With just two events left to go on this year’s ASP world tour, the last place any of these guys want to be is sitting in Brazil facing a local wildcard with their career fates on the line. Yet that’s exactly where a handful of prominent US stars were today as elimination rounds got underway at the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro in terrible three-foot onshore slop. Among those facing unaffordable early exits were Chris Ward, Timmy Reyes, Jordy Smith and Damien Hobgood. With the threat of a trip back to the minor leagues looming all of them were gulping nervously as they took to the lineup at Praia da Vila beach, in Imituba today.

The Mendoza line in pro surfing is the 27th slot on the World Championship Tour. Stay above that, and you’re in next year. Miss it, and you’re looking at a trip back to the minor leagues, unless of course, you’ve been surfing enough WQS events to keep you in the Top 15 there. Heading into Brazil, Ward, Reyes, Smith and Hobgood are living dangerously on that very delicate bubble. At 21st in the rankings, Ward sits one spot in front of Smith and Reyes, who are tied for 22nd, while Hobgood is trying to claw his way up from the number 30 slot. With several dangerous names surrounding them and one event left to go at Pipeline, they simply could not afford to lose today in Brazil.

Chris Ward was first up. Ward, of course, has made a career of making things interesting, and the last 48 hours were typical ‘Where’s Wardo?’ He missed his Round One heat allegedly due to recurring visa problems that held him, once again, in San Paulo. So Ward arrived in Imbituba to find himself matched up against Gustavo Fernandes, facing a one-and-done situation. He could have easily crumbled, but instead Ward shook off his frustrations on the sloppy surf, linking a few solid moves together that pushed him easily into Round Three.

Timmy Reyes was up next, desperately needing a little momentum to build on in a year where it’s been impossible for him to find any. Yet Brazilian hero Fabio Gouveia gave Reyes an open playing field by electing to sit out the back and wait for bombs that never came. Meanwhile, Reyes was acting as if it was a typical blown-out afternoon training session in Huntington Beach. He looked solid, smoothly connecting the dots with plenty of speed, and hitting all targets with the type of aggression we expect from him on good his better days.

Of course, the most anticipated heat of the day was Jordy Smith’s. Smith has taken more than a few lumps this year, including another interference call in Round One on Tuesday that cost him dearly. The South African rookie arrived on the world stage this year with a huge target on his back to begin with, after becoming one of the highest paid surfers in the world and subsequently making some bold predictions in the press about his chances. But he’s been feasting on humble pie for most of the year, having yet to reach a quarterfinal. He’s also struggled with equipment thanks in large part to a huge growth spurt that’s shot him up in both height and weight classes.

For the past few weeks, Jordy has been training in Huntington Beach with renowned hard-ass Ian Cairns, who’s been drilling him on the fundamentals. Smith has also been hitting the gym, where he’s shed more than five pounds in the past few weeks alone. All this was working, too, as he came out firing in Round One ripping on an Al Merrick Flyer. Jordy’s surfing had more spark than we’ve seen for most of the year. But another boneheaded interference run-in with just minutes left to go forced him into another early elimination round.

Today, Smith faced the high-flying Brazilian Pedro Henrique, who comes armed with a good style and a solid arsenal of brilliant moves. And Jordy quickly had his work cut out for him after Pedro took to the air twice on one wave, earning an 8.33. Jordy, who was taking very few gambles early on, kicked it up a notch in response with a couple airs of his own, the second being a huge double-grab that saw three to four feet out.

Jordy got what he deserved, and retook the lead, but Henrique wasn’t done. He answered back twice with solid surfing, but it was as if the judges apparently started weighing the consequences of a tour without Jordy Smith. Henrique’s scores late in the heat were notably shy. He was still within striking distance at the end, needing just a 7.0. The flashy goofy-footer launched into a gigantic air reverse out the back on his last wave. Had he pulled it down, there was no denying him the victory, but he couldn’t, so Smith rides on.

Both Roy Powers and Damien Hobgood nutted in the later heats today, advancing over William Cardoso and Simao Romao respectively, as the Brasilian purge continues this year. Fact is, while several prominent Americans are still facing career setbacks, their plight is nothing compared to the Brazilians this year. As of right now Adriano De Souza is the only Brazilian who’s making the cutoff on the World Tour. Meanwhile, back in the minor leagues there are only two of his countrymen threatening to advance on to join him. There’s little doubt the Americans are the ones eating benefiting from this purge, but time will tell how many new faces we see.

More swell on the way this weekend, so stay tuned

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