Japan’s Connor O’Leary won his first World Surf League Championship Tour title at the Corona Open J-Bay in South Africa on Friday.
O’Leary had the event’s only 10-point ride in the semifinals as he knocked out three-time J-Bay winner Filipe Toledo, before beating another Brazilian in world No. 1 Yago Dora in the final.
The Australian-born O’Leary only rode three waves but racked up scores of 8.17 and 7.50 in his second and third runs, giving him a two-wave total of 15.67 of a possible 20, well clear of Dora’s 14.23.
