JORDY: I’d like to win J-Bay, in front of my home crowd. Even if I only win one event in my career I’d like that to be it. I’ve had a third there before, so we’ll see.

Jordy Smith is on a tear. He’s sitting first in the world in his third year on the Dream Tour, and kicked his season off right by making his first final at Snapper. Sure, Taj Burrow taught him a competitive surfing lesson to take that trophy, but a lesson learned is a lesson earned, and the loss will only serve to sharpen Jordy’s game and strengthen his resolve.

SHOOT: He says it, he does it, I like it. This guy was also offered a soccer scholarship in England, turned that down and had sponsors like Nike, Billabong and O' Neill falling over themselves to sign him up on a pro surfing contract.

clipped from www.surfinglife.com.au “Make a call. Which event are you going to win this year? Oh, gee, I can’t do that. I’d like to win J-Bay, in front of my home crowd. Even if I only win one event in my career I’d like that to be it.” “Worst cover ever,” wrote Smokey from South Australia, on a note that came in an envelope that also included the front page ripped from his magazine. “I am returning to you the one and only cover, ever, in Surfing Life history that I can’t look at.” We’re feeling pretty pleased with ourselves in ASL House this morning. After throwing Jordy Smith’s mug on the cover of our current issue we’ve been copping plenty of unsolicited advice from punters, pundits and industry heads. We saw the cover as an opportunity to herald the arrival of one of surfing’s future greats, to acknowledge that he is finally matching his competitive chops with the mindblowing freesurfing we’ve know of for years, but some didn’t see it the same.