UPDATE: Nike 6 Lowers Pro Surfers Hope for Better Surf

Day One of the Association of Surfing Professionals Prime Nike Lowers Pro saw sunny, 80-degree weather, waves with 2-to-3-foot faces and occasional offshore breezes—not to mention some of the world’s top surfers standing their ground for their piece of Lower Trestles’ occasional push of south swell.

“It’s very fun out there,” U.S. contender Dane Reynolds told San Clemente Patch.  “It’s a little small and weak, and we can hope for bigger, but it’s definitely super fun.”

Reynolds, who had knee surgery in January, placed second in his heat, scoring a total of 14.33 against Hawaii’s Kekoa Bacalso, who scored 16.07.

“Everybody’s just really antsy to see if he’s going to be the same Dane,” said Grind Network’s director, Chris Mauro. “Knee injury is a big deal, and he went back out there and got second place in his heat. His surfing looks to me like the Dane we all know and love.”

Local talent Tanner Gudauskas snuck in a solid 9.00 ride with powerful, carving turns, solidifying one of the highest scores for the day against Hawaii’s Dusty Payne. This wave boosted Gudauskas’ fourth-place standing to first.

“I’m just stoked to be surfing in this event,” Gudauskas said on the ASP press release. “I’m coming back from my ankle injury, and I’m frothing on surfing in general.”

Gudauskas told ASP’s website that he injured his ankle in Tasmania and, until three days ago, was out of the water for a month-and-a-half.

Nike Lowers Pro wildcard and local talent Kolohe Andino, 17, left no question about who was dominating the heat when he eliminated last year’s event runner-up Australian Chris Davidson, 33.

“I’m super excited about getting the points here,” Andino told ASP. “I’m just going to take it one heat at a time, but, hopefully, I make a few heats. It’s cool to be on your own program when competing at home.”

The Oakley Pro Junior is also running in conjunction with the Nike Lowers Pro, where 32 surfers will compete for a spot on the ASP World Junior Tour.

Editors Note: The following are the rankings from today's heats at the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro surfing competition.

View a live web cast here, follow @ClementePatch and our surf reporter @JackieNConnor on Twitter to get live updates each day of the contest. Look for the hash tag #nikepro.

Look back later Wednesday for an analysis of the day's Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro from Jackie Connor and some stunning photos from Daniel Clay Hardt.