GREAT WHITE HOPES
Dane and Jordy Breathe Fresh Air Into WCT

The WCT has been waiting for a new bloody rivalry. It's always nice to start 'em young.

It's official. I don’t care about this year’s WCT anymore. Give the title to Fanning and let’s move on. Give me next year already. Next year’s WCT is going to be mental. The two young upstarts, Jordy Smith and Dane Reyonlds, have qualified. Jordy qualified last month and Dane Reynolds spent the weekend in France at the Rip Curl Super Series taking care of business. Both come to the table with all eyes watching keenly. Believe me, Rodrigo Dornelles is not the reason I log on. It wasn't this year and it won't be next year (Rodrigo rips by the way). It's just not why you or I watch. We want to see the newest flavor: Jordy and Dane. Big sponsors, big moves, big hype. Now that the great white hopes are in, the ‘07 WCT feels like a clunky Blackberry next to a shiny iPhone.

Who will outperform whom is almost a game inside of the game. But at this point it is all conjecture. That's why they blow the horn. Conventional wisdom within the industry suggests that Jordy appears a bit more together competitively. Focused. A strategist. A well-oiled machine. Dane seems to have more of a care free “aw shucks” attitude, surprised both when we wins and when he loses.

Jordy is the powerful and smooth South African who draws comparisons to Joel Parkinson. Dane Reynolds is California's answer to Curren with all the marketing luster of Slater and cutting edge of performance of, well, of himself. He is required to bring a world title back to the Golden state.

What does this mean for pro surfing fans?

It means we get to see the contest within the contest: the clash of the great white hopes. It also means we get to see Irons, Slater, Fanning, Burrow and Parko deal with two new faces who are expected to perform, and for whom, quite frankly, failure is not an option. We get to see the new breed clash with a veterans, deal with Teahupoo, navigate around parties in Europe and girls in Brazil and Pipeline all amidst managers, press, tour personal changing itineraries and well, it will be fun to watch it unfold.

A preview of next year’s fun takes place beginning September 7th when the Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley sets up shop at Lowers. Jordy and Dane will be there. Who do you think will go the farthest?