Jordan
Smith
South Africa
·
Surfing
Date of birth | February 11, 1988 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Durban, South Africa |
Age | 38 |
Nationality | South Africa |
Career start | 2009 |
Disciplines | Surfing Competition |
Born on February 2, 1988, Jordy Smith was first introduced to surfing through his father Graham who had the Lost Surfboards license 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.
Regularly challenging for honours
Gaining his first WCT win at the Billabong Pro J-Bay in 2010, Jordy spent several years at the very top of the sport. He twice finished as runner-up to the world title (in 2010 and 2016) and regularly challenged for wins on the WSL Championship Tour.
However, after claiming victory at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in 2017, Jordy would struggle with injuries and miss numerous events, including the Summer Games in Tokyo in 2021. He did, though, finally have the chance to represent his country in 2024 when competing at the Paris Games.
Back to his very best
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.
He followed that up with victory at the Margaret River Pro, marking the first time in his seasoned career that he had won two CT events in a single year.
Still mixing it with the best on Tour, Jordy is proof that age is just a number.
Jordy Smith in Teahupoo
© Brian Bielmann/Red Bull Content Pool
Timing some time to sit back and relax
© Anthony Fox/Red Bull Content Pool
Jordy inspects the pitch
© Ryan Miller
Showing off his collection of boards
© Tyrone Bradley/Red Bull Content Pool