an early lead.
Young waited 10 minutes to get on the scoreboard, but made his opener count, combining a double-barrel and three big carves for a 8.17. Medina answered right back, also driving through two barrel sections blended with a series of sizzling snaps for an 9.87, extending his lead over the American.
Blow for blow exchanges continued throughout the middle of the heat, when Young responded with another barrel punctuated with a mass of devastating turns for a 6.60.
Conditions continued to pump through Cloudbreak for the Final and Medina maintained his near-flawless attack. The goofy-footer drove through yet another barrel, etching an 8.53, leaving Young in need of a combination of scores to take the win at the 16 minute mark.
Young was unable to break the combination, cementing Medina’s fourth career ASP WCT victory.
