J-Bay draws world's best surfers
9 July 2007
All of the world's top-45-ranked professional surfers will be in Jeffreys Bay this week for the R2.1-million Billabong Pro, the only stop on the African continent for the Foster's ASP World Tour, the 10-event series that determines surfing's annual men's world champion.
The twenty-third edition of the country's most prestigious and lucrative surfing event, on from 11 to 22 July, will showcase the spectacular surfing of multiple world champions Kelly Slater and Andy Irons.
Defending champion and runner-up Mick Fanning and Taj Burrow, who share the ASP ratings lead after the first two events of 2007, will be back, while former champions Joel Parkinson (1999) and the evergreen Mark Occhilupo (1984) will also be aiming to add to their previous successes.
SA challengers
Among the stellar cast of experienced campaigners and red-hot newcomers will be four South Africans, with Ricky Basnett and Royden Bryson joining
veteran Greg Emslie and Travis Logie to challenge for the title.
And who knows how the phenomenally talented Jordy Smith will fare this year? The 19-year-old Durbanite secured the best finish in the event by a South African when he reached the semi-finals in his debut appearance last year. Now, he is vastly more experienced and is currently rated second on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS).
Smith will need to earn a place in the Billabong Pro by advancing from the Von Zipper Wildcard Trials. Three places are on offer.
Wildcard event
A field of 12 trialists will compete in three four-man heats, with the winners of each heat earning a main event wildcard, where they will come up against one of the top seeds in the first round.
The field of 12 will be made up of three international surfers, six Von Zipper nominated South Africans, and three locals who were selected by a nationwide poll held by Zigzag surfing magazine.
Two of the three surfers nominated in the poll are J-Bay locals, Sean Holmes and Ryan Payne, while Dylan Stone also cracked the nod.
International nominees
The internationals include Hawaii's Ian Walsh, reigning under-18 International Surfing Association world champion James Woods of Australia, and Spain's Hodei Collazo.
Reigning SA champion Shane Thorne forms part of the Von Zipper nominated local challenge, along with fellow Durbanites Jordy "Super Freak" Smith, Warwick "Wok" Wright, and Rudy Palmboom. Kommetjie's Damien Fahrenfort is also in the line up, along with J-Bay local Shaun Payne.
The 2007 event has been extended to 12 days to enable organisers to select the best possible conditions at Supertubes - considered the planet's premier high performance point break - for the four days of competition required to determine the champion.
Supertubes
Supertubes has proved an irresistable
drawcard to surfers from all over the world for the past 40 years thanks to its beautifully-rounded tubes. It is recognised as one of the best right hand point breaks to be found anywhere. When the conditions are right, the tubes seem to roll on endlessly.
While the hordes of spectators will be joined by the eyes of the surfing world on the live webcast in watching their heroes going ballistic for cash and points in the fabled waves of Supertubes, those in attendance will also be able party the night away. Some of the South Africa's best live music acts will be in action at the three-day J-Bay Music Festival on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.
Adding more fun and frivolity into the mix will be scores of the world's A-list surf media, as well as a dozen international TV crews, including MTV, Fox and Fuel.
It's clear that the 2007 Billabong Pro J-Bay will be the centre of the surfing universe this week.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
| 
