Jordan
Smith
South Africa
·
Surfing
Date of birth | 11 February 1988 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Durban, South Africa |
Age | 38 |
Nationality | South Africa |
Career start | 2009 |
Disciplines | Surfing Competition |
Not since Shaun Tomson (or Martin Pottz, depending on who you ask), has South Africa had such a shining and tenacious World Title hopeful to root for.
Born on February 2, 1988, Jordy Smith was first introduced to surfing through his father Graham who had the Lost Surfboards licence in South Africa. Watching Cali jibbers like Joe Crimo pass through his hometown, Jordy wondered as they threw down shrink-wraps: “Why can’t I do that?” And so he did.
You might say that the strong tradition of power surfing in South Australia mixed with the skate-style surfing of Cali meshed to create a beautiful monster.
A two-time runner-up to the world title (in 2010 and 2016), Jordy was plagued with injuries for close to five years but, when fully fit, is a regular winner on the tour. He had three top-five finishes in 2017 and 2019, while in 2019, he was selected to represent South Africa at the Games in Tokyo.
Jordy placed second at the 2021 WSL Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro in Australia. A few years later, he took third place at the WSL Championship Tour in 2024.
In 2025, Jordy won his first event in eight years, taking the gold at Surf City El Salvador Pro on his father's surfboard. It was an unforgettable moment for the oldest surfer on the Championship Tour. Jordy is fitter and more focused than ever.