Contest directors postponed the start of the Quiksilver Pro France this morning and then called it for the day by 2 p.m. local time. Biarritz was plagued with strong northwest winds. Conditions are looking very good for the next few days, though a venue shift to Hossegor is probable.

The mandatory press conference last night, however, was very entertaining.

“Umm, well, umm, sometimes I get up in the mornings and I can surf and umm, sometimes I get up in the morning and I can’t.”

If you find that quote confusing then imagine the assembled French press trying to make sense of Dane Reynolds answer to how he prepares for competition at the elite level.

Mick Fanning, the defending champ, was there. Jeremy Flores, Quiksilver’s favorite French son was on display. Kelly Slater was front and center, and sitting off to the side, virtually a passenger, was Dane Reynolds.

Kelly had fielded the majority of questions. Flores had got a couple. Fanning had one or two, but Reynolds had sat there looking bemused for most of the time. The questions and answers, depending on who was asking and who was answering, were being translated from French to English or English to French.

There was a lot of very straight press at this affair and some of the questions came from no knowledge of surfing what so ever. One to Kelly went something like —

“What maneuver are you working on now?”

Kelly deadpanned the answer, “My bottom turn.”

There were a lot of smiles from crew who knew surfing but the answer was recorded and scribbled down religiously.

JoliThe French press and Monsieur Slater.

The question to Reynolds that brought the above quote about getting up in the morning was basically a courtesy. He was the last to be asked anything but didn’t seem to mind, and answered with a smile.

Thankfully, the whole thing broke up soon after, with people in the know predicting “No chance’ of starting” on the first day of the waiting period.

From ESPN.com