Why Did Dane Reynolds Turn Down The Surf Ranch Wildcard? Will Cloudbreak Return in 2020? Are CTers Opting To Train In Waco Over Lemoore?

Oh, here we go again:

Will Cloudbreak return in 2020?

Thundercloud reef left the CT schedule in 2018 to outrage, shock, and despair. But the truth of the matter was, the Fiji Pro had been picking Dirk Ziff’s pockets since Volcom relinquished their support of the event in 2014.

After three years under the financial custody of the WSL, Outerknown rode in like a knight in sustainable armor, tossing up the cash for a three-year contract to keep Fiji on tour – stamping their name across Kelly Slater’s favorite wave and event. Then the following season, the stop disappeared and the Surf Ranch Pro took form with Hurley as the presenting sponsor. This year, OK rebranded the Surf Ranch Pro as the Freshwater Pro, presumably cashing in some of their Fijian credit.

However, our sources have noted the return of Cloudbreak for the 2020 season. If Cloudy does return, it will place either Keramas or Lemoore on the butcher’s block. And, considering the addition of G-Land to the 2020 tour, it’s possible for both stops to greet the cleaver. 

Now, let’s heckle from the cheap seats and propose the WSL keeps Keramas for the CTers and leave Kelly Slater’s Wonderland for the wealthy business(wo)men, celebs, NFL quarterbacks, Formula One drivers, and anyone else the WSL wants to snuggle next to in a wood-paneled jacuzzi.

With that said, Stab will graciously plop down in that wood-paneled jacuzzi…  

UPDATE:

There have also been rumors circulating around the ISA World Games that the WSL will cut an extra event in 2020 to make room for the Olympics. Based on their competition dates and lack of a title sponsor, surfers (and now, fans) fear that either J-Bay or Teahupo’o will get the boot.

Dane says no to WSL Wildcard for Surf Ranch Pro.

Hip surf dad, Dane Reynolds, took a firm stance on Wave Pools as lame upon the Surf Ranch’s rise to popularity at the end of 2015. But, it’s clear humanmade waves are not going the way of the T-Mobile Sidekick, and the king of cool warmed up to the synthetic reality.

Back in June, we courted DR as a commentator at Stab High. When Eli Hanneman injured his peg during a private warmup session the Thursday before our event, a slot opened up. Dane, who’d surfed the pool that same Thursday with the Vans team, while still skeptical, admitted he had fun.

After plenty of convincing and buckling every one of his Channel Islands Neck Beards, Dane borrowed one of Noa Deane’s LSDs, entered the event and lost first round.

Dane, during his first trip to any landlocked wave. Photo: Jimmy Wilson 

Recently, Monsieur Reynolds took the three-hour drive from Ventura to Kings County with the Vans team, and a drone clip, courtesy of Jimmy Wilson, posted to our IG. The comments lit up with @WSL tags pleading for Dane as the Wildcard of the Surf Ran… er, Freshwater Pro. The World Surf League, being in the biz of pleasing crowds and telling stories, reached out to Dane. The problem is Kelly’s wave is for tubes, snappy clicks, and the occasional alley-oop on the end section. In competition, Dane thrives in waves where he can speed down the line and throw half the ocean to the horizon (think that Haleiwa turn).

Knowing this, Dane politely declined their request, and the WSL passed his spot on to the next best storyline: Griffin Colapinto’s little bro, Crosby.

Some CTers are opting to train in Waco over Lemoore for the Freshwater Pro.

To get Kelly’s pool in its functioning form, they broke a lot of ground. The wave is a genuine specimen of technology. But with all the CTers heading out to Lemoore to warm up, time in the pool, and waves, in particular, are becoming finite resources. Every CT surfer is guaranteed two warm-up waves per day for the three days preceding the event. Because of this, we’ve heard some CTers are opting for the Freshwater oasis of BSR Surf Resort in Waco, Texas, instead.

While Kelly’s wave is superior in shape, tube, length, and form; BSR’s mass appeal is in quantity and consistency. BSR does everything the Surf Ranch can do, just on a smaller, less perfect scale.

We’ve heard rumors of multiple World Tour surfers opting for rural Waco over the Tachi Casino in Lemoore – one CTer fully committed to the Texas first program shares the same initials Eminem. 

Until next time xoxo, 

GG