Surfing-Florence and the Machine: yin and yang rivalry on the waves

TEAHUPO'O, Tahiti : Gabriel Medina is a competitive surfing machine. A jewellery-clad, helicopter-riding superstar, the Brazilian is a tattooed terminator who paddles faster, pulls into the tube deeper and flies higher than just about anyone who ever rode a surfboard.

John John Florence is something else entirely.

With his penchant for sailing and beekeeping, self-deprecating chuckle and the kind of facial hair popular with teenage snowboarders, the American's ice-cool style makes him the surfers' surfer.

On waves of consequence like those seen in Teahupo'o, however, it is clear they are two elite surfers at the top of their powers, a near perfect rivalry of yin and yang.

Medina won the Paris Olympics bronze medal in Tahiti this week, giving him bragging rights over Florence, but both were beaten by Australian tube-wizard Jack Robinson in capricious waves where gold was won by Tahitian local hero Kauli Vaast.

Still, Hawaiian Florence leads the professional world tour and is on course to win his third world title to match Medina's tally.

Florence's popularity does not rely on that, though.

"From an aesthetically pleasing perspective, I feel like almost everyone would agree that he's the pinnacle of style and power and grace," said Shane Dorian, a former tour surfer, big wave legend and the Team USA coach.

"How everybody mind surfs, John actually surfs.

"John has put a crazy amount of work in to chase his dream but it doesn't look like it. Whereas you can see it with Gabe - he's done the work and it shows. He's very much a contest machine and a competitive juggernaut."

Medina, 30, was born and raised in Sao Paulo and began surfing at the age of four.

He joined the world championship tour in 2011 at 17 and became the youngest