by The Editors on July 25, 2009
etnies’ Pierre Andre had friends over to his Newport Beach loft last night (July 25, 2009) to celebrate the release of “The Malloys” new “eco-friendly” shoe The Jameson. Two out of the three brothers made it (Dan did not) and so did Jamie O’Brien with his manager, and celebrity Tweeter Charlie Smith.
We arrived late (Wahoo’s had already packed up their tacos) and Newport’s finest shut the music down early. But it was a warm summer night in Newport, so who can complain.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on July 24, 2009
Newport Beach, California’s The Wedge was going off today as a massive swell hit southern California. Sadly, an earlier tip to Boardistan has been confirmed by the Los Angeles Times. A body surfer, Monte Kevin Valantin, 50, of Lawndale died after being thrown against the rocks around noon today July 24, 2009.
The body surfer. . . was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital about noon in grave condition, said Jennifer Schulz, a spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Fire Department. . . Wedge veterans have left the beach with concussions, fractured vertebrae and broken bones. The waves ricochet off the rocky jetty at the tip of Balboa Peninsula, smashing together in white-frosted peaks that can tower 20 feet.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
[Link: LA Times]
by The Editors on July 24, 2009
The Hungtington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame in front of Jack’s Surboards got five news members as Hang Ten’s Duke Boyd; four-time world champion Wendy Botha; Fred Hemmings, considered the godfather of professional surfing; Mark Martinson, and local hero Jackie Baxter were recognized for their contributions to surfing, according to a story in the Orange County Register.
A standing room only crowd spilled onto Main Street in front of Jack’s Surfboards as the Surfing Walk of Fame paid tribute to iconic surfers who paved the way for a future generation.
Awards for OC Surfer of the Year were also awarded to Brett Simpson, Joe Aaron, Courtney Conlogue and Andrew Doheny.
[Link: OC Register]
by The Editors on July 23, 2009
How many live Internet streams does one surfing event really need? If it’s the 2009 US Open of Surfing apparently it needs a more than a couple.
Hurley is streaming it live on Ustream. Transworld (the official media sponsor) is streaming an “enhanced HD” stream on TransWorld Surf, and then Fuel.TV will be running an “exclusively True HD webcast” on Saturday and Sunday. And the best part? It’s all the same show: the same commentators, same graphics, same angles, same feed.
Great for the viewers like us, not so great for those trying to sell advertising packages around an “exclusive” webcast.
by The Editors on July 23, 2009
Mornings are still quiet at the Huntington Beach Pier, but that is all about to change as the weekend crowds (and monster swell) begin to roll in. We cruised the scene early to check things out. Follow the link for more photos from the beginning of the 2009 US Open of Surfing.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on July 21, 2009
We’ve laughed, wept, and vomited to @whoisJOB posts ever since Charlie Smith began writing them. Now, we get what is reportedly Jamie O’Brien’s view on why he had Chaz doing the tweeting for him. Here are a few bits from his post on LikeBitchim.com:
The fucking surf industry has strangled the surf media so tight for so long that the brains of all surf writers have turned to mush. The media and most of the surfers believe their own con. That surfers must be nice, polite, petite friends to political correctness and each other. Even if they are not, they must pretend. I am not this and I don’t care to be or pretend to be. I have enough friends, I have my own interests and I don’t need them told by drones. . . Fuck the magazines, fuck the fake interviews, fuck the false humility, fuck the deception and cover-ups. Write something else you little minded clones. Surfing is best left to me, writing to Charlie. Admire us and our freedoms until it inspires you enough to seek your own.
But, ah, this kind of sounds like Chaz writing again. . . either way, it’s good and we don’t want to mess with it.
[Link: Like Bitchin via @shantisos]
by The Editors on July 21, 2009
Tired of getting brand new boards completely ruined by baggage monkeys who know they can do whatever they want to surfboards in transit thanks to the waivers we all have to sign after paying the airline hundreds of dollars? SOMA AirBag Designs may have the answer.
SOMA has designed the air compartments into narrow linear columns. This keeps the protective air pressure isolated and firm in order to deflect damaging contact with your board and disperse the energy. This includes an individual column that wraps around the circumference of the rails that is also fused with 7mm closed cell foam for double rail protection as well as extra reinforcement around the tail and nose.
Sounds like the perfect solution for modern air travel: protection for the boards and a bed to sleep on when you get there.
[Link: SOMAdesigns via @MAContent]
by The Editors on July 20, 2009
When photographer Chris Bickford, 42, wanted to capture what it was like to surf and live in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina he went with black and white and no experience shooting surfing, according to a story on the New York Times Lens blog.
“I struggled, but that basically worked to my advantage,” Mr. Bickford said. “If I had shot the tack-sharp images you see in surf magazines, there wouldn’t have been anything interesting about it.”
Blurry photos were so artful. Click the link to view the entire slideshow.
[Link: Lens.Blog]
by The Editors on July 20, 2009
The Hawaiian Island Vintage Surf Auction brought in more than $767,000 from 379 bidders on Saturday and Sunday July 17-18, 2009, according to a story in the Associated Press.
The most expensive item was an 11-foot Bob Simmons foam sandwich board built around 1950 that sold for $40,000 to an Australian bidder. . . The same bidder also walked away with the second-highest item, a 1955 Matt Kivlin 10-foot balsa board for $39,000.
Looks like Fernando Aguerre has a little competition down under.
[Link: Associated Press and The Hawaiian Island Vintage Surf Auction]
by The Editors on July 20, 2009
Each summer just when it appears that the crowds in Huntington Beach, California can’t get any larger or the sand burn much hotter in roll 400,000 people for the US Open of Surfing–the largest surfing event in the world. Running all this week (July 18-26, 2009), the event will feature what the LA Times is calling “the richest prize in competitive surfing history.” The first place pay is only $20,000, but Hurley is throwing in an extra $80,000 bringing the total men’s first prize to $100,000.
After having watched street skater Chris Cole pull down $100,000 and vert skater PLG pull in $75,000 at last week’s Maloof Money Cup, it’s kind of sad that $100,000 is still such a big deal in professional surfing. But whoever wins the mens certainly won’t be complaining about anything.
In the women’s event it may be a different story. Featuring Stephanie Gilmore, Sofia Mulanovich, and eight of the top 10 from the ASP World Tour, the women’s event will pay out a $4,500 first place prize. Anyone want to kick in any extra cash for the girls? We thought not.
Click here for for the complete 2009 Hurley US Open schedule of the events.
[Link: Hurley US Open of Surfing and LA Times]
