The opening moments of World No. 1 Jordy Smith's Round One heat laid the groundwork for a comfortable win. "I was able to take command of the heat early and just stay patient," said the South African. Early on, Smith was sandwiched between rookie Ian Gouveia and wildcard Evan Geiselman in an aggressive paddle battle for a mediocre split peak. Geiselman, going right, and Gouveia, headed left, crossed paths on the takeoff. Sensing a potential interference unfolding, Smith passed on joining the fray. While neither Gouveia nor Geiselman were able to turn their opening rides into significant scores, Smith was left out the back with first priority. He used it to his advantage by strong-arming the remainder of the heat through his use of priority, locking in a 9.50 along the way.
