JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Thursday, July 7, 2016) - The J-Bay Open, Stop No. 6 on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), continued today. Competition ran through the eight remaining heats of Round 2 followed by the opening four heats of Round 3 before being called off as conditions deteriorated.
Top seeds dominated the day’s action, winning eight of the twelve match-ups as the WSL Top 34 battled to avoid early elimination in 1-1.5 metre (three-to-five foot) surf at Supertubes in Jeffreys Bay .
Jordy Smith (ZAF) was the day’s top performer and commanded his Round 3 heat. The South African stormed through his match-up against Kolohe Andino (USA) with an 18.20 heat total. Smith used his experience at Jeffreys Bay to find back-to-back excellent rides that earned him an 8.70 and 9.50 and a place in Round 4. Andino was left in a combination situation and leaves the competition in 13th place.
“I’m just so happy to be home and surfing good waves -- it’s been absolutely firing,” said Smith. “There’s a lot of history here for me so it definitely brings up a lot of emotions. I’m just going to stick to the same things I’ve been doing. Just surf, wait for the good ones, and have fun with it. That’s it really.”
Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) also posted big scores and gave an impressive performance in his Round 2 win over compatriot Jadson Andre (BRA), posting an excellent 18.27 two-wave heat total and progressing to a Round 3 duel with another fellow countryman in Caio Ibelli (BRA)
“I felt comfortable and had fun surfing J-Bay with two guys in the water,” said Dantas. “It’s hard surfing against Jadson, he’s a friend of mine, but a heat’s a heat and there are no friends in the water when you compete.”
Josh Kerr (AUS) showed variety and flair in this Round 2 heat against Jack Freestone (AUS) and an excellent 8.23 at the midway point and a near-perfect 9.23 later sealed the win and his place in Round 3.
“I had a frustrating heat yesterday,” said Kerr. “Today it’s about as rippable as J-Bay gets out there. It definitely zaps you with no jet ski assist, you come in pretty tired, especially with 35-minute heats. When you don’t have those howling offshores and it’s pretty buttery out there you can do whatever you want to do -- some big turns or airs, it’s pretty fun.”
Kerr’s excellent run of form continued in Round 3 when he eliminated current No. 4 on the Jeep Leaderboard Italo Ferreira (BRA) in Heat 3. Kerr wowed with crowd with more aerial antics to net a 16.40 two-wave heat total and secure his place in Round 4.
Two-time event winner and 2012 WSL Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS) took on Matt Banting (AUS) in Round 2 Heat 7. Parkinson opened up strong with a 7.67 and found a 7.50 to back leaving his compatriot in need of an excellent 8.67. Parkinson moves on to Round 3 and Banting takes home his third 25th-place-finish of the season.
“I was really pleased to surf early this morning because conditions were great,” said Parkinson. “I’m feeling almost 100% again and am improving every day. I love J-Bay so it’s great to be back here.”
Alejo Muniz (BRA), three-time Quarterfinalist at the J-Bay Open, found two long waves to eliminate Nat Young (USA) in Round 2. Young was the busier of the two surfers, riding nine waves to Muniz’ four, but could not match the Brazilian’s top two scores and leaves the competition in 25th place.
John John Florence (HAW) and Dusty Payne (HAW) went head-to-head in an all Hawaiian match-up in Round 3 Heat 2. With Florence chasing a World Title and Payne fighting for requalification the pair battled for the advantage. Payne kept busy catching nines waves, but Florence took the win by just 0.90 thanks to an 8.33 on his third wave and moves on to Round 4.
Payne, who leaves the contest in 13th place, previously posted the highest single-wave score of event so far, a near-perfect 9.77, in his Round 2 heat against Stuart Kennedy (AUS).
The final heat of the day saw 11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater (USA) dispatch Adrian Buchan (AUS) with an early score of 6.33 on the best wave of the heat. Slater advances on to Round 4 while Buchan is eliminated in 25th place.
“It was a tough heat for both of us because the wind sprung up early on,” said Slater. “I was fortunate that I was in the right position early in the heat to pick off the best wave. That was the difference between winning and losing.”
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 7 a.m. local time on Friday for a possible 7:30 a.m. start.
(statement and photo supplied)
