Top Top Turn

After the drama that was the first call for the JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA, when a giant swell washed down the point to scupper the event, there were some nervous moments by contest organisers in the dark as we waited for the sun to rise.

Would the swell be here? Would it be small? Would it be firing? Would it stay as forecast and blow light offshore all day or would the dreaded southerly come up?

As the sun began to rise, we could see a few lines in the dark. Within minutes we could see that it was solid, and clean. Sighs of relief all round, and the 2015 version of the JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA was on. Most of the invited surfers were back in town for the second performance, but a few surfers hadn’t been able to make it back.

Alternates were smiling. Surfers like Shane Thorne, Kelvin Zehmke and Lu Whittaker were going to get a chance to surf perfect Supers without a crowd.

For the first heat of the day there was a little bit of morning sickness, but it soon cleaned up and the waves simply poured down the point for the rest of the event. Local surfers climbed out of the first round, with Remi Peterson, Ryan Payne and Shaun Payne all making it into the quarterfinals.

With the waves still doing their version of The Best Day Of The Year so far, the contest continued into the quarters. Kommetjie surfer Mikey February lucked into the biggest and best wave of the heat, and performed a number of critical and eye-pleasing open face moves on the massive wall, to eventually net 10 points, the only perfect ride of the event.

“It was one of the biggest sets of the day, and Ryan was paddling for it but he was a bit too deep,” said February from the water’s edge. “It really allowed me to do drawn-out turns, and I didn’t have to pump or anything, I could just come straight off the bottom again every time. It’s just so good to have a sick wave like that at JBay.”

St Francis Bay surfer Dale Staples was another Eastern Cape surfer who was looking good all the way through, with good connected turns and combos, but was eventually eliminated in the semifinal, with Mikey February and Billy Payne advancing through to the final to meet Slade Prestwich and Ryan Payne.

On paper it was the two committed WQS campaigners against the two experienced local surfers. Both Ryan and Billy had a victory or two behind them at Supers, but was experience enough to beat hunger? Were the two battle-hardened pro campaigners going to have enough game to defeat the brothers Payne who had nothing to prove nor nothing to lose?     

As it turns out, the WQS campaigners did have what it takes, with Slade Prestwich taking the win from Mikey February, with Shaun and Ryan Payne third and fourth respectively.

Combining long drawn-out bottom turns with big carves off the top, Prestwich overcame a strong challenge from February to come away with the title.

It was one of those days however, when Supers actually stole the show. When there are up to six waves of six-foot lined up and glassy with a little offshore plume on them, Supertubes is still an unbelievable natural phenomenon. No matter how many times you have seen it, you find yourself staring slack-jawed at the perfection of it all.

Slade Sladey did well for himself however. The win gave him a wildcard into the JBay Open event next month, and about R110k in the pocket to help him along the way on the WQS.

“Best moment?” replied Slade on being asked the question. ”Well, being out in the water on a firing day like this, seeing three set waves coming through and knowing I could catch any of the waves that I wanted was probably the best moment.”

“Without a doubt Kelly Slater,” was his answer to the question as to which pro surfer he would like to surf against. “He is a total legend and surfs Supertubes so well. I’d love to have the opportunity to surf against him.”

The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA, forms part of the annual JBay Winterfest – www.jbaywinterfest.com, a multi sports festival which takes place every July in Jeffreys Bay and is presented by Woodlands Dairy.

The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA  is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa. Surfing South Africa is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), and recognised by the Dept. of Sport and Recreation as the national controlling body for surfing.

The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA is supported by Arbor, Firewire, Stance, Nixon, Monster Energy South Africa, Zigzag Magazine and El Jimador Tequila.