JEFFREYS BAY, Eastern Cape, South Africa (Thursday, July 10, 2025) - The official competition window for the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) Stop No. 10, the Corona Cero Open J-Bay, opens tomorrow, Friday, July 11, and runs through Sunday, July 20, 2025. The world's best surfers have arrived in Jeffreys Bay, home of one of the world's best right-hand point breaks, and the forecast looks promising for a potential start tomorrow and in the coming days.
World No. 1s Molly Picklum and Jordy Smith Arrive in Jeffreys Bay for Penultimate CT Stop
This week, the top 22 men and top 10 women have been warming up at Supertubes and enjoying the run of swell that preceded the start of Stop No. 10 on the CT. World No.1 Molly Picklum (AUS) will be wearing the Yellow Leader Jersey for the first time this year when she paddles out in the women's Opening Round against Erin Brooks (CAN) and event wildcard Sarah Baum (RSA).
"The Yellow Jersey gives me the belief that I can do it and to keep going," said Picklum. "At the end of the day, we don't just want the Yellow Jersey, we want the big trophy at the end of the year. Every place brings new challenges, and I'm ready for that. I'm just trying to settle in here in J-Bay and get this campaign going."
Two-time J-Bay winner and current World No.1, Jordy Smith (RSA), will be one of the favorites to take out this event in front of friends and family. Smith won back-to-back J-Bay titles in 2010 and 2011, and was the first surfer in the CT at J-Bay to earn a perfect heat score of 20 points (out of a possible 20) in 2017. The 37-year-old will don the Yellow Leader Jersey in J-Bay thanks to his two CT wins and consistent results across the season.
"This is the best part of my year," said Smith. "It's like a soulful feeling when you arrive in this town. The wave is a wonder of the world, the community, the energy, there's no place like J-Bay, and no place I'd rather call home. Being in the Yellow Leader jersey is one thing, but being in Yellow at home is a whole bigger thing. It's been a long time since I've been in this position at home, so hopefully I can go out there and perform."
South Africa's Triple Wildcard Threat: Sarah Baum, Luke Thompson, and Matthew McGillivray Ready to Shake Things Up
There will be more South Africans in the lineup this year, with local event wildcards awarded to Sarah Baum (RSA) and Luke Thompson (RSA) as the highest-placed Africans on the Challenger Series rankings.
Baum is no stranger to J-Bay and could play spoiler in the race to the WSL Final 5. In 2023, she achieved a fifth-place finish as a wildcard and in 2024 won the J-Bay Classic Specialty, showcasing her skills on the walls of Supertubes.
Thompson is fresh off his first-ever Challenger Series victory at the Ballito Pro Presented by O'Neill. The 21-year-old is the first South African to win the Ballito Pro since Jordy Smith in 2017, and is looking forward to his matchup with Smith and Crosby Colapinto (USA) in the Opening Round.
South Africa's former Championship Tour surfer and Jeffreys Bay local, Matthew McGillivray, will also be back in the event as a local wildcard and will bring his wealth of local knowledge and CT experience to the fore.
J-Bay Surf Festival To Keep Crowds Entertained Throughout Event Window
The J-Bay Surf Fest, the 10-day winter festival that runs alongside the Corona Cero Open J-Bay, will provide endless entertainment for spectators and visitors to Jeffreys Bay.
The live music concerts at the ParkOff Music Festival will be a highlight, spanning two weekends. The Fan Park offers nonstop sports coverage, with plenty of food and drink options available. For the more adventurous, there are mountain biking, trail running, funduro, and fishing competitions open to all.
For more information, please visit jbaysurffest.co.za and WorldSurfLeague.com
Watch LIVE The Corona Cero Open J-Bay holds a competition window from July 11 through July 20, 2025. The event will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL's broadcast partners.
The Corona Cero Open J-Bay is proudly supported by Corona Cero, Kouga Municipality, Tsitsikamma Spring Water, Red Bull, YETI, Surfline, True Surf, and Sealand.