Stab Magazine | Dane Reynolds and a backside stab at Rocky Point, Hawaii

Live Now — Episode 3 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

174 Views

Dane Reynolds and a backside stab at Rocky Point, Hawaii

Dane Reynolds is in Hawaii and has a steam on. He’s doing the Triple Crown, for which we’re all thankful, and might, maybe, possibly be flirting with the idea of getting re-involved in the competitive game on a more committed level* (*purely speculative but let it please be true). It doesn’t take much to spin the rumour mill and Dane’s win at unspectacular Haleiwa was enough to switch it on. But, anecdotal evidence might suggest that the rumours have a little basis. “I can attest that I’ve seen what might be a different approach to Dane’s surfing over the past week in Hawaii,” says photographer Trevor Moran. “Marathon solo sessions far removed from the beaches lined with lenses, preferring to hone technique on tricky contest-esque waves instead of hunting for a Wave of The Winter clip at flawless sandbars. While experimenting with angles during a squall at Sunset with conditions far from ideal, I spotted a familiar white T-shirt testing wrap arounds from way out the back. There was no dedicated filmer recording The Shirt’s every movement, and it became clear that although it may be a familiar face out the back, there may actually be a brand new person coming to the tour sometime soon.” It wasn’t just about winning the Haleiwa heat though, but more the way in which he did it: multiple, enthusiastic turns to the beach that looked… competitive, rather than his go-for-broke one move play of yesteryear. But, what’s Dane’s vibe on requalification? “Its pretty tough being a wildcard out there,” he said after his Haleiwa heat win. “Not so much in this event, but in the WCTs because you’re going up against the top seed first round and its pretty daunting. I was actually thinking out there after the first couple exchanges… I’d get eaten alive on the WQS, because I’m so bad at positioning and paddling and that is such an key element in competing in four man heats.” Whether or not Dane requalifies, or indeed if he even wants to, we’re still gonna dig on photos like this.

full frame // Mar 8, 2016
Words by Trevor Moran
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Dane Reynolds is in Hawaii and has a steam on. He’s doing the Triple Crown, for which we’re all thankful, and might, maybe, possibly be flirting with the idea of getting re-involved in the competitive game on a more committed level* (*purely speculative but let it please be true). It doesn’t take much to spin the rumour mill and Dane’s win at unspectacular Haleiwa was enough to switch it on. But, anecdotal evidence might suggest that the rumours have a little basis. “I can attest that I’ve seen what might be a different approach to Dane’s surfing over the past week in Hawaii,” says photographer Trevor Moran. “Marathon solo sessions far removed from the beaches lined with lenses, preferring to hone technique on tricky contest-esque waves instead of hunting for a Wave of The Winter clip at flawless sandbars. While experimenting with angles during a squall at Sunset with conditions far from ideal, I spotted a familiar white T-shirt testing wrap arounds from way out the back. There was no dedicated filmer recording The Shirt’s every movement, and it became clear that although it may be a familiar face out the back, there may actually be a brand new person coming to the tour sometime soon.”

It wasn’t just about winning the Haleiwa heat though, but more the way in which he did it: multiple, enthusiastic turns to the beach that looked… competitive, rather than his go-for-broke one move play of yesteryear. But, what’s Dane’s vibe on requalification? “Its pretty tough being a wildcard out there,” he said after his Haleiwa heat win. “Not so much in this event, but in the WCTs because you’re going up against the top seed first round and its pretty daunting. I was actually thinking out there after the first couple exchanges… I’d get eaten alive on the WQS, because I’m so bad at positioning and paddling and that is such an key element in competing in four man heats.”

Whether or not Dane requalifies, or indeed if he even wants to, we’re still gonna dig on photos like this.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Correction: J-Bay All Foreplay, No Climax

Slim pickings on Day 1 of the Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025.

Jul 11, 2025

What Do Hollywood, Surf Lessons, Michael Jackson And Traction Pads Have In Common?

A Stab Interview with Teva Dexter, the man behind surfing's hardest new hardware brand —…

Jul 10, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

"The tribe has spoken," Dane Reynolds pronounced, and a surfer's torch was snuffed.

Jul 10, 2025

How Josh Ku Nearly Died Trying To Cross From Ulus to G Land by Hydrofoil

“If someone finds me dead at least they can find my phone and know what…

Jul 10, 2025

Expect No Kiss, All Climax At The “World’s Most Perfect Pointbreak”

A Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025 preview.

Jul 9, 2025

SEOTY: Liam O’Brien stars in ‘Friction of Perception’

"Hopefully I don’t come across like too much of a peanut."

Jul 8, 2025

10 Shapers To Watch In The Next 10 Years — Part One

“It’s like a drug empire, man. Cut the head off the snakes, and more will…

Jul 7, 2025

Mason Ho Joins Ritual Vision, Releases Remix Of Greatest Hits

Dion Agius riffs on the eyewear brand’s U.S. expansion, Ritualistic Tendencies, and the new stars…

Jul 7, 2025

Is It Time For A New Judging Format?

We have a modest proposal — a WSL head judge disagrees.

Jul 7, 2025

Luke Thompson Turns Last Year’s Priority Disaster Into Ballito Gold

+ earns himself a wildcard into Jbay.

Jul 7, 2025

Fiji Has Its First Professional Surfer, And He’s Unbelievable

16-year-old James Kusitino’s incomprehensible tube lounging leads to a deal with Former.

Jul 6, 2025

Laird Hamilton on The Limitations of Being a Purist, Invention vs. Ownership + Why He Never Had a Sticker Deal 

Untold stories from his How Surfers Get Paid interview.

Jul 4, 2025

When Surfer’s Eye Is Actually Cancer

Erin Campbell's brutal journey from surf camp dreams to chemo drops, cryotherapy, and surgical horror.

Jul 3, 2025

Surfing’s 2025 Q2 Report

An assessment of surfing's vital signs throughout the second quarter of 2025.

Jul 2, 2025

What Actually Happened to Occy’s Mad Max Plunger Pool In Yeppoon?

Surf Lakes’ brass talks: internet hecklers, the unplugging of the plunger, and the Tom Curren…

Jul 2, 2025

Poor Goofy Foots 

Data shows that the world is stacked against goofs — they even make 15% less money than…

Jul 1, 2025

Britain’s First Wavepool Has Closed — What Really Happened?

Bankruptcy, social media hackings, debts unpaid — and yet, reopening looms.

Jul 1, 2025

Watch: Was Matt Meola’s Air Actually Better Than Hughie’s?

Watch the full Swatch Nines highlight reel and decide.

Jun 30, 2025
Advertisement