The world’s most exciting surfer, Dane Reynolds, has been granted a wildcard at the J-Bay Open. After a ninth place finish at the Fiji Pro WSL Commissioner, Kieren Perrow has offered the Venturian another shot at slaying CT scalps. Dane will join JBU Supertrial Winner, South African, Slade Prestwich in the main event.
Reynolds is currently ranked No. 32 in the world ahead of CJ Hobgood, Brett Simpson and fellow two-time wildcard Jay Davies. The WSL have no clear indication whether Davies will be offered another wildcard spot this season however there have been rumblings that he is a candidate for the spot at the Billabong Pro Tahiti in August.
As they displayed in Fiji, the WSL aren’t afraid to court the world’s best surfers to the world’s best waves irrespective if they are openly pursuing a competitive pro career or not. In the case of Davies, should he bank a spot in Tahiti – or another CT event this season – and finish in the finals he could have a shot at qualification.
The WSL have released a press release readdressing the road to qualification. “To qualify each year for the Tour, a surfer must be ranked No. 22 or better on CT rankings. The top 10 surfers on the Qualifying Series (QS) fill out the Tour (not including those who qualify on both the CT and QS).”
Dane will face Mick Fanning and Kai Otton in Round One.
J-Bay Open Round 1 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Glenn Hall (IRL)
Heat 2: Julian Wilson (AUS), Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS), Michel Bourez (PYF), Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 4: Filipe Toledo (BRA), Miguel Pupo (BRA), C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS), Kai Otton (AUS), Dane Reynolds (USA)
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Adam Melling (AUS), Slade Prestwich (ZAF)
Heat 7: Josh Kerr (AUS), Wiggolly Dantas (BRA), Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA), Jadson Andre (BRA), Fredrick Patacchia (USA)
Heat 9: John John Florence (HAW), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Ricardo Christie (NZL)
Heat 10: Nat Young (USA), Jeremy Flores (FRA), Keanu Asing (HAW)
Heat 11: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kolohe Andino (USA)
Heat 12: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Matt Banting (AUS)
