The Heavy Current Surfing Club in Higashi-Matsushima, Japan did not lose one member in the Tsunami that claimed the lives of 1,800 of their neighbors, according to a story in the Washington Times.
When they saw the tide suddenly withdraw after a massive quake on March 11, they knew a huge tsunami was coming. They all fled the picturesque beach of this town in northeastern Japan to safety on higher ground. . . “We didn’t lose any members, because we respect and fear the ocean,” said Seiichi Kato, sitting by his surfboard and tent on the beach. “But other Japanese forgot about nature, and they could not escape it.”
Now, rather than move in to refugee shelters some club members are camping out on the beach and helping to clean the place up as a way of dealing with the grief over lost friends. One thing they have noticed: the tsunami didn’t change the beach. “We were amazed that the beach looks exactly the same as before the tsunami. It destroyed everything man-made, but nature is almost the same.”
We’re always amazing by surfers’ ability to ride things out no matter how bad it gets.
Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons was unstoppable today at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach as she racked up more 8.0 plus score waves in a day that many surfers get all season to win her first ASP Elite Tour event. Hawaii’s Carissa Moore charged through the final but was unable to match Fitzgibbon’s onslaught.
Fitzgibbons was emotional on the podium. “It’s so overwhelming. This is amazing,” Sally said fighting back tears. “Thank you for everyone coming out and watching today. It’s been a long journey for a win. . . As a young kid I’ve seen everyone ring this bell. . . To win this event is definitely the pinnacle of my career.”
Carissa Moore was smiling, and gracious in defeat. “I’m stoked to have made the final with Sally,” Moore said. “I wish i could have rung the big bell, but I had fun surfing today.”
Some would argue that there is no better job in the world than following the Nike 6.0 women’s surf team around the world and pressing the record button. We don’t think we’ve ever heard filmmaker Aaron Lieber complain about it. The film,Leave A Message, will be downloadable on May 24, 2011.
Bobby Martinez was fired up and ready to fight his way to the top after taking out the world number two surfer Taj Burrow in Round 3 Heat 2 at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.
“I felt the judges have been doggin’ me out. A surfer knows when another surfer gets a good score. I saw his whole wave and they said it was a 7, nah,” Martinez said at the end of a heat in which he’d flipped off the judges from the water. “I knew they were going to try to give it to him, but that was not a 7. . . My approach to that heat was to just surf,” he continued. “I’m not Occy (Mark Occhilupo) he’s not (Tom) Curren. That was just a heat that I’m very grateful I got through. I’m here to win, so I’m not going down without a fight.”
Burrow was visibly shaken at the end of the heat and with good reason. It was one of those heats that could have gone either way and maybe should have gone the other in hindsight. The one certainty is that this loss just made the perennial almost champ’s year ahead that much more difficult.
The men and the women will probably surf today (2:30 PM PST 7:30 AM local time).
For the rest of the day and all the results, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
The 50th Annual Bell Beach surf competition kicked off with the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach yesterday (April 19, 2011) in head-high surf. Round one of both the men’s and women’s events were run. Joel Parkinson had the highest heat score of the day, Kelly Slater put his head straight, and Stephanie Gilmore got right back on her world champion game.
“My first two years on tour I didn’t have great results on the Gold Coast,” Gilmore said. “I always bounced back at this event and then finished the year well, so hopefully I’ll do that again this year. The Gold Coast was a fine showing of what women’s surfing is up to now and everyone has to try and keep up. It really pushes me and I think anyone who wins an event from now on will be a very deserving winner because of that fact.”
The contest continues today in what is likely to be even larger surf beginning at 7:30 AM local (2:30 PM PST). Follow the jump for the official word from the ASP. [click to continue…]
Haggling over the Mavericks big wave contest is continuing even though there was no contest this year, according to a story in the San Jose Mercury News.
Sponsor Barracuda Networks decided to pull out of the event even though they had reportedly agreed to a three-year deal.
“Barracuda Networks has decided to redirect our efforts and attention to other projects. We wish everyone involved in the event in the future the very best,” company Executive Vice President Michael Perone said in a statement. Barracuda had agreed to a three-year sponsorship deal for the contest with the surfers, but no contracts were signed. Surfable winter waves never materialized this year, so the contest was called off.
Jay Moriarity’s family has also requested that his name be removed from the contest going forward.
Everybody seems to be making money off Jay’s name,” said Doug Moriarity, Jay’s father. “It sounds like it’s just becoming a big business again — Barracuda was saying the surfers can’t run it, they don’t have the experience.”
ASP women’s world tour number 9, Jacqueline Silva of Brazil was involved in a head-on collision at 7 AM this morning (April 19, 2011) on her way to the Rip Curl Pro Bell’s Beach event, according to a story on ASP World Tour site. The Geelong Advertiser reports the following:
It’s believed Silva was driving towards Torquay from Geelong when a car travelling in the other direction swerved into her path causing a head-on crash. . . Police believe the driver of the other vehicle, a 42-year-old Torquay man, suffered “some kind of medical condition and blacked out”.
Apparently the crash happened on the Surf Coast Highway in front of the Torquay Police department. Silva was taken to Geelong Hospital where she will reportedly be under observation for 12 hours. So far it appears that Silva is planning on making her round 1 heat against Carissa Moore. We wish her a speedy recovery.
[Editors’ Note: This repost of a March 2, 2011 story is a reminder of what’s coming up this weekend.) Surfer Magazine and Rob Machado have apparently rallied Rob’s numerous and substantial sponsors into presenting the Rob Machado Seaside Pro Junior Presented by Hurley and Reef (with help from Dragon, Nixon, Dakine, Channel Islands, Sambazon, GoPro, Futures, and Surfline. How stacked is that line up?
The event, which will commence at Seaside Reef on April 22-23, 2011, will also include a Super Hero’s themed charity golf tournament at The Crossing at Carlsbad on Monday, April 18, 2011. . . “The Rob Machado Seaside Pro Junior presented by Hurley and Reef is the only Pro Junior event in San Diego and represents the third of eight events on the men’s ASP North America Pro Junior Series,” said ASP Regional Media Officer, Bobby Shadley. “The surfers competing on the regional series are looking to finish within the top four on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series ratings in order to earn a berth on to the ASP World Junior Tour for 2011.”
The waiting period begins Tuesday, April 19, 2011 (this afternoon PST) and according to Coastalwatch there appears to be a new three to four foot swell arriving Wednesday (Tuesday afternoon PST). With waves building through Friday.
Ke11y Slater is apparently on the hunt for a little more than a record fifth Bells title. “If I wasn’t hungry to win an 11th ASP World Title, then I wouldn’t be here,” Slater said during a press conference.
Follow the jump for the rest of the info including round one heat line ups for both the men and the women. [click to continue…]
Radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant is reportedly making its way out into the Pacific Ocean and could be headed to a surf spot near you, according to a story on The Intel Hub. This model created by ASR Limited on April 5, 2011 shows just how it might move on out.
Record levels of Japan nuclear radiation have been found in the Pacific Ocean off the Fukushima, Japan Coast. The radiation is expected carried toward the US by fast-moving currents.
The Heavy Current Surfing Club in Higashi-Matsushima, Japan did not lose one member in the Tsunami that claimed the lives of 1,800 of their neighbors, according to a story in the Washington Times.
