Things Change – with Jordy Smith

Who remembers Martin Potter’s crazy streak in 1989? He went mad at so many consecutive events that it still stands in the record books as the biggest world title winning margin ever. So what happened? Was it the training? Was it the fact that Derek Hynd gave him a ‘no-chance’ rating in his Surfer Mag Top 30 analysis? Or maybe it was something else?

Some would say that Pottz’s hot streak started earlier. Gotcha ad in Zag (circa ’82)

Maybe something switched inside of him? It happens to top sportspeople. That tipping point, when they decide to change their approach, to review their attitude, and to give it all from a different perspective. We’re currently watching Jordy Smith do something different, and no one is sure what it is.

After a poor start, a string of 25ths and a drop out of the Top 10, Jordy was having a below average year. In fact it could be said that the surfer who was called out by Kelly Slater as having multiple world titles in him, was having a shocker. Until Trestles that is.

Jordy’s surfing was spot-on at the Hurley Pro at Trestles.

Jordy won the Hurley Pro by doing something different. Was it because he was relaxed because there was no pressure for anything, or maybe it was that idea that has been mentioned much recently that a world title run starts the year before? Perhaps it was a bid to please his wife and make her proud (happy wife, happy life etc). Either way, he won it. A big event. But it wasn’t a flash in the pan.

The next event, the Quiksilver Pro France, saw the same in-form Jordy, killing it throughout the event. The only reason he lost in the semis was because he couldn’t buy a wave out there against Jadson Andre, who was getting barrelled off his head forehand and backhand. A win and a third back-to-back.

Then Jordy entered the Caiscas Billabong Pro, and was delivering some top performances again, despite eventually losing in the quarter finals to none other than Jadson Andre again. Still, the role continued. We needed to find out what was going on in the head of the man.

Jordy in action at the Quiksilver Pro France.

JARVI: Bru, tell us what has changed. What have you done?
JORDY: Well, quite a few things have changed actually. Time will tell, but my approach is very different now.

Did the Trestles event make you reassess your approach? You mentioned that you weren’t tearing but you still won.
You know, there are going to be some events when you feel like you’re unstoppable, and there will be others where you feel like you are scraping through. I think the thing for me is to embrace both cases, and accept both cases. Accept the fact that you’re not always going to put on a show. Sometimes you have to change everything in order to win.

That’s positive, talking of which, married life seems to be really working for you.
Yep. It’s everything I thought it was, and more.

Another thing. Whenever you’re interviewed or in photos, you always seem to have the biggest smile on your dial. What’s the secret joke?
No secret joke. You’ve just got to do something that you love to do. Surfing is not a chore. Competing is not a chore.

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Jordy’s streak has continued in Portugal. Click the image below to watch his massive rotation for a 9.27 in yesterday’s Round 1 at the Moche Rip Curl Pro: