EUROPE: Genesis
August 8— La Bulle
The sun was out, no surf. Most people would mark the day off as a loss and soak rays. Not when you’re traveling with two movie fanatics. Sure enough, it was one of those days with perfect sun when my pals Greg and Jim were going to want to film some of those general interest shots. The kind of day I like to pretend I’m asleep or sick or something. But my room was right next to the kitchen, and it’s impossible for anyone to even pretend to be asleep when Greg prepares the morning oatmeal. Anyway, he makes so much noise banging the pots and pans around that it drives you crazy. I know he does it on purpose. He doesn’t know I know, and I’ll never give him the satisfaction of knowing it aggravates the hell out of me. But anyway, he did this so I’d be sure to be awake. Then he opened my door and screamed his question, there was no chance of getting more sleep, so I got up. They planned to take us to the wine festival in Bayonne. “It will be interesting and fun,” Greg said. When we arrived in Bayonne, we bought the tickets. They had two tickets for sale: the blue for the stands, and the yellow for the participants. We bought the yellow. “Participant?” says I, “participant in what?” “The bullfight,” says Jim. “You’re drunk,” says I. “Good idea,” says Jim. We then went to the nearest bar to talk things over. After a couple of rounds, Greg explained that they had these leather pads on their horns so no one gets hurt. “But why do they have all the first-aid stations?” says I. But before Greg answered, Keith ran into the arena with two beer bottles at the side of his head for horns, and Bill grabbed Greg’s black film-changing bag for a cape. I had a few more beers, shed a few tears and entered the arena. The bullfight scene had to be the biggest fiasco of the century. They let one bull loose at a time, and the people chase it around before the bull chases the people around. Now I have nothing against animals. But bulls are different. I don’t like them, and they know it. They can just sense it. When they let the first bull loose, I knew exactly what his idea was: to search and destroy guys who don’t like him. This left me in bad shape. There were three hundred people to choose from. The bull lowered his head, and charged at me. He tossed me against the retaining fence. I played dead, which I thought I was, and the bull went away merrily searching and destroying. Greg came running up, face flushed with pleasure. “I got it; I got it, but could you do it again so I can get another angle?” I played dead, and Greg went away. Just as I was crawling to the nearest bar, I saw Bill head fro the bull with the black cape (you probably thought tat black wouldn’t work… well, they don’t like black either) Then the bull charged Bill, who turned and ran and was picked up under the butt and launched ten feet in the air. Bill then joined me in crawling to the bar. The bull now knew that surfers were easy pickins, and Keith was chased and clipped by our friend the bully. Needless to say, Greg and Jim were completely stoked about afternoon’s filming, and in the bar they talked about the shots, arms tired from cranking the cameras. They were really filmed out. Bill, Keith and I were absorbed in imported German beer. Or vice versa.
August 10— La Solex
The surf was still flat, so Greg and Jim decided to film me riding around the Solex with my board under my arm. If you don’t know what Solex is, I’ll explain: it’s a cross between a Honda 50 and a full-on heavy duty, knobby-tired paper-boy’s bike… and all the French ride them because they cost only $80. They have a 5cc. engine. That’s about the size of a model airplane engine. It has pedals, too, just in case. These pedals are neat for traveling when the engine breaks down in places where not many surfers hang out like Czechoslovakia, Hungary or Rumania. There is not throttle, just two speeds, slow or fast, depending on what situation you’re in. Like on the open road, they go slow; but down a narrow one-way street with a wide truck coming the wrong way, they move really fast. Take my case: I was carrying the board under my arm as Greg and Jim filmed from a moving car. The road had barbed wire on both sides, and when I went to turn around, the Solex wailed and I went through the barbed wire, puncturing the tire and wrapping the spokes and wheel around my neck. I told Greg and Jim how stoked I was about the idea to film the scene again, so I got to go back to Isabel and recover.
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READER COMMENTS
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 7:34 AM
Bummer, just as he was starting to come right competitively. I think the tour would be poorer for not having him around next year. A year making videos might be cool, but Jordy is ultimately a competitor and needs competition to drive him to the highs he's already achieved. Let's wish him a speedy recovery.
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 9:11 AM
Ouch....great timing!!! Hope he takes it easy and makes a full recovery. He is one of the few on tour who get me excited to watch.
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 11:38 AM
sh***t I wanted Jordy on my FSteam for all season next year..... sorry but screw aritz!!! jordy is the man,,,,,,,
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 12:09 PM
sick. more video parts!
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 1:00 PM
Do those calculations take into account Bruce retiring and AI maybe taking a year out?
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 1:12 PM
Jordy, s one of those guys that everyone wants to see. His Sunset performance in serious waves was simple insane, by far the best surfer out there. He surfs Pipe everyday he's in Hawaii, but he would still have a hard time getting out of round 2 with the local talent. That being said, I am sure he will req. right on the bubble or get an injury spot because he was inside the bubble before the injury occurred. The tour needs him and Dane, maybe with another year on the WCT they can start giving Slater a run
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 2:56 PM
I did both of my knees as Jordy did last winter. Not career ending by no means. Hyperbaric chamber mention is the first sign he's on it. Worst deal will be the 'avoidance syndrome' that occurs being these injuries mess with your head and confidence big time. Good luck JS, you'll be proper, maybe they give him the Timmy R treatment and get him a medical waiver...
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 4:55 PM
wont he get an injury wildcard?
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 10:25 PM
Jordy is a cocky kook who should be kicked off the tour just like kerr ill be glad to see the man who was supposed to be world champ in his first year get blown off. Dane reynolds is the man.
Wed Dec10, 2008, 12:43 AM
He will be sweet , Dhob has secured a spot and with bruce retiring should go back to #28 so . Cambo is out , just need Dunne or Pires to faulter and Jordy will be sweet
Wed Dec10, 2008, 1:18 AM
Check the results from round one today at Pipe. Jordy looks like he is catching a luck break, a huge chunk of the guys chasing him are gone already. Has to suck for it to be out of his hands though...
Wed Dec10, 2008, 2:32 AM
hope u get better jordy! no stress you still rip!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 3:28 AM
Hard Luck Jordy. Not the greatest performance on tour this year but then again KS did not have the best rookie start. The tour would be crazy not to award a wild card. You had performed well enough to date and you rip on the North Shore. Good Luck and get well.
Wed Dec10, 2008, 4:04 AM
yeah that is great comment berto (not) u say the guy is a kook; like to see u go surf sunset the way he ripped it up. The guy deserves to be on the tour for the next year, his surfing is some of the most exciting and keeps me coming back to the screen for more.
Wed Dec10, 2008, 6:34 AM
Jordy represents for S.Africa, if he's out of the CT for next year, he'll be back soon!! he musnt waste his time with video's next year, he should go straight back onto the QS. Go Jordy, you da man!!!!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 7:54 AM
aw man! sorry this happened man, this sucks. praying for a speedy recovery so you can get back in the water!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 9:25 AM
Hey Jords, no worries...you are our champion in South Africa..legends come in time buddy and you'll get there!!!!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 9:59 AM
Berto you have no idea what you are talking about...Kook. To expect a World Title from a 20 year old in his first year is just crazy. Especially with Fanning & Co in their prime...You are right about Dane being the man, but Jordy will bring as much to the sport as any one of the world champs... Rest well Jordy, looks like your place is safe for now...
Wed Dec10, 2008, 11:37 AM
Jordy shreds. He will come right on the tour next year. Dane shreds too. Berto, you're a doosh!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 2:03 PM
We were at Sunset watching Jordy Smith when his injury occurred. The poor guy was in pain, and yet nobody came to meet him when he came out of the water (except us). He put on a brave smile despite the pain, and all I could think of was why nobody was there to help him - when it was evident from the start of the heat that 'something' was wrong. His performance prior to the injury was superb. His perfect 10 ride was a sight to behold. Get better soon, Jordy.YOu were definitely the best surfer at that O'Neill final.
Wed Dec10, 2008, 2:30 PM
Jordy was doing some Chipsesque hacks at Big Sunset but The Chips noticed that he claims more than a Brazilian. Maybe they can fix his arm when they take care of his knee. The Chips wishes him a speedy recovery and if he wants to do some real rehab he knows who to call. 23 Chips
Wed Dec10, 2008, 3:10 PM
forza jordy...youre the best...stay calm
Wed Dec10, 2008, 10:53 PM
JORDY IS IN ........EVRY ONE WHO COULD RUIN IT FOR HIM IS NOW OUT OF THE EVENT. HE WILL SLOT IN AT #27
Thu Dec11, 2008, 4:26 AM
Best Sunset performance ever. There, I said it. Think about it, seriously. Ever notice how WCT guys make Hawaiians look stiff? Well, Jordy was making everyone, including all the locals look really stiff out there. If it was Backdoor Shootout format, he woulda won no prob. Maybe this time off will give him time to meditate and relax, and stop trippin out on everyone. Jordy, people suck, surfers suck, don't be a jock, smile at people, do something different. whatevs
Thu Dec11, 2008, 10:30 AM
Does anyone know if Jordy has requalified?
Fri Dec12, 2008, 11:17 AM
Its official, Jordy Smith is on the 'CT next year at #27 suck it up haters. It would be a travesty if the likes of Jordy and Dane weren't on the tour. As for bleating about him claiming etc I would much rather watch an aggressive competitor (who claims) competing as opposed to the hearing and seeing the tiresome " I dont really care about the tour " attitude some pro's flaunt. At least BI has bowed out on his terms, respect, its not for him. But to the rest who can't muster a proffessional attitude saying you dont care is an insurance policy in case you choke - simple. Rest up, heal up and give it horns Mr Smith. Plenty more 10's to come.
Mon Dec22, 2008, 8:05 PM
Between Dane & Jordy Dane wins. Dane's missed more contests but placed higher. He surfed half the amount of QS's 2 years ago and still finished 2nd. Bottom line is Dane's better. Now. Jordy. He's better than De Souza, Flores, Stedman, Ward, Reyes, Otton, Whitaker, Bruce, Perrow, Neve, both Hobgoods, all Europeans and all Brazilians. He deserves to be on the tour. He should hit top 10 next year. Mick Fanning has to pick it up. He's too robotic him and Jordy need to take a little bit of each others surfing to mix it up. Fanning is the 2nd best surfer in the world but not creative enough like Slater. You can guess exactly what he's going to do each wave. Jordy is an X factor but just needs a little fanning machinery in him.