Some scenes taken down at the Jbay Winterfest 2017, last week, by KC Coetzer.. Whilst Jordy battles his way through the field on his quest for a world title. Something he has his sights set squarely on.
The next call for surfing another heat or two at Supers, will be made at 10am this morning.
You can follow the contest here…http://www.worldsurfleague.com/
Surfing Praia do Rocha with the cool crew of Grant Gilmour, Chad Leavitt and Branco Mijulkov.
Grant Gilmour, Chad Levitt and Branco Mijulkov star in the surf movie style flick of a surf patrol to Praia do Rocha, Inhambane, Mozambique. A fun session great for laughs and a few cool clips – all done on cellphones.
The sand has finally returned to Tofinho reportedly, but it doesn’t mean we won’t be doing the odd dawn patrol down Praia do Rocha way.
To stay in Tofinho, check out Oceano Azul here.
To stay a little up the beach from Tofo, check out LalaLand.
And for smoking hot pizza, check out Branko’s here.
Surfers Pay Tribute to Jack O’Neill In JBay Memorial Paddle Out
Jordy Smith, Lower Point, JBay © Van Gysen
Lower Point, JBay – Championship Tour surfer Jordy Smith and friends joined locals and other surfers from all over the country for a Memorial Paddle Out in honour of Jack O’Neill at Lower Point yesterday morning.
For the man who pioneered the wetsuit, it was fitting that the weather had arrived in JBay, and it was a freezing, cloudless morning at Lower Point. Surfers were trussed up in their best rubber as they launched through the keyhole into the fresh southwest wind blowing up the point, for the paddle out.
Memorial Paddle Outs were staged worldwide, with Jack’s hometown Santa Cruz leading the proceedings. Over 2500 people joined the celebration there in what was the biggest memorial celebration the surfing world has seen to date. People were on surfboards, in boats in the water, and lining the cliff, as 1977 Surfing World Champion Shaun Tomson from South Africa made a speech honouring the man.
In JBay, Jordy Smith led the proceedings. “Jack O’Neill was such a visionary and a pioneer,” said Jordy. “Apart from wetsuits and all he did there, he was a forward thinker on so many different aspects of our surfing life. I wouldn’t be able to surf in Cape Town if it wasn’t for him. He opened so many doors for people to be able to enjoy the ocean and it’s something that we can be grateful for.”
The gathered circle. @Van Gysen
Jordy had the pleasure of hanging out with the man a few years ago.
“I remember hanging out with him at his house in Santa Cruz a few years ago,” said Jordy. “After a surf he asked me what the water was like. I told him that it wasn’t too bad, not too cold and he smiled and said to me, ‘you’re welcome.’ That’s all he said. It was the craziest thing. It was so funny, and something I’ll remember forever.”
Jordy paddled out into the small surf at Lower Point with a wreath, and surfers followed him out and joined the circle. It was a fitting tribute to the man who pioneered the wetsuit and did so much more for the sport.
Jordy Smith at the Jack O’Neill Memorial Paddle Out © Van Gysen
“It was very heart-warming to see the locals, the groms and everyone else turn out for the paddle out,” said O’Neill South Africa’s Paul Canning. “O’Neill South Africa would like to thank everyone who came down to pay tribute to Jack.”
Groms, girls, moms and dads all arrived for the Jack O’Neill Paddle Out. ©Van Gysen
The tribute video clip on Jack O’Neill – “I Knew Jack O’Neill.” – youtu.be/MVYYEq6Ggt4
Surfers are gathered in JBay for the Corona Open JBay Championship Tour event. The waiting period for the competition starts tomorrow Wednesday 12 July. The Corona Open JBay is the showcase event at the JBay Winterfest, a multi-sport and music festival in Jeffreys Bay from July 12-23. More details at www.jbaywinterfest.com. .
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For further information please contact:
Paul Canning
c. 082 727 1733
Compiled and distributed by:
Craig Jarvis
e. craig@truthcollective.co.za
c. 082 376 4443
About O’Neill:
O’Neill, the original California surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand, was founded in 1952 when a young man named Jack O’Neill took his unstoppable passion for surfing and used it to beat Mother Nature at her own game. Pioneering the world’s first neoprene wetsuit, Jack had successfully found a way to extend his surf sessions in the bone-chilling breaks of Northern California. He opened up the garage doors to his first surf shop in Santa Cruz soon after.
While many things have changed since those humble beginnings, Jack’s initial vision of producing functional and innovative board riding products continues to lie at the core of everything the company does. O’Neill’s core values – innovation in style and technology – have seen the brand devote itself wholeheartedly to the evolution of the action sports lifestyle. From the first ever neoprene wetsuit and surf leash, to the world’s first stitchless boardshorts and range of groundbreaking wearable electronics, O’Neill’s progressive spirit will always drive the company forward. For more information, please visit www.oneill.com
O’Neill Socials:
f: @ONeill i: @oneill t: @teamoneill #RIPJackONeill
O’Neill Surfer Jordy Smith Wins Ballito Pro.
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A victorious Jordy Smith © Van Gysen
Ballito – O’Neill surfer and third rated Championship Tour competitor Jordy Smith won the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong in front of a packed beach of local spectators on Saturday 8 July, defeating natural-footed Brazilian Willian Cardoso. This is Smith’s second Ballito Pro win, with his previous victory at the event back in 2010.
The big South African overcame a stomach bug that almost disrupted his charge in mid-week to reach the final. He managed to overcome the illness to find unrivaled rhythm for the rest of the event, and charged all the way through to the final day, when he found his peak performance.
“Obviously I love being in Ballito, this will always be the first real contest that I ever competed in on the international stage, so there’s a lot of history and it means a lot to me,” said Jordy of the contest. “It’s a great opportunity for me to stay in tune.”
The theory worked, and he was in tune for the final day in good, contestable conditions at Willard Beach. Smith first eliminated Brazilian goofy-footer Miquel Pupo in the quarterfinals, before beating fellow South African Mikey February in the semi-finals.
“Secretly I was a little bummed for Mikey February. I would have liked to be in the finals with him,” commented Smith on the Kommetjie surfer. “I just wish him all the best, I really hope he brings it and joins me on the tour next year.”
In the final it was Jordy up against the powerful Brazilian Willian Cardoso in the powerful right-handers spinning off over the Willard Beach sandbank. Both surfers had a decent start, until Jordy picked up a set wave, saw a ramp section and took to the skies for arguably the biggest air move of the entire event and a score of 9.73, leaving Cardoso chasing a massive score at the back end of the heat.
Jordy found the ramps and took to the skies in the final. © Van Gysen
“I had a bit of a slow start, but I ended up sticking that first air and from there I was actually enjoying my surf out there,” said Smith. “Eventually I got that one wave with a nice section and got one of the biggest ramps all week and just went for it and I landed it.”
“I’m really happy with my performance this week and hopefully I can take this momentum to J-Bay,” said Smith. “It’s such an honour winning this event with so many of my friends and family here.”
Ballito finals day video recap.
His win will see Smith receive a massive boost of confidence as he heads to Jeffreys Bay for the Corona Open JBay – Stop No. 6 of 11 on the WSL Championship Tour starting on Wednesdaywhere he is a former two-time event winner, having banked wins in 2010 and 2011.
Before the Corona Open JBay starts, Smith will be heading up a Memorial Paddle Out in honour of legendary waterman and the pioneer of the wetsuit, Jack O’Neill. The paddle out is open to all, and surfers are encouraged to meet Jordy and friends at the Lower Point Car Park in JBay onMonday 10 July at 8:30am. For further information please visit the Facebook Event Page.
For more on Jack O’Neill, watch the I Knew Jack O’Neill memorial movie below.
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The Memorial Paddle Out is a forerunner event to the JBay Winterfest. For more information on the multi-sport and cultural festival, taking place in JBay go to www.jbaywinterfest.com
For further information contact
O’Neill South Africa brand director Paul Canning on
c. 0827271722
Compiled and distributed by
Craig Jarvis
0823764443
Cyclone Dineo caused serious havoc in a lot of people’s lives, leaving behind destruction that will take years to rectify. But it also left us a proper left-hander. Right in the corner at The Dragon in Tofinho.
After imagining many times that one day a left would magically appear in Mozambique, it would appear out of nowhere – be a top to bottom pitching barreling rip wave that made you work and sweat and surf and surf and surf…well, it appeared. The featured picture is more to show where it is, there was only Captain Gallop and myself in the water AGAIN! So no more pics, but the main factor in this miraculous birth of a wave is very clear in the seascape. THERE IS NO SAND.
Right from Praia do Rocha in the south, past Backdoor, around the point at Tofinho, across the Dragon, into the bay, and all along to Tofo. There is nothing. Beaches have vanished completely. The football pitch sized beach on the wild side (if you can call it that), of Praia do Tofo, is gone. You have to walk half up the dune at high tide. It’s an amazing spectacle. The coastline in Mozambique is so subject to change by the elements.
Back to the top to bottom pitching barreling rip wave that made you work and sweat and surf and surf and surf.
The first day my eyes nearly popped out of my head. I saw it in the perfect blue warm conditions we came here for. It was hammering through. Head high and mean.
What had happened, is that the removal of all the sand scoured out the bay at The Dragon, right back to the primary dune. Exposing a reef! So the waves that come off The Dragon point reef (which is well surfed every high tide every day when this happens), spill into the corner, the water escapes north and drags across this reborn reef and straight out into the oncoming swells. Ok the current was mean, but that’s what makes these kind of waves stand up and go so fast.
We had to stop surfing eventually!
The next day was the same as the tide barely moved being in full neaps. Luckily for the neaps as the current would have been undo-able in spring tides. Water moves so fast with the 4m spring tide range around this area.
The next day was the same.
And the next.
And the next, until it was time to make travel arrangements and go West.
We left it there for any takers. A cooking powerful hollow EMPTY left in Mozambique.
PS except for Tofinho, the other waves are all still operating just fine. Backdoor is a bit wild as the lack of sand means it breaks right onto that shelf. I still cannot get over the power that bay holds. At 10 foot the ground shakes when the sets break – huge perfect a-frames that will shake your bones. The bay in Tofo has many different faces through the tides with the sandbanks producing long running lefts and rights at low tide and playful shorebreaks at high.
For any other surfing info or accommodation or tour options, buzz Sean on umzimkulu@gmail.com…or click here for more.
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