Jordy Smith murders the Maldives

So ostensibly this video is to advertise Jordy's new range of clothing with O"Neill. I did not pay to much attention to the clothes, I must be honest, as I was very distracted by the surfing. Yeeeew! He ripped these little Maldive bombs!

Billabong Pro Tahiti - The Captain's Preview

Yes, it's that time of year again when the world's best surfers head to the islands of French Polanesia to surf the most sphincter clenching wave on the planet, Teahupoo. The contest has disappointed the last few years with not much in the way of death defying antics or giant waves and we can only hope that this year will provide a little more size and action. When Teahupoo is on, its one of the Wonders of the natural world, when it's off, it looks like a hundred other little perfect reef passes.

This is the kind of Teahupoo we want to see. Anthony Walsh standing tall. (Courtesy: Robertson/Billabong)

Local Knowledge is Key
You will hear “Teahupo’o” pronounced in a variety of ways, but when we talk to Billabong’s Manoa Drollet, one of the best surfers ever at the break and a Tahitian local, he pronounces it “Chee-yow-po” so we’re running with that.  And what’s “Teahupo’o” translated? Roughly, it means ‘head with no hair’ or ‘place of skulls’. Referring of course to a battle between a couple of tribal groups over the territory pre-European arrival. The area is kind of prized as a really nice piece of farmland with access to excellent fishing -- worth fighting over apparently. The skulls of the losing team were built into a wall to warn off other people who may have been interested in the land value thereabouts.
The freshwater flowing from the mountains inhibits coral growth, thereby creating the reef passes that provide most of the rideable waves in Tahiti. The reef pass at Teahupo’o is known as Passa Hava’e.
If you do get cut by the coral, and it’s kind of inevitable if you’re active in and out of boats and having a surf, the best thing to do in order to prevent infection is rub lime into the cut. Serious! It stings more than hell itself, but sterilizes the wound. The alternative? The bacteria survive inside your body, you get a staph infection (blood poisoning) and the nearest doctor is your new best friend! If you can’t stand the lime treatment, be sure to seek other treatment.
Because most of the surf is off shore in Tahiti, beyond the lagoon that rims the island, ideally you’re accessing the breaks by boat, local-style. Paddling to the breaks is possible, but will often take around 20 minutes one-way. Boats are available for hire to media looking to cover the competition, but booking is required well in advance! Numbers are limited!
There’s normally only one restaurant year-round in Teahupo’o, but roughly 20 when the Billabong Pro is in town! Locals call them ‘Le Snacks’.
Most pros surf something a couple inches longer than their usual shortboards – like a 6’3” - then their quiver moves up in two-to-three inch increments. Eight to ten board quivers are common with the longest board typically around 7’0”. Teahupo’o is a BEAST of a wave so refined, specialised equipment is a must!

Ricrado Dos Santos won the trials. (Photo: ASP)

The Trials
Boasting the second biggest field of Trialists and non-world tour surfers behind Pipeline, the contest has had some big upsets before. This year it was Brazilian surfer, Ricardo Dos Santos who took the win in pretty mediocre conditions to qualify for the main event. He will be joined by local trialist, Heiarri Williams. Expect these two to take some big names down.

Who to Watch
I have a couple of favorites at Teahupoo. These guys have show time and time again that they have what it takes to win at the gnarliest left in the world:
Kelly Slater - he changed how people surf the wave, even downing a beer coming out of a massive tube one year in his final! Never write off Kelly in Tahiti. He missed Jbay and has dropped on thr ratings, he will be very hungry to win.
Bobby Martinez - The man has not had a great year, but if there is one wave he has show time and time again he can win, it's here. Smooth, committed and a consummate forehand tube rider.
Damian & CJ Hobgood - Both brothers have had good results here, in the contest and just free surfing. Neither are intimidated by the big stuff and neither hold back from a possible 10 point ride. They both could use a solid result on the tour, so expect no holds barred action from these guys.
Jordy Smith - What you may say? But yes, I am talking him up. Jordy is the current number 2 and fighting for his first World Title. If he ever wants to achieve this goal, he will need to win at the two big left-handers, Teahupoo and Pipe. He is coming off a win in front of his home crowd at Jbay and has just spent time in Namibia charging the frigid tubes of Skeleton Bay. What better place to hone your backhand tube riding? He has no reputation here yet, expect that to change!

I am super excited for the event, the last before the mid year point and things get real confusing on the World Tour, with some leaving and new faces popping up on the scene at Trestles. If the swell comes, there will be some careers on the line and you can bet your salary some guys pushing themselves well beyond their limits!

Follow all the Live Action at - Billabong Pro Tahiti

Captain Kai's World hits the Airwaves on www.2OV.fm

That's right you lucky bastards, your favorite Action Sports blogger is going onto the airwaves. Thanks to the insanely clever and incredibly handsome guys at 2 Oceans Vibe Radio, I will be starting my new radio show on Monday Evenings from 8-10pm (South African Time.) The show promises to be a good laugh as I have guests from the worlds of Action Sports and Social Media, liberally garnished with raw rock and banging beats. The first show is on Monday 15th August 2011.

Show 1 Line Up:

Photo: ASP

Action Guest: Jordy Smith, Current World Number 2 Surfer.
Blog: Jordy Smith.com Twitter: @JordySmith88

Blogger Guest: Warwick "Wok" Wright, SA Surfing Awards winner for best use of Social Media.
Blog: I am Wok Twitter: @Wok84

Music Guest: DJ Narch, producer, DJ and part of the mayhem that is PHFat
Sound Cloud: Narch Beats Twitter: @NarchBeats

Interact with us on Twitter and WIN a R500 Voucher from the fine Folk at RVCA - just tweet us during the show and be sure to insert @RVCASA and @KapteinKai - I will choose the best message by the end of the show for the winner!

To tune in on the Interweb, via PC. Mac or Smart Phone, just click on the 2 Oceans Vibe link below:

www.2OV.fm

Lost Atlas - the new Kai Neville Film is on the way

Julian Wilson, one of many young superstars in the Film.

ON MODERN COLLECTIVE, KAI NEVILLE BROUGHT ON THE SIX MOST BRILLIANT PERFORMERS SURFING COULD MUSTER, AND THE ACADEMY APPROVED. FOR HIS NEW COLLABORATION, KAI RALLIES A DOZEN MORE SURFERS — INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL SIX — FOR LOST ATLAS, A PROJECT TO DEFY ALL NORMS AND EXPECTATIONS. A LOCATION BASED FILM SHOT IN UNDER 12 MONTHS IT WILL TAKE THE VIEWER ON A CANDID JAUNT INTO SURFING TODAY.

THIS IS POSTMODERNISM.

I am so amped for this film it is ridikulous! You can pre-order your copy from SURF EAT SLEEP

Billabong Pro - Jordy Smith wins back to back Titles

Jordy Smith, the Champ, with cohort, Laces, and Red Bull SA chief, Tristan. (Photo: ASP)

Wow! After a worrying start and lets be honest, not the best waves ever seen at a WCT, let alone Jbay, this contest ended up being one of the best ever. Surfing was taken to the next level, with eventual winner (Boy the Saffers are happy!) Jordy Smith and Josh Kerr pushingn the rest of the crew to pull out the new school moves. In the end it was Jordy and Mick, who kinda flew under the radar till beating his best mate Joel Parko in Semi 2. But, Jordy, after a bit of a wobble in Round 4, never looked like losing and dominated the last 3 rounds with amazing scores in the deteriorating waves. Mr Smith also took the Nixon Winner Takes All award for his incredible wave in Round 5, which saw one of the biggest Air reverses ever made in a heat - His Girldfriend is apparently very happy with her new $10'000 Watch. Well done Jordy, you make us proud my man!



The ASP Press Release:
JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Sunday, July 24, 2011) – Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, has taken out the 2011 Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay in a hard-fought Final over Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, in front of the raucous and hardy hometown crowd on the beach and hundreds of thousands watching online.

Event No. 4 of 11 on the 2011 ASP World Title season, the Billabong Pro culminated in dramatic fashion today with “victory at sea”, three-to-four foot (1 – 1.5 metre) surf and the world’s best surfers displayed their comprehensive abilities to shred anything from yesterday’s perfection to today’s challenging conditions.

Smith continuously posted impressive scores throughout his Quarterfinal, Semfinal and Final heats, but it was his local knowledge that allowed his to select the best waves in the Final to overtake an in-form Fanning. The win was met with an eruption from those in attendance braving the harsh weather, and Smith was cheered up the beach to an emotional audience.

“It’s been an incredible week for me,” Smith said. “All the support of the people at Jeffreys Bay, Garth (Tarlow), Steve (Smith), my girlfriend Lyndall (Jarvis), my mom and dad and everyone else. It’s been a really special week for me and I’m so happy right now.”

Moving from 5th to 2nd on the ASP World Title rankings, the young South African is now firmly in the hunt and will utilize the confidence attained today to propel him through the latter half of the year.

“Mick (Fanning) has surfed amazing all week,” Smith said. “He’s always an inspiration and he’s right there with everyone in the hunt for the title. Today’s a huge win for me. Last year, it was very emotional. To back it up this year just feels really, really good. It’s huge for my confidence and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”



Fanning, who claimed the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay in 2002 and 2006, appeared to find his form this morning, dusting Gold Coast flyboy Josh Kerr (AUS), 27, and Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, en route his Runner-Up finish. Today’s placing sees Fanning move from 8th to 4th on the ASP World Title Rankings.

“It was really difficult out there today,” Fanning said. “Three heats yesterday and three heats today and felt like the arms wanted to fall off. Big congratulations to Jordy (Smith) though. It was great surfing. It’s inspirational stuff and I’m looking forward to the next one.”



Parkinson, 2008 Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay winner, was in sensational form this year, consistently notching up high scores throughout the event before falling to a rampaging Fanning in the Semifinals.

“The conditions are a bit tedious today but every now and then there’s a good wave,” Parkinson said. “Everyone is in the same boat too – we all have to deal with it. Shame I couldn’t find the same rhythm that Mick (Fanning) did out there, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”



With his Equal 3rd finish, Parkinson ascends to the frontrunner position in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title, but the perennial threat remains cautious when regarding the remainder of the season.

“I don’t really think about that yet,” Parkinson said. “It’s only the fourth event of the year and I’ve been in this position before. I’m happy with my surfing and my boards and I’ll keep my eyes on the next heat.”

Adrian Buchan (AUS), 28, former No. 17 on the ASP World Title rankings, led the goofy-footed assault on Jeffreys Bay throughout the event and his Equal 3rd place finish today moves the Australian up to 11th heading into the next event in Tahiti.

“I missed a good one at the start and that really let Jordy (Smith) get on top early in the heat,” Buchan said. “I always felt like I could come back but it just didn’t happen for me. It’s still an excellent result for me and I’m excited about the next few events.”

Alejo Muniz (BRA), 21, 2011 ASP Dream Tour rookie, matched his best result of the year with and Equal 5th place finish. Muniz now sits well inside the cutoff for the ASP Top 34 rotation in August, and will remain a fixture at the elite level throughout the duration of the season.

“I never thought I would have good results in my rookie year,” Muniz said. “I am surfing with my heroes and to be getting through heats is what I always dreamed of as a little kid. This matches my best result this year from the Gold Coast and I’m stoked to be safe for the August cutoff.”

Muniz, along with fellow rookie Julian Wilson (AUS), 22, both finished Equal 5th at the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay.

Highlights from the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay will be available via http://www.billabongpro.com

The next stop on the 2011 ASP World Title season will be the Billabong Pro Tahiti from August 20 – 31, 2011.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

BILLABONG PRO JEFFREYS BAY FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.60
2 – Mick Fanning (AUS) 14.83

BILLABONG PRO JEFFREYS BAY SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.46 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.87
SF 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.47 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 11.93

BILLABONG PRO JEFFREYS BAY QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.10 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 8.94
QF 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 16.77 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.90
QF 3: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.83 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 8.16
QF 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.40 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 5.43

ASP WORLD TITLE TOP 10 (After Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay):
1. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 25700 pts
2. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 24750 pts
3. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 22250 pts
4. Mick Fanning (AUS) 19500 pts
5. Taj Burrow (AUS) 18250 pts
6. Kelly Slater (USA) 16950 pts
7. Michel Bourez (PYF) 16000
8. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15000
9. Josh Kerr (AUS) 13900 pts
9. Owen Wright (AUS) 13900 pts

Billabong Pro - Round 1 & most of Round 2

Jordy Smith flying high on Day 1. (Photo: ASP)

After arriving to late on Friday to catch the round 1 action - though I did catch 3 nights of mayhem at the Music festival - it was good to catch some surfing yesterday for Round 2. As much as I have maligned him in the past, Adriano de Souza was in amazing form and if it stays small will be a serious contender for the crown. Hopefully a magical swell materializes out of nowhere, but I would not hold my breath! The latest on rounds 1 & 2 from the ASP...


JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Friday, July 15, 2011) – The Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay got underway today with Round 1 completed in rippable three-to-four foot (1 metre) waves at South Africa’s iconic pointbreak.

Event No. 4 of 11 on the 2011 ASP World Title season, the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay put an end to a seven-week break in the schedule today with the world’s best putting on a high-performance surfing clinic for Round 1 of competition.
Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, 2010 ASP World Runner-Up and defending event winner, was today’s star performer, netting the highest heat total of the day (a 16.87 out of a possible 20) as well as the highest single-wave score (a 9.00 out of a possible 10) en route to a Round 1 victory over last year’s event Runner-Up Adam Melling (AUS), 26, and wildcard Sean Holmes (ZAF), 33.
“Sean (Holmes) is obviously a very competent surfer at Jeffreys and Adam (Melling) was Runner-Up here last year so I definitely wasn’t taking the heat lightly,” Smith said. “They both got really good waves and I had to make do with what was left. It’s not classic J-Bay, but even when it’s like this, it’s still a pretty good wave.”
Currently ranked No. 5 on the ASP World Title rankings, Smith surfed Jeffreys Bay with unmatched comfort and power, blending solid turns with big airs.
“I don’t really feel the pressure to perform,” Smith said. “I’ve got my little program here with my friends and I’m just focusing on getting waves and surfing well. I’m happy to be through to Round 3.”
Dusty Payne (HAW), 22, into his second season amongst the elite ASP Top 34, punctuated the afternoon with a sensational performance, blasting away a fury of high-octane forehand maneuvers to dispatch Michel Bourez (PYF), 25, and Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 25, to Round 2.
“It was tricky out there this afternoon, but when the good ones come through, they’re still really rippable,” Payne said. “Fortunately, I got that good one at the beginning and that set the pace for me in the heat. Stoked to be back in Jeffreys again and hope we can get some solid surf here in the next few days.”
Mick Fanning (AUS), 29, former two-time ASP World Champion and current No. 8 on the ASP World Title Rankings, put in a blitzing performance in this morning’s clean conditions, navigating the Jeffreys Bay walls with speed, punch and bite.
“There were definitely some fun waves out there,” Fanning said. “It’s great to put the jersey back on and mix it up with the boys. Board feels good and I’m happy to be straight through to Round 3. Hope we can get some solid swell out there for the competition.”
Julian Wilson (AUS), 22, in his first showing at the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, led the Round 1 rookie charge, posting an impressive 14.10 out of a possible 20 to best veterans Taylor Knox (USA), 40, and Damien Hobgood (USA), 31.
“It was a slow heat out there and I guess that’s how it is at J-Bay sometimes,” Wilson said. “You only get two or three opportunities to make it a good heat for yourself so you need to make sure you make the most of them. This is my first time to Jeffreys and only my third surf out there. I’ve got a really good board right now that Matt Biolis shaped specifically for J-Bay and it’s worked really well so far.”
Wilson was joined by Alejo Muniz (BRA), 21, as the only rookies to advance directly into Round 3 today.
Kelly Slater (USA), 39, reigning 10-time ASP World Champion, and Bobby Martinez (USA), 29, failed to show for today’s Round 1 of competition. Should either surfer fail to show for Round 2, they will be replaced under the new ASP ruling.
Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, current leader in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title, was dispatched to Round 2 today by lethal goofy-footer Kai Otton (AUS), 31. The young Brazilian will face Gabe Kling (USA), 30, when competition resumes.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.
Highlights from the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay will be available via http://www.billabongpro.com
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
BILLABONG PRO JEFFREYS BAY ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Tiago Pires (PRT) 11.04, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 6.66, Cory Lopez (USA) 6.60
Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.10, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.17, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 9.67
Heat 3: Jadson Andre (BRA) 12.90, Taj Burrow (AUS) 10.00, Gabe Kling (USA) 8.13
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.73, Heitor Alves (BRA) 12.17, Bobby Martinez (USA) 0.00
Heat 5: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.87, Sean Holmes (ZAF) 14.93, Adam Melling (AUS) 14.57
Heat 6: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 12.77, Shaun Payne (ZAF) 7.46, Kelly Slater (USA) 0.00
Heat 7: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.50, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 8.50, Chris Davidson (AUS) 4.73
Heat 8: Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.70, Owen Wright (AUS) 8.43, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 7.56
Heat 9: Daniel Ross (AUS) 11.70, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 7.80, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 7.73
Heat 10: Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.10, Taylor Knox (USA) 10.46, Damien Hobgood (USA) 9.70
Heat 11: Dusty Payne (HAW) 16.03, Michel Bourez (PYF) 9.10, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 8.77
Heat 12: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 12.66, Brett Simpson (USA) 8.87, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 7.60

Bede was caning the small waves on offer in round 2. (Photo: ASP)

JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Monday, July 18, 2011) – The Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay recommenced today with the first six heats of Round 2 taking advantage of an unexpected clean pulse through the iconic pointbreak.
Event No. 4 of 11 on the 2011 ASP World Title season, the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay plays a crucial role in both the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title as well as the requalification campaigns of the world’s best surfers before the mid-season rotation. Despite the at-times inconsistent conditions, the ASP Top 34 battled it out in sterling fashion.
Adrian Buchan (AUS), 28, punctuated the day’s affairs with the highest heat total of the Round (a 15.80 out of a possible 20), lighting up the offshore-kissed righthanders with aggressive backhand surfing.
“It’s challenging out there with the inconsistency,” Buchan said. “We’re always in a tough spot when faced with less-than-stellar forecasts, and I think the guys understood that we had to get out there and battle one another. It might not be equal for all heats in a round or all rounds in a contest, but at least it’s equal between each guy in the heat.”
Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, current leader in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title, scored his first heat win since an emotional hometown victory in Brazil in May and looks to be recovering well from knee injury sustained during a training trip to the Maldives.
“I think with every surf I’m building momentum,” De Souza said. “I’m really happy to make this heat. I’ve been a little low during my last few surfs, but this win really builds my confidence. I’m just focusing on each heat and each event and not thinking about the title right now.”
Bede Durbidge (AUS), 28, Equal 3rd finisher at Jeffreys Bay in 2010, racked up a 15.10 out of a possible 20 in a convincing win over Shaun Joubert (ZAF), 20. Joubert, who was in as a replacement for Bobby Martinez (USA), 29, exhibited some electric surfing, even putting Durbidge on the back foot at one point, but it was the powerful Australian who would eventually grab the win.
“I changed my strategy a little bit actually,” Durbidge said. “Bobby (Martinez) is a really good pointbreak surfer, he’s really strong and powerful. Shaun (Joubert) is a really good air surfer, but he hasn’t surfed at this level a whole lot so I tried to put some scores up early and put the pressure on him.”
After a slow start to the year, Durbidge has been on a roll lately and will look to maintain the form through the course of the event.
“It feels really good to get through that heat,” Durbidge said. “I haven’t had the best year so far and I was getting kind of down on myself. It was an important heat for me in terms of keeping the momentum going from Brazil.”
Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, current No. 4 on the ASP World Title rankings, was in blistering form this morning, taking down lethal wildcard Sean Holmes is a closely-fought Round 2 battle.
“It’s tricky out there today,” Burrow said. “It’s really clean, but a bit inconsistent. Sean (Holmes) is so dangerous out there. He knows the wave better than anyone and I wasn’t taking him lightly. Stoked to get through and hopefully we are able to take advantage of some swell later in the week.”
Travis Logie (ZAF), 32, who replaced Kelly Slater (USA), 39, under the new ASP ruling in today’s Round 2, surfed an intelligent heat against wildcard Shaun Payne (ZAF), 26, advancing through to Round 3 and collecting valuable ASP World Rankings points along the way.
“It’s been the weirdest week of my life,” Logie said. “I’ve been hanging around and wondering if I’m getting into the event and dealing with the rumor mill. I guess it was all worth it though. That was a huge heat for me and my campaign to get back on tour full time.”
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.
When competition resumes, up first will be Damien Hobgood (USA), 32, against compatriot Taylor Knox (USA), 40, in Heat 7 of Round 2.
Highlights from the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay will be available via http://www.billabongpro.com
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

BILLABONG PRO JEFFREYS BAY ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Travis Logie (ZAF) 12.33 def. Shaun Payne (ZAF) 7.30
Heat 2: Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.33 def. Sean Holmes (ZAF) 6.04
Heat 3: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.10 def. Shaun Joubert (ZAF) 11.06
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.03 def. Gabe Kling (USA) 12.50
Heat 5: Owen Wright (AUS) 11.86 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 10.77
Heat 6: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.80 def. Cory Lopez (USA) 6.50
REMAINING BILLABONG PRO JEFFREYS BAY ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 7: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 8: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 9: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 10: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 11: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Chris Davidson (AUS)

Billabong Pro Jefferies Bay - The Preview

The Billabong Pro Jbay starts it's waiting period tomorrow and the outlook is not looking great. The forecast is looking grim, with small swell and onshore North and East winds for the next week. It has been a long time since the organizers have had to surf Boneyards and other spots due to lack of waves and this will be a major disappointment after last year ran over 3 straight days with cooking Supers.

Adriano knows Jbay, but wont have the crowd behind him. (Photo: ASP)

Adriano de Souza leads the ratings going into Jbay, after what many thought was a lucky result winning the last contest in Brazil. He has done well in Jbay before and should be full of confidence, though heavy floaters are not going to win the Jbay contest. He injured himself recently and this may well lead to less than perfect surfing at Jbay.

My other guys to watch out for, especially with the small wave forecast, are as follows:

Kelly Slater - He has won more contests here than anyone and has a special relationship with the wave. Rumors are a tweeting that he may not arrive as the forecast is so bad, but we have heard this kind of thing before with Kelly and I will believe it when I see it.



Jordy Smith - The defending Champion and a man who has grown up surfing Supers. He has the crowd behind him and will be super motivated to defend his title. He has been very consistent this year and with his large bag of aerials will be a good pick if the waves are small and onshore or big and perfect.

Julian Wilson - The young gun has had a slow start to the year, but has come alive the last 2 major WQS events, winning in Portugal and making the finals in Ballito. This will have boosted his confidence and if the waves are small the kid can pull huge aerials to get the scores.

Taj Burrows - You can never discount Taj in any surf contest, but he has loads of experience at Supers and has won before. Taj always does well in Jbay and with the great start to his campaign this year he will be hungry for a win!



Mick Fanning and Joel Parko - The 2 guys from the Gold Coast have had incredible results over the years in Jbay and both are coming onto great form through the last few events. You would be a fool to leave either out of your Fantasy Surfer team.



ASP Press Release:
JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Saturday, July 9, 2011) – After nearly seven weeks since the last stop in Brazil, the ASP World Title season is poised to reignite with the upcoming Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay from July 14 – 24, 2011.

Event No. 4 of 11 on the 2011 ASP World Title season, the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay recommences what is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing ASP World Title races in several years.

Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, has had an incredible season thus far in 2011, posting back-to-back Equal 3rds before an emotional hometown victory at the last event in Brazil. The young natural-footer now sits in the leader spot in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title – the first time in history that a South American has been in this position.

“The win in Brazil was a very good feeling,” de Souza said. “To have all those people on the beach, all that energy, it was a magical moment. I’ve always worked very hard to achieve my objectives. I know that still the ASP World Title Race has many thing s to happen this year. My situation may be temporary. I believe that this moment is important for the Brazil as a whole though.”

Wasting little time during the post-Brazil break, de Souza spent his time training in Sumatra and the Maldives before a knee injury cut his time short.

“The diagnosis is a hyperextension in the right knee with contusion in a medial collateral ligament,” de Souza said. “The rehabilitation has consisted of kinesiotherapy combined with muscle strengthening. It feels much better. I’ve been surfing and it still hurts a little. I am hoping it will continue to improve until J-Bay.”

Despite reaching the Quarterfinals of the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay on three separate occasions (2007, 2008, 2010), de Souza has never managed to advance through it – something he hopes to remedy this season.

“I’ve been going the J-Bay since I was a kid and I’ve always liked the place,” de Souza said. “I’ve always performed pretty well here and I hope the consistency continues this season. I believe that I must always be striving for the best result possible, but I have to think step-by-step, stage-by-stage, to be consistent and to have good performances to reach these results.”

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, winner of the second stop of 2011 at Bells Beach, currently sits in the No. 2 spot in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title. Parkinson’s April victory in Bells Beach marked the first in 18 months for the stylish natural-footer, and planted him firmly back in the race for this year’s title.

“For sure the win has been a confidence boost, but in saying that, I felt pretty confident going into Bells,” Parkinson said. “I knew at that stage that I was injury free, and that I’d been doing all the right things with my surfing and my preparation. But with the good waves we got and the whole feel of the contest on its anniversary, it was fun more than anything else.”

Parkinson’s last dance with the iconic walls of Jeffreys Bay came in 2008, where he claimed an impressive second victory at the spot (10 years after his original) and cemented his reputation as one of the great all-time surfers at the venue.

“It’s such a good flow and timing wave I reckon,” Parkinson said. “When your timing’s right out there, there’s no better feeling in the world. When a wave goes according to plan out there, it’s a better feeling than riding pretty well any other wave anywhere in the world. And for me personally, I just love being in J-Bay. I’ve got a lot of good friends there and the place has got a vibe about it like nowhere else on tour.”

Tiago Pires (PRT), 31, current No. 9 on the ASP World Title rankings, is leading the charge for the emerging European contingent on tour this season.

“My goal this year is to finish in the Top 10,” Pires said.” I feel good about my surfing and more consistent than last year, but I’ve let myself slip up during the last two events. You really need to be focused and positive in order to get a good result, but sometimes that isn’t easy to accomplish. I think it’s all part of a big learning process.”

Although stumbling in his opening two seasons at Jeffreys Bay, Pires posted a career-best Equal 9th in 2010, and will look to improve upon it in this year’s installment.

“Jeffreys Bay used to be kind of tough to me out there, but in the last few years I’ve grown more confident out there,” Pires said. “I feel very good about it now and I love the wave. I can’t wait.”

The Round 1 draw will be finalized upon the completion of the ASP Prime Mr Price Pro Ballito.

The Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay will be webcast LIVE via http://www.billabongpro.com

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

Mr Price Pro - Day 2 - Some thoughts from Shaun Thompson

The waves continue to come for the Mr price Pro at Ballito. After an amazing first day, the waves were not as perfect for Day 2, but still very contestable. Sean Holmes continued his climb up the rounds and will now meet SA's top surfer, Jordy Smith, in Round 3. This could be a very interesting battle! There is a large contingent of SA surfers still in the comp and lets hope that trend continues. Day 3 has started and the swell is pulsing.

Julian Wilson shralping all comers. (Photo: ASP)

BALLITO, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Tuesday, June 5, 2011) – The action continued on day two of the ASP PRIME Mr Price Pro Ballito, with the remaining 48 surfers in the round of 96 showing their class in the wind-affected waves at Surfers Beach today.

After a powerful north-easterly wind forced organisers to delay the start of competition until 10h30, the event enjoyed five hours of high performance surfing with the round of 96 completed as a new cold front moved over the KwaZulu-Natal province.

Brasilian wunderkind Gabriel Medina lived up his reputation as a future world-beater, producing the day’s standout performance by topping the scoreboard with a 16.43 (out of 20.00) to advance in first place ahead of Heathe Joske (AUS).

Scalping victory on the ASP PRIME tour in Santa Catarina, Brasil earlier this year, Medina impressed the judges with both his barrel riding skills and powerful open-faced turns, posting a 7.17 (out of 10.00) followed by the highest wave score of the day, an 8.83.

“I’m stoked to get through, I got two good rides and I’m happy for that,” Medina said.

‘Portuguese tiger’ Tiago Pires found his rhythm early in the heat and despite arriving late last night, showed no signs of jetlag casually extending his lead over his closest rival Klee Strachan (ZAF), to advance in first place with a pair of seven-point rides .

“I’ve been really stressed at contests lately so I tried to stay calm and find my rhythm out there,” Pires said. “This is a really powerful wave, and there is a lot of talent at this event so it’s going to be a very exciting next few days.”


ASP World No. 30 Julian Wilson (AUS) stamped his authority over fellow countrymen Stuart Kennedy and Mitch Coleborn, adapting to the changing conditions by replacing aerials for lighting fast top to bottom surfing that saw him advance with 14.07 to Kennedy’s 12.77.

“The wind was perfect for airs in the heat before mine but conditions changed in my heat, so I had to change my strategy,” Wilson said. “Mitch and Stuart are really good surfers so I wanted to go out there and find the best waves. I was really nervous for some reason, so it was good to wash the nerves out.”

Adam Robertson (AUS) washed away his nerves with a series of sweeping turns, finishing with a critical floater that showed impressive commitment earning him the heat win with a 7.83 (out of ten) top wave score.

Robertson advanced ahead of trialist winner and north coast talent Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) eliminating Adrian Buchan (AUS) and Kai Barger (HAW) form the event.

De Vries revealed his intimate knowledge of the North Coast, sniffing out a rare barrel before punting a massive closeout re-entry to join a total of ten South African surfers who have advanced into the round of 48.

“I think the real highlight of this event for me so far was beating my super hero Sean (Holmes) in the trials yesterday,” De Vries said. “I used to watch him take down Andy Irons (three time ASP World Champion) in Jeffreys Bay, so to beat him was just amazing.”

Brendon Gibbens (Cape Town) and David Van Zyl (Dbn) were the final two advancing surfers from South Africa today.

Gibbens showed great form to take second behind barrel master Blake Thornton (AUS) who dominated the heat from the get go, posting a 7.67 opener.

“It was round one of a Prime so it was pretty nerve-wracking,” Gibbens said. “Conditions cleaned up a little in my heat and I was stoked to make it.”

David Van Zyl earned his place into the event as the first alternate replacing Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY), whose flight was cancelled out of Tahiti yesterday.

Van Zyl advanced in second behind heat winner Matt Wilkinson (AUS), the pair eliminating Steven Sawyer (ZAF) and Nathaniel Curran (USA) from the event.

Former ASP World Junior Champion Maxime Huscenot (Reunion) unleashed a powerful series of top to bottom snaps and was rewarded with a 6.83 and 5.30 advancing in first place.

“Its really tricky today, yesterday saw amazing conditions and I think I got lucky in the beginning,” Huscenot said. “This is my first interview of the year because I’ve got second or lost during the first round every event so it feels great to win a heat and make it through.”

The afternoon saw exciting performances from Hawaii’s John Johns Florence (HAW) and Australian Davey Cathels (AUS), Florence winning his heat with 14.77 while Cathels went to town posting a 16.16 to charge into the next round.

The final 12 heats of the round of 96 were completed and with the cold front expected to bring more swell tomorrow, the event could get underway with the round of 48 in the morning. The next call will be made at 07h00 for a possible 07h30 start.

Mr Price Pro Ballito Round of 96 Results:
Heat 13: Adam Robertson (AUS) 13.66; Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 12.67; Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.87; Kai Barger (HAW) 9.96
Heat 14: Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 12.13; Alain Riou (PYF) 11.77; Tanner Gudauskas (HAW) 10.94; Tom Whittaker (AUS) 9.27
Heat 15: Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.07; Stu Kennedy (AUS) 12.77; Tim Boal (FRA) 11.14; Mitchell Coleborn (AUS) 8.10
Heat 16: Blake Thornton (AUS) 13.17; Brendon Gibbens (RSA)10.84; Marc Lacomare (FRA) 6.67; Jadson Andre (BRA) 3.97
Heat 17: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.43; Heath Joske (AUS) 16.43; Jack Freestone (AUS) 11.67; Masatoshi Ohno (JPN) 6.76
Heat 18: Joan Duru (FRA) 13.23;Richard Christie (NZL) 12.96;Dusty Payne (HAW) 12.67; Tomas Hermes (BRA) 9.03
Heat 19: William Cardosa (BRA) 12.76; Jano Belo (BRA) 10.34; Richard Santos (BRA) 6.50; Travis Logie (ZAF)6.30
Heat 20: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.77; David Van Zyl (ZAF) 10.43; Steven Sawyer (Z AF) 8.10; Nathaniel Curran (USA) 3.47
Heat 21: Tiago Pires (PRT) 14.94; Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 10.07; Klee Strachan (ZAF) 10.00; Dylan Graves (PRI) 4.13
Heat 22: John John Florence (HAW) 14.77; Felix Messias (BRA) 10.13; Alejo Muniz (BRA) 9.84; Pedro Henrique (BRA) 6.90
Heat 23: Davey Cathels (AUS) 16.16; Kai Otton (AUS) 15.50; Yadin Nicol (AUS) 4.70; Jean De Silva (BRA) 2.26
Heat 24: Adrian Toyon (REU) 13.26; Damien Hobgood (USA) 11.66; Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 9.40; Nat Young (USA) 8.77

Billabong Rio Pro 2011 - Preview

With 2 events behind us on the 2011 WCT, the tour now heads to the vibrant city of Rio, Brazil. The contest moves here from its previous location of Florinoppolis and I for one think this will have a major impact on the competition. The level of support the local Brazillian boys will have from the beach, could see some major upsets on the cards. If you play Fantasy Surfer, you  will want to make sure you have some Brazilian representation.

Rio is a city famous for its beauty and geography, for its exotic landscapes that mix sea and mountain and of course, for its beaches. It’s not by chance that during the last 50 years surfing has grown here and has become very popular among the Brazilian youth, at first in Rio South Zone, afterwards in all of Brazil. Today surfing is one of the most practiced sports on the Brazilian coast.

Peterson Crisanto, the young wildcard. He loos dangerous in the water. (Photo: ASP)

The locals to look out for start with Jadson Andre, the defending champion and a man who gets better by the event on the WCT. Fun, punchy beach break is going to suit this guy and nobody will want him in their heats. Also be wary of the wildcard, Peterson Crisanto, the latest representative of Brazil's new generation, was announced as the wildcard for the Billabong Rio Pro 2011. Petersinho, as he is know in his home country, is an aerial specialist and definitely has a full bag of tricks to prove himself in the big stage against the top surfers in the world.
The surfer got his year started with a bang, winning one of the biggest prizes in the PRO JR category at Burleigh Heads, Australia, last January.


Who is Peterson Crisanto from Billabong on Vimeo.

Then we have the front runners in the title race right now. King Kelly Slater still sits on top of the rankings, but he is by no means out far ahead. Joel Parkinson lifted himself to 2nd place on the rankings with a well earned 1st at Bells and Jordy Smith has finished 3rd in both early events to secure himself in 3rd on the rankings and within easy reach of the number 1 spot. All three of these guys can deliver in punchy beach break, but I think Smith has the advantage if  it is smaller and weaker. His experience in the Durban bowls will see him a lethal threat. Don't think for a minute that he is to big to surf small waves, he will prove you wrong.


2011 Billabong Rio Pro - Webisode #1 from Billabong USA on Vimeo.

My danger men - Taj Burrows, a man who has won multiple titles in Brazil and loves these nuggety little beach break conditions. Likewise, Josh Kerr, has not had the best start to the year, but with his arsenal of arials, new school turns and tube riding small waves, he will be a very dangerous adversary in these conditions.


2011 Billabong Rio Pro - Webisode #2 from Billabong USA on Vimeo.

All in all, I think we may be in for one of the most exciting Billabong Pro, Brazil, events ever!

Catch all the action at - Billabong Pro Live

Airial Surfers go Mad! Boost Air Show

Kerrazy man Kerr took down the Air Show (Photo: ASP)

BONDI BEACH, Sydney/Australia (March 13, 2011) – ASP World Tour aerial surfer Josh Kerr wowed the judges in the finals of the Boost Mobile SurfSho, at Bondi Beach today, taking out the top prize and reaffirming his status as the world’s number one aerial surfer.
Kerr takes home $25,000 in prize money for winning the Boost SurfSho, which is the richest prize purse aerial surfing event in the world.
The 26-year old, from Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, competed against the cream of International surfing, beating world number two Jordy Smith; world number four Taj Burrow and two-time event champion Owen Wright, during the three-day aerial surfing extravaganza.
When receiving his trophy on the Boost Mobile SurfSho podium, Kerr said: “I’ve had an awesome time down at Bondi these past few days. My film premiere last night and now this title along with $25k, it’s as good as a weekend gets. Great location, great crowd, great day!
On the competition he added: “I thought Jack Freestone had the title there for a while but I lucked out with that winning wave and in tough conditions did just enough to take the title. These young kids are coming up through the ranks and all gunning for you so it challenges me to keep things fresh and come up with new tricks. The win helps keep my name out there and is a real confidence boost for the rest of the year.”
Kerr surfed strongly in the final, with three strong waves. He won the event with a forehand mute grab air reverse that scored him a 9.0 (out of a possible 10) from the judges who said it was beautifully executed with great rotation. His closest competitor was Junior World Champion Jack Freestone who scored an 8.0 for the same manoeuvre, followed by Julian Wilson with a score of 7.23.
Bondi Beach provided a stunning backdrop for the event today, with bright blue skies and crystal clear water. The surf offered clean conditions with 2-3 foot waves. More than 30,000 spectators lined the beach to watch the final and soak up the festival atmosphere.
In contrast to a traditional surfing competition, the day’s format followed a unique format in which a wheel was spun at the start of each heat, dictating which aerial tricks the surfers had to perform. Surfers received points out of ten for their best trick in each heat and the top six ranked surfers went into the final.
John Shimooka, event spokesperson said: “We’ve seen some awesome aerial action this weekend at Bondi, executed by the world’s best surfers. The thousands strong crowd soaked up the sun and surfing fun and all the surfers had a blast. It’s great to see the event even bigger and better this year and we look forward to seeing the world’s best here again for the biggest
yet in 2012.”
Final Placings -
1st Josh Kerr
2nd Jack Freestone
3rd Julian Wilson
4th Chippa Wilson
Jordy Smith and Owen Wright equal 5th

Jordy Smith's Top 10 waves in 2010

Number 1 in 2010?

Ok, so we are fast approaching the start of the ASP World Tour at Snapper Rocks and I thought it would be nice to look at our very own Mr Smith's top 10 waves of 2010. He came in at number 2 last year, but after watching him surf the last month in the Cape area, I am feeling good about a SA World Champion in 2010.