Surfing: Caroline Marks of Team USA has won Gold
It came down to the final minute, the heat deciding score dropping only after the final horn had sounded. In the end, Caroline Marks of the United States is your Women’s Surfing Gold Medalist.
The heat started slow with both Marks (USA) and Tatiana Weston-Webb of Brazil waiting patiently for Mother Nature to send a good wave their way. After both failing to get a wave above a 1.0 for nearly 10 minutes, Marks made the drop on a solid set wave, faded her bottom turn a bit, and pulled up and in to a round, pristine barrel. It wasn’t the deepest of the day or the longest but it was clean, beautiful even, and she came out flawlessly. She got a 7.50 for it and, like the Men’s Final earlier, the first good wave ridden also proved to be the Gold Medal winner.
Weston-Webb (BRA) answered with a tube of her own, albeit on a smaller wave, and rode it straight into a couple strong rail turns. The result was a 5.83.
The plot thickened as Marks (USA) failed to find a big second score. A short little tube ride and hooking top turn got her a 3.00, a number which would eventually become her second best score for a heat total of 10.50. She was close to coming out of another big barrel but the lip clipped her as she high-lined it towards the exit. The wipeout left the door open for Weston-Webb (BRA) in the final 90 seconds.
A small wave presented itself and Weston-Webb (BRA) took off needing only a 4.68 to win Gold. She used her rail game to tear the wave up, gouging multiple turns just before time expired. After a few minutes of uncertainty, the judges scores came in- a 4.50. Just shy of a Gold Medal performance.
Back on the beach, Marks (USA) was a vision of pure joy. “I’m so honoured and so happy, this is just incredible and I’m so emotional." she said, "So happy to do this for my family and everyone back home. Wow, I’m just so happy.”