Oftentimes with Championship Tour events, an unfortunate pattern emerges. The waves will pump before the event window, then stutter by the first day of competition. That won’t be the case with the 2025 Corona Cero Open J-Bay, which is due to kick off with heaps of swell on Friday. After not running the CT event at J-Bay in 2024, the WSL will be greeted with a large pulse of Indian Ocean power this week. Surfline is predicting that a southwest swell at 14 feet @ 13 seconds could hit the point by late afternoon. Saturday looks even bigger, with a 17 feet @ 15 seconds groundswell. Proper by any measure.
Surfline
Those CT surfers who got knocked early in Rio de Janeiro wasted no time heading over to Jeffreys Bay to get their reps in. Despite how picture-perfect the point may look on a poster or desktop wallpaper, its speed and vast sections make it a wave point to link, even for the best in the biz.
J-Bay is a wave that requires practice, as it clearly exposes who’s in form and who is not. And there are plenty of guys and girls who can blow the doors down out here. Ethan Ewing has made the last two finals here for obvious reasons. Filipe Toledo has won J-Bay three times. And of course, Jordy Smith would love to get his third win of the season at a place that is basically a second home.
Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League
“We all know J-Bay is one of the world’s best waves,” Jordy said in a WSL news release today. “More importantly for me, it’s a place to reconnect with old friends that I’ve grown up with my whole life. There’s a lot less pressure I put on myself. I spend my entire off-season there, I have a house on the beach, so it’s a very comfortable place for me, and I can surf with ease. To come in wearing the Yellow Jersey is epic. It’s testament to the hard work and sacrifices over the years, and we keep swinging and see how the rest of the year plays out.”
If you want to see more of the CT clicking into gear on the WSL’s channel, click here to watch the warmups from July 5 and here to watch the highlights from July 6. After getting a last-place finish in Brazil, Gabriela Bryan has been a clear standout at J-Bay. She’s only surfed the wave in a contest twice (quarters in 2022 and 2023), but she’s a favorite considering her exceptional power that’s won her two events at right points this season.
Waves on tap and WSL Finals spots are up for grabs. Welcome back, J-Bay.
Corona Cero Open J-Bay Women’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Isabella Nichols (AUS) vs. Luana Silva (BRA)
HEAT 2: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Erin Brooks (CAN) vs. Sarah Baum (RSA)
HEAT 3: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Francisca Veselko (POR)
HEAT 4: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Caroline Marks (USA) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA)
Corona Cero Open J-Bay Men’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Jake Marshall (USA) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW)
HEAT 2: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Joel Vaughan (AUS) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
HEAT 3: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Connor O’Leary (JPN) vs. Matthew McGillivray (RSA)
HEAT 4: Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA) vs. Luke Thompson (RSA)
HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Cole Houshmand (USA) vs. Marco Mignot (FRA)
HEAT 6: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Rio Waida (INA)
HEAT 7: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA)
HEAT 8: Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Alan Cleland (MEX)