A SENSATIONAL day of action played out at the Corona Open J-Bay, stop No. 6 on the 2017 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), as the world’s best surfers delivered four perfect 10-point rides in epic double overhead waves at Supertubes in Jeffreys Bay on Tuesday.
Durban’s Jordy Smith made history by recording the first perfect 20 point heat total at Jeffreys Bay and competition ran through Round 3 and the opening two heats of Round 4 before being called off when a shark was sighted breaching about 100 metres outside the competition area.
Smith, the two-time event winner and current No. 3 on the Jeep Leaderboard, posted his perfect 20 heat total in his Round 3 match-up with 2017 WSL Rookie Leonardo Fioravanti (Italy). This is only the 10th time the feat has been achieved in 40-plus years of professional surfing, the first time anyone has earned a perfect 20 at J-Bay and the first ever perfect heat for Smith.
Despite a strong opening from Fioravanti, the hometown hero found the best waves of the heat to deliver two perfect rides. First Smith laid down two huge turns and a deep barrel for 10 points followed quickly by a display of his incredible power surfing and two more barrels for another Perfect 10 to seal his victory and his place in the history books.
“It feels absolutely phenomenal. Just be to here at J-Bay where the waves are firing and to have that opportunity is incredible. To do it, to get twenty points in front of all my friends and family and all these local fans, is also just such an amazing thing. It’s Mandela Day today, and I think Madiba was looking out for me and sent me the bombs today,” said Smith.
