J-Bay: S.Africa's surf mecca missing out on the global tour (opens in new tab)

This year, though, J-Bay is missing out on the international spotlight after the World Surf League (WSL) abruptly pulled the South African stopover from its 2026 Championship Tour. It is a blow for the otherwise humble Eastern Cape town of 30,000 inhabitants, which made an occasion of an event that booked out its accommodation and, by one estimate, brought in millions of dollars. "It is a big financial loss for all the small businesses in Jeffreys Bay," said Jacqui Bursey, 55, manager of a su...