Surfing Soapbox: Changing of the surfing tour guard

Don’t look now, but the world of professional surfing might be witnessing a changing of the guard — Dane Reynolds and Jordy Smith are looking as if they might finally live up to the hype that has surrounded them for the last couple of years.

They ranked 10 and 11 on last year’s world tour and will now find themselves competing against one another in semifinal No. 2 when competition resumes at the Quiksilver pro at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast of Australia.

Smith struck first, in Round 4, by defeating nine-time world champion Kelly Slater, who was looking like a favorite after his devastating form in earlier rounds.

However, not to be outdone, Reynolds put the surfing world on notice that there might just be a new sheriff in town.

As he smashed last year’s defending champion, Joel Parkinson and local favorite Reynolds took performance surfing to a new level in competition and otherwise.

Semifinal No. 1 will see fellow Californian Bobby Martinez up against tour veteran Taj Burrow of Australia.

Both surfers have been in fantastic form all event, and both have something to prove in this event while advancing to the semifinals without the hype of Reynolds and Smith.

For the first time since 1990, when former three-time world champion Tom Curren won his last world title, California now has two legitimate contenders in the likes of Reynolds and Martinez, who live in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

However if it’s a pick you want for this event, I’m going with Taj Burrow over Jordy Smith.

JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach native, professional surfer and John Kelly Environmental Award winner. His websites include AlohaSchoolofSurfing and ECOWarrior Surf.com. He can be reached at Jamo@Aloha SchoolofSurfing.com