The most exciting surfer in the world

Dane Reynolds is considered by many pro surfers, including world number one Kelly Slater, to be the best surfer in the world.

Reynolds doesn’t compete much, however. He doesn’t like it, preferring to surf in his own exciting style rather than to please the judges. For example he recently pulled out of October’s Rip Curl Pro Portugal event, receiving a stiff $25,000 fine for doing so.

That’s gotta hurt.

Reynolds, 26, is more interested in pushing the boundaries of the sport, which competitions discourage because falls are penalized. He spends as much time in the air as he does in the water while surfing, and his aggressive, almost violent style in attacking waves have earned him the praise of fellow pros, who call him the most exciting free surfer in the world. At most tour events the biggest story isn’t who wins, but whether Reynolds shows up, and what he might do once he’s in the water.

–Rolling Stone

Read more about Dane Reynolds, the world’s most exciting surfer, in Rolling Stone.

Photo credit: crawfish head (Flickr CC)

For a little bit of news closer to home (Ericeira, Portugal, in case you don’t know) local surfer Tiago Pires recently finished third place in heat seven of the first round of the Rip Curl Pro Search competition in San Francisco, USA. Ericeira’s ‘Saca’, as he is known, is ranked number 18 in the world.

Kelly Slater is expected to clinch his 11th world title in San Francisco’s Rip Curl Pro Search. Look out for more news on how Slater fares.

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