Heeling Vibes
Friday 17 April 2015 It was meant to be a bit of down-time after Jordy Smith got a direct route to Round 3 via a first heat win, but now he is out of the Margaret River event with a nasty injury, writes Craig Jarvis.
Smith was on fire in Round 1 but the injury bug has bit him once again.Photo WSL/Cestari
A little down-time between the relentless bombardment of heats at maxed out The Box for the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro saw Jordy and mates head off for a free surf around the corner at one of those little hidden gems in WA. Sorry, no names.
A late take-off on one particular barrelling bomb saw Jordy slam into the reef and suffer a nasty cut to the back of his foot. A quick trip to ER for a few stitches (right), and all seemed to be okay. Jordy was hoping for a quick recovery, and another chance to pull into a few solid overhead tubes that The Box was churning out. It was not to be.
The next morning Jordy felt a whole lot of pain around the knee of the same leg, and the knee soon stiffened up and started feeling extremely uncomfortable, resulting in him withdrawing from the event. The next event is the Rio Pro, of which Jordy is a former champion. “It is really unfortunate for myself, but you know everything happens for a reason and hopefully I come back stronger going Rio and into the second quarter of the year.”
By withdrawing from the event, Jordy gives Jeremy Flores a bye into the fourth round. ”It couldn’t have happened to a better guy,” said Jordy on Flores’ luck. "I feel like he has done a complete 180, he has turned his campaign right around, is always positive, he’s surfing well right now, and good on him.”
With Rio around the corner (May 11-22) will Jordy be ready for the waves of Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro on time? “Well, I’m going to stay positive and hope that everything will work out,” reckoned Jordy, "and I'll have my wife play a little bit of nursie, that will be good."