Forgive us for going a little overboard on the surf lately. The world’s largest surf event (The Nike US Open of Surfing) is kicking off this weekend in Huntington Beach, California and it seems that every single brand in surf has a video event coming up. Most will be showing at Newport Beach’s Lido Theatre.
One of the films premiering there next week is Transworld Surf’sSurprise Excitement Party staring Conner and Parker Coffin, Michel Bourez, John Florence, Mark Healey and others. The film debuts on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 8:30 PM. The showing is free and open to civilians.
Thanks to all manner of political intrigue (coups, changing laws, etc. . . ) one of the best waves in the world hasn’t hosted the world’s best surfers for the past three years. Now, thanks to the Volcom Fiji Pro Cloudbreak (and/or Restaurants) will be back on the ASP World Tour starting in 2012 and running through at least 2014.
“We are all very excited about the opportunity to host our first ever ASP World Title event in Fiji,” Richard Woolcott, Volcom CEO, said. “Having the competition at Cloudbreak, or even Restaurants, is a perfect fit with Volcom’s long history with Tavarua. This is a major step in our surfing program and it’s great to be able to support the tour and its athletes with an event in world class surf.”
No major label CEO has spent more time shacked and charging Tavarua’s waves than Wooly so this partnership is the perfect fit. Plus, it will be great to see these waves back on tour where they belong. For the official word, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Nine-time Molokai-2-Oahu paddleboard world champ Jamie Mitchell and fellow paddler Jackson English will not only be racing to Oahu on Sunday, July 31, 2011, they’ll also be raising money for Surfaid during the 32 mile paddle.
English is a schoolteacher at the United World College of SE Asia in Singapore but is originally from the Central Coast of NSW, Australia. In the past six years he has raised close to $400,000 for SurfAid. . . “With three healthy children of my own, it breaks my heart when visiting the Mentawai to see young kids so full of life suffering from very easily preventable diseases,” Jackson said. . . “Competing in the M2O to raise vital funds and awareness for SurfAid and their community based programs is the least I can do for the Mentawai people. Please donate to SurfAid and be part of the change required.”
For more information on the race and how to make a donation to Surfaid, click here or follow the jump all the details. [click to continue…]
After a less that spectacular week at J-Bay and Kelly Slater possibly slipping off into retirement via Cloudbreak that was reportedly “worth quitting your job and leaving your wife for” the ASP has been getting grief for once more fumbling the competitive surfing ball, but writer Nick Carroll doesn’t believe the ASP is the problem, according to a story on Surfling Life, though he thinks they could be handling things a little better:
In the midst of this, the ASP is . . . trying to implement a policy direction that might pay off down the track. But in the meantime, it’s doing a shit job of demonstrating the pluses, while shock jock commentators and angry old white men take potshots at it, and even the true believers are scratching their heads and wondering what the fuck’s going on.
Yep. If you care about competitive surfing, click the link and read the rest.
A South African surfer survived a shark attack on Friday, July 22, 2011, in Cinsta, thanks to fellow surfers according to a story in the Windsor Star.
“A 27-year-old surfer was bitten on his upper left arm and on his right leg by a shark of unknown species,” spokesman Craig Lambinon said. . . Fellow surfers pulled him from the water on his board and raised the alarm for others in the water at the Cinsta East beach, he said. . . By the time rescue services arrived, the man was already on land.
The surfer was in stable condition on arrival at the hospital. Sounds like those “fellow surfers” were the right guys to be out with.
Daniel Bobis, a 32-year-old high school surf coach from Long Beach, New York who was in Sumatra with his wife reportedly went missing Sunday, July 24, 2011, according to a story in the My Fox Ny.
“It was just a day like any other here,” Bobis’ pal Brian Lonergan, 32, told the Post through tears. “Danny had just taken a wave before me, I was further outside. I noticed as I came through that I couldn’t see him and a few minutes later his board washed up on the shore.”
Bobis and Lonergan were surfing out of Krui Damai Bungalow surf camp. Lonergan, Bobis’s wife Rachel and camp owner Jason King reportedly spent the day searching for Daniel, but did not find him. Divers have reportedly joined the search. Our thoughts are with his family and friends, especially with his wife Rachel.
After a rough week with a terrible start, an epic middle, and a rainy finish the Billabong Pro J-Bay turned out exactly like it should have. Jordy Smith won his second title by edging two-time winner Mick Fanning, and Joel Parkinson moved into the lead in the ASP title race rolling in to Teahupoo.
“It’s been an incredible week for me,” Smith said. “All the support of the people at Jeffreys Bay, Garth (Tarlow), Steve (Smith), my girlfriend Lyndall (Jarvis), my mom and dad and everyone else. It’s been a really special week for me and I’m so happy right now.” . . .“Mick (Fanning) has surfed amazing all week,” Smith said. “He’s always an inspiration and he’s right there with everyone in the hunt for the title. Today’s a huge win for me. Last year, it was very emotional. To back it up this year just feels really, really good. It’s huge for my confidence and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”
If would be so nice if classic J-Bay would show up for the completion of the Billabong Pro and according to Surfline a “solid SSW swell will continue to build through the weekend.” In the meantime, the final six heats of Round 2 were completed today with Brett Simpson and C.J Hobgood among the six guys who were sent home. Michel Bourez on the other hand grabbed the day’s highest heat score on his “Firewire.”
“That was a really good heat for me,” Bourez said. “My Firewire is working really well. I’ve been riding it since I arrived in J-Bay and it seems to get better with each surf. It was an important heat for me. I’ve been building confidence since my injury in Rio and I’m hoping to break through Round 5 at this event.”
Sounds like Michel is getting his sponsor lingo down well. For the rest of the official word from J-Bay and the heats coming up in Round 3 follow the jump. [click to continue…]
When we fell asleep last night the Billabong Pro J-Bay was on hold for a 7:30 AM call. And they went with the first six heats of round two. While contestable waves may have been a bit of a surprise, the results were not. Everyone advances or was eliminated as expected. Ace Buchan had the score of the morning with a 15.80 in his Heat 6 victory over Cory Lopez.
“It’s challenging out there with the inconsistency,” Buchan said. “We’re always in a tough spot when faced with less-than-stellar forecasts, and I think the guys understood that we had to get out there and battle one another. It might not be equal for all heats in a round or all rounds in a contest, but at least it’s equal between each guy in the heat.”
And yes, Kelly Slater missed his heat and is rolling into retirement hunting down perfect waves around the world.
The surfer with the highest heat score at the 2011 Billabong Pro J-Bay is going to get this $10,000 Nixon Watch. Not a bad incentive. After the first round of the event it appears that Jordy Smith is currently leading the WTA with his 16.87 over Sean Holmes and Adam Melling in Round 1, Heat 5. Follow the jump for more details. [click to continue…]
