by The Editors on January 16, 2009
Kelly Slater is on the list of celebrities to play in the AT&T National Pro-AM at Pebble Beach February 9-15, 2009. He’s joining Bill Murray, Carson Daily, Greg Kinnear, Kenny G, on the most beautiful course on the continent.
Seems like it would be pretty hard to concentrate on the game knowing that Ghost Trees is firing and no skis are allowed in the water. But Kelly is good that way, and what better way to rest up for the 2009 kick off event on the Goldie which begins February 28.
[Link: AT&T National Pro-AM Photo: Daylife]
by The Editors on January 16, 2009
At New Zealand’s Karitane Beach today surfers got out of the water in a hurry after spotting a shark according to a story on Stuff.co.nz.
Constable John Paul Tremain said it was a very large shark and one of the surfers chased out of the water was a veteran surfer in the area. . . .”So for him to bail out of the water it means that he’s frightened enough obviously to get out so it’s fairly serious.” . . .At this stage it was unknown what type of shark it was.
“I don’t know if it’s a white shark or a mako or a tiger – its lurking in the surf and in the inlet.”
We think it odd that anyone would think any surfer would stay in the water after seeing a large shark. But it’s nice that the reporters think “veteran surfers” are gnarlier and more likely to stay in the water if it’s just a small shark.
[Link: Stuff.co.nz]
by The Editors on January 16, 2009
Three-time national amateur surfing champion and former WQS ProMike Reilly has set up a new non-profit organization to “provide children of global action sports destinations with tangible items that will help enrich and save their lives.”
“Through my travels, I’ve seen first-hand how the basic needs of children in our favorite surf destinations just aren’t being met.All 4 the Kids is committed to finding exceptional causes each year and producing events to support them,” said Reilly. “By operating without any overhead, partners and supporters can feel confident that their donation will be directly applied to the cause of bettering or saving a child’s life.”
The first event, Nets For Life is March 21, 2009 at the Kona Cafe in Huntington Beach and will be raising money to buy mosquito nets for kids in Sumatra. Follow the jump for more info.
[Link: All 4 The Kids] [click to continue…]
by The Editors on January 15, 2009
Mavericks Surf Contest Director Jeff Clark has called it off for this weekend, according to a story in the San Jose Mercury News.
While Saturday might turn out to be a fine day for big-wave surfing at Mavericks, the odds of it being too fickle over the course of a whole day gave pause to Clark and many of the invited 24 surfers tracking the swell’s every move online for the better part of a week.
Guess we’ll all just have to wait and see if he’s right.
[Link: San Jose Mercury News]
by The Editors on January 15, 2009
When Jacksonville, Florida surfboard shaper Clay Bennett closed up his shop two years ago to move to Texas he reportedly owed close to $30,000 in boards and cash to his customers. Now he’s back in town and some aren’t to happy about it according to a story on Jacksonville.com.
Bennett riled some surfboard customers in 2007 because he owed them boards that had been paid for when he moved to Galveston, Texas, where he continued shaping boards. Bennett said he always intended to settle his debts, but when he was providing boards for prizes at a Gulf Coast surf contest, Florida surf Internet sites such as Fluidgroove and Surf Station lit up with criticism from some of Bennett’s former customers. Others offered support for him, praising his skills and surfboard designs.
For one more reminder that talented, well-meaning shapers are often bad businessmen, click the link.
[Link: Jacksonville.com]
by The Editors on January 15, 2009
In a race against The Eddie, Mavericks Surf Contest organizers have bumped the prize purse up to $150,000, according to as story on the San Jose Mercury News.
There really is no amount of money on Earth that could compensate the guys for the risks they take out there at Mavericks,” Keir Beadling, CEO of Mavericks Surf Ventures, wrote in an e-mail, “and I honestly believe they’d surf in the contest with no prize purse. Many of them have said as much. . . . “But, we are extraordinarily proud of the fact that — even in the teeth of the worst recession in generations — we were able to pull together and put on the contest, and even make some more history in the process.”
Wonder if this has anything to do with the approaching “swell of the winter” this weekend?
[Link: San Jose Mercury News]
by The Editors on January 15, 2009
Nixon hosts an art show with pieces from all their friends: Chivo, Jody Morris, Taylor Dunfee, Marlena Detrick, Steven Neiley, Morgan, Mimi Knoop, The Pirates, Rob Machado, Russ Morland, Tony Ramsell, Cory Shephard, Travis Collier, Chili Thom, Rob Mathis, Mike Jackson, Jody Rogac, Tyler Quarles, Catherine Leslie, Mila Franovic, Calen Knauf, Kevin Rockwell, Tyler Simpson, Phoenix and Caley Vanular .
It all happens January 21, 2009 at the Trunk Gallery, 1755 West 3rd Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 1K7
[Link: Nixon]
by The Editors on January 12, 2009
Quiksilver announced today that Marty Samuels, president of Quiksilver Americas has left the company and Craig Stevenson has been named interim President of Quiksilver Americas effective immediately.
Robert B. McKnight, Jr., Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Quiksilver, Inc., commented, “I would like to thank Marty for his many contributions to Quiksilver over the last twelve years. Marty was instrumental to our growth during his time here, a period in which we’ve established ourselves as the leading action sports lifestyle company and we will miss him. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
The press release gives no reason for Marty’s departure. Maybe he’s leaving so he can “spend more time with his family.”
[Link: Welt.de]
by The Editors on January 12, 2009
Quiksilver CEO Bob McKnight will be featured in a new commercial for Microsoft in which he makes the case that the right software can help them do their jobs better.
The ads, via JWT, New York, feature audio conversations with WestJet CEO Sean Durfy, Quiksilver CEO Robert McKnight and Eric Ryan, the co-founder and chief brand architect for Method. As each of the execs is talking, Monty Python-esque animation plays outlining what each are saying.
Quiksilver uses Mircrosoft products? Maybe that’s the problem.
[Link: MediaWeek]
by The Editors on January 12, 2009
Women’s Wear Daily did a really nice feature profile on Active Ride Shop in their Independent Spotlight section today.
It was so nice that it didn’t even mention any of the problems we’ve all been hearing about since last fall: no mention of the fact that many manufacturers are no longer shipping product to Active, or the rumor that one company spent last fall physically removing product from the stores. The only nod to the realities of the current business climate was this from Active President Shane Wallace:
It’s tough right now. In our 20 years, this is the most interesting and most difficult environment to move in I’ve seen,” Wallace said, adding that he would wait to up the store count until the economy improves or until Active finds an investment partner to help take the chain national. . . Looking toward the new year, Wallace is cautious, but positive. “We’re playing it very conservative for 2009,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t rule out store closings, if needed. “We’ll do what makes sense for our business.”
Yeah, playing it conservative probably isn’t a bad idea at this point.
[Link: Women’s Wear Daily]
