Stab Magazine | Dane Reynolds Could Have Had The Freshwater Pro Wildcard, Instead It Went To Two San Clemente Teens

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

256 Views

Dane Reynolds Could Have Had The Freshwater Pro Wildcard, Instead It Went To Two San Clemente Teens

Crosby Colapinto and Kade Matson get the call up for their first CT appearance; Lemoore residents presumably pissed. 

news // Sep 14, 2019
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ever since Archy and Christian ruled T-Street, every ensuing generation of San Clemente has percolated up with more and more talent.

In the ‘90s it was the …Lost era. After that came Greg and Rusty Long, Nate Yeomans and the Gudauskas boys. Then it was Kolohe’s turn to carry the torch. Then Griffin stepped into the spotlight.

And now, with the announcement of Dane Reynolds denying the WSL’s offer of a wildcard, San Clemente’s Crosby Colapinto and Kade Matson have been granted entry into next week’s Freshwater Pro, where they may or may not establish themselves against the world’s elite surfers. 

It’s crazy, I feel like there’s something in the water in SC or something, because there’s so many kids coming up,” said Crosby when Stab spoke with him recently. “There’s so much energy around surfing in this town right now. It really pushes me and gives me a lot of drive to get better.”

https://player.vimeo.com/video/345061266

 

Seemingly overnight, Crosby and Kade have gone from shit-hot NSSA groms to legit hammer swingers. Crosby’s 18 years old and Kade’s 17. Puberty’s been good to them. They’ve both sprouted into big, strong, powerful guys who can put a board on rail, but also soar with the best of them. They spend an exorbitant amount of time pushing each other in the water at Lowers. And with Griff and Kolohe lighting a fire under them, they’re highly motivated at the moment.

Earlier this year Crosby won the U.S.A. Surfing Championships. Kade’s coming off a convincing win at the U.S. Open Pro Junior. He’s also the number one rated junior in North America. So yeah, they also know how to win.

Crosby and Kade have both gotten to sample the Surf Ranch and have been breaking down and analyzing the footage they’ve gathered.

And because there is no traditional heat draw at the Freshwater Pro, rather than getting bogged down in strategy, this event will be purely about performance for the boys—and dealing with some nerves as it’s the first CT contest for either of them. It also means that Crosby won’t draw Griffin in a heat, which would have been fun to watch.

As an aside, how do you think Lemoore’s local surf contingency feels about this wildcard situation? If you were from Kings County, wouldn’t you be wondering why two kids from a town 300 miles away got an entry into you local event? The Lemoorians certainly never got a call up for the Hurley Pro, so what gives, WSL?

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

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

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

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

Jul 3, 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

Houshmand Bludgeons Field To Win Second CT — Molly Picklum Tastes Blood, Snatches World #1 In Brazil

You can't argue with big surfing — that's Saquarema wrapped.

Jun 29, 2025

37 Years Old And World #1 — What’s Changed For Jordy Smith?

On rediscovering decades old surfboard templates, having a personality on the CT, and why this…

Jun 27, 2025

Tom Lowe Stars in ‘Let Me Live’

The wild, improbable ascent of Britain’s best big-wave surfer.

Jun 27, 2025

Saq Wrap: Italo Celebrates Mid-Heat, Griff Drops A Freestyle, Jordy + Yago Continue BBQing 20-YOs

Top seeds sow ruin, Final 5 starts to crystallize.

Jun 27, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 2

Our seven surviving surfers confront an oddly large California beach break.

Jun 26, 2025

SEOTY: The ‘Once-In-A-Decade’ Caribbean Swell That Kelly Slater Passed On

Michael Dunphy stars in Jimmicane's 'Blue Veil'

Jun 25, 2025

Who Owns Bingin? Legal Fight To Stop Demolition Begins

Eviction notices served for all businesses built on state land.

Jun 25, 2025

Tony Hawk Just Named Hughie Vaughan’s Internet-Breaking Air Because… No One Else Can

89% of our IG poll respondents claimed the 'stale fish flipper' was the best air…

Jun 25, 2025

German Surfers: AN INVESTIGATION

Truth is the light by which the world can see. 

Jun 24, 2025
Advertisement