Jordy Smith suffered another injury setback. Photos: Pablo Franco//ISA//Jordy Smith//Instagram
After pulling out of two stops of the Championship Tour in El Salvador and Brazil, Jordy Smith has provided an update on his absence. The 38-year-old tour veteran underwent simultaneous hip and knee surgeries performed by Doctor Warren Kramer III in Newport Beach, California.
Smith didn’t provide details on the extent of his injuries, when they occurred, or how long he will be out of competition. He didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment, but having undergone two surgeries, he’ll probably miss most, if not all, of the remaining 2026 events.
“Hip and knee surgery (done), let the healing begin,” Smith wrote on Instagram. “Also super excited to watch the surfers send it in the up-and-coming Tahiti Pro. Get it gang.”
Pro surfers, such as Griffin Colapinto, Jamie O’Brien, Jadson Andre, and Bettylou Sakura Johnson, sent their support in the comment section.
The start of the 2026 tour didn’t go well for Smith. He earned a ninth and three 17th places to start the year, leaving him near the bottom of the rankings. After finishing third overall in 2025, he was not on track to requalify this year. Smith will be 39 when the 2027 season begins. He’ll have to rely on a wildcard from the WSL if he wishes to continue his career.
While a 51-year-old Kelly Slater received a wildcard in 2023 when he missed the mid-season cut, precedent is not on Smith’s side. Last year, when Julian Wilson asked for a wildcard to return to the CT at 36, the WSL instead opted to give him entry into the Challenger Series, which didn’t pan out. The difference is Wilson willingly left the tour, while Smith suffered injuries. The WSL has two CT season wildcards each for the men’s and women’s tours, but there’s no guarantee that Smith will receive one. It could be tight if someone else gets injured, and/or if John John Florence wants to return to the tour.
Smith missed out on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to a previous knee surgery he underwent in June 2021. He qualified again for the 2024 Olympics in Tahiti, finishing ninth.
