South African surfer Jordy Smith is out of the 2017 men’s world title race after surfing legend Kelly Slater knocked him out in Round 3 of the Billabong Pipe Masters in Hawaii.
The world crown showdown is now between Hawaii’s John John Florence and Gabriel Medina of Brazil after both of them won their round three heats.
Slater has won this event in Hawaii seven times.
He might be 45-years-old and returning from a foot injury, but the 11 time world champion had two scoring waves of 6.7 and 5.17 in his heat against Smith.
Smith had a 7.0 which was the highest of the heat, but his second best was only 0.8 and Slater won 11.87 against 7.8.
Florence is the current leader in the championship rankings and if he reaches the final of the event, Medina will not be able to overtake him.
Florence beat Australia’s Ethan Ewing 10,87 to 10,8 to advance to Round 4.
Medina also scraped through as he beat another Australian, Josh Kerr.
The Brazilian scored a total of ten points for two waves while Kerr recorded 9,93.
