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Olympics-Surfing-Brazil's Medina, and Tahiti's 'Wall of Skulls', technique perfection

Brazil's Gabriel Medina powered through a huge blue barrel for the highest rating of the Olympic browsing competitors up until now, but Tahiti's Teahupo'o took the program on Monday with some of the most incredible waves on Earth.

The decision to hold the surfing competition at the

ideal reef pass

of Teahupo'o proved motivated as the swell increased and an anticipated storm held off simply enough time to finish the guys's 3rd round.

After 2 days of competition in waves that were primarily easy to use, Teahupo'o, which loosely translates as Wall of Skulls after a gruesome regional legend, actually bared its teeth as a solid southwest swell increased over night.

Time and again, surfers paddled tough and tossed themselves into the waves, which sucked below sea-level as they hit the reef.

Those that got it ideal were spat out of the fearsome tubes, shrouded in firehose blasts of spray. Horrendous wipeouts, damaged boards and jetski rescues followed for those that didn't get it right.

Brazil's Gabriel Medina got the wave of the event up until now in his round 5 heat against Japan's Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Kanoa Igarashi, a 9.90 out of 10 that was if anything, highlighted.

Taking off deep, Medina pumped through a huge tube and signalled to the judges that he believed it was worth a 10 before flying into the channel. Most of those on the flotilla of boats and jetskis seeing metres away screamed in arrangement.

Medina backed it up with a 7.5 for a 17.4 points total to cement him as a favourite to win gold.

I never ever imagined we might get waves like this in the Olympics, stated Medina. I'm comfy when the waves are good and as long as it resembles this, it's good for everybody ... today was a good day for sure.

FLORENCE OUT

One heavyweight clash worthwhile of a last, John Florence of the United States handling Australia's Jack Robinson, was ruthless and tense rather than incredible as both tube-riding masters struggled to get the ideal waves.

We didn't get it simple. At the start of the heat, I got dragged over the bottom and then nearly had a two-wave hold down, stated Robinson, coming up from a wipeout right before the next wave smashed him.

Robinson agreed surfing may be the most harmful sport in the Olympics in conditions like these.

Every other sport remains in a court or a stadium, and we remain in the ocean which is the biggest, most effective source of life that we have on this world, he stated.

The wave just so effective. It does not relate to any other sport, you know what I imply? Possibly an avalanche or something coming down your head on a mountain that's comparable ... it's so hazardous.

'SIMPLY INSANE'

Earlier, Tahiti's Kauli Vaast, surfing for host nation France, got rid of American Griffin Colapinto.

It was just ideal, said Vaast, who has actually had more than his share of jaw-dropping waves at The End of the Road as Teahupo'o is known. There are some 10 foot, perfect 10 foot (waves) coming up, offshore wind, 2 guys out, gorgeous bright days - just crazy.

Japan's Reo Inaba knocked out Brazil's two-time world champion Filipe Toledo, whose compatriot Joao Chianca triumphed over Morocco's Ramzi Boukhiam in the round's greatest scoring heat - 18.10 to 17.80.

I'm actually upset because I know that I could have brought gold for Morocco in these kinds of waves, Boukhiam stated. It was possible, since I like this shit, guy.

Even though I lost, this is going to be one of the very best warms for my life.

The women's round three was set up to follow the men's, but conditions quickly turned with groaning winds and putting rains lashing the lineup, requiring the competition on hold, most likely for a number of days.

(source: Reuters)