Premature chat with fresh-hot ratings leader!

Stab is excitable, and Stab digs Jordy Smith immensely. And not that disenchanted 2009-2012 Jordy Smith, but this newly-reinvigorated 2013 Jordy Smith who takes destiny by the throat with both hands and chokes chunky heat totals out of it! Jordy certainly ain’t the first name that springs to mind when y’think of tropical kicker-dragging, but that’s all changed this year with much renewed enthusiasm and practice (having Jarrad Howse in his corner ain’t hurting either). After beating Micro Hall in round two of the Volcom Fiji Pro today, then putting away an 18.30 total against Kieren Perrow in round three, it transpires that Jordy is now current world number one (Adriano was leading, but was knocked in round two). Does he care? No! He just wants to to drag that big ol’ Beyonce ass through da tube!

Interview by Craig Jarvis

Stab: Hot damn, Restaurants was tough but kinda perfect!
Jordy: It started off good, but it just got better and better throughout the day. The winds did a few funny things but settled in the afternoon and the swell was just pumping. There were solid six-foot sets out there, maybe even some bigger. I’m stoked to have won that heat in such good waves.

The bottom end was scooping the wind, yes? It kind of bends, so a wave starts off perfect offshore and tubing, then it gets devil wind on it as you go further down, but it was so good. The wind played no part.

How was that 9.03! That was the biggest set of the heat, f’sure. Kieren got the first one and it was a big one. I knew he was going to get barrelled on it. When that next one came through it was right on the reef and I got barrelled and did some turns. It was so much fun! Restaurants is my best wave in the whole world, and to have it this good with just another guy out with you is such a pleasure and a treat.

What up with the newfound backside tube game? I’ve been working hard on my backhand tuberiding and just surfing lefts in general. It’s part of my reason for moving to Cape Town. You don’t get many lefts in Durban and there are plenty of lefts in the Cape. I’ve been surfing the Dunes whenever it’s good and have been getting some left barrels down there, and I’ve just been surfing lefts regardless whenever I can. Chasing lefts and surfing them.

You’re pretty much a local here now, too. I’ve been surfing about four times a day since I got here. We came 10 days before the contest started just to get into the waves and to iron out all the kinks. We’ve had so many waves, and I’ve just been hitting it out there whenever I can. We’ve surfed some both spots and it’s been so good. The waves have been non-stop.

Oh, and you’re, like, world number one! I haven’t thought about that to be honest. It’s sick. I’m not going to worry about it and just keep going forward, one step at a time. I do plan to keep it going.

Leave twitch at the door, please. ASP/Kirstin