Competition commenced on Friday 10 July at the J-Bay Open, stop No. 6 on the 2015 Samsung Galaxy World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT). An exciting opening day of action and upsets saw the world's best surfers run through Round 1 in challenging 1 – 1.5 metre (3-5 foot) waves that deteriorated in the onshore winds as the day wore on.
This season’s tightly contested title race heated up as the top three surfers on the Jeep Leaderboard, Adriano de Souza (BRA), Filipe Toledo (BRA) and Owen Wright (AUS), all suffered defeat while defending 2014 J-Bay winner Mick Fanning (AUS) and four-time event winner Kelly Slater (USA) sailed directly through to Round 3.
The South African challenge at J-Bay received an unexpected boost when Michael February (ZAF, Kommetjie), the runner-up in the JBU Supertrials last month, was drafted into his first CT event as a replacement for Matt Banting (AUS). The Australian withdrew from the event after injuring a knee while free surfing earlier in the week.
Up against Fanning and Tomas Hermes (BRA), February took the lead early in the heat with a polished aerial manoeuvre, but could not find a similar high-scoring second wave. Fanning, a three-time world champion and three-time event winner, found his rhythm and posted scores of 8.17 and 7.50 to win the heat convincingly with the second highest heat tally of the day.
“I only found out 30 minutes before that I was going to be surfing and the time flew by so quickly,” said February. “My first wave was a bit shaky but my second wave was alright, a 6.5, but I couldn’t find a good one after that. I’ve got another heat in Round 2, so I’m stoked. This is the first CT I’ve ever surfed and I’m just going to give it everything I can and try to show them what I’ve got.”
Slade Prestwich (ZAF, Scottburgh), who earned his wildcard into the J-Bay Open by winning the JBU Supertrials, was matched with top seed De Souza and Kolohe Andino (USA). The Brazilian got off to a great start, but a big front-side air reverse in the final seconds from Andino was enough to turn the heat. The American stole his first Round 1 heat win on the CT this year with a 7.93, upsetting De Souza and Prestwich, who will both surf again in Round 2.
Local favourite and SA’s only member of the CT, Jordy Smith (ZAF, Durban), came into J-Bay ranked No. 18 after missing the last event in Fiji with a knee injury. An uncharacteristically low-scoring performance had his supporters perplexed until he left the water at the end of the heat and went directly to the medical facilities for treatment on a back spasm incurred while practicing yesterday.
Bede Durbidge (AUS) dominated the heat to skip Round 2 and progress directly to Round 3 with Ricardo Christie (NZL) in second joining Smith in the cutthroat Round 2 encounters when competition recommences.
11-time World Champion Slater (USA) posted an impressive 8.17 out of the gates with a full rotation aerial and an early lead. Gliding effortlessly down the line Slater found a quick cover up for another big score, an excellent 8.83 and the highest single-wave score of the day. Slater first won the contest in 1996 and continued to dominate today against rivals Matt Wilkinson (AUS) and Glenn Hall (IRL), putting them both in a combination situation and taking the lead with a 17.00 heat total.
“I feel really good and I took a lot of time off this week,” said Slater. “I didn’t chase that last swell and I just took some time for myself. I also felt really good in my free surf yesterday. I just felt really calm and I watched it a couple hours beforehand to see where to sit and which waves to catch and who’s doing what. I don’t feel like anyone’s been able to stand out today. I’ve got to do something, you know? Got to keep these guys on their toes while I’m here. I need good points right now.”
The final heat of the day saw defending WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) take on two-time J-Bay Open winner Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Keanu Asing (HAW). It was the Hawaiian rookie that ran away with the lead, leaving his more experienced opponents searching for excellent scores to get back in the heat. Parkinson threw everything at his final wave on the buzzer, delivering three major maneuvers on a solid wave, needing an 8.76. The Australian was awarded 8.10 and will have to surf again in Round 2 alongside Medina.
Event organizers will convene on Saturday morning to assess conditions for a possible start to Round 2.
The J-Bay Open will be webcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com.
The J-Bay Open is the showcase event at the J-Bay Winterfest, a multi-sport and music festival in Jeffreys Bay from July 8 - 19. More details at www.jbaywinterfest.com .
J-Bay Open Round 1 Results:
Heat 1: Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.00, Brett Simpson (USA) 7.84, Taj Burrow (AUS) 5.26
Heat 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.93, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.27, Alejo Muniz (BRA) 5.60
Heat 3: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.70, Owen Wright (AUS )12.86, Kai Otton (AUS) 9.73
Heat 4: Dane Reynolds (USA) 13.33, Adam Melling (AUS) 7.00, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 5.33
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.67, Michael February (ZAF) 11.33, Tomas Hermes (BRA) 7.66
Heat 6: Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.03, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.24, Slade Prestwich (ZAF) 10.33
Heat 7: Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.94, Dusty Payne (HAW) 10.14, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 7.74
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.00, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 9.33, Glenn Hall (IRL) 5.40
Heat 9: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.60, Nat Young (USA) 10.00, Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 8.87
Heat 10: Fredrick Patacchia (USA) 14.90, Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.60, Italo Ferreira (BRA) 10.53
Heat 11: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.00, Ricardo Christie (NZL) 6.70, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 5.17
Heat 12: Keanu Asing (HAW) 13.93, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.27, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 9.00
J-Bay Open Round 2 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Slade Prestwich (ZAF)
Heat 2: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Michael February (ZAF)
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Tomas Hermes (BRA)
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 5: Nat Young (USA) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 6: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 7: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Glenn Hall (IRL)
Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Ricardo Christie (NZL)
Heat 9: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 10: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 11: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
