Surfing

Quiksilver Pros Go Live On Free TV In Australia

by The Editors on February 16, 2011

106890-FanningAll three Quiksilver Pro events on the ASP 2011 Tour will be broadcast live on free TV in Australia thanks to a deal struck by Australia’s One HD and the company, according to a story in The Australian.

Surfing Australia CEO Andrew Stark said the deal was “monumental”. “As far as sport in Australia is concerned, you absolutely need free-to-air TV,” he told The Australian. “You see the success of netball since they’ve been on free-to-air, and the massive success of V8 Supercars. . . “Our vision is to become mainstream, and this deal is part of that.”

Kind of funny that a broadcast network would step up now that all the events are streamed live on the Internet, but we guess every little bit helps. You hear that ESPN? Maybe Quik can “sponsor” some of your executives and then get a similar deal rolling.

[Link: The Australian]

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Mavericks: The Jay Moriarity Biopic

by The Editors on February 16, 2011

20110215 102636 Jay ViewerWalden Media has announced that Actor Gerard Butler will star and produce a new biopic based on the life of big wave surfer Jay Moriarity. The film will be called Mavericks, according to a story in the Mercury News.

“Mavericks” will focus on the relationship between the veteran surfer Frosty Hesson [to be played by Butler] and his young friend Moriarity as they begin training for Moriarity to ride Mavericks, according to San Francisco big-wave surfer Grant Washburn, who has been involved with the project. . . The film ends with Moriarity finally conquering Mavericks at the age of 15, rather than tracing a story arc all the way to his sad demise as a young man. Filmmakers are looking to cast an unknown actor to play Moriarity.

Sounds like this could be a great addition to the Hollywood surf genre. Click the link for more.

[Link: Mercury News]

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Innerlight’s Yancy Spencer Dies After Surfing

by The Editors on February 16, 2011

Yancy-Spencer-Surfer-Innerlightjpg-Adbf19409970C36CIn more sad news from Valentine’s Day, Innerlight Surf and Skateboard shops owner Yancy Spencer III reportedly died of a heart attack while surfing in Malibu, California, according to a story in the Pensacola News Journal. He was 60 years old.

He was surfing in Malibu when he came ashore with chest pains, Schluter said. . . He called 911, and nearby firefighters rushed to give him CPR. . . Spencer died of an apparent heart attack. . . “He was very healthy, very fit. He surfed every day and paddled every day. That’s what we’re all shocked about,” his brother and partner, J.B. Schluter, said this morning.

Surfer Magazine has called Spencer the “Godfather of Gulf Coast Surfing.” A memorial service will be held for Spencer at Calvary Chapel Gulf Breeze on February 19, 2011. Our thoughts are will Spencer’s family and friends world-wide.

[Link: Pensacola News Journal]

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ASP: Break’s Over, Back In The Water

by The Editors on February 15, 2011

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It’s easy to make surfing on the ASP Tour sound like a vacation. How hard could it be to surf a few heats in 11 of the best breaks in the world? But when when you consider that the 2010 tour ended on December 16 and the 2011 season begins on February 26 for the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast it becomes obvious that there really is no off season on the ASP Tour. None.

But Jordy Smith isn’t worried. He’s reportedly “coming off an extended stay in his native South Africa where he has been recharging for the upcoming season, testing out new equipment and becoming mentally and physically prepared for taking on the world’s best.” Extended stay? Maybe for people used to living nowhere longer than four weeks at a time being home for seven weeks qualifies as an “extended stay.” But Jordy is ready:

“I really enjoyed spending Christmas and New Year at home,” Smith said. “It’s been eight years since I last spent the holidays in South Africa. So I made the best of it down in Cape Town with my mates and Blake, my filmer from the USA, and also spent time with my family in Durban.” . . “I have being testing a bunch of boards, just feeling them out regarding different thicknesses, as I have lost eight kilograms this summer working out, surfing and training with my friends.” Smith said. “I have put a lot of time in spinning, jogging, core work and just eating right. Cape Town offers so many different surf breaks at this time of the year, so I have been spending time surfing them up and down the coast and capturing great footage for my new movie.”

Apparently, Jordy is lean, he’s tan, he’s rested and he’s ready for his first world title. Strangely, we’re not sure we’re ready to watching surf contests again. But we’ll probably get over that in about nine days.

Follow the jump for the rest of the release (which oddly includes no quotes from Quiksilver’s number one surfer Kelly Slater but we’re still hoping for a surprise.)
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RIP: USASA Founder Chuck Allen

by The Editors on February 15, 2011

Chuck AllenChuck Allen’s facebook page is getting inundated this morning with messages memorializing the man who did so much to legitimize competitive board sports in the United States and the world.

Allen died yesterday on Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2011) a little after 1 PM following what has been described as complications with emphysema that had seen him hospitalized for approximately a week and a half before his death. He was with his family when he died. Allen was 74 years old.

Allen is best known as co-founder of the National Scholastic Surfing Association in 1978 and as the founder, in 1988, of the United States Amateur Snowboard Association. Lately, with his work as an ambassador at Mountain High Resort, Chuck was one of the biggest promoters of snowboarding in Southern California, but he was so much more to so many people.

Snowboard innovator Jeff Grell posted the following on Allen’s facebook page:

There was never a better friend than Chuck Allen, my mentor, my inspiration and the best sports event professional I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Chuck, you welcomed me into your family and always gave back more than anyone I’ve ever known, I will truly miss you.

Sierra-at-Tahoe General Manager John Rice agreed:

Pioneer, mentor, coach, friend, you have affected the lives of so many people in so many ways with your positive energy and smiles. Your spirit will live on in every kid with board sports dreams, the countless hours you gave through all the years will never be taken for granted.

Our thoughts are with Chuck Allen’s family, especially his wife Chris, his children, grandchildren and his worldwide family of snowboard and surf friends. We will all miss him dearly. We will keep you posted on memorial service information as it becomes available.

[Update February 20, 2011: Chuck Allen was remembered today in the New York Times for a life spent dedicated to education and boardsports.]

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The Wave Garden Site Goes Live

by The Editors on February 15, 2011

Wave Gardensite

There said there would be more information available on February 15, 2011 and they were right. The Wave Garden site is live. The site features lots descriptions of “Wavegarden’s cutting edge technology” but we still don’t quite understand how the waves are actually generated.

That said, the videos are amazing and few things are more beautiful than surfers flying down the line surrounded by grassy hills, oak trees in shortened light. There goes your Tuesday morning.

[Link: Wave Garden]

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Ugg Boots Founder Got Out Early

by The Editors on February 14, 2011

046281-Shane-Stedman-1In 1983 Ugg Boot inventor Shane Stedman sold the rights to his footwear brand to Deckers for £10,000. It was the best thing he ever did, according to a story on News.com.au.

If I had wanted to make my Uggs the number one brand, I’d have had to move to the US and work my arse off in a suit and that’s just not me,” Mr Stedman said. . . “I’ll never give up Sydney and surfing. It’s my life.. . “So I was happy to let (the business) go.”

Stedman put his kids through five years of private school with the money and still gets three free pairs of boots a year. Can’t say we blame him for that. The boots, however, is a completely different matter.

[Link: News.com.au]

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Shaun Tomson At The Smithsonian

by The Editors on February 14, 2011

Screen Shot 2011-02-13 At 8.54.01 PmOn Saturday, February 19, 2011 Shaun Tomson (yes, that Shaun Tomson) will read from his first children’s book/iPad app Surf Creatures, at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, DC.

Tomson’s entertaining and educational talk is sure to delight kids of all ages (and their parents!) as he recounts the actual and imagined activities of the surf creatures he has personally encountered in his numerous ocean adventures and who live under his surfboard! A few of the sea critters that are featured in the book also call the National Zoo their home, including the octopus and the jellyfish. As a board member of the Surfrider Foundation and supporter of the National Zoo’s recently launched Project Blue Planet initiative, Tomson will also highlight a few easy steps children can take to do their part in preserving the world’s oceans.

We have to admit we’d be happy to listen to Mr. Tomson talk about pretty much anything. For all the details (including how to buy the iPhone/iPad app) follow the jump.
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Thanks For The Dinner And The Sex Clip

by The Editors on February 11, 2011

Dion Agius says, “I’ve spent the last month locked away in my Byron den editing my little cheese tits off trying to get it done. Finally it’s finished. It’s called Thanks for the dinner and the sex and it’s out with the March issue of WAVES Magazine.”

Truthfully, we were so busy laughing at the video dating profiles that we missed most of the surfing. Guess we’ll have to watch it all over again.

[Link via Runamuk Visuals]

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My Secret Wave Garden

by The Editors on February 8, 2011

Yesterday, close to five different people emailed us about footage from some mysto wave pool that looks to produce a close to perfect peeling left (thanks to all of you).

The only clue to more information is the handscrawled Wave-Garden website which includes an address in San Sebastien, Spain, and a pretty strong hint that more information is coming on February 15, 2011.

The makers could not have tried harder to make this a “viral video hit,” but we still fell for it.

[Link: Wave Garden via Stab Magazine]

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