South Africa’s star surfer Jordy Smith has ended the year as the No 4 on the World Surf League (WSL) rankings.
The Durban-born Smith went into the last event of the season (the Billabong Pipe Masters in Hawaii) ranked third and with a mathematical chance of clinching his first world title.
But the two-time WSL runner-up was defeated by 11-time world champion Kelly Slater (USA) in Round 3, finishing equal 13th in the event and dropping to No 4 on the year-end leaderboard.
Hawaii’s John John Florence clinched the WSL title at the Billabong Pipe Masters in Oahu, Hawaii.
Universally regarded as one of the best all-round surfers, Florence has diligently worked at improving since qualifying for the elite WSL Championship Tour (CT) in 2011.
WSL Jeep Leaderboard Top 5 (after Billabong Pipe Masters):
1 John John Florence (HAW) 59,600 pts
2 Gabriel Medina (BRA) 53,700
3 Julian Wilson (AUS) 48,650
4 Jordy Smith (RSA) 47,600
5 Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 40,700 – African News Agency (ANA)
