Whitewash, a documentary that focuses on African American surfers, will be released on DVD and VOD on October 4, 2011.
The film, which is narrated by Ben Harper and Tariq Black Though of The Roots, reportedly “explores the history of rarely detailed surfing culture within the African American community, told from the POV of black surfers from Hawaii, Jamaica, Florida, and California.,” according to a story on Indiewire.
And yes, the film features Sal Masekela, who (if you saw him surf during the US Open of Surfing) is ripping right now.
Two weeks ago on August 1, 2011, Outside Magazine posted former Surfer Magazine editorial staff member Brad Melekian’s story on Andy Irons’ death titled Crashing Down to its website. We didn’t link it up then and rather than just let it roll by unchecked, we’re linking it up now.
Most Boardistan.com readers already know the story and while some of the rumors we’ve all heard are confirmed in Melekian’s well-written piece (specifically AI’s evening in Miami), there really isn’t all that much new info here. Still, it’s worth a read if you (like us) missed it when it first came out.
The Jensen’s, a family from Clearwater, Florida who wanted to wrap up their vacation in Cocoa Beach with a couple Ron Jon hoodies, inadvertently became the super surf retailers 50 millionth customer on Friday, August 12, 2011, according to a story on Florida Today.
Mark Jensen became the 50 millionth guest at the landmark Cocoa Beach store as he strolled in with Olivia and her brother, 13-year-old Mark Jr. The honor carried with it a surfboard, a $550 in-store shopping spree and a $2,000 check to be used at any other Ron Jon location throughout the United States. . . “This is unbelievable,” Mark Jensen said, posing for photos with his children as he was handed a surfboard-size ceremonial check for $2,000 signed by Ron Jon President Debbie Harvey. . . “We’re in shock. I’ve never won anything like this,” he said.
San Clemente, California big wave surfer Rusty Long, who was hospitalized on July 24, 2011 after suffering second degree burns to 40 percent of his body while clearing brush from his land in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, was reportedly released from the hospital on Saturday, August 13, 2011, according to a story in the San Clemente Times.
During his acceptance speech for the Waterman of the Year Award at the 22nd Annual SIMA Waterman’s Ball on August 12, Greg [Long] thanked the surf community – on behalf of Rusty and the entire Long family – for all the support and well wishes Rusty received during his stay in the hospital.
In a review of magazine advertising for the first half of 2011 (January through June) the The Association of Magazine Media is reporting that business is slightly up compared to 2010. But only by 1.3 percent. In the action sports magazine space*, however, Transworld Media is pulling through with gains much higher than the average on every title except Skateboarding andWakeboarding.
Here’s how the titles look in order of performance based on total advertising pages sold in first six months of the year (click here for past reports):
Writer Thad Ziolkowski, whose memoir On a Wave reportedly tells the story of a “disenchanted, unemployed English professor” who goes surfing in Queens only to be reminded of his youth as a surfer in Florida, had a few words for the New York Times today about Quiksilver’s upcoming New York Pro surf contest.
In an editorial titled: New York’s Urban Aloha he had the following to say about a large West Coast fashion brand invading his personal peak.
Imprinting the Quiksilver brand on New York’s burgeoning surf scene makes perfect sense from a business perspective, but the corporate siren song threatens to sour the mood of surfing in New York, which for the moment remains a bastion of surf spirit. It’s a spirit that companies like Quiksilver claim to value but have in fact helped degrade elsewhere, peddling a vision of surfing’s blithe, blue allure that studiously omits the ugly realities of overcrowding that such marketing abets.
Leave it to the New York Times and a writing professor to use 990 words to say: “locals only.”
The next time you’re on the island of Tavarua, and think you’re just killing it at Restaurants, don’t remember this Riley Blakeway footage of Kelly Slater. It would likely ruin your whole trip.
Get-N Classic, Volume 1, the Vans surf film that premiered last week at Newport Beach, California’s Lido Theatre is now available for free download at Vans.com. The film features Joel Tudor, Nathan Fletcher, Pat, Tanner and Dane Gudauskas, John, Ivan and Nathan Florence, Dylan Graves, Alex Knost, Andrew Doheny, Kalani Chapman and Jason “Ratboy” Collins.
Filmed and edited by Graham Nash and Reagan Ritchie, Get-N Classic, Volume 1 captures this unique juncture in surf history and chronicles the travels of the Vans Surf Team as they have crossed the globe in search of surf and adventure.
Any film that kicks off with a Surf Punks song is fine by us. Download a copy of Get-N Classic for smartphone, iPad, iPod, or in full high-res by clicking here.
Three Mexican nationals had almost made it to the US Open of Surfing to watch Kelly Slater win his quarter-final heat against Taj Burrow when their 25 foot panga was spotted by lifeguards on Sunday morning, August 7, 2011, according to ABC7.
The small panga carrying three Mexican nationals was on its way to Huntington State Park about 8:30 a.m. Sunday when lifeguards spotted it and called authorities. . . The trio was arrested on suspicion of drug possession, smuggling and attempting to enter the United States illegally. . . The 25-foot boat, which was reported stolen in Mexico, was towed to Newport Dunes and impounded as evidence.
All they wanted to do was party with the rest of Southern California and to think–they apparently brought their own weed.
When a 16-year-old beach goer nearly buried himself alive in a Newport Beach, California sand pit collapse on August 2, 2011 who was there to catch the rescue on video? Ghetto Juice Magazine’s Skip Snead, that’s who. He was also there to provide the video to the Associated Press and give an eye witness interview. Ghetto Juice covers Newps like no one else.
