With just five days to go before the start of the 2019 Corona JBay Open set to take place at Supertubes from July 9 to 22 – the anchor event of the JBay Winterfest – the town of Jeffreys Bay is getting ready for the biggest surfing event in South Africa.
What is it?
The Corona JBay Open is a professional surfing event for men and women, who compete on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT). There is a first prize purse of US$100 000 for both men and women.
Why is it on?
The Championship Tour (CT) consists of 11 contests in some of the best, most iconic waves of the world. Contest venues include Snapper Rocks and Bells Beach in Australia, Teahupo’o in Tahiti, Pipeline in Hawaii and Jeffreys Bay in South Africa.
The Corona JBay Open is the middle point of the tour that culminates in Hawaii and produces a world champion for both men and women every year. The CT is the pinnacle of professional surfing in the world.
Who is in it?
To compete are two-times defending champion Filipe Toledo (BRA), 11-times world champion Kelly Slater (USA), two-times event champion Jordy Smith (ZAR), two-times world champion Gabriel Medina (BRA), defending champion and seven-times world champion Steph Gilmore, Lakey Peterson (USA), three-times world champion Carissa Moore (Haw) and newcomer Caroline Marks (USA).
