Jordy survives giant surf
2007-12-04 20:08
Johannesburg - South Africa's Jordy Smith survived one of the most challenging days in the history of competition at Sunset Beach in Hawaii to reach the last 32 in the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, the 47th and final stop on the 2007 ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS).
The 19-year-old Smith, who holds an unassailable lead at the top of the WQS standings, placed second behind big wave charger Tiago Pires (POR) and ahead of Hawaiian standout Marcus Hickman and former ASP World Junior Champion Pedro Henrique (BRA) to advance to the next round in the 6 Star Prime rated R875 000 event.
As wave face heights reached their Sunset maximum of 8m, competitors were set adrift in an undefined line-up with the majority of waves ridden caught in the deep water channel - an area usually devoid of waves and reserved for paddling back out.
While waiting for surf is a common theme at world class surfing events these days, it is only in Hawaii that you find an event waiting for waves to drop. And the brunt of the swell was only expected to peak around midnight (12 noon Tuesday, SA time).
Smith is the sole South African remaining in the event and joins 15 Australians, six Hawaii surfers, three Brazilians, three Californians, one Floridian, one Portuguese surfer, one Spaniard and one Frenchman in the chase for the US $15 000 winner's payout.
Youngest ever qualifier
The Durbanite and reigning ASP World Junior Champion, who announced his presence in Hawaii by finishing runner-up in this event last year, next faces Leonardo Neves (BRA), Australian big wave expert Kieren Perrow and fellow teenage prodigy Jeremy Flores (FRA) who won last year's WQS to become the youngest ever qualifier for the elite Foster's ASP World Tour. The top two in the heat progress to the quarter-finals.
The rest of the South African contingent were eliminated early in the event with World Tour veteran Greg Emslie (East London) the lone heat winner, progressing from the Round of 96 before being bundled out in his next heat.
Damien Fahrenfort (Cape Town) placed second in his opening encounter to advance to the Round of 96 while Warwick Wright, David Weare, Ricky Basnett (all from Durban) and Royden Bryson (East London) all placed 3rd or 4th the first time they competed.
- SAPA