Reigning surfing world champion Gabriel Medina has shocked fans and organisers with an extraordinary outburst at the season-opening event on the Gold Coast.

Medina was a shock third-round loser on Thursday to NSW-born Irish surfer Glenn Hall at the Quiksilver Pro, a result which then sparked what Mick Fanning later labelled a “brain explosion” by the 21-year-old Brazilian.

Incensed by the loss and a call to penalise him for interference during the heat – a call which all but handed Hall the win by cutting Medina’s second-best scoring wave from the scoreboard – Medina had a pop at World Surf League commissioner Kieren Perrow, the rulebook and even Hall during his outburst.

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“That was a really bad call for the comp (to go ahead),” Medina said.

“We waited 10 days, we extended two days to get waves like this and I think KP didn’t do a really good job, but I hope he can get better.

“Second was the interference, one day I will try to understand this new rule.

“And the third, next time Glenn say ‘f..k you’ to me, I’ll teach him some bad words.”

Hall had earlier said the conversation out on the waves hadn’t been out of order, in his opinion.

“I was just trying to explain to him that why I was blowing up was because we had a bit of a tight heckle,” Hall said.

“He was cool. It was nothing personal.”

Perrow, a former tour pro, said Medina’s comments were unacceptable and would be reviewed by the league.

“This is professional surfing’s biggest stage, the stakes are high and there is no shortage of passion,” Perrow said.

“Gabriel’s post-heat interview was not worthy conduct of an athlete at this level and the league has engaged in discussions with him and will take further action if necessary.”

Fanning, who shares the same major sponsor as Medina, suggested the comments were out of character.

“He’s going to get criticised if he says good things or bad things,” the three-time world champion said.

“I think it was just one of those brain explosions. We all make mistakes and I’m sure he’s sorry for that.

“He’s a really good kid and in the heat of the moment we say some stupid things.”

-AAP