by The Editors on December 7, 2009
Terry Hardy apparently hasn’t let a few ASP improvements get in the way of his plans for the Slater Tour aka CST, according to a story on Surfing Life.
Over the weekend Taj confirmed he had been approached by the CST promoters but told The Australian newspaper: “I don’t really like the sound of it, to be honest. It sounds really unorganised. The guy I spoke to didn’t seem to know that much. It was kind of bizarre. I just thought they’d be a lot better and a lot more organised in their approach. It didn’t seem very professional. . . “It doesn’t sound like they’re going to get the very best guys. If that’s the case, I’m definitely not interested. I’d only do it if all the very best guys were doing it. I’m not interested in separating the top ten in the world. It seems silly. it will just dilute it, i think.
We agree with Taj. Surfing has come too far. And with Andy Irons back on the ASP WCT next year then it really doesn’t matter all that much what Kelly Slater decides to do.
[Links: Surfing Life and The Australian]
by The Editors on December 7, 2009
Looks like the convergence of TV and web is finally bringing some good programming to the table as Fuel TV announces they will be broadcasting the Billabong Pipeline Masters live and direct over their cable network as well as in HD online for those of us who clipped the cables years ago.
Everyone seems to be happy about it:
“We’re excited to be offering the first-ever live broadcast of an ASP World Tour event to the U.S. audience,” says Scott Paridon, FUEL TV Vice President of Production and Development. “And with our networks in Australia and Portugal also broadcasting the contest live, people across three continents will be able to watch all the amazing action at the legendary Billabong Pipeline Masters.”
“We’re thrilled to be working with FUEL TV on this project,” says Graham Stapelberg, Billabong VP of Marketing. “The Pipeline Masters has been the site of so many exciting finishes to the world tour. The greatest surfers have carved out their legacy at this world renowned wave, and this live broadcast will be one that nobody wants to miss!”
Honestly, after catching Fuel.tv’s coverage of the 2009 Tampa Am yesterday we’re not sure we need to see this on cable TV, but there’s no doubt it’s going to look good on those 62 inch Sharp Aquos screens.
Follow the jump for all the details.
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by The Editors on December 6, 2009
About two minutes into the final of the O’Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset 39-year-old Sunny Garcia dropped in on an okay wave, made a couple solid turns, and then ducked perfectly into a racing right barrel. He scored a 9.7 and took the lead for the 30 minutes of the 35 minute heat.
Mick Fanning got some waves, Joel Parkinson grabbed a couple, and Dusty Payne struggled as the sets backed off. Then with two minutes left Parko caught a ripper and snatched the win from Sunny. A collective old-guy sigh was heard around the world. We’d already started writing headlines about how Sunny had come in and dominated the two best surfers in the world. It would have been a great story. But obviously, it was not to be.
“It feels good, but I’m still bummed that I lost,” Garcia said. “I came this far and I wanted to win. I started off with a 9.4 and to need a three at the end of the heat and not get it was a little frustrating. Hopefully, they’ll run the Eddie tomorrow, I’ll go get some big waves and wash out this loss and get ready for Pipe.”
Follow the jump for the press release.
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by The Editors on December 2, 2009
Yep, the locals in Seaside, Oregon are still there. They’re still hard and tough. And they still don’t want anyone else to surf their frozen cold waves. They’ll get no grief from us. But that’s not the case with the local KGW.com news crew.
When KGW photographers and a reporter arrived to the Cove of Seaside, two surfers warned them not to take their cameras out to the Point and take pictures. . . They encountered several surfers –some polite, others irate. . . One surfer stood in front of the photographer’s camera and blocked the lens with his hands. . . “We don’t like cameras taking pictures here,” the man said.
We wouldn’t want thousands of people flocking in for ice-cream headaches either.
[Link: KGW.com]
by The Editors on November 29, 2009
by The Editors on November 29, 2009
When a group of surfers in Coos Bay, Oregon saw a couple paddling a 10-12 foot boat out into the surf they watched waiting to see what would happen, according to a story on The World Link.
Surfer Larz Richardson was wading in the water waiting for a next wave set, when he saw the middle-aged couple paddle out toward the ocean in a small boat. . . When the waves hit, it knocked over the boat, estimated at 10 to 12 feet long, throwing the man and woman overboard. Neither had on a life-vest. . . Richardson paddled about 20 yards and pulled the woman out of the water. . . “She was underwater when I got to her,” 33-year-old Richardson said. “She barely avoided drowning. She got really lucky.”
Kind of makes us wonder what the couple was thinking. Surfers to the rescue once again.
[Link: The World Link]
by The Editors on November 29, 2009
We couldn’t be happier that Australian Stephanie Gilmore, 21, tied up her third ASP world title yesterday at the Gidget Pro at Sunset Beach. She is exactly what women’s surfing needs right now. She is smart, strong, friendly, and talented.
“It’s surreal to win for a third time,” Gilmore said. “It’s amazing! I woke up this morning and knew it was going to be a good day. The waves were building and you sort of get that fuzzy feeling throughout the day. I really don’t even know what to think about it. I just want to thank everyone for the support that I’ve had throughout the whole year.”
It was a third place finish behind Australian Sally Fitzgibbons and winner Hawaiian Carissa Moore that put Gilmore over the top. Stephie won the Roxy Pro on the Goldie and then reeled in three seconds and a fifth. We wish her luck in the Billabong Pro Maui. [click to continue…]
by The Editors on November 23, 2009
How great would it be to watch the entire Hawaiian Triple Crown of Surfing on your iPhone? Great right? Live video streaming, live scores, photos, surf reports, news, all right there on one dashboard. It would be amazing. And the new Vans Triple Crown of Surfing app (available in the iTunes store today for 99 cents) does all of that with one catch: you must be connected to a WIFI network.
The app features an opening screen with the three Triple Crown of Surfing event posters. Clicking one one takes you to a page with a nav bar along the bottom that features links to: News, Live Webcast, Results, Video, Photos, and a Surf Report. All of the menu items work as promised. The news section has abbreviated versions of event press releases, the Live Webcast hooks a slightly jaggy, lower resolution version of the live video on the web, the results are there, the video section includes heat-by-heat breakdowns of all the action, and the photos made us feel like we were almost there live. Being able to view all this content on an iPhone is amazing as long as you’re on a WIFI network.
Follow the jump for the rest of the review and full size screen grabs. . .
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by The Editors on November 20, 2009
by The Editors on November 19, 2009
Alessandro Barreto, 36, an inexperienced surfer, from Richmond Hill, New York died last Thursday (Thursday, November 12, 2009) after being held under while attempting to surf at Rockaway Beach, according to a story on YourNabe.com.
“He was under water about four or five minutes,” said Rockaway resident Dave Monastersky. “He was under a long time.”. . “He was told not to go out,” Monastersky said. “You got to respect the ocean.” . . . The man’s body was dragged from the designated surfing beach to Beach 96th Street — several blocks away from when he first got caught in the tide.”
[Link: Yournambe.com]
Terry Hardy apparently hasn’t let a few ASP improvements get in the way of his plans for the Slater Tour aka CST, according to a story on Surfing Life.
