WATER SPORT - With the yellow jersey getting swapped yet again, there was so much talk on the Quiksilver Pro France webcast about the 2017 Men’s World Title being somewhat of a two-horse race between John John Florence and Jordy Smith — the former looking to continue his Andy Irons-like roll with a second consecutive Title; the latter looking for his first (and South Africa’s first in 28 years).
But as it turns out, according to Renato Hickel, the WSL Men’s Championship Tour Deputy Commissioner, there are actually eight World Title contenders going into Portugal: John John Florence, Jordy Smith, Gabriel Medina, Owen Wright, Matt Wilkinson, Julian Wilson, Filipe Toledo and Adriano de Souza all have a mathematical chance at winning the big one.
Either way, it will probably be decided in Hawaii.
Since there are seven other men with a fighting shot, that’s seven more targets on Florence’s back, and no one will give him an inch of an inch of an inch. So to clinch his second World Title at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, the Hawaiian will have to find an even higher gear in his competitive transmission, while hoping all seven of his rivals bog in the sand at Peniche.
Not bloody likely. Regardless, here are the World Title contenders and scenarios going into Portugal, as revealed by Hickel:
-If John John Florence gets a 1st in Portugal, Jordy Smith will need a 5th or better to take the World Title decision to Hawaii.
