No. 1 Surfer Jordy Smith Eliminated From J-Bay Open in Massive Upset

Having entered the World Surf League (WSL) J-Bay Open at Jeffreys Bay in South Africa wearing the symbolic yellow jersey, Championship Tour surfer Jordy Smith is now out of the competition. Wearing the yellow jersey signifies that the athlete is the No. 1 surfer on the Tour. Unfortunately, Smith had a shaky performance on his home turf this time around, ultimately knocking him out of the competition.

During the men's Round of 16 heats, Smith seemed to lose the high momentum that spectators have witnessed in the past. His first wave amounted to a 6.67, followed by a 4.50 on his second wave for a combined score of 11.17.

Mignot, 24, had a slow start but was able to secure two 7s — a 7.07 and a 7.50. After posting his 14.57-point total, Mignot landed a spot in the quarterfinals while Smith faced elimination. If defeat wasn't disappointing enough, Smith also dropped in the WSL Championship Tour leaderboard to No. 2. Now, holding the helm is Brazilian Yago Dora.

Marco Mignot Defeats Top-Ranked Championship Tour Surfer

"If you take on No. 1, and you beat him, it's a big reward," Mignot told the WSL following his victory. "I'm always looking forward to surfing against the best because that's where I'm going to push myself. Living through moments like this is special. I'm super happy to share a moment with Jordy Smith, the King of J-Bay, and I'm super happy to take the win."

Currently, Dora has earned 4,745 points at J-Bay Open, the tenth stop of the 2025 Tour, which leaves him with a total of 48,375 points this season. Smith now has 47,515 points, given that he only secured 3,320 points at Jeffreys Bay.