Surfing's finest converge on Jeffreys Bay as Jordy Smith aims for historic ‘home' victory

Daily Maverick

a day ago

With age comes experience, says Jordy Smith, the oldest man on the circuit, who is looking to clinch his first WSL title.
The best surfers in the world have descended on the coastline of the Eastern Cape and, in the men's competition, will be looking to topple home favourite Jordy Smith for the next nine days (11-20 July) at the Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025.
Smith holds a marginal lead over second-placed Brazilian Yago Dora on the World Surf League (WSL) standings, with nine rounds of competition behind the surfers and two regular rounds left.
Jeffreys Bay — an hour's drive from Gqeberha — is back hosting a World Surf League (WSL) event this year after the Olympic Games in 2024 meant a reshuffle in the calendar and the Eastern Cape town missed out on any action last year.
For Smith, the yellow jersey wearer and a local star, it's an opportunity to compete in front of his loved ones again. Smith grew up in Durban but recently moved to J-Bay — as the town is colloquially known.
'Being here at home in J-Bay, number one in the world, it's one of the best feelings I could ask for,' the 37-year-old said on the eve of the start of the first day of action in Jeffreys Bay. 'Obviously being in this beautiful place in J-Bay, it's something that all surfers from all over the world love. Every year they come out here; not only have we got amazing waves, but the people, the vibe, the energy, it's all really high.
'The ocean activity is really good and now the only thing left to do is win the contest.'
Smith won back-to-back in his new home in 2010 and 2011, but hasn't won a WSL tour in Jeffreys Bay since.
Family first
The past few years on the waves have been slow for Smith, having not won a WSL leg since 2017 when he clinched victory at Bells Beach in Australia.
But this year he's back at it and timing his waves perfectly, with two first-place finishes so far. First in El Salvador at the start of April, and then at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro in May.
Smith is looking to claim three tour event victories in a year for the first time this week in Jeffreys Bay.
What has been the oldest man on tour's key to success in the latter part of his career?
'Fortunately in our sport obviously there's a lot of endurance, but for the most part there's a lot of experience that plays a big part,' he said.
'I've been going to a lot of these locations for over 20 years, so I do have a lot of experience at these places, and sometimes experience beats youth.'
Smith also has a young family, which has broadened his outlook in life. His wife Lyndall gave birth to their second son a few weeks before he sealed his first tour victory in eight years in El Salvador.
'I have a young family now and that really kind of puts things at ease in my mind about what's important in this world,' he said. 'When I paddle out there, I know in my heart that it's not the only thing that matters. There is a bigger meaning to life.
'That might have just kind of made things a lot lighter for me to be able to compete… Knowing that I've still got to wake up and change my kid's nappy, you know, life's going to roll on.'
His eldest, who's about four years old, is starting to come to grips with his father being famous but doesn't quite understand what he does.
'He thinks that I just draw a lot on everyone's T-shirts and do a lot of scribbles on paper, but he's kind of slowly getting the vibe,' Smith said. 'But for the most part, I just want to be a great father to him and set a good precedent.'
'Led the way'
Outside of the role model he is for his family, South African surfers idolise Smith as a trailblazer in their field.
'Just watching him this year has been so inspirational for me and for all the other South African surfers, seeing what he's capable of achieving and just how he's continued to improve every year,' Matthew McGillivray said to Daily Maverick.
McGillivray just missed the mid-season cut, finishing 23rd after seven events – despite finishing second behind Smith in El Salvador — with only the top 22 continuing.
Despite this, the 28-year-old who was born in the Eastern Cape is participating at the Corona Cero Open J-Bay as a wildcard.
'He's led the way and taught us a lot,' McGillivray said about Smith. 'We're lucky to have him as a role model.
'There's so much support behind him. Everyone wants him to win that world title.
'Every time he does well, everyone's so stoked. It's such a good thing for the country.
'We're rooting for him, this is a favourite for him and he's looking good going into the final five in Fiji at the end of the year.'
The last time a South African won the World Title was Shaun Tomson in 1977, when the WSL was known as the International Professional Surfers Circuit Tour.
Smith is a shoo-in to qualify for the WSL finals in Fiji, which he needs to win to be crowned world champion, despite so far being the most consistent surfer on the circuit.
'It would mean a lot,' Smith said on what it would mean to get over the line. 'It's been a long time since South Africans have won a world title.
'It would be a lot of hard work, not just for me, but there's so many family members and so many people that have supported me for so many years.'
Smith has that support in abundance and in front of him in J-Bay for the next nine days as he looks to make the people — in a city he recently started calling home — proud. DM