Gabriel Medina made history at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast yesterday, becoming the very first Brazilian -- and only the second goofyfoot -- to ever win the event. Photo: Cestari/ASP

"It's an honor to win this event," said Medina. "This is the hardest event of the whole Tour and I feel like all the best surfers in the world, Mick, Parko and Taj have won it." Photo: Kirstin/ASP

"Second two years in a row is heartbreaking, but on the other hand it's still a great start to the year," said runner-up Joel Parkinson. "I said the other day that World Titles aren't won or lost at the first event. If I didn't have a shocker at Bells last year I would've been right in the Title race, so hopefully I can improve on that this year." Photo: Dunbar

"Gabriel is a huge talent," Parko credited. "He deserves the win and has been on fire today, so congrats to him." Photo: Dunbar

"It's been a dream to win since I was a grommet," Medina continued. "I've been watching those guys on videos and reading about them in magazines. Today I had the opportunity to compete against them and I couldn't let this chance go. It's weird, it's really weird, but it feels so good." Photo: Dunbar

"Meanwhile," writes Nick Carroll, "a soccer-style crowd of expatriate Brazilians gathered behind Gabriel's win, waving their flag, and chanting like the frothing pack of dreamers they are..." Photo: Dunbar

Writes Nick: "The loss hurt Parko's support crew possibly more than Joel himself (pictured). 'Bullshit!' muttered Dad Brian, clearly less than impressed with the last-minute 7.83 that snared this narrowest of victories..." Photo: Kirstin/ASP

Medina's knack for coming from behind to snag victory in the dying minutes is now bordering on legendary. Prior to defeating Snapper local Joel Parkinson in an exciting Final, Medina took out two other former event winners, Mick Fanning and Taj Burrow, for the first win of the season. Photo: Swilly

"I feel proud of myself, you know," Gaby told Nick Carroll, "especially coming out in front of Parko. I feel this is the best day of my life. I think there are more Brazilians here than Australians." Photo: Dunbar

Mick Fanning took an early lead in his Quarterfinal matchup with Medina before the Brazilian posted an excellent 9.40 to meet this guy, Taj Burrow, in the Semifinals. Photo: Matt Kurvin

"As for the stars left in Gaby and Parko's wake," writes Nick, "perhaps the less said the better. Taj Burrow (pictured) did some good work to make the semis, but fell to the Medina Code in Parko-like fashion, losing in the dying seconds to another scorching insider by .03." Photo: Dunbar

Defending Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast champion Kelly Slater lost to another Brazilian, Adriano de Souza (pictured) in the Quarterfinals and will now head to West Oz with an equal-5th-place finish. Photo: Swilly

"Even if you get a great wave, you still have to surf it to get big scores," said Fanning. "It's a lot harder out in the water than it looks from the sand. That's the way it was and I just have to look at what I did wrong and learn and move on." Photo: Swilly

"I knew the wave he got was going to be a good one and I was out of position so I just had to sit and wait to see what he scored," Fanning continued. "All credit to him (Gabriel Medina)." Photo: Swilly

"Fearful of a declining swell," writes Nick Carroll, "the event brain trust -- so hesitant to go for almost a week -- put everything and everyone into the fray, surfing 15 Men's and three Women's heats from pretty much dawn to dusk and crowning the two champions within a couple of hours of each other. By the time the Men's final paddled out, long shadows were drawing across the Snapper sands..." Photo: Matt Kurvin

"It was frustrating because I fell on a couple of waves," said Kelly Slater. "Adriano (de Souza) was on the better end of being in sync with the sets, it seemed like the better waves always came when he had priority." Photo: Dunbar

"I probably could have been more patient," Slater continued. "You don't know out there because you catch a wave and hope it builds down the line. I never really felt on today. I was pretty tired after that heat. A bit of a lapse in concentration for me." Photo: Dunbar

Writes Nick: "Kelly Slater surfed a drab and dispiriting Quarterfinal against a fired up Adriano de Souza and was deservedly rendered 5th..." Photo: Dunbar

Mitch Crews didn't make to the big rounds in his first event, but he certainly let people know who he is: a straight player. Bells might like this guy. Photo: Swilly

In what might come to be known as the "Year of the Goofyfoot" for this event, Freddy Patacchia will have played an integral part in the Quik Pro story, despite failing to advance to the Quarters. Photo: Dunbar

It didn't suck. Josh Kerr, gunning for glory on one of the best natural/manmade waves on Earth. Photo: Matt Kurvin

"The whole thing felt a bit ironic," writes Nick Carroll. "While Brazilian grommets are learning to speak the global language, so many surf fans in Western nations refuse to fully acknowledge the waves of surfing energy emerging from Brazil..." Miguel Pupo. Photo: Swilly

Writes Nick: "Yet now, the first big event of the New ASP, funded by seed capital from the good ol' USA, has been won by a 19-year-old Brazilian..." Photo: Swilly

Alley-oop or no, the fact is Parko lost one of the closest finals in WCT history, 16.33 to 16.27. Photo: Dunbar

Writes Nick: "One of the risks on a day like today is that surfers overwhelmed by the workload will lose their eye for the opportunities in a clean, repetitious wave like Snapper..." Photo: Matt Kurvin