Jordy Smith downs Stu Kennedy to reach Mr Price Pro Ballito finals – Surfing news
South Arica’s Jordy Smith reach the finals at the 2013 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Mr Price Pro Ballito after putting on a sensational performance to get the better of Australia’s Stu Kennedy in the first semi-final that went down at Willard’s
Beach in Ballito, South Africa, on Saturday, July 6, 2013.
Smith had been exhibiting a prime form since the start of the third of eight events on the 2013 ASP Prime calendar, putting one great performance after another as he gradually made his way further in the competition.
The surfing conditions on offer were not the easiest to tame, but the local knowledge of the waves and the support of the fans continued to help Smith hold his own and put on a sensational show for the huge crowd that had been in attendance.
Kennedy, on the other hand, had been nothing short of impressive either. The Australian surfer was not as familiar with the waves as the local contenders, but he had proved his ability to adapt to the conditions quickly, which was precisely why he had managed
to find himself in a match-up with Smith.
After coming this far, both the surfers were naturally determined to get into the finals and eventually walk away with the title.
With a similar goal in mind, the two in-form surfers took each other on in the first semi-final.
As the battle got underway, Smith wasted absolutely no moment to showcase his superior form, one that the local crowd was beginning to become too familiar with. Detecting a juicy wave in the opening minutes of the heat, the South African powerhouse immediately
paddled towards it and caught it to unload a few manoeuvres. Earning a 6.67 for the effort, he found himself with an early lead.
Keeping the momentum going, Smith soon grabbed another juicy wave and this time went for a combination of powerful carves and turns. Executing the tricks to perfection, he earned a 9.13 for the wav and consequently moved to a heat-total of 15.80 points.
Kennedy failed to match his rival’s energetic performance and only managed to collect a 5.17 and 4.73 off his best-two waves, thus finishing with a two-wave total of 9.90 points.
The Australian rocketed to World No.31 from 53 with his semi-final finish at Mr Price Pro Ballito.
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