When a true waterman has to go it’s not bad to be on the water as Body Glove co-founder Bob Meistrell was on Sunday, June 16, 2013. Meistrell was on his yacht The Disappearance on Sunday morning when he had a heart attack, according to a story in the Daily Breeze. He was 84 years old.

The Disappearance was the lead boat in the 22-mile Rock 2 Rock race Sunday from Isthmus on Catalina to Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. As he’s done in previous years, Meistrell led the paddleboarders out of the harbor about 6:30 a.m., his son said. . . But around 7, Robbie Meistrell said he’d received a call that his father’s boat, which was also carrying his mother, Patty, and a second cousin, had a double-engine failure. He was nearby and preparing to help tow the vessel in when he heard soon after that his father had suffered a heart attack in the boat’s engine room, he said.

Meistrell, who founded Body Glove with his twin brother Bill, will be remembered as a legendary diver, surfer, and waterman. Our thoughts are with the entire Meistrell family.

[Link: Daily Breeze]

The Agenda Show in partnership with Grindmedia has created The Break, a new lounge area at their Long Beach show (July 25 – 26, 2013) where brands can show off their latest products in what Agenda is calling a “comfortable, hosted-interview environment” created by Fuel TV founder and Grindmedia’s CJ Olivares.

“We’re excited to partner with Grindmedia and introduce this innovative platform to our show,” said Mike Carter VP of Sales and Marketing for AGENDA. “The Grindmedia viewer reach is tremendous. It’s a great alliance that fits the strategic vision of Agenda giving an even greater voice to the top, forward-looking brands in youth culture-providing an added opportunity for brands to show off their newest products and tell their brand story.”

Looks like a good way to create some viral content around rising brands’ newest gear. For the official word from Agenda and Grindmedia, follow the jump.

Continue reading ‘Agenda & Grindmedia Make A Break’

NASA planetary scientist Serina Diniega believes she has figured out what made all those first tracks (a.k.a. linear gullies) that have been showing up on photos from Mars lately. They look like snowboard tracks and seem to have been formed by something sliding down the dunes. Diniega figured it out.

Eventually, Diniega theorized the grooves could have been made by blocks of frozen carbon dioxide, or dry ice, that naturally forms on the surface of Mars . . “We think some of this accumulation will compress down and actually form ice slabs and ice blocks,” Diniega said in a video posted to NASA’s website.

Now Diniega dreams of going to mars and riding these slopes herself.

“I’m looking forward to the day when astronauts can engage in a whole new area of extreme sports,” she said. “They could snowboard down these carbon dioxide-covered dunes on a cushion of carbon dioxide. You would just shoot right down those slopes, it would be amazing.”

Yes, and if our planet keeps heating up Mars may be snowboarders’ only option.

[Link: CTV News]

We’ve always been stoked on Trevor Colden. The kid is good. And, as proof, here’s a teaser from his full part which apparently debuts on Thrasher Mag on Thursday, June 20, 2013. They’ve seen it and described it as “gnarly as hell, no-filler, all-ender, skate prodigy insanity.” Watch for it and in the meantime peep this tease.

[Link: Thrasher Mag]

The Los Angeles Times has outlined the current state of financial affairs at surf fashion giant Quiksilver with the headline Quiksilver Is Riding Wave of Red Ink.

The last time Quiksilver posted a profit was 2006. A survey by financial services firm Piper Jaffray & Co. found that Quiksilver’s brands trailed in popularity among teenagers, its core customer base. . . “The company faces competition from other action sports brands. . . ” King said. . . “Much of the company’s potential for success hinges on its ability to accurately predict consumer preferences and fashion trends,” he said. “We believe that the company’s failure to anticipate, identify and react in a timely matter to fashion trends could negatively affect its business.”

Yeah, that’s possible. The analysts, however, believe Quik is still a buy or hold because hey, that new CEO has a great plan.

[Link: LA Times]

St. Augustin Beach, Florida surfer Andrew Birchall, 37, is recovering from two shark bites to his foot after jumping off his board and stepping on a shark, according to a story in Action News Jax.

“When he got off the board, he apparently stepped on the shark in about waist deep water. The shark bit him we think twice. We think he bit him once, then kind of pulled his foot out of the shark’s mouth, then he got another bite on his toes,” mother Nancy Birchall said. . . She said her son has been surfing the St. Augustine Beach area for years, and never had a problem.

After a trip to the hospital and surgery to remove a shark tooth from his foot, Birchall is doing well. Seems it’s hard to step off your board in Florida without stepping on a shark.

[Link: Action News Jax]

Yes, when an independent magazine gets another issue out it is something to celebrate. That’s why we’re posting this video from the crew at Later Magazine. And then there’s the part about writing from Chas Smith, Dave Carnie, and a special appearance by Chris Cote. We might even have to read this one . . . if it finds its way into our mailbox.

[Link: Later Mag]

686 Technical Apparel has collaborated with Captain Elliot Neese for the crew of the Saga. Apparently, the Saga is a boat and Captain Elliot Neese is the “controversial” bad-ass Alaska native who owns it (sorry, we don’t have cable). He and his crew also are appearing on the Discovery Channel’s The Deadliest Catch tonight.

“I used to snowboard a lot when I was younger in Alaska, and I still get to ride after Opie season in April and May with all my boys in Bellingham, Washington,” says Elliot. He goes on to provide the following feedback on the custom 686 gear, “The Saga crew has never been so dry nor had such technical and bomber gear to work in.”

Oh, that gear is going to get tested. For the official word from 686 (and more photos), follow the jump. Continue reading ’686 + Captain Elliot Neese = Deadly Catch’

We’re always a little worried when major labels announce plans to double or triple revenue, but that’s exactly what Vans is planning to do by the year 2017 according to a report released today. As part of VF Corp’s “global strategy to reach $17 billion in Revenues and $18.00 in earning per share by 2017″ Vans will need to nearly double revenue in the next four.

The Vans brand raised its average annual revenue growth projection, initially provided in June of 2012, from 13 percent to 15 percent. The brand is now targeting total revenues of $2.9 billion by 2017, up from $1.5 billion in 2012.

It’s nice to have a goal, right? But think about how ubiquitous Vans are now and then double that? Doug Palladini and the team have a pretty big job to do. For all the official details on the plan, follow the jump. Continue reading ‘Vans Plans To Double Revenue In 4 Years’

The Volcom Fiji Pro returned to Cloudbreak on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 (yesterday in Fiji) and the six-to-eight foot monster barrels were the perfect stage for the ASP’s top contenders. Kelly Slater (pictured above) slipped past Jeremy Flores to make the quarters along with Sebastiean Zietz, Parko, Mick Fanning, 2John Florence, CJ Hobgood, Josh Kerr, and Jordy Smith.

“That was unbelievable,” Slater said. “Those were some of the best waves I’ve ever had in a contest. On the 10, I was deep in the barrel and grabbed my rail, but I had to let go to get speed and then I hit the foam ball, I barely made that one. I did the turn and got another tube. On that one big one, it was so perfect and I just wanted to be in the right spot. As I was in the barrel, it spit really hard and there was lots of mist and I couldn’t see. The foam ball pushed my tail up in to the wave and I just couldn’t come out the way I wanted to. I didn’t even care if I won or lost, because I’d get to surf again.”

For the official word from the ASP including the quarterfinal match ups follow the jump. Continue reading ‘Volcom Fiji Pro Down To Quarterfinals’