Jordy Smith : photo ASP Covered Images
Vans Triple Crown of Surfing
Haleiwa, Sunset Beach & Pipeline
Oahu, Hawaii
November & December 2006
Jordy Smith stuns surfing world yet again!
Second at Sunset Beach, Hawaii and takes Triple Crown rookie award
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 December, 2006 : - - Jordy Smith’s phenomenal list of surfing achievements reached new heights in Hawaii on Wednesday when he beat all but one of the world’s best surfers at Sunset Beach to earn the prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing ‘Rookie of the Year’ award.
Competing in the six star rated, R900 000 O’Neill World Cup of Surfing, the final ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) event of the year, the 18 year-old Durbanite stormed into the final where he finished second to Joel Parkinson (Australia) and ahead of former three time world champ Andy Irons and fellow Hawaiian Fred Patacchia.
Despite having to compete with 10 stitches in his foot from an accident incurred while practicing at Pipeline, Smith attacked the rising swell that produced epic waves up to five metres (15 foot) at the break considered to be one of the world’s true tests of a surfer’s ability. He won both his quarter and semi-final heats against the likes of world title contenders Mick Fanning (Aus) and Irons, along with experienced Sunset campaigners Neco Padaratz (Brazil) and compatriot David Weare.
"It's a dream come true," said Smith. "Just to have all those guys in the final - they're my favorite surfers, so it was amazing. Hopefully I can do well next year to qualify (for the ASP World Championship Tour (WCT))." "I had 10 stitches but kept pushing on. A couple of pain-killers and all's good,” he explained, adding "I'm super stoked to do well in Hawaii. Rookie of the Year... I'm overwhelmed.”
Jordy Smith : photo ASP/Covered Images
Smith adds the Triple Crown award, considered by the surfing world to be second only to the world title in prestige, to his sensational win in the ISA World Surfing Games in California in October and his runner-up finish in the U18 division of the ISA World Junior Championships in Brazil in May.
Nicknamed ‘Superfreak’ by his peers in South Africa, Smith’s 2006 accolades also include third place in the Billabong Pro at Jeffreys Bay in July in his first start against the world’s top 44 ranked surfers in a WCT event; winning six Pro Junior (U20) events on the trot in SA, in one of which he won the Open division as well; being nominated for the SA Sports Awards ‘Newcomer of the Year’, the first SA surfer to achieve this, and capturing the Premiers Sports Award for "Junior Sportsman of the Year" in his home province of KwaZula-Natal, again a first for a surfer.
While Smith only gained entry to the Sunset Beach event after one of the seeded competitors was forced to withdraw, his result there catapulted him from 55th to 26th in the yearend WQS rankings, guaranteeing him an excellent seeding in every event for 2007 as he seeks to finish amongst the top 15 who qualify the WCT.
Smith, who shares the same birthday as eight time world champ Kelly Slater (USA), enjoyed the praises of SA surfing legend and 1977 world champion Shaun Tomson, also from Durban. Tomson, who pioneered the pro surfing path that surfers like Smith can enjoy today, was the champion of the same Sunset Beach event in '77 en-route to his world title, and was guest-commentating at this year’s event.
“Shaun's (Tomson) a hero of mine,” Smith commented. “To do anything he's done is a great enough achievement for me."
Following worldwide exposure of his freakish talents in an acclaimed segment in the 2006 surf video ‘Passion Pop’, Jordy received further plaudits for his aerial expertise via a video clip posted on the popular YouTube website showing him completing a gravity defying, new school manoeuvre known as a ‘rodeo flip’ in Hawaii recently. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDs4y_p_tsI
See copy of full event report here
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