Here’s a few things that Dane Reynolds thinks

Yesterday, Dane Reynolds was knocked outta the Quiksilver Pro, Gold Coast by Joel Parkinson. The day before, however, he’d knocked Adriano De Souza out of the event with a 16.73 heat total (including a particularly breathtaking 9.4). It ain’t usually Dane’s bag to hang around chatting to media for a long time after his heat, but after beating Adriano he was in great form and gave the numerous handheld recorders some music to dance to.

Above photo ASP/Will H-S

On the round two heat: It wasn’t a great wave but I was feeling the pressure because Adriano already had a nine, and I think you have to match a nine when somebody else gets one. That wave didn’t start off so good so I pushed as hard as I could off the closeout, and willed it to work. There was definitely a bit of pressure going up against Adriano, and there’s been so many laydays. I just really wanted to get to surf a couple of heats while I was here.

On heat rhythm: I don’t know if momentum is the right word for what I had out there, I just felt kinda like I was coming from behind because he had a nine already, and you have to match that, when somebody’s got a nine. I just made the most of what I had on that one wave.

On board choices: Last year I was really confused about boards, I was riding really rockery short boards and I feel like I get really stuck in the pocket out here. But I have a board that just feels really good for these waves, so I’ve been really excited to surf a heat. It’s all good out there. The waves weren’t insane, but I really wanted to make it ’cause I feel like the waves are gonna get fun and I’d be so bummed if I didn’t really every get on a roll.

This is one of a few opportunities Dane got in his wave-starved loss to Parko yesterday. ASP/Kirstin

On paddle battling Adriano: I did get in a paddle battle with him. It was a paddle battle. It was interesting, they actually gave me priority but he was about three or four heat ahead of me. He was on the outside and had just caught the last wave though. Priority’s always funny. I’ve had paddle battles! I had a paddle battle with Brett Simpson at J-Bay a coupla years ago.

On tactics: At the end there, Taj was telling me to not catch a wave. Man, that’s the weirdest part of heats for me, when you’re in first and it’s towards the end and you have to show some restraint and not go on waves, and be a little bit tactical.

On the desire to win: I wanna win. You don’t wanna lose. The pressure definitely isn’t the same as when I was 18 and there was expectation and stuff. I feel like I’ve kinda gone over the hill on that side, and I’m sorta down the backside of the pressure. I kinda learned to deal with better for myself, not put so much pressure on myself and enjoy it more. It’s always been fun.

On the Haleiwa/9.4 turn becoming a frustration turn: I guess that’s what it is. It’s pretty raw, just push as far as you can in any way you can and try to ride out of it, I guess. I don’t know when I first started trying to do those, but I like those turns.

Judging in his heat: I didn’t see Adriano’s waves. Did he get ripped off?

On catching more waves in round two than round one: He had priority the whole time, and a nine, so I was just trying to catch anything, because all the waves kinda look the same out there. Well not really, you can tell which ones are definitely bad, but some of them that don’t look that good end up being good. Sometimes you just have to try a lot of times.

Dane rarely went for the lip without hanging his fins. ASP/Will H-S

On the location: I’m stoked it’s back at Snapper. Rainbow Bay was kinda weird, it was so random and bending out to sea and soft, and this is a little more compact. Kirra would be sick, it breaks hard and I like the way it breaks f’sure, but when it’s slow it’s really difficult. Maybe if it gets bigger it’d be fun.

On events he’d like to do: I’m pretty fortunate that Quiksilver has this event and France, ’cause those are my two favourite events, then Vans got me in Pipeline this year, which is another one of my favourite events. I definitely got pretty lucky this year. Trestles would be cool, I like it a lot.

On the enjoyment of competition: There’s definitely the excitement or pressure of a half an hour heat, and the confinements of a heat. A half an hour heat against another person, and the do-or-die-ness of it, it’s cool. That 9.4, if I was just freesurfing, I probably would’ve kicked out. It definitely forces you to push yourself in different ways.

On future plans: I’m doing a few trips with John John this year. After this I’m doing a film with Craig Anderson. I guess that’s mostly him filming, but I’ve been putting a lot of work into that too.

On Marine Layer soundtracks: I’ve been listening to a lot of rap.