Tag: jordy smith

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Lockdown chat with Jordy Smith, Travis Logie & Wok – #TheLockdown Ep4

The Podcast

The 3 Amigos in Lockdown

I was not sure what to expect when I chatted with Travis Logie about getting the three best buds on the same podcast during lockdown, but needless to say it was an epic chat. These 3 grew up together in Durban and now live in California and Hawaii. Jordy Smith has become one of the best surfers on the planet, Travis has ended his Pro surf career and become the WSL Commissioner and Warwick Wok Wright was never really a pro, though he beat a few, but now a successful interior designer and married in Hawaii.

A Special Chat

Wok’s Mom called me up after the premier and told me how special it was to get the three together and talking. A sentiment shared by the boys at the end of our talk – it went on for just over an hour – and the stories, flashbacks and laughs were real. It was incredible to get some real insight to their relationships, how they met and of course their time together on the tour.

Groms Listen up!

On a more serious note, the gents serve up some real, hard advice for aspiring SA surfers with big dreams of qualifying. These three, yes even Wok, made some serious damage on the QS and their stories and and advise should be heeded.

Hawaii the best place to be in lockdown!

This was the common consensus during the chat and checking out Jordy’s Instagram account will leave you in no doubt. Wok has adopted a flock of ducks and is practicing for being a daddy.

I hope you enjoyed the show and please remember to subscribe to the Youtube Channel – HERE

Huge thank you to Monster Energy for the support!

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Jordy Smith warms up for Snapper in Mozambique

Jordy Smith using his power game on a poor Mozambique Wave.

Mozambique

With the whole world watching as Mozambique deals with tragedy after a massive cyclone, we are reminded by this video what an incredible place it is. The surf spot Jordy Smith surfs in this video in right where the tragedy has struck and if you want to help, please go here and support the beautiful people of Mozambique – Help the Children

Jordy Smith looks good!

It has to be said, Jordy Smith looks ready for an assault on the world title this year. With the first event of the year around the corner, at a wave that looks very similar to this one, it could be a great start to the year.

Snapper Rocks suits the big guy’s surfing. With a solid rail game, good tube riding and of course those mental airs, I am sure he features in most people’s Fantasy picks.

Watch the Video

So without further ado, watch Jordy Smith annihilate long, tropical walls of blue bliss in Mozambique. Not many surfers I would rather watch…

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Driven – Jbay Surfer Matt McGillivray is on Fire

Matt, Jbay and his trusty 44 GForce!

Matt McGillivray is a man on a Mission

The Jbay local, Matt McGillivray, started his year winning a QS 3000 in Israel and he has his sights firmly fixed on the World Tour. Having current SA star, Jordy Smith’s, dad in his corner seems to be helping. Graham Smith shapes Matt‘s surfboards and they look like magic carpets under the young man’s feet.

The Story of the 44

The board was designed for Stab Magazine’s, Stab in the Dark. A video project where Jordy Smith got to take a number of unmarcked boards to test in perfect waves. One of his favorites was the number 44 Surfboard, which he broke after loving it. Only after the results were done, did he find out it was shaped by his dad. It is now one of Gforce Surfboards most popular models.

Matt has Jbay in his DNA

Growing up on the groomed right pointbreaks of Jbay has given Matt a real power base in his surfing. I was lucky enough to shoot with him over the Jbay Open, he was a wildcard, and further up the SA coast a bit later in the year. This video is from around 3 hours of shooting, pretty impressive stuff.

Enjoy the Video

Driven – Matt McGillivray and the #44 from Kai Linder on Vimeo.

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John John versus Jordy – Surf Video Battle

Ok, so John John drops the second video in his new Twelve series with Hurley and I watch it and it blows my mind. From huge waves, to doing massive punts in big waves to surfing Pipeline, he rips it all. By the end I actually said to my mate, I wonder when Jordy Smith is going to drop a boss edit like this again and true as all hell, a few days later he drops a new web video, with some insanely progressive power surfing. Pound for pound these two videos will get you frothing for your next surf (Or maybe not frothing as you realise how far ahead these two gents are!) Either way, prepare yourself for 20 minutes of radical surfing from my two favorite surfers to watch…

Hurley Presents -Twelve– A New Series From John John Florence (2 of 7) from Alex Wang on Vimeo.

Jordy Smith in Collecting Dust. from Jordy Smith on Vimeo.

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The big man is back! Jordy Smith rips Durban & Mozambique

2015 is a year Jordy Smith will want to wipe from the memory banks, with recurring injuries and a less than stellar year on tour. Coming home to SA for the holidays he finally got over his injuries, scored some epic waves at home and managed to sneak a quick trip over the border to Mozambique. He says he is feeling great, hungry for victory and ready to assault the World Tour in 2016, as he got the injury wildcard. Watching this video, I find it hard to doubt, especially when the first stop on tour on the Gold Coast resembles the waves he is busy destroying right here. So watch this and I almost guarantee he is going to make a quick appearance in your Fantasy team.

Go Jordy!

Jordy Smith in Mozambique and Durban from Jordy Smith on Vimeo.

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2015 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Preview

We always get excited about Bells. The iconic event seems to deliver those magic moments that create legends and start World Title campaigns. The bad news is, the forecast this year is looking pretty dismal. You can almost guarantee that Day 1 will be surfed and then the long wait will begin. In fact we may see alternate venues come into play and that may well change up how your Fantasy Pick go. One pick I have for sure, Jordy Smith. He was looking in great form at Snapper till he got skunked by waves and if you remember back to small Bells last year he was killing it, till the robbery against Julian Wilson. Check the video below and relive the horror of Jordy not getting the score. I am pretty sure this footage still haunts Richie Porter late at night… (Jordy has the package, we know about the turns, but don’t forget the air game, as seen above.)

Filipe Toledo was in sublime form at Snapper and you can bet with a small wave forecast for Bells he will be deadly. Mick Fanning is another guy worth watching. Wildcard, MAson Ho, is one hell of a surfer and could just surprise some of the big seeds. Ok, thats me preview, now you go select your own team.

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Jordy Smith ready for 2015 World Title Assault

He has been the Golden Boy of South African surfers for years and many ask the question, why has he not won a World Title yet? There are plenty of questions and answers on this subject, but I am only going to go into why this could be the year of Jordy Smith.

In 2014 he had a reasonable start and then somewhat of a bad run, including nearly drowning at Teahupoo when being nailed by the biggest set of the day. That all turned around though at Trestles, where we once again were treated to the site of an indomitable Mr Smith. In that performance the World was reminded again of how good this guy surfs and why he is known as the Power Broker.

Going into 2015, Jordy is settled in California, married life seems to be agreeing with him and the right hand points of Southern California certainly lend themselves to his style of surfing. Every time we see an interview or a social media post, it is of a happy and very content looking man and this will be ringing the alarm bells for the other surfers on tour. Why? Because a happy and relaxed Jordy Smith, is a very, very dangerous competitor!

With Snapper Rocks starting tomorrow and the Gold Coast having enjoyed a stellar warm up for the event, you can be sure that not one of the surfers at the Quiksilver Pro are going to want to see Jordy warming up before their heats. The wave is made for his fast and hard approach and he has perfected his tube riding over the last few seasons in Mozambique. If Jordy wins Snapper, you can be sure he will carry that momentum into Margaret River and Bells Beach (Both venues he has done well at before and could easily win.) My call, if he makes semis or higher, World Surf League watch out!

But don’t just take my word on it, watch the video below to see how he has been spending his time in California warming up for the start of the year. Pretty dam mental surfing!

Last year the Brazilians finally got their first World Champion, now it’s time for South Africa. Good Luck Jordy! You have a nation behind you!

Working Class from Jordy Smith on Vimeo.

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Top 5 Web Surf Videos of 2014

With the Surfer Poll having just gone down and most sites picking their highlights for the year, I thought I would give you guys my picks for the best web surf videos over this year. There have been some absolute bangers, some that follow the old music and surf formula and the newer arty ones that mix and match between old french people smoking and John John busting. My criteria is simple, good music, great editing and surfing that gets me pumped to go session!

Before I get into the Top 5, one video worth watching in number 6 is this one, Clay on Clay by Surfing Mag. Unleashing Clay Marzo and Matt Meola on West Oz was a great idea. Maybe a little to many left handers, but the surfing and footage are insane.

Clay is Clay from SURFING Magazine on Vimeo.

Number 5 – LNF: Diamond of the Desert
With the focus on just the one spot, this video still inspires and fills with a sense of wonder. Having one of the longest tube sequences ever filmed also helps, with Koa Smith the standout.

LNF: Diamond of the Desert from LastNameFirst.tv on Vimeo.

Number 4 – Enjoy
John John Florence and filmer, Blake Kueny, have made some memorable web videos. This one definitely went arty on us, but the surfing footage and the feeling of being in France created by Blake definitely got me amped to go surf and eat baguettes.

Enjoy from John John Florence on Vimeo.

Number 3 – The Getaway
Jordy Smith has been having a banger year and he backed it up with this sweet video shot in Mozambique. Huge gaffs, big punts and long tubes in paradise make this video a keeper.

Jordy Smith: The Getaway from O'Neill on Vimeo.

Number 2 – Cheese 2
Noa Deane has just found himself in the cuck after some rather bad behaviour at the Surfer Poll Awards, but he still won the AI award and this video won best web video. There is a reason why, he rips and the video is shot so well with insane tunes. I almost made it number 1.

Noa Deane | Cheese II from Rusty Brasil on Vimeo.

Number 1 – Dirty Dozen
Pumping track, huge moves and of course Mr Dane Reynolds. This is everything you need in a surf short and its simplicity is the winning factor. Short, sharp and to the point, make this video my winner for 2014. These are twelve of my best clips of Dane Reynolds. Filmed in Sumbawa, Japan, Hawaii, and California from 2011 – 2013, for various Marine Layer Productions projects such as Excerpt, LOADED, and Kai Neville’s Dear Suburbia.

Dane’s Dirty Dozen in High Definition from mini blanchard on Vimeo.

So thats my web surf video choices for 2014. Let me know your thoughts and if I missed any good ones?

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Crazy First Day at the Hurley Pro Trestles

In what was to become a day of upsets, with both Kelly Slater and Gabriel Medina losing to the wildcards, it was Jordy Smith and Owen Wright who put on clinics, in how to score big at Trestles. The waves were great, but there did seem to0 be a bit of a wobble and it claimed many a rail! Round 2 is as stacked as we have ever seen it with Kelly, Gabs, Taj, Kolohe, Kerr and Julian Wilson all in the round. Should make for some explosive surfing come day 2.

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Upsets, Tears and Goofy Footed Domination at the Jbay Pro Day 3

Just look at the bemused smile on CJ Hobgood’s face after knocking out the favorite, Jordy Smith. CJ must have been wondering how he did it, but I can tell you how, he stuck to the gameplan. Jordy wanted to impress his home crowd so much he tried too hard and ultimately it hurt him. Going for the massive layback snap and going down, all he had to do was 3 more average turns and he would have got the middling 6 points he was after. The crowd sighed in disbelief and CJ was left smiling on the beach wondering how he pulled off such an incredible win against the odds.

Another Goofy who put it to the odds was in form surfer, Matt Wilko, not only beating Kelly Slater in their Round 3 match up, but putting the King in combo land. I don’t think many people called that one. Josh Kerr, Taj Burrows, Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson stuck to the Jbay script and dominated their encounters. One more upset was on the cards though, as Alejo Muniz took out World Number 2, Michel Bourez.

There was great surfing and we are now ready for Round 5 and the final day of surfing. Hopefully the swell forecasted for the weekend arrives.