Connor O’Leary claimed his first World Surf League victory at Jeffreys Bay on Friday, defeating world No.1 Yago Dora in the men’s final. The Australian-born surfer, who represents Japan, posted a two-wave total of 15.67, well clear of Dora’s 14.23, after earning the event’s only 10-point ride in the semi-finals.
In the women’s final, Australia’s Molly Picklum agonisingly missed out on back-to-back J-Bay crowns, losing to American Gabriela Bryan by just 0.26 points. Picklum, 22, hesitated in the final seconds and failed to catch a wave that could have secured victory, leaving her to splash the water in frustration as time expired.
Picklum still leads the WSL rankings with 61,145 points, ahead of Bryan on 58,595. Meanwhile, O’Leary expressed his delight after the win, saying, “All the stars aligned for this one. I intended to do some of the best backhand surfing you’ve ever seen.”
The tour now heads to Tahiti next month, with the finals scheduled for Fiji from 27 August to 4 September. Three women—Picklum, Bryan and Caity Simmers—have already qualified, while Dora is the only men’s surfer to have sealed his spot.
