51| Dane Ward
Birthday: July 29, 1987
Hometown:San Clemente, California

A solid, well-rounded surfer, after a noteworthy amateur career Dane Ward is still waiting to stomp a spot out amongst the professional ranks. Already proven in some heavy surf, and a heck of a competitor thanks to the tight-knit San Clemente crew he grew up with (including the Gudauskas brothers and Nate Yeomans), Dane knows what he has to do. “He made a big impression this winter,” recounts Orange County elder Mike Parsons. “He showed at Pipe this year that he’s definitely not afraid. He was really pushing it. He’s finally enjoying some upward momentum.” If he can take his flowing form, groomed on the speedy walls of Trestles and apply it with a sense of urgency and drive, good things can happen.

52| Kellen Ellison
Birthday: April 1, 1988
Hometown: Ventura, California

A big bloke that likes big waves. Over the last couple of years he’s spent some quality time in Hawaii, enjoying the lumps of Waimea and Sunset. But he still feels the draw of chasing swell along California’s Central Coast. One of Dane Reynolds’ right-hand men when he’s in town, Kellen’s not just about enjoying open water. This goofy-footer’s penchant for powerful rail gouges and fins-free off the tops is equally impressive. His challenge, like a lot of kids from this wave-rich neck of the woods, is not getting complacent at home. Starting to step onto a more global stage, he’s already well traveled, and that bodes well for him.