More than 50 top surfers will descend on Jeffreys Bay as they prepare to do battle when the Corona Open J-Bay gets under way next week.
The world-renowned Supertubes will be the playground of the top 34 men and 18 women surfers as they vie for the prestigious title.
Among them will be Jeffreys Bay surfer Matt McGillivray, who obtained a wildcard entry into the event as the highest ranked South African in the qualifying series rankings.
McGillivray, ranked No 10, will be raring to go after two surf outings to forget in recent weeks.
Despite a hat-trick of top three finishes at the recently concluded City Surf Series, he ended the series on a bad note when he crashed out of the Volkswagen SA Open of Surfing last week.
He also made a third-round exit at the QS 10 000 rated Ballito Pro a few days ago.
“It ’s a dream come true to surf the [Corona] Open J-Bay – it’s a contest I have watched since my surfing career began . . . I cannot wait to get out there, ” McGillivray said.
“That is surfing, you have your ups and downs. You just need to keep looking forward when things don’t go your way, ” he said about his recent performances.
Having lived in Jeffreys Bay for the past seven years, after growing up in Port Elizabeth, he hopes to use his “special relationship with the break at Supertubes” to his advantage.
With SA surfing icon Jordy Smith and World Surf League Championship Tour (CT) competitor Michael February also participating in the event, McGillivray said it would be amazing to have a South African on the winner’s podium.
“Watching how Jordy has been surfing this year, I’m very excited to see how he does. He has always be my favourite surfer to watch at J-Bay and I think he will put on a good show for everyone.”
McGillivray said he hoped to go into the event with as little pressure on his shoulders as possible, and thus put on his best surfing display possible.
Another SA wildcard entry will be former CT surfer Bianca Buitendag, who has been making consistent appearances on the CT since falling off the tour after the 2016 season.
This year, she surfed at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast (at Snapper), but crashed out of the event in round 2. World Surf League Africa regional tour manager Colin Fitch said weather forecasts for the first few days of the competition indicated some surfingfriendly conditions.
“I think it's going to be fantastic this year with the combined men and women’s event, and speaking for many of the young girls I know who surf, there will be a lot of young ladies coming down just to see the best surfers in the world surf in J-Bay.”
Fitch said the event was one of the most popular events on the CT, and brought spectators much closer to the action than most rugby and football stadiums.
He said the star-studded lineup would ensure action packed surfing for “the Formula One of surfing events” held in arguably the best “righthand point break” in the world.
The heats get under way at the men's Corona Open J-Bay on Monday and the women’s on July 6.