‘Magical’ moment as surfer shares wave with pod of dolphins as she wins first world championship tour event
Gabriela Bryan surfs in the final at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro. (Photo credit: Aaron Hughes/World Surf League/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
(CNN) — Gabriela Bryan won her first world championship tour event at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro on Sunday and in a “magical” moment in the final, the Hawaiian surfer shared a wave with a pod of dolphins.
Bryan, 22, a former rookie of the year, beat 18-year-old Sawyer Lindbald to the title, an 8.10 score on one wave making sure of victory for a 15.93 total, which was nearly two points better than Linblad’s cumulative mark.
But it was on the 7.83-scoring run beforehand where she was joined by the dolphins.
“I’m just so happy we got good waves today and all the girls put on a really good show. It’s insane, I just won,” Bryan said on the World Surf League (WSL) broadcast.
“When I kicked out, I was just wow! That wave was sent to me by someone, the dolphins in it. It was magical.”
Bryan also makes the WSL’s mid-season cut and moves to No. 5 in the world rankings.
Gabriela Bryan celebrates her first world championship tour win. (Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
In the men’s event, Australia’s Jack Robinson won, beating two-time world champion John John Florence, who had scored a perfect 10 in the semifinals.
On the biggest wave of the day, Robinson all but sealed the win with a 9.10 score, finishing with a 17.27 total in the final – 1.23 points ahead of Florence.
“That was the final I wanted, I wanted to throw everything at it. It’s always fun surfing against John - we’re going to have many more heats together,” said Robinson, per Reuters.
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