So this is what everyone was tweeting about last night. Long-time Rip Curl surfer and four time Womens ASP World Champion Stephanie Gilmore has reportedly signed a five-year contract with Quiksilver (not Roxy, to be clear), according to a post on the Mountain and Wave.
Under terms of the agreement Stephanie will ride for the Quiksilver team and has become a Quiksilver brand ambassador, joining a diverse and talented group which includes 13 other female artists, musicians, photographers, philanthropists and fashion designers representing Quiksilver’s lines for women. “I have had exceptional support throughout my career and I am excited to have this bright opportunity with the respected team at Quiksilver,” says Gilmore. “I am looking forward to pushing myself to new levels and feel this is a move which will help me stay inspired while competing at the highest level as a professional surfer on the ASP Women’s World Tour. It’s thrilling to be a part of an innovative and globally respected brand like Quiksilver. Its rich history and creative direction are well aligned with my personal ambitions.”
It really is the perfect match, especially if reports of Stephie being the $5 million woman are true.
One of the more amazing aspects of “the industry” is how many different doors there are to get in. Artist Drew Brophy is a classic example. As he tells Surf Expo’s Sean O’Brien, sometimes it’s just a matter of sticking around and doing your thing no matter what everyone else has to say about it.
I was trying to find someone who would let me use paint pens on surfboard for years. Kelly Richards from Perfection Surfboards let me do some, but he hated them. He was like: “Drew, these are the ugliest surfboards I’ve ever seen!” Then when I was in Hawaii I rode for Town & Country and I showed Craig Sugihara and the rest of the crew there my ideas and they weren’t into either. I got the same feedback from the guys at Local Motion and it seemed like everyone else on the North Shore. I was blown away, I was like “Wow, nobody’s going to let me do this.” . . . Matt [Biolos] was actually the last guy I wanted to talk to. He really had nothing going on at the time. They weren’t even on the map. But I needed an outlet to do the art and I wanted to meet him. That day I walked in there I was more or less looking to do something fun. I was making more money working at Stewart than I had in my whole life. Working with Matt was more of a release; it was just fun.
And to think, now Brophy is designing shirts for tradeshows. . . Click the link for the rest of the story.
Last night (January 2, 2010) at the Staple Center the Los Angeles Lakers organization helped Kelly Slater celebrate his 10 ASP World Titles with a private pre-game party that included 20 of Kelly’s closest friends, food, drinks, and a special surfing cake.
After catching up with his friends over some great food, drinks, and a little cake, Kelly was off to his courtside seat where he would wait for the Laker’s staff to come and get him to present the game ball at center court just prior to tip off. After the players were introduced, Kelly was escorted out to center court where Kelly presented the ball to the ref.
He and Kalani then watched the Lakers lose to the Memphis Grizzlies up close and personal. There’s just nothing like watching the Lakers lose at home.
Recently researchers developed a low-tech device shaped like a trash can and doused with a chemical mixture that smells like the decaying matter which draws pregnant mosquitos in. Inside, the mosquitos land on insecticidal fabric, which kills them and any eggs they’ve laid.
If they work these little stinky trash cans seems like a nice addition to the traveling surfer’s quiver.
Stephanie Gilmore, the four-time ASP Women’s World Surfing Champion and probably the sweetest pro surfer ever was attacked outside her home last night (December 27, 2010) and beaten with an iron bar, according to a story on ABC.net.au.
The 22-year-old has a broken wrist and cuts after the attack outside her home in Tweed Heads on the New South Wales far north coast. . . Police say Gilmore was approached and hit twice by the man who then fled on a pushbike. . . She was taken to hospital for treatment.
The man reportedly returned a second time to her home and friends and neighbors “held him” until police arrived. The man, who was denied bail is being charged with “numerous offenses.” Our thoughts are with Stephie and we wish her a speedy recovery. She is tough.
Maui’s Kai Barger and Tanner Hendrickson towed a 15-year-old shark bite victim to shore at Ledges last week, according to a story in the Star Advertiser.
Barger said he heard one of the bodyboarders scream but couldn’t believe that there was a shark nearby. He watched as the two bodyboarders paddled slowly back toward him and his friends. . . “I asked them if they had seen a shark and he said that he had been bitten by one,” Barger said. “He lifted his leg and his fin was gone and all of the skin on his shin was off. It was really gnarly.” . . “We just told him that he was O.K., that he still had a foot, and that he was going to survive this,” Barger said. “We just did whatever we could to keep him calm.”
Barger and Hendrickson towed the boy to shore and then reportedly used their leashes as tourniquets on the boy’s leg until EMS arrived. Nice work.
The 19 Surfing Santa’s of Cocoa Beach, Florida attack the surf and spread a little holiday cheer “and maybe consume a little.” It’s no Shipsterns Bluff, but Merry Christmas anyway.
Lyndie Irons, widow of Andy Irons, is asking a Texas court to delay by six months the results of the three-time world champion’s autopsy and report because she fears it will “damage the . . . surfer’s brand,” according to a story on Courthouse News Service.
Based upon ‘leaks’ that have already occurred within the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office and the press reaction to those leaks, the branding of Andy Irons’ company will be immediately, irreparably and severely tarnished if the official autopsy report is released at this time, when the coverage of this event by the press is at a frenzy,” she says.
Sadly, it is requests like this that lead to even more speculation and make it seem that there is more to be worried about. Ultimately, we hope Lyndie’s wishes are respected. We will have years to discuss the autopsy results after the civilian media has moved on to some other tragedy.
[Update 8:55 PM: A Terrant County Judge has reportedly approved Lyndie’s request to delay the autopsy release until after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can conduct some research, according to KITV.com. The autopsy will not be made public until May 20, 2011.]
What has Jamie O’Brien been up to lately? Do you care? We do. Turns out he hasn’t been in the water for a long time and he’s looking forward to it. We are, too.
Charles DeVoe, 28, had been hospitalized since the Nov. 12 incident. He died Friday. . . FDNY divers had to cut DeVoe free after his ankle tether became snagged on a wooden pole. He was in the water for several minutes before he could be rescued. . . DeVoe’s agent, Jason Kanner, called DeVoe “a lovely kid who was respected and loved by many.” . . “This is a stunning and tragic loss for all those who loved and cared for him,” Kanner said.
DeVoe was a model who worked with Dolce Gabbana, Abercrombie & Fitch, and many others. Our thoughts are with DeVoe’s family and friends.
So this is what everyone was tweeting about last night. Long-time Rip Curl surfer and four time Womens ASP World Champion Stephanie Gilmore has reportedly signed a five-year contract with Quiksilver (not Roxy, to be clear), according to a post on the Mountain and Wave.
