Gabriel Medina finished as runner-up at the Cloudbreak event in Fiji, valid for the World Surf League. The Brazilian was defeated by American Cole Houshmand, who won the final with a score of 16.87 against Medina's 15.17.
The American built his victory with scores of 8.50 and 8.37, while Medina got a 5.17 as his second score, which ended up being decisive for the final result.
The decision started with adverse conditions, as the sea was calm. In the first 12 minutes, only Houshmand managed to catch two waves, while Gabriel Medina waited for conditions to improve. When a set came in, Medina scored 5.17, but Houshmand took advantage of a superior wave in the sequence, scoring 8.50 and opening a lead in the heat. The American still traded his second score for 6.33, making the Brazilian's situation even more complicated.
With eight minutes remaining in the heat, Medina pulled off a deep and long tube, achieving the much-desired score of 10. However, the perfect wave wasn't enough for the comeback, and the Brazilian finished the competition in second place.
