J-Bay, Day 1: Supertubes is Still Super

Kelly Slater of USA (pictured) won his Round 1 heat at the J-Bay Open defeating event wildcard and local talent Dylan Lightfoot (ZAF) on Thursday July 10, 2014.The J-Bay Open, stop No. 6 of 11 on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour was called ON today for Round 1. Photo: ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz
Current 3-times ASP World Champion Mick Fanning of Tweed Heads, NSW, Australia (pictured) advanced into Round 3 of the Jeffreys Bay Open, defeating Sebastien Ziets (HAW) and Dion Atkinson (AUS) with a heat total of 15.00 points (out of a possible 20.00) in Round 1 at Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay today. Photo: ASP/Cestari
Nat Young of Santa Cruz, California, USA (pictured) winning his Round 2 heat over Raoni Monteiro (BRA) at the J-Bay Open in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa on Thursday July 10, 2014. Young netted a pair of great 8.17 and 7.93 scores to advance into Round 3. The J-Bay Open, stop No. 6 of 11 on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour was called ON today for Round 1. Photo: ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz
Jordy Smith of Durban, South Africa (pictured) posted the highest heat total of Round 1 to advance into Round 3 of the Jeffreys Bay Open. Smith scored a perfect 10 point ride and backed it up with a high 9.80 point ride to secure the heat total of 19.80 (out of a possible 20.00) and defeat Owen Wright (AUS) and Jadson Andre (BRA) in Round 1 at Supertubes today. Photo: ASP/Cestari
John John Florence of Oahu, Hawaii (pictured) advanced into Round 3 of the Jeffreys Bay Open, defeating Bede Durbidge (AUS) and Jeremy Flores (FRA) with a heat total of 13.74 points (out of a possible 20.00) in Round 1 at Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay today. Photo: ASP/Cestari
ulian Wilson of Sunshine Coast, Australia (pictured) won his Round 2 heat at the J-Bay Open landing a huge Alley-Oop aerial manuever to score a near perfect 9.33 (out of a possible 10.00) on Thursday July 10, 2014. Wilson defeated Glen Hall (AUS) and advanced into Round 3. The J-Bay Open, stop No. 6 of 11 on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour was called ON today for Round 1. Photo: ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz
Adriano De Souza of Brasil (pictured) winning his Round 1 heat at the J-Bay Open on Thursday July 10, 2014. De Souza defeated Alejo Muniz (BRA) and CJ Hobgood (USA) to advance into Round 3. The J-Bay Open, stop No. 6 of 11 on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour was called ON today for Round 1. Photo: ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz
Aritz Aranburu of Spain (pictured) winning his Round 1 heat at the J-Bay Open in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa on July 10, 2014. Aranburu was in sensational form posting a near perfect 9.03 score to advance directly into Round 3. Lightfoot entered as a wildcard placing second to Kelly Slater in Round 1 before being defeated by ASP World No. 1 Gabriel Medina in Round 2. The J-Bay Open, stop No. 6 of 11 on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour was called ON today for Round 1. Photo: ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz
Michel Bourez of Tahiti (pictured) advanced into Round 3 of the Jeffreys Bay Open, defeating Raoni Monteiro (BRA) and Adrian Buchan (AUS) in Round 1 with a heat total of 12.90 points (out of a possible 20.00) at Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay today. Photo: ASP/Cestari
Jeremy Flores of Capbreton, France (pictured) placed third in his Round 1 heat of the Jeffreys Bay Open, being defeated by John John Florence (HAW) and Bede Durbidge (AUS), Florence will surf in Round 2 where a win is required to avoid elimination. Photo: ASP/Cestari

You know what’s awesome? Having J-Bay back. The tour without its South African gem just felt wrong, somehow. But now it’s back, and all is right in the world. The men were able to get through all of round one and part of round two before those dang devil winds got the best of the world’s best right-hander.

Of course, the old guard put on a bit of a clinic – just like you thought. With the exception of Parko, the usual suspects (Burrow, Slater, and Fanning) each used their precise power surfing to showcase the best that J-Bay can offer. And Jordy Smith? Yeah, that guy scored a 10. Jordy and J-Bay go together like peas and carrots. “I was anxious because I haven’t surfed a contest here in three years and I wanted to be on the best waves of the heat,” Smith said. “I ended up breaking my leash. Everything happens for a reason – it gave my time to relax and reset and then I went back out got my 10.”

See a full heat breakdown at ASPWorldtour.com