JBay back on ASP World Surf Tour
The best surfers in the world will yet again take on the best right hand point break in the world, with Jeffreys Bay being included as event number 6 on the World Championship Tour (WCT) for 2014.
This means that surfers like Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson, current world champion Mick Fanning as well as South African Jordy Smith will battle it out on the freight train walls of Supertubes, to be crowned winner of the JBay Open of Surfing.
There has been no WCT event in Jeffreys Bay since 2011, when Billabong withdrew their sponsorship of the now defunct JBay Pro.
Making the announcement in Jeffreys Bay today, Koffie Jacobs from the JBU Surf Club said that the WCT event will be a major draw card of the Winter Fest, a multiple sport and music event that takes place in the town from 10-20 July.
“We have been working on getting back a WCT event for Jeffreys Bay ever since 2012, when the plug got pulled on the town and the surf contest was downgraded to a 6 star event,” said Jacobs, who is also the event co-ordinator of the JBay Open.
“The JBU Surf Club has always maintained that Supertubes is one of the best waves in the world and as such, any contest held at the surf break should feature the best surfers in the world,” added Jacobs.
The JBay Open will take place from 10 -20 July, with the Winter Fest taking place during the same time period.
Paul Speaker, ASP CEO, said “Jeffreys Bay has an incredible heritage with the sport and the local surf community have been instrumental in returning the ASP Top 34 to South Africa this season.”
The JBay Open enjoys the full support of the JBU Surf Club, Kouga Council and Surfing South Africa.
An elite WCT venue from 1996 to 2011, Jeffreys Bay is universally regarded as one of the best righthand pointbreaks on the planet and will replace Bali on the 2014 schedule.
“I am really excited that the JBay Open is back on. It's by far the best stop on the tour for quality of high performance surfing. It’s arguably the best righthand point in the world and deserves a spot on the WCT,” said Jordy Smith, who is a two time winner in JBay.
“I am proud to be a South African and am proud to have one of the WCT spots in our backyard. It means a lot to our country and the town of Jeffreys Bay,’ added Smith.”
2014 ASP World Championship Tour:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: March 1 – 12, 2014
Margaret River Pro: April 2 – 13, 2014
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: April 16 – 27, 2014
Billabong Rio Pro: May 7 – 18, 2014
Fiji Pro: June 1 – 13, 2014
J-Bay Open: July 10 – 20, 2014
Billabong Pro Tahiti: August 15 – 26, 2014
Hurley Pro at Trestles: September 9 – 20, 2014
Quiksilver Pro France: September 25 – October 6, 2014
Rip Curl Pro Portugal: October 12 – 23, 2014
Billabong Pipeline Masters: December 8 – 20, 2014