The Billabong Pro Jefferys Bay just finished the first elimination round, and the approaching swell should bring classic J-Bay conditions for the closing rounds. Defending contest champion and South African favorite Jordy Smith lived up to the hype in his first round heat. He smoothly comboed airs into multi-manuver scores on less than performance enhancing waves.

Billabong has provided an awesome webcast with the always entertaining Mark Occilupo, Ronnie Blakey, and Joel Turpel. Even during lay days they produce a funny and informing morning show that lays out the Surfline swell forecast and interviews the boys. Click the banner for the videos and forecasts:

The goofy footers are frothing for the swell to even the playing-field against the regular footers. Watch the heats on demand to catch up on the action, and catch the live feed that usually starts around 11pm PST. But don’t stay up all night tweeting about your fantasy team, and drag your feet at work the next day.
With little to no surf in the first week of competition, many thought Kelly Slater would make a dramatic appearance just in time for his round 2 heat. But he and Bobby Martinez no-showed leaving Fantasy Surfer teams in disarray. The Swell office fantasy contest remains close as three players advanced at least 5 surfers into round 5, except for Billy who banked on Kelly pully a mysto-arrival.

This contest loser has to endure a firing squad of burritos, meaning we all get to huck a burrito at his face with any projection device of our choosing. Billy endured 24 hrs wearing a bike lock around his neck, and it looks like he’s headed to bean town this time.

Here’s the SWELL teams and strategies:
Morgan’s Strategy: “The gnarlier looking the brazilian the better he surfs”

Dave’s Strategy: “Youth over experience…sorry Bill”

Michael’s Strategy: “If he dated either of the Miller sisters he’s in the title race”

Bill’s Strategy: “Kelly is going to jump out of a helicopter mid heat and steal this thing”

The Punishment