Making it onto the international stage as a South African is no easy task. It's a small-market economy hampered by a horrible exchange rate and its geographical isolation. Of all the spots on tour South Africa is the toughest to travel to and from. When it comes to embarking on the Qualifying Series, let alone the Championship Tour, South Africans usually have to flee home to make it happen.
Smith and his wife Lyndall are doing their best to keep their South African roots nourished. - WSL / Steve Sherman
Jordy Smith knows this all too well. The big man has spent most of his adulthood chasing his pro surfing dream far removed from his roots. While South Africa has always been home, Southern California has been his base for much of the past decade. In fact he and his wife, Lyndall Jarvis, recently spent a year renovating a new home in San Clemente.
But thanks to Lyndall, and her Cape Town roots, the two have renewed their efforts to spend more time in South Africa during the more lengthy breaks on Tour. While Smith is originally from Durban, he's become a huge fan of the Cape Town scene. He's got a new place there. Opened a swanky new bar called Harringtons, and he's taken to its rugged coast, as you can see during this portion of his latest edit, "Just Now."
During a recent swing by the WSL headquarters in Santa Monica, California, Smith opined on his new quest for spending time in Cape Town. "It's the perfect place to just go and reset," says Smith. "The waves are incredible and it's great to connect with old friends too."