Is there any stopping the Filipe Toledo train? Of the eight WSL World Championship Tour (WCT) events so far this year, the brash Brazilian has been in five finals and won two of them, including the most recent event in Brazil. That fact leads us to another – we accurately picked Toledo as the winner of the Oi Rio Pro, and subsequently hold the best record in the industry for predicting finalists for 2022 WSL WCT events. You couldn’t have come to a better place for Corona Open J-Bay odds and predictions. That’s right, the Tour returns to Jeffreys Bay in South Africa this July. Given that Toledo has two J-Bay wins in his pocket already, is he a pocket-aces pick to win, or will another surfer manage to upset the current World No.1? Let’s find out!
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Betting Preview for the WSL WCT Corona Open J-Bay Men’s Surfing Competition Running from July 12 to 21 2022
Where: Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa
When: Waiting period runs from July 12-21, 2022
Betting Lines: View WSL betting odds
Streaming Broadcast: WSL website / WSL YouTube
Sponsor: Presented by Corona
Online Commentary: BeachGrit
FAVORITES
Filipe Toledo: 4/6 Odds
WCT Ranking: No.1
With a near 10,000 point lead on the rest of the field, Toledo can secure a stranglehold on the No.1 spot for the 2022 WSL WCT Finals in September with a strong performance at J-Bay this July. He has the best winning percentage at this dreamy right-hand point break of any surfer currently on the WCT. Of his six appearances at the event, Toledo has been in the semis or finals 50% of the time. And as mentioned above, he has won J-Bay twice, both in commanding fashion. The Brazilian is such a clear favorite going into this event that it seems insane to bet against him, but can he sustain his unreal 2022 WCT campaign? Does he have one more win in him before he crumbles in the Tahiti Pro in Teahupoʻo in August? Keep reading.
Jack Robinson: 5/1 Odds
WCT Ranking: No.2
If it wasn’t for Toledo’s hot streak Jack Robinson would be the talk of the town on the 2022 WSL WCT. After an uneven rookie season (2021) Robinson has been on fire in his sophomore year, claiming two victories in a row at Margaret River and in G-Land. With right-handed pits that go on for miles, J-Bay is tailor-made for the fit and barrel-hungry Australian. Robinson is coming off of a Round of 16 loss at the Oi Rio Pro after being robbed by the judges in a heat against Brazilian Mateus Herdy. However, that was payback from being over-scored in a few events so far this year. The judges had no choice but to knock Robinson down a peg in Brazil or they’d face an on-beach riot. Now that he’s returned to neutral ground (South Africa) you can be sure that the panel will go back to backing Jack.
Kelly Slater: 8/1 Odds
WCT Ranking: No.18
Kelly Slater has fallen down the totem pole of WCT rankings after starting the year off with a Billabong Pro Pipeline win. He even skipped the last two events, which included the Surf City El Salvador Pro and Oi Rio Pro. He blamed an undisclosed injury as the culprit, but we all know that Slater simply doesn’t like South America. South Africa on the other hand, is a different story for the GOAT. Slater was the first ever winner of the event (1996) and shares the record with the most J-Bay title wins (4) with Mick Fanning. His Jeffreys Bay winning percentage may not be as good as Filipe Toledo’s (above) but when it comes to experience at this wave there is no comparison. Slater probably won’t make the Top 5 in what may be his final WCT season, but he is hungry for another “V” and J-Bay is one place where he can make that happen.
SLEEPERS
Griffin Colapinto: 10/1 Odds
WCT Ranking: No.4
The young Californian doesn’t have a great record at Jeffreys Bay, with a 17th and a 9th place finish in 2019 and 2018, respectively. However, he needs another solid placement this season if he expects to secure his spot in the WCT Top 5 as we approach the Finals in September. For the uninitiated, the 2022 Finals are being held in his hometown of San Clemente CA. Expect Colapinto to throw everything he’s got at J-Bay’s reeling right handers so that he can compete for the crown at season’s end. It’s also worth noting that with John John Florence and Gabriel Medina out with injuries, the path to the podium at this event is much clearer which favors Colapinto’s chances.
Mathew McGillivray: 15/1 Odds
WCT Ranking: No.14
This is probably the first time WCT sophomore McGillivray has found himself on any WSL picker or oddsmaker list as a contender, even if it’s as a sleeper prediction. So why now? For the simple fact that the South African grew up at Jeffrey’s Bay. He knows the wave as well as, if not better than, everyone else on this page. He competed at the Corona Open J-Bay as a wildcard in 2018 and only received a 25th. That loss helped shake-off the nerves of surfing on the WCT stage in front of his home crowd, which should free him up to perform as the WSL pro that he now is.
LONG SHOT
Barron Mamiya: 20/1 Odds
WCT Ranking: No.13
We refuse to call the young Hawaiian’s success at the start of the season a fluke. Admittedly he has struggled since his win at Sunset Beach, but the rookie has all of the potential in the world to shine once again on a World Surf League podium. He has an average heat score of 12.70 which is actually respectable (this year) and J-Bay is well suited to the barrel-savvy regular-footer. Hedge your Corona Open J-Bay wagers with a bet on Barron.
Note: We know what you’re thinking, but we didn’t forget Jordy Smith. In our opinion the South African is no longer a contender.
2022 WSL CORONA OPEN J-BAY MEN’S WINNER PREDICTION
Jack Robinson adds a third WCT trophy to his 2022 season with a win at the Corona Open J-Bay.
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