It’s Time to Give Jordy Smith a Little More Love
As the time ticked down in the elimination round of the Fiji Pro, Jordy Smith was chasing a 6.67 against Imai DeVault to keep his WSL Finals, and world title dream, alive.
The time continued to tick, and with one final, brave, but unsuccessful closeout re-entry that ended with a guillotine to the neck over dry reef, Smith was done. It was a disappointing end to the year, after what had been a promising start. And yet with Jordy, surf fans can be guilty of lacking some perspective. Jordy may have fallen short, but he ended the season as the World No. 8, just behind Medina. It was his 12th top-10 finish in a 16-year Championship Tour career.
At the age of 36, and with Kelly’s retirement, he is now the eldest statesman of the CT. His surfing, as shown by the surfers ranked far below him, has all the hallmarks it had when he started. The power and the progression remain elite. And there is simply no surfer over 35 that can come close to Jordy’s air game.
Probably the best indication of the standard Jordy is still operating at can be seen in his recent project Plus 27. This is a film that’s pure surfing action, cinematically filmed over the last few years at the best waves on South Africa’s 1,600-mile coastline.
With Cape St. Francis-based filmer and long-time collaborator Nick Christy, Smith has created a paean to the quality of waves in his homeland that shaped his surfing, whilst showcasing its beauty. The title stems from the South African country code and Smith is joined by fellow Saffas Mikey February, Dale Staples, Luke Thompson, James Ribbink and Dan and Josh Redman, in a fast-edited pillage of the varied, world-class waves that stretch from Durban to Cape Town and beyond.
“There are some epic sessions, including one up the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast at a dredging right-hand sand bottom point break offering multiple stand-up barrel sections,” Jordy told The Inertia. “It’s the pick of my favorite waves, surfed in their prime, with a bunch of epic surfers from all over the country.”
Viewers will recognize the classic combo of Jordy and J-Bay and the platinum-sanded barrels at Dunes, but the rest of the spots are a mix of secret, or well-guarded, locations that show just how wave-rich South Africa is. It’s narrative-lite, but Jordy’s energy and enthusiasm propel the film forward at a breakneck pace. For pure surfing, it has to be one of the best releases of 2024.
Yet a little like Jordy’s competitive returns, the film probably hasn’t received the plaudits it deserves. While it made its premiere in South Africa at the end of last year, it was released globally online in July. Given the production value, the quality of the waves, the love and care that went into it, and most importantly the surfing of Smith, this is a film that deserves attention. You could say the same about Jordy.
I for one, feel Jordy Smith is a surfer we all need to watch and appreciate whenever we can before he puts a wrap on his career. Plus 27 is certainly a testament to that.
Watch Plus 27 online here.
