WSL Yellow Jerseys Enter J-Bay Open As Championship Tour Rankings Shift

After delivering spectacular results at the World Surf League (WSL) VIVO Rio Pro, two athletes will be heading to the next stop — J-Bay Open in South Africa — wearing the notable yellow jerseys. A yellow jersey signifies a Championship Tour surfer as the highest-ranked male and female surfer on the Tour.

Competing surfers are hoping to secure a spot in the Final 5, but two events remain before the spots can be finalized, starting with the J-Bay Open and followed by the Tahiti Pro in August. There is still plenty of time for drastic changes to occur within the rankings, but the results will entirely depend on how each athlete performs.

Jordy Smith and Molly Picklum Wear Yellow Jerseys Heading into J-Bay Open

With 37-year-old Jordy Smith continuing to hold the helm at No. 1, he will be repping the yellow jersey at the J-Bay Open. Smith hails from Durban, South Africa — entering his home nation at the top of the rankings with 44,195 points is, of course, incredibly special.

Currently, Yago Dora lands at No. 2 with a total of 43,630 points, not too far behind Smith. No. 3 Kanoa Igarashi, No. 4 Italo Ferreira, and No. 5 Ethan Ewing are on track to make the Final five cut, but again, the standings could change in the blink of an eye.

On the women's Tour, 22-year-old Molly Picklum of Australia is also sporting the sought-after yellow jersey after clinching the victory at VIVO Rio Pro, having defeated Brazil's Luana Silva with a whopping score of 15.00. Picklum's win allowed her to rise two spots to No. 1 with 53,345 points, causing Gabriela Bryan to drop to No. 2. Also facing an unfortunate drop in the rankings was Caitlin Simmers, who now sits at No. 3, followed by Bettylou Sakura Johnson and Isabella Nichols, respectively.

The J-Bay Open kicks off on July 11 at Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape, and is expected to conclude on July 20, putting an end to the tenth stop of the 2025 WSL Championship Tour. From there, athletes will head to the Lexus Tahiti Pro in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, French Polynesia, for the eleventh stop on August 7 before the long-awaited Lexus WSL Finals Fiji commence on August 27.