Thruster Round Sees Leaderboard Shake-Up At J-Bay Classic Presented by Corona

JEFFREYS BAY, Eastern Cape, South Africa (Thursday, June 20, 2024) - The World Surf League (WSL) J-Bay Classic Presented by Corona Specialty completed the first Thruster Round for men and women in clean, three-to-four foot waves at Supertubes. As the onshore wind arrived, it created the perfect conditions for the Sealand Airs For Good expression session which saw local youngsters and international invitees go to air all for a good cause. The next call will be tomorrow at 07:45 AM GMT+2 for a possible 08:15 AM start.

Coco Ho - WSL / Kody McGregor

Coco Ho Leads Women, Trials Winner Sarah Baum In The Mix

After scoring an excellent 8.83 (out of a possible 10) in the Twin Fin Round yesterday, Coco Ho (HAW) is still on top of the Women's Leaderboard after scoring a 5.50 in the Thruster Round, with a total of 14.33. "I'm stoked, I was just excited to come here, get some reps in at J-Bay and ride fun boards," Ho said. "It's been such beautiful conditions everyday. I'm probably the most experienced in the twin fin category in the past four years so I was so excited to ride those in J-Bay. I'll admit it was more of a job for me to ride the thruster, but it was good!"

Sarah Baum - WSL / Pierre Tostee

The J-Bay Classic Presented By Corona Women's Trials winner Sarah Baum (RSA) is firmly in the mix, currently in second place on the leaderboard with her excellent ride in the Twin Fin Round yesterday and a 5.77 in the Thruster Round. "It's really tricky out there," Baum said. "The sets roll through and it looks like you need to paddle deeper, but you're actually in the right spot and you just need to trust your instincts. There are some really sick waves out there, it's fun."

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) and Sierra Kerr (AUS) are on their heels in third and fourth, with Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) and Sage Erickson (USA) rounding off the leaderboard.

Sierra Kerr - WSL / Pierre Tostee

Kerrs Keep Momentum Going In J-Bay

Sierra Kerr (AUS) scored the best wave of the Women's Thruster Round with a 7.33, speeding down the line to throw down a big turn before sliding into a quick barrel. Kerr first traveled to J-Bay with family when she was just 6 months old and today she's competing at Supertubes in the same event as her dad, Josh Kerr (AUS).

"It's really cool and apparently we're even staying in the same house as we were back then," Kerr reflected. "It's a lot different than I thought it was going to be, you always have an idea of something so when it surprises you it's sick. For some reason it's a lot nicer than I expected! It's a beautiful place and I'm frothing to be here."

Josh Kerr - WSL / Kody McGregor

In the Men's Thruster Round, Josh Kerr found a great looking wave and went straight for an aerial maneuver, landing a huge full rotation for a 6.67 to go into his total score and move into second on the Men's Leaderboard.

"I was stoked, I don't chuck as many airs these days," Kerr said. "I got the nice full rotation and landed straight and clean, it felt kind of effortless and got me all excited so I tried a couple more. It's just good to be out there, it was fun. I hope I don't have to go on a thruster again, it felt like I was dragging the anchor the whole time! I'm excited to get back on the twinny and glide down some lines out there. It's amazing to travel with the family, and share these sessions with Sierra. She keeps me super inspired and motivated and I just try to do the same for her."

Michael February (RSA) showed his versatility and skill at Supertubes when he scored a solid 7.67 in the Thruster Round to add to his incredible 9-point ride from the Twin Fin Round. February sits at the top of the Men's Leaderboard with a total of 16.67.

Trials winner Luke Thompson (RSA) is proving to be a real threat in the Supertubes lineup when he earned an excellent 8.00 in the Thruster Round for his powerful surfing in the pocket. Thompson is currently third on the leaderboard with Frederico Morais (POR) in fourth.

Luke Thompson - WSL / Kody MGregor

Bonus Round To Determine Finalists

A Bonus Round has been added to the competition after the completion of the Twin Fin and Thruster Rounds. Competitors will be able to choose either a twin fin or thruster surfboard for the Bonus Round. The points will be tallied up to determine the top four men and women that will advance through to the Semifinals.

The next call will be on Friday at 07:45 AM GMT+2 for a possible 08:15 AM start. While there won't be a live broadcast, fans will be able to follow updates on the WSL J-Bay Classic Presented by Corona on the @wsl and @jbayclassic social media channels and catch up on all the best highlights from the day on WorldSurfLeague.com.

The J-Bay Classic Presented by Corona holds a competition window from Friday, June 14 through Sunday, June 23.

The J-Bay Classic presented by Corona is proudly supported by Corona, Kouga Municipality, Eastern Cape Provincial Government, House of Mandela, The Freedom Project, Red Bull, Surfing South Africa, Sealand, and Grit.