Gabriel Medina and Filipe Toledo Storm into Quarterfinals

Matt McGillivray and Griffin Colapinto Score Big on Day 3 of Competition

G-LAND, Banyuwangi, Indonesia (Friday, June 3, 2022) – The Quiksilver/ROXY Pro G-Land, Stop No. 6 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT), has seen all Quarterfinalists decided after a massive day of competition at Grajagan in Indonesia.

Competitors in men’s Elimination Round 2 and the Round of 16 put on solid performances in clean three-to-four foot surf at G-Land as the field in the men’s and women’s is narrowed to 16 competitors ahead of Finals Day, which could run as soon as tomorrow.

Heat 5 of the men’s Elimination Round drew a lot of attention as Indonesian hopeful Rio Waida (IDN) came up against World No. 1 Filipe Toledo (BRA) in arguably the matchup of the round. With the pair having matched up twice already in the last 12 months, Waida had Toledo’s number, beating him in both encounters. With the wildcard fresh off a win at the Challenger Series level recently, Toledo had to push himself, catching nine waves to eventually post a winning score, and get one back on the youngster. Although he fell short of the Finals here at G-Land, Waida is primed for a big career at the elite level in the future.

“It’s always hard coming up against wildcards,” Toledo said. “They don’t have the pressure of cuts and titles, they can just have fun, which always makes it tough. Rio got the nod on me in Mexico last year and then here in the first round, so I really needed to make sure I was smart in that heat and catch lots of waves when I didn’t have priority, which was tough as it’s a big lineup. I had a strategy on my mind and it seemed like it worked. Tomorrow looks really fun so hopefully the forecast stays true and we have a fun day with plenty of opportunity.”

Reigning three-time WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) continued his charge towards Finals Day at G-Land, overcoming Kolohe Andino (USA) in emphatic style, posting the highest two-wave total of the day with a 14.67 two-wave combination (out of a possible 20). Medina played a busy game, catching 11 waves before posting his two scores on waves 10 and 11, moving into the Quarterfinals and closer to achieving his perfect return to the elite level.

“That was a slow heat, so I wanted to keep really busy out there and I did,” Medina said. “Eventually I found two waves at the end because it feels good to make it through and now I will come up against my good friend Jadson Andre in the Quarterfinals, which will be really fun. I’ve been having a lot of fun here in Indonesia with all of the boys and I feel ready for more competition.”

The Round of 16 saw its biggest upset go down in the opening heat as World Title hopeful John John Florence (HAW) was eliminated from the competition by a fired-up Jadson Andre (BRA). Florence, who has been nursing a potential knee injury, struggled to display the power and finesse he is known for, while Andre scrapped hard, eventually finding a score to overcome Florence by just 0.16 of a point. It was the first time Andre has beaten Florence in a man-on-man heat out of four matchups.

“I’m so happy right now, that’s the happiest I have been,” Andre said. “Not just because I made that heat but just because of everything over the last month. You never think you will surf against John John and win with two high fours. I knew I needed to do something big to beat him. It shows that you should never give up because anything can happen. I’m so over the moon right now.”

11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) came into the Quiksilver Pro G-Land as the only competitor who had competed here before, even winning the event back in 1995. With the forecast everyone hoped for here at G-Land, there was no doubt that Slater would have been a favorite to win the event. Unfortunately for the 50-year-old, with no tubes on offer, he was forced to battle it out on the face against an in-form Samuel Pupo (BRA). Slater showed glimpses during his heat but only posted a small two-wave combination to hold the lead until the final seconds when the 2022 CT rookie found the best, longest wave of the matchup to post a mid-range score and take the heat win.

While G-Land struggled to show its true potential on Day 3 of competition and competitors battled hard for mid-range scores, two competitors were able to top the field with Griffin Colapinto (USA) winning with a 14.17 heat total and Matt McGillivray (ZAF) with a 14.50 two-wave combination, only having Medina top their totals. Colapinto had a pair of sevens, whilst McGillivray’s score line included an excellent 8.17 (out of a possible 10), the highest single wave of the day, for three massive, committed backside turns to dispatch of Australian Ethan Ewing in the Round of 16.

“It feels nice now, I’m feeling in rhythm in the water and with the set waves,” McGillivray said. “I feel like I’ve really turned things around now after getting that result in Margaret River. Once I got past that I felt like I could just enjoy this journey and I’m so stoked to be here surfing heats in G-Land in the second half of the season.”

Quiksilver Pro G-Land Quarterfinal Matchups: 
HEAT 1: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
HEAT 2: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
HEAT 3: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Griffin Colapinto (USA)
HEAT 4: Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) vs. Connor O’Leary (AUS)

ROXY Pro G-Land Quarterfinal Matchups:
HEAT 1: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
HEAT 2: Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA)
HEAT 3: Brisa Hennessy (CRI) vs. Bronte Macaulay (AUS)
HEAT 4: Johanne Defay (FRA) vs. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)