The WSL Finals day ended the way you probably thought it should: with Carissa Moore and Gabriel Medina hoisting world titles. Not the first for either, of course, and not exactly a surprise. Medina in particular was so far ahead of the field that a win seemed almost inevitable, while Moore was on the tail end of an incredibly dominant year. All in all, the newly revamped Finals Day was a success.
But a final day can’t be a success without amazing waves. No matter how great the surfing is, the waves in a surf contest will always play the leading role, and the waves at Lower Trestles were nothing short of spectacular. With a few days in the rearview, the World Surf League put together a highlight reel including the top 10 highest scoring waves from the day — and it’s safe to say that the world’s best surfers on one of the world’s best waves is a real sight to see. Take, for example, the fact that Medina landed a corked-out backflip in the second match of the final heat against Filipe Toledo. It was only the second one landed in surfing contest history, but we’re sure it won’t be the last.
