Jordy Smith’s picks for 2015 The Billabong Pro, Tahiti

To celebrate the fact that Americans can now bet money on surfing, here’s an extra selection of picks to add to your head noise!

Currently on the world tour injury list, sits Jordy Smith. His back hasn’t been flexing at 100 percent since J-Bay, and after six months plagued by injuries he’s going to sit another event out. While he lay face down getting work done on his back, Stab had Mr Smith tell us who he believes the danger men at the Billabong Pro, Tahiti are this year.

Mr Hobgood, at peace. Photo: Ryan Miller/Redbull.com.Surfing

CJ Hobgood
CJ’s lost every heat this year except the one he made in J-Bay. For me, he’s going into the spot where he made a name for himself on tour. Other than Cory Lopez’s, and more recently Nate Florence’s, CJ still had one of the craziest waves ever paddled into out there. He’s got nothing to lose, and since it’s his last year on tour, and probably last time ever in this event, I think he’s going to have a serious go at his favorite spot. With the swell not looking that big, I think that favours him too, because he has a rare ability to put himself in strange positions to make an almondy barrel.

While the swell size won’t be like this, expect to see a similar level of panache from Mr Slater when it comes to drawing lines on the inside. Photo: Domenic Mosqueira

Kelly Slater
Kelly hasn’t won a contest in over a year and a half (the 2013 Pipe Masters) and if I’m going with odds I’d say it’s in his favour to win right now. He’s also the best out there and was unlucky to lose to Gabs last year. It all depends if he’s in the mood to it. He’s the best when it’s good out there but when it’s small he often loses to wildcards and lower seeds. It might be lack of interest when the waves aren’t great.

Italo at Cloudbreak. Will he pleasantly surprise at Chopes? Jordy says yes! Photo: WSL/Kirstin

Italo Ferreira
This guy is a big threat and I didn’t expect it in the beginning of the year. I think we saw what he could do in Fiji, from his turns to his barrel riding and charging. Watching him in Fiji, the more critical of a wave he got, the better he surfed them. I think if he takes the same formula to Chopes he’s going to do really well. One of my favorite things about the Brazilians is they know they’re underdogs when it comes to Tahiti so they go harder to prove a point.

The amount of amazing photos that John featured in from last year’s Chopes event is powerful. The takeoff moment is never one to undervalue. Photo: Domenic Mosqueira

John John Florence
He’s been out for a while so there’s not as much pressure to win. He’ll just be stoked to be back and after missing Fiji he’s going to be wanting to put on a good show. While Kelly was unlucky to lose to Gabs last year in Tahiti, John was unlucky to lose to Kelly. That heat could have gone either way. Hopefully the judges are in his favour this year because it’s exciting watching John find rhythm: Exciting if you’re on the couch watching, not if you’re in the event.

Ottz, knows when to say no, and also when to go. Photo: Domenic Mosqueira

Kai Otton
Always the underdog, even though he shouldn’t be by now. Ottz has a great head on his shoulders and he’s a real strong tuberider, maybe one of the best on tour. He knows when to say no, and when to say go, which makes a big difference when the waves are a bit heavier.

Yeah, it’s not Chopes, but it is Jeremy, and it is Tahiti. Never forget this wave. Photo by Timo Jarvinen

Jeremy Flores
Jeremy has a really strong connection with Tahiti. He’s spent a lot of time there over the years and had his best heat ever on tour out there. This year his attitude is different, he seems more mature and relaxed and it’s been showing. It also helps that he’s a maniac and won’t hold back but his surfing is epic. I hope he’s phoned ol’ Tom Carroll to borrow his Gath with the flames, that would be epic.

Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 1 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Kelly Slater (USA), Jadson Andre (BRA), Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS), Adrian Buchan (AUS), C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 3: Filipe Toledo (BRA), Keanu Asing (HAW), Aritz Aranburu (ESP)
Heat 4: Julian Wilson (AUS), Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Garrett Parkes (AUS)
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS), Adam Melling (AUS), TBD
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Michel Bourez (PYF), TBD
Heat 7: Nat Young (USA), Kai Otton (AUS), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 8: Taj Burrow (AUS), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Glenn Hall (IRL)
Heat 9: Josh Kerr (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Kolohe Andino (USA)
Heat 10: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Ricardo Christie (NZL)
Heat 11: Bede Durbidge (AUS), John John Florence (HAW), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 12: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Wiggolly Dantas (BRA), Miguel Pupo (BRA)