Jordy Smith Advances to Quarterfinals at Corona Open J-Bay
Jordy Smith put on a scintillating display of high performance surfing to advance to the quarterfinals of the Corona Open J-Bay on Wednesday.
Credit: © WSL / Cestari
The Men’s Corona Open J-Bay completed Rounds 3 and 4 today in pumping 1.3 – 2 metre waves at the world-famous Supertubes to determine the Quarterfinalists of Stop No. 6 on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT).
In an All-Star heat to open Round 4 South Africa’s Jordy Smith put in a scintillating performance of high performance surfing to grab second place behind Conner Coffin (USA) as the pair eliminated former world champion and two-time Jeffreys Bay winner Joel Parkinson (AUS) from the event.
Smith delivered the highest score of the 40 minute encounter, an excellent 8.33 out of 10, for a ride that saw the 2010 and 2011 J-Bay champ carve the wave up with powerful turns and finish with a gravity-defying close-out manoeuvre 300 metres down the rock-lined Supertubes point.
Coffin celebrated American Independence Day in style by posting two excellent rides of his own, an 8.0 and an 8.03, to squeak just 0.47 of a point ahead of Smith in the final tally while Parkinson, who announced that he will retire at the end of the year, finished his final competitive heat at Jeffreys Bay in third place..
“What an honour to surf against those guys at pumping J-Bay,” said Coffin. “It doesn’t get any better than that. To surf with Parko (Joel Parkinson) after he’s announced his retirement is such an honour. It has been so cool for me to get to know him. He is such a cool guy.”
Parkinson’s 9th place result marks his final time competing at J-Bay, the event that launched his career in 1999 when as a 19-year-old he won his first event.
“Those guys have become my favourite J-Bay surfers of the modern era, so to be against them was just an enjoyable heat,” said Parkinson. “The saddest thing about that heat is knowing that was the last time I’ll ever have priority at J-Bay. I know it is fresh, a loss, but I feel like I’ve won. I am so thankful for all my family on the beach. I am really stoked for what this wave has done for me. The career I’ve had here, I am proud of myself for it.”
Current Jeep ranking leader Julian Wilson (AUS) won the second Round 4 heat and he and Smith, who have adversaries since they were in their early teens, will do battle when the event resumes with the winner of the clash progressing to the semi-finals.
Defending event winner Filipe Toledo (BRA) revelled in the outstanding surf pouring through the lineup. Finding one of the largest waves of the day, Toledo produced his own special brand of magic that the judges rewarded with a near-perfect 9.50 and the heat win
That set up an all-Brazilian quarterfinal against 2014 WSL champion Gabriel Medina, who was runner-up to an on-fire Kanoa Igarashi (JPN ). The Japanese surfer posted the highest heat total of the event so far, 18.04 out of 20, and will take on Sebastian Zietz (HAW) in the fourth quarterfinal.
The WSL Commissioner’s Office will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. local time (SAST) to reassess conditions and make the next call on when to get the remainder of the event underway.
The Corona Open J-Bay will be broadcast LIVE on the WSL’s Facebook page. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL’s broadcast partners.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
Men’s Corona Open J-Bay Remaining Round 3 (H5-12) Results:
Heat 5: Wade Carmichael (AUS) 16.77 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 11.70
Heat 6: Julian Wilson (AUS) 12.80 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 12.23
Heat 7: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 16.60 def. Yago Dora (BRA) 7.94
Heat 8: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.77 def. Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 10.84
Heat 9: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) def. Owen Wright (AUS) INJ
Heat 10: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 15.83 def. Willian Cardoso (BRA) 7.67
Heat 11: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 17.70 def. Mikey Wright (AUS) 11.67
Heat 12: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.63 def. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 14.20
Men’s Corona Open J-Bay Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: Conner Coffin (USA) 16.03, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.56, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.20
Heat 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.66, Wade Carmichael (AUS) 13.00, Frederico Morais (PRT) 12.90
Heat 3: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 17.23, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 16.13, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.23
Heat 4: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 18.04, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.50, Griffin Colapinto (USA) 9.50
Men’s Corona Open J-Bay Quarterfinal Matchups:
QF 1: Conner Coffin (USA) vs. Wade Carmichael (AUS)
QF 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
QF 3: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
QF 4: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
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