South African surfer Jordy Smith has claimed the top spot on the World Surf League WSL table after winning the Margaret River Pro in Australia and already has eyes on adding to his wins when the WSL returns to Jeffreys Bay in July, Cape town Etc reports.
The victory in Australia is the second of the season for the Durban-born Smith, who claimed his first in 2025 at the Surf City El Salvador Pro in April. Smith is also currently the oldest on the WSL Championship Tour, but that hasn't stopped him from being in the hunt for his first world championship title.
Smith, who is already looking forward to competing on home ground in July, says, I feel great! I've still got to go to a few more events before J-Bay and perform there, but will hopefully be heading back to South Africa in the top 5. I've got a lot of confidence and want to perform my best in front of my family and friends in J-Bay and make South Africa proud.
The next three stops of the Championship Tour have all previously been happy hunting grounds for Smith. First up is Trestles, California, where he won in 2014 and 2016, followed by Rio de Janeiro, which he won in 2013. The tour will then make its only stop in Africa, with the Corona Cero Open J-Bay from 11-20 July, where Smith has won on two previous occasions.
WSL's Africa Media Manager Bianca van Aardt says, It is phenomenal to have Jordy Smith as the world number one right now, following a second win of the season. It is so good to see the South African back on top and in the conversation for a world title, going into the next three events where he has won before. It's going to be really exciting to see him at Supertubes in J-Bay, a wave where he really is the best and the man to beat.