Getting airborne at the J-Bay classic trials. Photo: WSL//YouTube
When the 2024 Championship Tour Schedule was released, Jeffreys Bay failed to make the cut. The WSL cited scheduling conflicts with the Olympics as the reason for the omission, but many still mourned the loss of an event at the famed right-hand point break. However, in February, the WSL offered an olive branch to South African surfers with the announcement of the J-Bay Classic specialty event. After a long wait, we’re finally on the eve of competition.
The J-Bay Classic features a hybrid format designed to highlight both traditional and alternative surfboard shapes. In the main event, surfers will compete on twin fin and thruster surfboard setups to earn points on the leaderboard. Meanwhile, a team division will pit six mixed teams against each other in 45-minute sessions. The competition window opens Monday, June 17.
Ahead of that, though, the WSL held a trials event over the weekend. The tourney was won by Luke Thompson and Sarah Baum, who both earned places in the main event. They’ll be up against a bevy of big names in the sport, including Sage Erickson, Stephanie Gilmore, Coco Ho, Michael February and the legendary Mark Occhilupo.
Unfortunately, there won’t be a live broadcast for the main event, but fans can follow updates on social media. In the meantime, check out highlights from the trials event below.
