Day One of Quiksilver Pro France is in the Bag

by: Cyrus

The opening day of the Quiksilver Pro France came three heats short of finishing round one, with Quiksilver team riders Kelly Slater and Dane Reynolds leading the pack who advanced directly to round three.  In the shifting and unpredictable beachbreaks of La Graviere near Hossegor, clean head high to overhead waves greated the competitors.  For Slater, who is currently in the lead for an unprecedented 12^th ASP World Title, every contest is important given he has no contest scores left to throw away.

 

“Well I didn’t back-up my result in Fiji with one in Tahiti,” said Slater. “It’s tough at this level. There’s no doubt about that. I always enjoy France though. I’ve been coming here for so long that it really is like another home for me and I feel really comfortable out there. I was surfing on that same quad I surfed in the Final at Lowers last week and it’s been feeling really good so if it stays like this I may stay on it.”

 

His Quiksilver teammate Dane Reynolds was given a wildcard entry into the contest and took advantage of being allowed to compete in the Quiksilver Pro France.

 

“The waves were pretty fun out there when they came through,” said Reynolds. “It’s nice and spread out so Joel (Parkinson) and Bede (Durbidge) were kind of down on their own peak and I was up on my own peak which is always nice. I’m not much of a hassler. Competition is fun for me and I don’t put pressure on myself to do well. I do like to see how I perform in this environment though and that’s why I do these.”

 

Contest organizers will decide tomorrow morning whether to resume the contest or to call a lay day.  All pictures courtesy of Kirsten and Cestari with the ASP .  Visit quiksilverlive.com/profrance/2012 for webcasts and more information.