Judging Jordy

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Some people are a bit miffed about the way Jordy Smith's semifinal was scored against John John Florence. Part of the argument is that Jordy's rail-to-rail game is a lot more explosive than the judges give him credit for, an age-old gripe. Watch the videos. Read the fan comments. What do you think?

"Couldn't believe that 9.43. Criminally overscored. The outside moves were all on semi-flat sections, nowhere near the faces that Jordy put his moves down on. 9.43? When I first saw it I didn't think it would clear 8.5. One judge gave it a 9.7 which just totally ruins the scale of scoring they've been using throughout. Jordy has pretty much looked unstoppable in the event and it's a shame it ended like this on a controversial score?" - Bo J.

"I think they took into account the size?" - Jordan Hull

"I dont completley agree with 9.43, but jjf wave was massive compared to jm one?" - Santi Maz

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"I kind of agree that 9.43 was slightly overscored, although the wave was massive and that first turn was beyond perfect. Point is, JJ won by more than 1.50 on the overall score, and that wave was definitely 9 or above, which would have secured the victory anyway?" - Alessandro Vasta

"@Alessandro Vasta The wave size should not be a factor - wave selection is important. Jordy let John get all those big wide ones cos they pushed off the reef and got fat offering no steep sections on the outside. And then yeah John put 1 layback jam in safe and early to ensure he made it out that closeout. The final section wasn't even that much bigger than on Jordy's, wish the camera didn't zoom right in for Jord's?" - Dillon Hamill

"I’m really struggling with the way they scored this heat. Both surfed incredibly well but I just think that overall Jordy had the best of the heat?" - John Wilkinson

"I’m a huge fan of JJF yet so are the commentators & judges?" - Tim Petersen

"Noooit! Bru... JJF's got some big chinas in the judging and commentary boxes... Jordy does 2 sick power carves and an inside move, JJF does one super sick carve, some weak wiggles and an inside move- and gets like a million gazillion more points... Maybe you had to be there, maybe that wave was waaay bigger and better... I dunno...Maybe we're all JJF Fanboys, I am, but maybe the game is a little rigged?... I dunno, the wind just shifted and I got the wiff of week old snoek...? - Johann Bauermeister