by The Editors on January 8, 2009
On January 13, 2009 Town & Country Surf Designs will release their “one-of-a-kind Obama’s Inaugural Luau” T-shirt according to a story in the Hawaii Reporter.
“The design ties the historic moment of Obama’s inauguration to his roots in Hawaii,” says graphic artist Lani Isherwood, who created the artwork. “It depicts a Hawaiian luau fronting the U.S. Capitol, complete with kalua pig, a poi bowl, fresh island fruits, hula dancers and more. The luau scene represents the truly unique way Hawaii celebrates a milestone.”
The front of the tee features a yellow pineapple and the T&C Surf logo with the word’s “Hawaii’s own” scripted underneath. These luau shirts will be available at T&C Surf stores and retail for $20.
[Link: Hawaii Reporter]
by The Editors on January 8, 2009
NorCal surfers deal with a lot more sea life than those in Southern California and sometimes their cavalier attitudes make us feel downright soft; especially during shark season.
Being bitten by a great white shark six years ago has not kept Michael Casey out of the water, nor did seeing a shark again while surfing this past New Year’s Day near the Bodega Dunes Campground. . . . Instead of giving up for the day, Casey went a quarter mile up the beach and went back in the water. . . . “I saw other guys out,” said Casey, a Santa Rosa assistant city attorney. “I just felt more comfortable, it was uneventful, I caught some good waves and it was a good way to start the new year.”
Then again, maybe Casey expects a little professional courtesy this time around.
[Link: Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
by The Editors on January 8, 2009
Sometimes when we get so jaded that we start thinking magazine covers are just photos on the backside of a spread ad, it’s nice to read some local coverage to remember how stoked people are when they make the cover.
Here’s what O’Neill surfer Jesse Hines, 29, had to say about his January Surfer magazine cover in the North Carolina’s Outer Banks Sentinel.
It’s the Surfer magazine cover shot, however, that is huge. . . . “It’s a miracle just to get a photo in there,” Hines said. “They just happened to like the image, it’s just chance. . . “They look at millions and millions of photos from all over the world [for each issue],” he added. . . .”I used to look at surf mags and dream of it [surfing],” he said.
Nothing like a hometown paper to put everything in perspective.
[Link: Outer Banks Sentinel]
by The Editors on January 8, 2009
The amount of money going into the promotion of the Mathew McConaughey film Surfer Dude DVD release (it is currently selling for $5.99 on Amazon) could have financed a couple years of round the world surfing for someone. And now they’re stepping it up by giving away Surf Prescription boards on Movieweb.com
One lucky grand prize winner will win an actual surfboard from Surf Prescriptions, which will be signed by the film’s star Matthew McConaughey himself! We are also giving away a few posters for the film signed by McConaughey as well. These prizes will surely go super-fast, so be sure to enter this contest today!
So we guess in Hollywood speak an “actual surfboard” means a Doc Lausch surfboard.
[Link: MovieWeb.com]
by The Editors on January 7, 2009
by The Editors on January 7, 2009
We received reports yesterday that Reef dropped the axe on 42 employees as the savage retail economy continues to take its toll. Reef is one of 25 brands owned by VF Corp. Some of the company’s other brands include Vans, The North Face, 7 For All Mankind, Eastpack, Jansport, Wrangler, and Eagle Creek.
In a late December 2008 interview with TransWorld Business VF Corp’s President Americas Coalition Dave Gatto said:
We all know there can be a huge up-swing when the market recovers; it’s just a matter of adjusting the business responsibly to survive the lulls and hopefully emerge a stronger, more efficient brand.
Looks like Mr. Gatto just “adjusted” the Reef business to survive this lull. Hopefully, that was enough.
by The Editors on January 7, 2009
Joey Santley and Steve Cox have done what many thought could not be done: they have produced a surfboard made of mostly recycled materials. Joey spoke with Surfing Magazine about the entire Resurf.org process.
Well, the first board is 65% recycled foam. All I did was sweep up the foam dust from the shaping machine and bays of Mayhem’s factory and mixed it into our blending process. Of course, there has to be some virgin polyurethane in there to make everything adhere, but this is a huge start. We’re hoping to get the boards up to 70-80% recycled.
According to the story, Joey and Steve will be at ASR with their boards in booth #1036.
[Link: Surfing Magazine]
by The Editors on January 7, 2009
Malibu surfers are getting upset about the City’s plans to clean up what has been a “chronically polluted” surf break for years, according to a story in the LA Times. They say the plan does not take into account the treatment of sewage in the Civic Center.
Legacy Park “was touted as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a state-of-the-art environmental solution to the city’s water quality problems,” said Joe Melchione, an attorney who heads the Malibu Surfing Assn.’s environmental committee. “It’s time for the city of Malibu to grow up and clean up their own mess.”
Apparently, this whole issue is a stinking mess.
[Link: LA Times]
by The Editors on January 7, 2009
On December 10, 2008 Blacks Leisure announced they were giving the UK distribution rights to O’Neill back to O’Neill Europe and later mentioned they would find a buyer for their 57 Freespirit and O’Neill boardsports shops. Well, according to a story in the Blacks Leisure the company was unable to find a buyer for the stores.
“The reality is in the current market people aren’t prepared to do a sensible deal,” Neil Gillis, chief executive. . . . He said the fashion of wearing clothing inspired by skateboard and surf culture appeared to have passed. Instead of selling the division, Blacks is preparing to convert the stores to its main brands at a cost of £150,000 a store or £1.5m for the first tranche to be completed this year.
Blame it on skate and surf fashions. Nice.
[Link: Financial Times]
by The Editors on January 6, 2009
Hawaii’s Kai Barger won the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships edging Brazil’s Jadson Andre, 20. Follow the jump for the entire ASP press release.
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