Reynolds leads way into quarters in California

The 26-year-old got the better of Brazil’s Heitor Alves in the morning’s round of 24 before dissecting the Lower Trestles right-handers in the afternoon to beat Granger Larsen with a heat-total of 18.63 out of a possible 20 to reach the last eight.

“I’ve been feeling really sketchy this event and been having unsuccessful free-surfs,” Reynolds said.

“I was feeling better in that one. I had been riding a different board in every heat and I rode this one this morning and just stuck with it.”

Reynolds was joined in the quarters by Brazilian teenager Gabriel Medina; the 18-year-old producing a scintillating late ride with a huge air-reverse for a single-wave score of 9.50 toe beat local Brett Simpson.

“I was comfortable and I knew that was going to be a tough heat,” Medina said. “Brett surfed really well, he had the nine and the eight and it was the hardest heat that I’ve had here.

“I was just waiting for one more wave and I feel on the one before. I needed the last one and I went big and got the score.”

Fellow teenager John John Florence raced into the last eight as he defeated Floridian Cory Lopez with his usual brand of power-surfing and above-the-lip manoeuvres.

“The waves were super fun and I was nervous going against Cory,” the 19-year-old Hawaiian said. “He’s been one of my favourite surfers since I started surfing and surfing against him is pretty scary.

“He’s so consistent and he’s got airs down like nothing. He’s been looking so sharp and I’m just really happy to have made it through that heat.”

Frenchman Jeremy Flores was forced to borrow a board from former women’s world champion Lisa Anderson for the afternoon’s round of 16 after he broke his in the morning heats.

“I broke my board on this lay-back and Lisa was really nice and let me borrow her board,” the 24-year-old from Reunion Island said.

“It actually goes pretty good but it’s a lot different from what I’m used to riding. I was lazy this morning and had a hard time waking up. Early morning heats are not really my thing.

“I didn’t bring that many boards. That one I broke was my best one and I don’t know, I might keep surfing this one.”

Flores racked up wins over Sebastian Zietz and Californian Nat Young to book his place in the last eight.

Nike Lowers Pro Round of 16:

Heat 1: Glenn Hall (IRL) 16.83 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 16.13

Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 16.70 def. Nat Young (USA) 16.30

Heat 3: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 18.73 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 6.90

Heat 4: John John Florence (HAW) 16.27 def. Cory Lopez (USA) 8.26

Heat 5: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.96 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 17.43

Heat 6: Dane Reynolds (USA) 18.63 def. Granger Larsen (HAW) 16.47

Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.94 def. Jay Thompson (AUS) 11.00

Heat 8: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 16.40 def. Mark Occhilupo (AUS) 16.30

Nike Lowers Pro Round of 24 Results:

Heat 1: Glenn Hall (IRL) 13.43 def. Tomas Hermes (BRA) 13.10

Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 11.93 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 9.20

Heat 3: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 14.23 def. Gabe Kling (USA) 11.77

Heat 4: Cory Lopez (USA) 14.87 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 12.43

Heat 5: Brett Simpson (USA) 15.50 def. Daniel Ross (AUS) 13.50

Heat 6: Dane Reynolds (USA) 12.00 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 10.17

Heat 7: Jay Thompson (AUS) 13.94 def. Nathan Yeomans (USA) 13.50

Heat 8: Mark Occhilupo (AUS) 13.10 def. Blake Thornton (AUS) 13.00