Jordy Smith On The Big Changes Coming To The WSL, His Creative Claims, The SA Surf Series & More

Ahead of the Quik Pro France we caught up with Jordy Smith, the world number heading into event, as he made a quick pit stop at Surf Snowdonia with O’Neill.

We asked him about what’s changed since he came on tour a decade ago, the idea behind the South Africa surf series, the big changes coming to the world tour and how he comes up with his creative claims.

Here’s an extract:

“WL: Wave pools are a massive talking point in the surfing world at the moment, with that Kelly comp going down. What are the biggest changes that wave pools could potentially bring to surfing?

J: Well I think for the near future, I can see them definitely becoming more visible to the Olympic body. Obviously the next one’s going to be in Japan, and Japan at that time of year can be really bad, and really small.

WL: Because you went didn’t you?

J: Yeah I’ve been to Japan. I’ve checked it out. It’s really, really small. The worse thing that could happen is if they did it in the ocean and the waves just didn’t break. That would just be terrible for surfing, so I think that’s where wave pools can really benefit. Obviously Kelly’s wave pool is incredible, I was personally a little too big for it, but the actual wave itself is really world class. I think if they can crank the size up a bit, give it a few minor tweaks here and there, it’s really going to be something special. In the future, I think it would have to at least be 1/10th of a deciding factor of a world title.

WL: Do you think it will go it will kind of split off and become its own thing? Or do you think that if someone manages to tweak it so it’s got a perfect air section we will see aerial progression accelerate, because everyone gets to try airs over and over again?

J: Look I definitely think the ratio of guys landing airs is going to become higher, for sure. To me though, there’s still nothing better than coming over the sand dune and finding your little peak, and it’s just you and your buddy out somewhere. No matter how perfect the wave is it won’t replace that feeling. It’s more the chase of finding it and getting it that’s whats so attractive. It’s like anything in life, I chased my wife for a couple of years before I got her. But I think guys are definitely going to be able to get their techniques down, I think they’re going to get the basics learned very, very quickly.”

Read the full interview here.

 

http://features.wavelengthmag.com/in-and-around-quik-pro-2017/7/