BELL’S BEACH, Victoria Australia, April 19, 2017

Team O’Neill’s Jordy Smith (South Africa) has claimed his maiden victory at the storied Easter happening that is the World Surfing League’s stop at Bells Beach. With his win, over first time finalist Caio Ibelli, Jordy claimed his sixth big league event title.

The finals day of the longest running annual surf contest in the world was blessed with pumping waves at the prime event site at Bells. Jordy powered through Round 4 beating former world champion Joel Parkinson and Wiggolly Dantas, then dispatched another world title holder in the form of Adriano de Souza in his quarter final.

Victorian sunset session. Photo: Moran

The semis were a closer affair with Jordy just tipping the scales in his favour in a hard fought win over rookie Zeke Lau.

Come the final, the waves delivered long, rippable walls right through to the shorebreak and Caio Ibelli (Brazil) and Jordy put on a show for the packed beach. Jordy looked confident, sharp and ready to claim his sixth big league event win. Caio pushed him all the way but Jordy held the lead through the final and even fitted in a cheeky bell ringing claim after one of his three 9+ scoring rides.

Jordy is the first South African to ever take the Bells title, adding his name to an illustrious list of all time surfing legends with a bell in their trophy cabinet.
Jordy ends the Australian leg of the WSL World Tour sitting joint second in the WSL rankings. The tour now takes a few weeks off before recommencing on May 9 with the Oi Rio Pro, an event Jordy has won previously, so he’s sure to be looking forward to doing a double.

10 years in the making, Jordy Smith’s dream of taking home the bell has finally come true. Photo: Moran

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