Latest news with #JordySmith
The South African
4 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
The RISE of South Africa's Jordy Smith to No 1 in the world in 2025
When South Africa's Jordy Smith paddles out at Lower Trestles in California next week, he will be wearing the WSL no. 1 rank yellow jersey. With two event wins in 2025 – the only time he's achieved the feat in a single season – the 37-year old is surfing the best he's ever done. And he even snagged himself a brand-new SUV for winning the 'Aussie Treble' last month. In fact, the last time he wore the coveted no. 1 yellow jersey was way back in 2017. The Durban-born surfer currently sits on 36 130 Championship Tour points. With the next best competitor, Brazil's Italo Ferreira, on 31 290. South Africa's Jordy Smith is a two-time WSL tour Runner-Up, never a world champion. Is this the year the big bru converts? All you need to know about Jordy's record-breaking run so far in 2025. Video: WSL on YouTube Nevertheless, if you haven't been following South Africa's Jordy Smith in 2025, don't worry, we'll catch you up. The WSL crafted a brilliant recap of his record-breaking season so far, that's taken him to the yellow jersey (watch above) in 2025. Included are his best waves surfed in key heats. And his all-important victories in Punta Roca, El Salvador, and Margaret River, Western Australia, of course. The event window for the Trestles Pro next week, on Monday 9 June 2025. Not only has South Africa's Jordy Smith won at this high-performance wave before, but he even relocated to San Clemente for a period of time. As such, he considers it a home away from home and will hope to bank another good haul of points in yellow. You can watch all the action live on the WSL YouTube channel. It's been eight years since South Africa'a Jordy Smith donned the yellow jersey. Can he convert his no. 1 position into a world title in 2025? Image: WSL on Facebook From California, the tour goes to Brazil in late June, before the circus pulls into J-Bay from 11-20 July 2025. A two-time winner, the world-class right-hand point-break is unarguably Smith's favourite event (and many other competitors'). At the end the Tahiti Pro in August, the top five competitors on the world rankings will battle it out for a world title in man-on-man heats at the WSL Finals in Fiji. Be sure to diarise the last five events of the 2025 season to keep track of South Africa's Jordy Smith as he strives for his first world title: June 9-17 – Trestles Pro (USA) June 21-29 – Vivo Rio Pro (Brazil) July 11-20 – J-Bay Open (SA) August 7-16 – Tahiti Pro (Tahiti) August 27-September 4 – WSL Finals Fiji (Fiji) Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
24 hours in pictures, 27 May 2025
24 hours in pictures, 27 May 2025 Through the lens: The Citizen's Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world. Jordy Smith of South Africa surfs in Heat 2 of the Semifinals at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro on May 27, 2025 at Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia. Smith went on to win the competition. (Photo by Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League) Supporters of South Korea's Democratic Party's presidential election candidate Lee Jae-myung, cheer during a campaign event in Suwon city, Gyeoggi-do, South Korea, May 26, 2025. South Korea will hold its presidential election on 03 June 2025. Picture: Matrix Images The remnants of a small dwelling where six family members lost their lives when their home caught fire in the Marikana informal settlement located in Ekurhuleni on May 27, 2025 in Kwa-Thema, South Africa. It is reported that six family members died in the tragedy. The cause of the fire is still unknown. (Photo by Gallo Images/OJ Koloti) A young woman cools off amongst the water jets of a fountain during a hot spring day in Moscow, Russia, 26 May 2025. According to the Russian Hydrometeorological Centre, air temperatures are expected to climb up to 30 degrees Celsius in some areas of Moscow. Picture: EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV Cyril Ramaphosa ( President of the republic of South Africa) delivers keynote address at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA) at Century City on May 27, 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa. The symposium showcases infrastructure investment opportunities in both South Africa and the African continent, and also fosters regional cooperation and integration. (Photo by Gallo Images/ER Lombard) A handout photo made available by the press service of the 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade shows new recruits of the 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade attending their training on an obstacle course with psychological elements and a tank used on a shooting range in the Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, 26 May 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. Russian troops entered Ukrainian territory on 24 February 2022, marking the beginning of a conflict that has led to widespread damage and a humanitarian situation. Picture: EPA-EFE/Press service of the 65th Mechanized Brigade A female Hippopotamus seen along with her two days old calf at Delhi Zoo on May 22, 2025 in New Delhi, India. The National Zoological Park in the capital has welcomed a newborn hippopotamus calf after a gap of four years. The female calf was born on Monday to a nine-year-old hippopotamus. Picture: Matrix Images Actors defending the fortress of Zons at the medieval spectacle 'Sturm auf Zons', in Germany . The event focuses on a simulated attack on Zons by Burgundians in April 1475, which is staged with numerous disguised actors, and which is said to have happened in a similar way during the Neuss War in 1474 – 1475. Picture: Matrix Images Egrets build nests as they prepare to breed in the forest in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, China on May 25, 2025. Picture: Matrix Images This aerial view shows damages following the passage of a tornado in the city of Puerto Varas, Region de los Lagos, southern Chile, on May 26, 2025. An unusual tornado rated as category EF-1 on the Fujita scale hit on the eve the city of Puerto Varas, almost 1,000 km south of Santiago, leaving eight people injured and some 150 homes affected, authorities said. (Photo by Javier TORRES / AFP) Contestants in the men's downhill race chase the cheese down the hill during Gloucestershire's famous Cheese-Rolling contest on May 26, 2025 in Brockworth, England. Every year competitors and spectators from around the world gather for the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling competition that sees participants fling themselves down a steep hill in pursuit of a rolling 7 pound (3 kilogram) wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. The first contestant to the bottom of the 590 foot (180 meter) Cooper's Hill wins the wheel of cheese. The ankle-breaking extreme sport has officially been recorded since 1826, but is thought to have roots in an ancient pagan tradition. (Photo by) This aerial view shows trucks towing shipping containers at the port of Umm Qasr in Iraq's southern city of Basra on May 26, 2025. (Photo by Hussein FALEH / AFP) PICTURES: Colourful Hillbrow parade entertains Joburg residents
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
‘It feels incredible': Jordy Smith sets sights on historic world surfing title
With two wins in the bag this season, Smith holds the overall lead in the World Surf League series. Though he has taken the overall lead in the World Surf League (WSL), veteran Jordy Smith says he's not getting ahead of himself as he aims to become the first South African man in 48 years to win the top-flight series. Smith earned his second win of the season on Monday, beating Griffin Colapinto of the United States in the final to secure victory at the Margaret River Pro in Western Australia. Having produced consistent performances throughout the seven WSL legs thus far, Smith took the overall lead with four events left in the regular season. 'It feels incredible. I think it's just a testament to showing up every day and trusting what you're doing,' said the 37-year-old South African. 'And it's not just myself. I can't say I've been doing all the work because I've got such a great team of people behind me… so there's a lot of dedication that goes on every day. 'I'm sure all the surfers live a similar path, but for me this year has just been about having fun and enjoying this because it's not forever.' Looking ahead Having competed in the top-flight global league for the last 16 years, Smith has finished in the top five overall on six occasions and has twice finished second, but he is still in search of his first global senior crown. With the top five competitors in the WSL qualifying for the series final to be contested in Fiji in August and September, Smith was well on track to become the first South African to win the men's world title since Shaun Thomson in 1977. And while he looked forward to the next event, the Trestles Pro to be held in California starting on 9 June, he admitted it would be a challenge to hold on to his overall lead. 'I think everyone's going to be kind of fighting for that top five now, and there are a lot of guys who are swinging for it, so that's going to be exciting,' he said. 'And I think just having that opportunity to kind of push myself against the best in the world is all I'm really looking for, taking every day for what it is and not thinking too far down the line.'
The South African
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
World no. 1 Jordy Smith powers to VICTORY in Australia
World no. 1 Jordy Smith showed all the class and experience of 18-years on the Championship Tour to secure his second event victory in 2025. The prize on finals day in Margaret River, Western Australia, would be immense if world no. 1 Jordy Smith could hit his marks early … Solidifying no. 1 in the world, and a brand-new GWM Tank SUV for securing the 'Aussie Treble.' First, the 37-year-old Durbanite had to dispatch Crosby Colapinto in his semi-final heat. Something he did with astute surfing in dropping swell on Australia's west coast. Rather than wait for inconsistent set waves disrupted by strong off-shore winds, world no. 1 Jordy Smith set to work on the inside. He caught multiple waves to build up a winning heat total, while his competitor sat rooted out the back, only surfing one scoring wave. Smith sets to work on a larger set wave at Margaret River, Western Australia in the final against Griffin Colapinto. Image: World Surf League Then it was onto the final with another San Clemente phenom, Griffin Colapinto. Arguably the form surfer of the competition – scoring a perfect 10 in the quarterfinals – Colapinto would be no pushover in a man-on-man heat. However, world no. 1 Jordy Smith clicked into high gear and dominated the exchanges (watch the highlights below). There is no denying that world no. 1 Jordy Smith is surfing the best he ever has in his long career. He is able to combine shrewd heat IQ with his signature power surfing that always looks controlled and elegant, no matter the conditions. Video: World Surf League on YouTube Victory for world no. 1 Jordy Smith cements his position atop the WSL Championship Tour rankings. He currently sits on 36 130 points, with the next best surfer, Brazil's Italo Ferreira, on 31 290. Rather shrewdly, Smith opted not to surf in the leader's yellow jersey today. But he almost certainly will wear it in Lower Trestles, California, next month. The rest of the 2025 WSL Championship Tour sees four stops that will suit the powerful surfing of world no. 1 Jordy Smith. The top five competitors on the ranking will battle it out in Fiji for the world title. The remaining stops are: June 9-17 – Trestles Pro (USA) June 21-29 – Vivo Rio Pro (Brazil) July 11-20 – J-Bay Open (SA) August 7-16 – Tahiti Pro (Tahiti) August 27-September 4 – WSL Finals Fiji (Fiji) Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Gabriela Bryan and Jordy Smith claim victory at the Margaret River Pro
A young star and tour veteran have won the Margaret River Pro, with Hawaii's Gabriela Bryan and South Africa's Jordy Smith celebrating after a challenging week of surfing. It is Bryan's second successive win at the Margaret River Pro, and her second win in the World Surf League's Championship Tour this year. Posting a 9.5 and securing the best combined total for the women's series so far, Bryan holds onto the yellow jersey and puts extra space between herself and 19-year-old Caitlin Simmers, who sits at a close number two on the women's world rankings. She told the World Surf League she was still getting used to her status as the competition's front-runner. "Every heat I have with it I'm getting more comfortable," Bryan said. "I have amazing people supporting me and I honestly couldn't do it without them." Simmers is still hoping for her second world title in a row after becoming the youngest to claim one last year. She knocked off the last-standing West Australian, wildcard Bronte Macaulay, in their semi-final heat earlier in the day. It was Macaulay's fourth time making the semi-finals at her home break but she has never made it to finals. But she came out all smiles, to cheers from local supporters. It was the veteran versus the comeback kids in the men's final, with South Africa's Smith eventually securing the win. American surfer Griffin Colapinto charged up the ranks to make both the cut and the Margaret River Pro finals, but Smith's performance was too strong. Smith, oldest in the league at 37, has already had one win this year and currently sits at number one, chasing his first world title. He made the most of the slight swell on offer, less than a week after Main Break offered up some of its biggest waves on record. The Margaret River event has served as a crucial mid-year cut point for the tour, after which lower-ranked competitors are relegated back to the qualifying circuit, a format which has divided surf fans. It was announced earlier this year that the feature would be dropped in 2026, and tour organisers would reintroduce a more traditional cumulative points winner to determine titles for the 2026 season. The Margaret River event will also be held earlier in the tour, with the season-ending event shifted to Pipeline in Hawaii. The tour now moves to California where 11-time world champion Kelly Slater will compete as a wildcard ahead of the world title showdown in Fiji in August.
