For the third straight event in a row, Dane Reynolds has been sent home packing with an early round flame out, finishing with yet another 33rd (dirty turd) at the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro in Brazil on Sunday as Round Two (the losers round) was completed in lumpy, bumpy, overhead yet mushy wind swell remnants. "I'd say this was an uncharacteristic loss for Dane," said Kelly Slater, who was commentating the heat. "But unfortunately this isn't all that uncharacteristic anymore."

Reynolds was clearly having trouble finding targets to hit. But even Slater thought he missed an opportunity or two for launch. Slater called him out online when Dane failed to launch off a sloppy closeout section. "He has trouble when it's mushier. He likes more lip and a little more power to it." One of the more interesting little stats Slater revealed was that he and Dane have lost to the same person in the last two events. Both lost to Owen Wright at Bells and Aritz Aranburu in Tahiti.

"That'd be pretty stressful for me if I drew Tiago next round, given the recent history," Slater added with a laugh.

Fortunately for Slater, he dodged the Pires bullet (which was one of the rare ones that big him last year, in Bali) for now. Slater will instead face Aussie Ben Dunn in Round Three. The only other major casualty on Sunday was Fred Patacchia, who apparently didn't get to cash the karma points he earned Saturday for letting Slater use his boards. This was Fred's earliest exit this season.

Notable Round Two survivors included Jordy Smith, C.J. and Damien Hobgood and Nathaniel Curran, who advanced out of his first heat this season after beating veteran Kieren Perrow. "Hopefully I can build a little momentum for a result here," Curran said after, acknowledging the transition hasn't been easy. For Reynolds, anohter early exit will most likely put him out of the Top 30. Whether he cares or not is always up for debate.

ROUND THREE MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 2: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Tim Boal (FRA)
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Greg Emslie (ZAF)
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Dustin Barca (HAW)
Heat 7: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) vs. Dean Morrison (AUS)
Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Nathaniel Curran (USA)
Heat 10: Dayyan Neve (AUS) vs. Tim Reyes (USA)
Heat 11: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 12: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Chris Davidson (AUS)
Heat 13: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Michael Picon (FRA)
Heat 14: Mick Campbell (AUS) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 15: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)
Heat 16: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Chris Ward (USA)