by The Editors on November 18, 2010
The surf, snow, skate Ultimate Boarder Championship is moving to San Diego and Mammoth for its fourth run. The week long event will be held April 2-9, 2011 with surfing at Seaside Reef in Cardiff, California; snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain, and skateboarding in the San Diego Sports Arena.
“We are looking for the one athlete in the world that can conquer all three board sports and truly rise above the rest,” said Ultimate Boarder® founder and CEO Tim Hoover. “The physical and mental discipline it takes to be good at even one of these sports is incredible, and to be competitive in all three is especially amazing. I’m excited about our new partnerships with Mammoth Mountain and the San Diego Sports Arena, as well as to be returning to Seaside Reef. We’re bringing the athletes to premiere locations, and we look forward to another year of celebrating the impact, skill and beauty defined by these board sports.”
For more of the details, follow the jump or click here for a photo gallery from last year.
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by The Editors on November 18, 2010
A shockingly well-done version of the cover of Sports Illustrated has been making the rounds today. It features Kelly Slater winning his Perfect 10 in Puerto Rico with the words “The World’s Most Dominant Surfer and The Amazing Story of Why it Took So Long To Feature Him On Our Cover.”
And there is more: the issue also reportedly features a story on Andy Irons titled “Farewell To A Legend,” a piece on the History of Surfing “from Duke to Kalohe,” and a story on the women of surfing and “why they rock.”
At first glance, through surf jaded eyes, it almost looks real—especially for those who still read print. But with a closer look it becomes obvious that even Sports Illustrated would never run an “Ultimate Surfing Issue” because the truth is, the jocks just don’t care.
by The Editors on November 18, 2010

According to our logs several Boardistan.com visitors each day use Apple’s magical and revolutionary iPad device. And to reward them we have created the “Our iBallz Your iPad” contest. iBallz are an ingeniously simple way to protect an iPad (or other tablet device) from damage due to drops, spills, and/or the hazards of daily digital life. They also work great as a stand to prop an iPad up at the perfect angle for doing work.
While we may have been the first action sports company to announce content compatibility with the new device, we still don’t have iPads incorporated into our current Boardistan workflow. That’s why we created a contest especially for those techno trailblazers who do. The rules are simple. Send us a photo of an iPad with the Boardistan.com site up and on screen and if we choose it as the winner we’ll send you a set of iBallz.
The photos can be compelling, ridiculous, outrageous, shocking, silly, or stupid, the only requirements are that the photo features an iPad with Boardistan.com up on the screen. The rest is up to you. Simply click here to email the photo.
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by The Editors on November 16, 2010
An Australian woman who was on a surf trip with three Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development volunteers was raped after the four were carjacked at gunpoint on Madang Province’s North Coast Road in Papua New Guinea November 13. 2010, according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald.
The four were carjacked, robbed of all possessions and taken to a secluded spot where they were bound to trees and the young woman, the girlfriend of one of the volunteers, was raped, PNG’s National newspaper reported.
According to a story in the PNG’s National newspaper three suspects were apprehended in the attack.
[Link: Sydney Morning Herald]
by The Editors on November 16, 2010
Geologist Tom Palastanga, a 29-year-old surfer from New Zealand, is lucky to be alive and have his eyesight after stabbing himself in the face with his board while surfing Maori Bay. While ducking a wave Palastanga felt another surfer’s board smack his face. But when he reached up to see if his nose was broken he got another surprise, according to a story in the New Zealand Herald.
“I felt my face because I thought my nose might be a bit out of shape and then I felt this thing sticking out of my face – it was a good 20cm out of my face. . . “I realised then it was a bit of his board that had snapped off and was sticking out of my cheek … it was pretty surreal, it was a horrible situation.” . . The board smashed through his left cheek, fractured the floor of his left eye-socket and went through the sinus and Nasal cavity into the pharynx at the back of the throat.
After making it back to the beach with the nose of his board still protruding from his face, Palastanga was taken to the hospital where doctors reportedly spent four hours removing the board from his face. Amazingly, it appears that all he’ll have from the ordeal is a scar from the 14 stitches he received.
[Link: New Zealand Herald]
by The Editors on November 15, 2010
We’ve all gotten toes and arms (occasionally necks) tangled in leashes, but a San Diego surfer lost his finger on Saturday, November 13, 2010 after it was severed by his leash, according to a story in the Southwest Riverside News Network.
The 35-year-old man was surfing at around 9 a.m. when his surfboard leash, a strong cord with a small diameter, wrapped around and then severed his finger, said San Diego Lifeguard Lt. Nick Lerma. . . The man swam to the jetty north of the Mission Bay Channel and called for lifeguards and paramedics to treat his injury.
The finger was not recovered. Add that to the list of reasons to ditch your leash.
[Link: Southwest Riverside News Network]
by The Editors on November 14, 2010
by The Editors on November 14, 2010

Today, as thousands gather at Pine Trees on the shore of Kauai’s Hanalei Bay at 11 AM HST to remember son, brother, husband, and three-time ASP World Champion, Andy Irons, our thoughts are with the Irons family; specifically his parents Phil and Danielle, brother Bruce, and pregnant wife Lyndie.
Only parents who have lost a child, and those who have endured the death of an older brother or husband will understand the depth of loss the Irons family has been feeling since learning of Andy’s death on November 2, 2010.
Today will be difficult for everyone. Wherever you are at 11 AM HST, (1 PM PST, 2 PM CST, or 3 PM EST), please stop and take a minute or two to send positive thoughts to the Irons family.
To learn more about Andy Irons or to remember just a few of the things he added to the world during his short 32 years, click here for Graham Stapelberg’s Eulogy To A Great Waterman.
[Link: Andy Irons Tribute]
by The Editors on November 12, 2010
It seems nearly everyone from Sports Business to the Sydney Mourning Herald has been caught up in the story that Kelly Slater is being rewarded for his 10th ASP World Championship Title with a three percent stake in Quiksilver.
While the whole “champ turns down $10 million bonus for large chunk of Quik” story has a wonderfully compelling arc, nothing could be further from the truth.
As we mentioned on January 28, 2010, Quiksilver announced that one of the reasons for their March 26, 2010 shareholders meeting was “To consider and vote upon a proposal to approve the grant of 3,000,000 shares of our restricted common stock to Kelly Slater as part of his sponsorship agreement.”
That proposal was approved by shareholders at the March meeting well ahead of Kelly’s title win. While Kelly will reportedly get a sizable bonus (seven figures) for his 10th title, the well-deserved stock grant is for his nearly lifetime dedication to brand, and not for his winning another title. Though, we can’t say it won’t help his negotiations down the road.
by The Editors on November 12, 2010
Keiko Beatie is bringing his surf film festival to the North Shore of Oahu with the North Shore Surf Film Festival at the Mokuleia Polo Field December 3-5, 2010.
On Friday Opening Night the Festival begins with the North Shore Premieres of Scratching the Surface, staring Julian Wilson the Australian surfer they say is destined to be the next Kelly Slater. Directed by Matt Beauchesne and produced by the Iron Brothers this film just won Best Surf Film at the California Surf Festival recently. Who Is JOB? Jamie and Mick O’Brien will be on hand to say a few words about this meaningful project.
For all the other details including by info on a Titus Kinimaka and the Kauai Boys performance follow the jump. [click to continue…]