Saffa Jordy Smith into Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Round 3

 Jordy Smith continued his run in the Rip Curl Bells Beach Pro presented by Snickers in Victoria, Australia earlier today, defeating Damien Hobgood (USA) in inconsistent but near perfect two metre waves to advance to Round 3 (the last 16) of the second stop on the 2009 ASP World Tour. 

Despite seven lay days since his dominant performance in Round 1and nursing a minor back complaint, Smith, 21, from Durban managed to record scores of 7.50 and 5.50 to eke out a 13.0 to 12.17 point victory over Hobgood. 

“I think there were only three sets all heat and luckily I got two of them,” Smith said after only riding a total of three waves in the 30 minute heat. “I feel lucky to get through to the next round. When I woke up this morning it looked really good and I’m sure throughout the day the waves are just going to get better.” 

Smith’s victory sees him up against giant-killer and wildcard Owen Wright, 19, in Round 3. The Australian caused a huge upset when he beat nine-times ASP World Champion and defending Rip Curl Pro champion Kelly Slater (USA), handing the American his second successive 17th place finish and increasing the pressure on Slater’s bid for an unprecedented 10th world title. 

“I am really happy,” Wright said. “It has been a long week waiting to surf against Kelly. I have just been relishing it and waiting for it. Out there, I just stayed on my own game and really just concentrated on what I was doing. I just got the set waves and surfed them, then the ocean went flat at the end and I kept the win.” 

Wright has been in sterling form in 2009, collecting three ASP Pro Junior event wins as well as the No. 8 spot on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS). Today’s win against Slater was further evidence of the explosive goofy-footer’s world-class form, and a great boost to confidence for the remainder of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. 

Durbanite David Weare, the only other South African still in the event after Greg Emslie (East London) was eliminated in Round 1, has yet to complete his Round 2 heat against No. 16 seed Frederick Patacchia (HAW). The event was moved from Bells Bowl to nearby Winkipop as the tide came up today and then put on hold when unfavourable onshore winds started blowing during heat 12. 

Heats 13-16 of Round 2 will be run when the event restarts and a decision will be made at 7am for a possible 7.30am start tomorrow (11pm today SA Standard Time). 

The Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford New Fiesta was completed on Sunday with Silvana Lima (BRA) claiming her maiden ASP Women’s World Tour crown by beating reigning two-times ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) in the final. 

South Africa’s Rosanne Hodge placed ninth in the event when she was ousted by Sofia Mulanovich (PER) in Round 3. The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach pres. by Snickers is webcast LIVE via live.ripcurl.com. For more information, log onto aspworldtour.com.