Wait, Is That Jordy Smith Bashing The Lip…In A Longboard Competition?
Indeed it is. So, we caught up with him about that — as well as injury, recovery, fatherhood, and 2022.
The last time we saw Jordy Smith surf a heat was on May 20, 2021.
He lost to long-time his sparring partner Julian Wilson in the Round of 16 at the Rip Curl Rottnest Search. Not a bad result, especially considering the fact that it left Jordy ranked third overall once the event had finished. After buying a house in San Clemente nearly a decade ago, Jordy was considered by many to be one of the favorites to win the World Title in the new Finals format at Lower Trestles.
Then came trouble.
After the elongated Australian leg of the tour, on a trip back to South Africa, Jordy injured himself while surfing his old stomping grounds of New Pier. An attempted doggy-door escape on a somewhat thunderous barrel pincered him shut, and he came up from the wipeout with a knee that didn’t feel or look right. That was that. His year on the CT was over, and his spot in surfing’s first-ever Olympics was forked over to Leonardo Fioravanti.
After a PCL surgery followed by months of rehab, Jordy just made his return to competition — curiously at the South African Longboard Champs at Lower Point in J-Bay. The event has been enjoying a run of perfect waves, with more on tap, as South Africa braces for a double cold front and freezing conditions. The recovering surfer was eliminated in the third round of the longboard contest, choosing to cruise and not risk any further damage to his knee.
Jordy, who is a new father, still finished this year in 7th place on the CT, which means he’s a lock for 2022. On the ground at the J-Bay event event, we caught up with him to learn about what led him there, fatherhood, the WSL’s new format, and how he feels heading into 2022.
Our conversation has been abbreviated and laid into sections below.
On surfing the South African Longboard Champs
I entered the SA Longboard Champs for many reasons. Obviously, my competitive nature had me just itching to put a rash vest on. I just need to compete. Longboarding or bodyboarding or kneeboarding or whatever. I tried to get into the Tand Invitational [a legendary bodyboarding event on the West Coast — see here]. I was a little late for the entries to that event. I have subsequently heard that there are South African Kneeboard Champs at J-Bay, which Gigs [Cilliers, a WSL commentator and 5xWorld Kneeboarding Champ, with many other titles] is putting on. That might not be ideal for my knee, but you never know.
I actually won the SA Longboard champs a while ago, but the criteria were very different back then. I think it’s more about hanging ten these days. It’s been pretty cool to be able to surf the event, though. It’s more than competition, it’s is part of healing for me. I’ve got a good connection with J-Bay, and I thought it would be pretty cool to surf acontest down at the point.
On his ongoing injury rehab
Rehab has literally been my life. I do six-to-seven hours of different forms of rehab for six days a week, with Sunday to rest. It’s been full-on. I’ve been doing it for the past 10 weeks, and the recovery has been going really well. I’m probably at about 80% recovered at this point. Still, it is pretty easy to get to 80% with these sorts of injuries, but the last 20% is the toughest. The surgeon was impressed, though. He said it was the fastest recovery he had ever seen, which is a good thing, and it looks like I’ll be coming back stronger. I’m already a lot stronger now — I can feel it — but I still need to work flat-out on the last bit. All the crumbs make a loaf of bread, so I’m just going to keep working on it every day.
It’s true, though, that you only realise how much you love something when it is taken away from you.
On the new WSL Finals format and the new look WSL tour for next year
I think it is a cool format.
[long pause]
Except for this year.
I honestly think that Gabriel deserves the Title based on the results so far. So now, potentially, he could get sick on the final day, and somebody could just go on a hot streak and win. This doesn’t really say that the guy isn’t necessarily the best surfer. One hot day doesn’t make a summer, you know? I’ll leave it at that.
On missing a perfect right-hand point-break CT event
Mexico looked like the best event all year. Everybody was stoked, everyone was scoring, and there were some pretty intense heats. The men and the women both had such good waves for their events. There was some excellent surfing, and it wasa great event to watch. I was seriously bummed I wasn’t a part of it, but it is what it is. That first year was possibly the best surf event ever. I can’t believe that we haven’t been back for 15 years, especially with Corona sponsoring events.
On fatherhood
Being a father has changed my life completely. It is by far the best thing I have ever accomplished, the best thing I have ever done. People tell you about how it feels, they’ll try to describe it to you, but until you go through it, you’ll never really know. You can’t explain it until you’re in it. But it’s not for everybody, you know. You have to be so patient, and it’s complicated. It’s just so constant. It takes a lot of energy to look after a kid but, luckily, I’ve got the energy to burn.
On the future
For the next few months, I’ll be staying put, working with equipment and continuing with the rehab. I want to start 2022 as prepared as I have ever been, and I’ll probably be five times more prepared by then. I’m open to new things during this time. I’m working hard with my boards, and I just want to see where this puts me.
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