{"id":96294,"date":"2017-07-09T16:53:17","date_gmt":"2017-07-09T14:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/jordy-smith-wins-ballito-pro-presented-by-billabong\/"},"modified":"2017-07-09T16:53:17","modified_gmt":"2017-07-09T14:53:17","slug":"jordy-smith-wins-ballito-pro-presented-by-billabong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/jordy-smith-wins-ballito-pro-presented-by-billabong\/","title":{"rendered":"Jordy Smith Wins Ballito Pro presented by Billabong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jordy Smith Wins Ballito Pro presented by Billabong<\/a>: <\/p>\n

\"Jordy<\/p>\n

Jordy Smith – a very stoked winner of the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong surfing event. Photo: WSL\/Kelly Cestari<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Jordy Smith Wins Ballito Pro presented by Billabong.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jordy Smith won the\u00a0Ballito Pro presented by Billabong\u00a0in front of a packed beach of partisan spectators today, defeating powerful Brazilian\u00a0Willian Cardoso in a pulsating final to add the 2017 event title to his previous victory in 2010.<\/p>\n

The big South African overcame a stomach bug that almost derailed his charge in mid week to reach the final of the first World Surf League QS10,000 rated event of the year where he used his trademark repertoire of aerial manoeuvres to post an impressive heat total 18.06, including near perfect 9.73.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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 and just taking my time as the waves came through,\u201d said Smith. \u201cEventually 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really happy with my performance this week and hopefully I can take this momentum to J-Bay. Willian is a tenacious competitor as all the Brazilians are. He\u2019s one of the most powerful surfers in the world and we\u2019re both bigger guys so we were matching fire with fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such an honour winning this event with so many of my friends and family here. Thanks so much to everyone who\u2019s come down to the event, your support makes a huge difference for us local surfers.\u201d<\/p>\n

His haul of 10,000 points sees Smith jump straight into fifth position on the QS rankings along with a massive boost of confidence as he heads to Jeffreys Bay for Stop No. 6 of 11 on the WSL Championship Tour starting on Wednesday where he is a former two-time event winner.<\/p>\n

While he was disappointed not to claim the win, Cardoso was happy with his runner-up finish, which bumped him up into No. 2 on the QS rankings heading into the second half of the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew with Jordy it was going to be crazy in that heat and I tried to find the really good waves, but I just found one,\u201d said Cardoso. \u201cI\u2019m just super stoked to be in the final, it\u2019s been about two years since I was in a final so it\u2019s really good to be in that position again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis result puts me in a really good position, but I\u2019ve been in this position before so I hope to get more results in the next two primes and a few 6 stars so I can go to Hawaii at the end of the year relaxed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cardoso\u2019s patented power moves saw him charge past Vasco Ribeiro in the quarterfinals and\u00a0Mikey Wright in the semifinals on his way to the final.<\/p>\n

Wright had delivered the highest single ride and heat total in the event with his blend of powerful carves and progressive aerial manoeuvres. But the brother of reigning \u00a0WSL Women\u2019s World Champion, Tyler, and men\u2019s world title contender, Owen, came up just short against Cardoso and finished equal third at Ballito.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went out there to do my thing and catch a few waves, but I didn\u2019t really catch the fun waves that I wanted to. I got a little ramp halfway through the heat, but I fell on the landing. Willian was surfing really good and I\u2019m stoked for him,\u201d said Wright. \u201cThis result gives me a lot of confidence. It\u2019s my first year doing all the QS events and this is a really good setup for the rest of the year. I\u2019m just going to try and keep it going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crowd favourite\u00a0Michael February had an incredible run through the event, posting his career-best result on his way to third place after suffering a narrow loss to Smith in their all-South African semifinal encounter. The Capetonian matched Smith ride-for-ride in the early stages before the heat burst into life in the last five minutes with a flurry of rides that saw Smith nail down his berth in the final with back-to back excellent rides that February could not equal as time ran out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you surf against Jordy you\u2019ve got to be at your best, he\u2019s so good, and it was pretty cool to watch him from the water,\u201d said February. \u201cIt\u2019s awesome to surf against him because he is such an amazing surfer. And to have a heat against him at this stage of the contest is really good for me. At the end of the contest you\u2019re always going to surf against the best in the world, and Jordy is definitely one of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt boosts my confidence so much making semis in a 10\u00a0000 and I\u2019m looking forward to keeping the positive vibes going, taking everything I learned from this event and just keep it going. It gets pretty busy now, it\u2019s the US Open and after that the European leg so that\u2019s my focus now, and then Hawaii. I had some nice words from Jordy after that heat which was really cool from someone I look up to, it gives you that extra push.\u201d<\/p>\n

His third place finish saw February leapfrog from 21st\u00a0to No. 4 on the QS rankings, giving him an solid base from which to challenge for a place in top 10 in the yearend rankings and qualification for the elite CT<\/p>\n

\u201cSecretly I was a little bummed for Mikey February. I would have liked to be in the finals with him but that\u2019s just the way our sport goes,\u201d commented Smith on his compatriot. \u201cI just wish him all the best, I really hope he brings it and joins me on the tour next year. He\u2019s got the ability and the confidence to go all the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Full results, video footage, photos and news from the Ballito Pro pres. by Billabong can be found at\u00a0www.worldsurfleague.com<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\"Jordy<\/p>\n

Jordy Smith was chaired off the beach after winning the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Photo: WSL\/Kelly Cestari<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n
\"Jordy<\/p>\n

Jordy Smith put down some brilliant surfing en route to his Ballito Pro presented by Billabong victory. Photo: WSL\/Kelly Cestari<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n
\"Mikey<\/p>\n

Mikey February was the second highest placed South African at the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong with his third place Photo: WSL\/Kelly Cestari<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.<\/p>\n

More Info on Jordy Smith Wins Ballito Pro presented by Billabong here:<\/strong> http:\/\/www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za<\/p>\n

Source:<\/strong> MyPR<\/a><\/small>
\n<\/p>\n

Submit your own Press Release<\/a> or get free content for your publication.<\/p>\n

Video – How to post your Press Release on MyPR:<\/strong>
\n