Caroline Marks Earns Third CT Victory

Credit: WSl / Dunbar

Caroline Marks Earns Third CT Victory


Caroline Marks (USA) and Gabriel Medina (BRA) have won the Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic presented by Corona, the third stop on the World Surf League (WSL) 2021 Championship Tour (CT). The iconic North Narrabeen Beach saved the best for last, hosting Finals Day in three-to-four foot surf with clean off-shore winds.

Two-time World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) held nothing back in the Final of the Rip Curl Narrabeen Cup, posting the highest two-wave combination of the entire event to overcome Californian Conner Coffin (USA) for his 15th CT victory. Medina posted his excellent 18.77 heat total (out of a possible 20) within the first 15 minutes of the 35-minute Final with back-to-back full-rotation air-reverses.

“I haven’t had this winning feeling for a while and it feels amazing,” Medina said. “It feels good to put on that sort of a performance in a Final. Sticking my airs and hearing the crowd chant my name was really cool. I’ve had a few finals recently but was making some mistakes, but it feels good to come back here and fix my mistakes. I feel like I got better and am so happy with my performance. This has been a fun week. I’ve never had such a good time here in Australia. The Northern Beaches have been so nice, the food, the beaches, the people. We have had so much amazing support on the beach as well, it’s just been so fun.”

Today’s win puts Medina up to World No. 1 and gives him his best-ever start to a season, a terrifying prospect for the rest of the WSL Championship Tour field. The top-ranking surfer before the Rip Curl WSL Finals will have a major advantage over the Top 5 as they will be seeded into the Final Heat of the day for a best-of-three battle. Medina’s lead will be critical to his campaign on the road to the Rip Curl WSL Finals in order to give himself the best shot at his third World Title.

Although he was put in a combination situation for the entire heat (needing two scores to take the lead), Coffin leaves North Narrabeen matching the best result of his career. On his way to the Final, Coffin took down reigning World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA) along with Griffin Colapinto (USA) and Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) with his consistent and powerful rail game. Coffin will head to Margaret River sitting in fourth place on the rankings, a career-best for the 27-year-old in his fifth year on CT.

“I’m so stoked to make it into another Final,” said Coffin. “I got so smoked, but I had a good time. Gabby (Medina) is such an incredible surfer, so it was always going to be tough but his performance just then was so incredible so it was actually just cool to be a part of that. I’ve had an amazing time so far in Australia and have managed to put up back-to-back results so I’m really happy.”

Although he was put in a combination situation for the entire heat (needing two scores to take the lead), Coffin leaves North Narrabeen matching the best result of his career. On his way to the Final, Coffin took down reigning World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA) along with Griffin Colapinto (USA) and Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) with his consistent and powerful rail game. Coffin will head to Margaret River sitting in fourth place on the rankings, a career-best for the 27-year-old in his fifth year on CT.

“I’m so stoked to make it into another Final,” said Coffin. “I got so smoked, but I had a good time. Gabby (Medina) is such an incredible surfer, so it was always going to be tough but his performance just then was so incredible so it was actually just cool to be a part of that. I’ve had an amazing time so far in Australia and have managed to put up back-to-back results so I’m really happy.”

En route to the Final, Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) took down four-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) in the Semifinals and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) in the Semifinals. The Brazilian was unable to overcome Marks in her eighth Finals appearance, but her efforts move her up from World No. 5 to World No. 3 on the rankings, furthering her into the Final 5.

“Going left in an event for me is a dream come true for me,” Weston-Webb said. “I was proud of my surfing this week in Narrabeen. Newcastle definitely wasn’t my best result. Even though I felt like I surfed well there I felt like I didn’t capitalize on my opportunities. Coming to Narrabeen was all about a change of pace and momentum for myself and just to show everyone that I’ve been working on my surfing a lot. Now we head to West Aus, which is a place I love, so I’m looking forward to keeping a roll going.”

For the first time this season, Moore did not make the Final and was eliminated in equal 3rd place. Despite the Semifinal loss, the four-time WSL Champion is still in the top position on the rankings, thanks to her high placing in Narrabeen, win at Newcastle, and runner-up finish at Pipe.

Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Women’s Final Results:
1 - Caroline Marks (USA) 12.57
2 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 11.34

Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Men’s Final Results:
1 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 18.77
2 - Conner Coffin (USA) 14.10

Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Women’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 13.90 DEF. Carissa Moore (HAW) 10.80
HEAT 2: Caroline Marks (USA) 13.60 DEF. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 13.57

Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Men’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 12.50 DEF. Frederico Morais (PRT) 10.70
HEAT 2: Conner Coffin (USA) 13.83 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.03

Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Women’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.94 DEF. Keely Andrew (AUS) 10.16
HEAT 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 11.90 DEF. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 10.40
HEAT 3: Caroline Marks (USA) 12.50 DEF. Johanne Defay (FRA) 10.46
HEAT 4: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 12.16 DEF. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9.17

Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic Men’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Frederico Morais (PRT) 13.84 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 11.83
HEAT 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.97 DEF. Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 12.67
HEAT 3: Conner Coffin (USA) 11.06 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 0.80
HEAT 4: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 12.50 DEF. Yago Dora (BRA) 12.00
WSL Women’s Championship Tour Leaderboard Top 5:
1 - Carissa Moore (HAW) 23,885 pts
2 - Caroline Marks (USA) 18,695 pts
3 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 16,495 pts
4 - Tyler Wright (AUS) 15,220 pts
5 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 14,235 pts

WSL Men’s Championship Tour Leaderboard Top 5:
1 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 25,600 pts
2 - Italo Ferreira (BRA) 19,405 pts
3 - John John Florence (HAW) 14,650 pts
4 - Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 12,810 pts
4 - Conner Coffin (USA) 12,810 pts