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.