Gallery: J-Bay is Back, Jordy Survives, World Champs Advance in South Africa

It wasn’t the wallpaper-worthy Jeffreys Bay that was initially predicted, but if you were on a surf trip and woke up to what the Championship Tour surfed yesterday, you’d be stoked. Overhead walls peeled into South Africa’s renowned pointbreak on Saturday, and although it turned onshore for the afternoon heats, there were moments of excellent surfing. 

Yago Dora got the third-highest heat total of the day in the morning (15.83). Framed by the rising run, he swooped up and down a few times on his backhand before launching a massive air reverse into the flats, clean as you could draw it. With two left-hand barrels remaining in the year (a fairly safe bet he's going to Cloudbreak), Yago must be licking his chops. So why not huck it?

“I was kind of scared to hit the ramp, because the wave was solid and I had so much speed,” Yago said. “I had the best feeling in surfing, just floating in the air and landing into the flats. You can really get creative on this wave, it’s the perfect wave, but the lines are always changing a little bit, so it’s still unpredictable and you have to adapt quickly.”

Yago will join fellow Brazilians Filipe Toledo, Italo Ferreira and João Chianca in the Round of 16. Filipe put together a respectable 13.50 to beat Barron Mamiya and Alan Cleland Jr. Considering Filipe’s history here, there’s clearly more meat left on his bone. Meanwhile, Joao had to power past a crafty Joel Vaughan. Despite skydiving from 7,500 feet in his wetsuit onto the point before his heat, Matthew McGillivray was eliminated by another frequent flyer, Italo Ferreira. 

One of the better things about the CT events post-mid-year cut is that it places a greater emphasis on winning the opening round heats. Only the winner gets a pass to the Round of 16, and the other two have to battle it out in a do-or-die Elimination Round. 

This meant that when Crosby Colapinto won his Opening Round heat, world No. 1 Jordy Smith had to go deep into his bag against wildcard Luke Thompson. Jordy did what so many Fantasy Surfer players expected of him. Fin drifts, powerful cutbacks and even a long, extended floater. He truly does look more at ease than most out here. His 16.43 was the highest total of the day, and his smooth 9.43 shut the door on his compatriot. 

“We both started out pretty good,” Jordy said. “I really just wanted to find a bomb and shut down the heat. Sure enough, I got that wave and rode it almost into my living room! It’s incredible the support down here. That’s what it’s all about: to inspire South Africa and the next generation coming through. I told Luke that I’ll see him here in 12 months’ time, and I really hope his dream comes true.”

Another standout from the morning was Leonardo Fioravanti, who did a great play-by-play of his scorcher of a wave that got him past Rio Waida. His crips, searing carves on the roping right netted him a 16.13 heat total. It was an excellent example of timing at J-Bay. It’s not a get-up-and-rip type of point, and Leo paced this thing perfectly. 

All three women’s world champions advanced into the quarters. Just a look at Caroline Marks’ form on the backhand hook. This wave scored only a 5, but it was enough to beat Luana Silva, despite the Brazilian’s admirable attempts on the end section.  

Meanwhile, 2X world champ Tyler Wright took out Erin Brooks. Tyler's 7.07 at the end didn't look like much to start with, but she worked the wave for its entirety, and it narrowly got her past Erin 12.57 to 12.44. Unfortunately for the rookie, sitting at No. 9 in the rankings, this might spell the end of her shot at the WSL Finals, barring a win at Teahupo’o and some luck in the standings. 

Maybe it’s having her brother push her, or maybe it was watching her friend/rival Molly Picklum clinch the first WSL Finals spot, but Caity Simmers needed something extra to get up for her ER heat against wildcard Sarah Baum. She’s only surfed in the event once before (9th in 2023), so her experience is limited. But give a wall like this and it looks like preternatural talent. 

“I kind of have a weird relationship with this wave,” Caity. “I just tried to put that behind me and have fun surfing. My whole family is here so it definitely helps to switch off. I got to watch my brother win the US Surfing Championships back home, and now he’s here with me. He’s been surfing better than me out here, and he definitely pushes me to be better.”

Someone who always seems switched on is Jack Robinson, who got a clutch double-barrel for an 8 and a pass to the Round of 16 and a matchup with Leo. Another stellar heat in the next round: Jake Marshall versus Ethan Ewing. Both won their heats today with spicy frontside carves.

Next call is Sunday, July 13, at 7:15 a.m. local time (10:15 p.m., Saturday Pacific Time). After this recent swell downgrade, I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed.

Corona Cero Open J-Bay Men's Opening Round Results:

HEAT 1: Jake Marshall (USA) 9.23 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 6.10, Seth Moniz (HAW) 3.94

HEAT 2: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 13.83 DEF. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 8.83, Joel Vaughan (AUS) 8.00

HEAT 3: Yago Dora (BRA) 15.83 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 8.70, Connor O'Leary (JPN) 7.64

HEAT 4: Crosby Colapinto (USA) 13.36 DEF. Jordy Smith (RSA) 12.00, Luke Thompson (RSA) 8.74

HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 11.53 DEF. Marco Mignot (FRA) 11.43, Cole Houshmand (USA) 8.00

HEAT 6: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 16.13 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 15.67, Rio Waida (INA) 12.50

HEAT 7: Jack Robinson (AUS) 14.83 DEF. João Chianca (BRA) 12.90, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.06

HEAT 8: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.50 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 11.26, Alan Cleland (MEX) 10.46

Corona Cero Open J-Bay Women’s Elimination Round Results:

HEAT 1: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 13.00 DEF. Sarah Baum (RSA) 7.83

HEAT 2: Caroline Marks (USA) 11.16 DEF. Luana Silva (BRA) 10.10

HEAT 3: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 10.50 DEF. Francisca Veselko (POR) 9.30

HEAT 4: Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.57 DEF. Erin Brooks (CAN) 12.44

Corona Cero Open J-Bay Men's Elimination Round Results:

HEAT 1: Jordy Smith (RSA) 16.43 DEF. Luke Thompson (RSA) 15.96

HEAT 2: Marco Mignot (FRA) 12.23 DEF. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 8.80

HEAT 3: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.53 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 9.20

HEAT 4: Cole Houshmand (USA) 12.86 DEF. Rio Waida (INA) 12.57

HEAT 5: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.83 DEF. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 9.20

HEAT 6: Joao Chianca (BRA) 11.00 DEF. Joel Vaughan (AUS) 10.77

HEAT 7: Barron Mamiya (HAW) 12.30 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 7.76

HEAT 8: Connor O'Leary (JPN) 13.50 DEF. Alan Cleland (MEX) 8.66

Corona Cero Open J-Bay Women’s Quarterfinal Matchups:

HEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)

HEAT 2: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Caroline Marks (USA)

HEAT 3: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA)

HEAT 4: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Isabella Nichols (AUS)

Corona Cero Open J-Bay Men’s Round of 16 Matchups: 

HEAT 1: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. João Chianca (BRA)

HEAT 2: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)

HEAT 3: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA)

HEAT 4: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Cole Houshmand (USA)

HEAT 5: Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. Marco Mignot (FRA)

HEAT 6: Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Filipe Toledo (BRA)

HEAT 7: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Connor O'Leary (JPN)

HEAT 8: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Jake Marshall (USA)

Gallery: J-Bay is Back, Jordy Survives, World Champs Advance in South Africa first appeared on Surfer on Jul 12, 2025