What’s the story behind this incredible, viral Olympic surf shot?

The image of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina and his board seemingly floating in mid-air, his index finger pointed up toward the sky, has captured the attention and wonder of the world.

And the photo doesn’t even show Medina conquering the unruly, death-defying, massive waves, where the Olympic surfers competed for the third day on Monday, July 29.

So what’s the story behind the already-iconic image that has gone viral and may very well become the photo that defines this year’s Summer Games?