It seems that Billabong’s got some financial woes, and in the mids of job cuts and shop closures the ASP Billabong Pro JBay has also become a casualty. For me personally this is extremely sad news, as this year would have been my 6th time going to see all the pros surf and get a chance to take photos. I guess this is a chance to see the up and coming pros surf it out, and it does also open the event to a host of South African competitors that want to crack the nod, but once again, I wonder if I’ll ever have the chance again of seeing the best of the best competing? Sad indeed.
From Billabong suits: “The change in event status follows a broader review in which we are seeking to identify cost savings throughout the business. By retaining an event at Jeffreys Bay, it now provides two qualifying events back to back in the South African region. The move to an ASP 6-Star also opens the event up to South Africa’s aspiring pro surfers for the first time in 20 years and ensures continuity of the event for the local businesses in Jeffreys Bay.”
“We agreed as a Board that whilst very regrettable, the commercial realities are such that a pragmatic approach by ASP at this time seemed sensible,” Richard Grellman, ASP Executive Chairman, said. “Billabong have been long-time supporters of professional surfing and still sponsor three of the ten World Championship Tour events and we look forward to our deep relationship with them continuing.”
Hope we get to see the pros again in some or other format… sigh.
