by The Editors on November 10, 2008
According to a story in the North County Times, nearly 500 people packed into Oceanside, California’s Crest Theatre for a California Surf Film Festival showing of the classic surf film Endless Summer narrated live by its legendary creator Bruce Brown.
Brown, 70, wearing a lei and a Hawaiian shirt with an Endless Summer motif, also attracted a standing-room-only crowd. . . . “It caught the imagination of a lot of people,” Brown said about what he called his first “big budget” surf documentary.
Kind of wish we could have attended this one. . .
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on November 9, 2008
For the last decade Avalanche Snowboards co-founder Bev Sanders has been hosting surf trips in Mexico for women with her business Las Olas Surf Safaris. The New York Daily news checked in with Sanders this week and it looks like everything is going well.
A day at Las Olas includes an early-morning yoga class, breakfast and a surf session that rotates between group lessons, a field trip to other breaks at “secret” surf spots, and one-on-one lessons with the instructors. Then clients are encouraged to grab lunch in town and return for an afternoon of “free surf” that’s overseen by the instructors to make sure everyone is safe.
Sounds kind of plush. We’ve volunteered to be cabana boys several times, but Bev has never taken us up on it.
[Link: New York Daily News]
by The Editors on November 7, 2008
Now that Matt Drudge has lost an election seems he’s got nothing better to post than surf the web: literally. That’s okay with us. Kerby Brown should be getting more play for this hideous monster West Oz wave that he rode last August, even if it is on a site like Drudge.
[Link: Times Online and Drudgereport]
by The Editors on November 7, 2008
Now, after getting beaten up at Snapper Rocks, or Burleigh, kook surfers can find out exactly what they did to deserve their cracks.
The new signs indicate who has right of way and explain to surfers not to drop in, how to paddle out, communicate with others, surf within their ability, take off with commitment and avoid accidents. . . Currumbin surfer Dahmian Pen [pictured] said, “All the tourists that come and learn to surf, it shows them how to not annoy the locals too much and give a bit more respect.”
“How not to annoy the locals.” Sounds like a nice sign to hang on the fence at the Volcom house.
[Link: Goldcoast.com.au]
by The Editors on November 7, 2008
Today, the world’s best surfer will be competing at home in Coca Beach, Florida. Kelly Slater will compete in $10,000 Sean and Skippy Slater Invitational.
Slater will be among 36 surfers — and 24 longboarders — in his brothers’ benefit to raise money for the World Skin Cancer Foundation, a benefit created four years ago by his good friend, Drew Filliben, and Slater’s family. . . .”It was Drew’s idea,” Slater said. “He’s part of our family. We’ve been worried about his situation for 18 years or longer.”
Dermatologists will be on site on Saturday giving free cancer-cell screenings on the beach and there will reportedly be some “micro beer tasting” and a two-day street skating and BMX content in the parking lot of the Hilton.
[Link: Florida Today]
by The Editors on November 7, 2008
The Oxbow World Longboard Tour is at San Onofre State Beach this weekend (November 5-0, 2008). Today is day three. Here’s what apparently happened yesterday:
The nail bitter of the day came when reigning British and European longboard champion and Oxbow teamrider Ben Skinner won a tense heat against Californian Zack Howard. The lulls were painfully long, then on the very last exchange of wave scores in the dying seconds, Ben bagged what he needed and clinched a well deserved place in round 3 tomorrow.
If that sounds like hot, longboard action then you better hurry down to San O. And don’t forget your binocs.
[Link: Oxbow World Longboard Tour]
by The Editors on November 7, 2008
Say what you will about Adrenalina CEO Jeffrey Geller, but by blending bi-lingual marketing, in-store FlowRiders, and sideshow carnival showmanship Geller is creating the Cabela’s of boardsports stores.
The new 12,000 square foot store, which is having its grand opening tomorrow November 8, 2008, is in the International Plaza Mall in Tampa, Florida and features both the FlowRider and a juice bar.
As we continue with our retail expansion strategy, we are thrilled to bring the Adrenalina experience to the Tampa area,” commented President and COO Jeffrey Geller. “In addition to the FlowRider, the larger retail space allows us to add an even greater selection of top brands, such as Billabong, Volcom, Quiksilver, Zoo York, O’Neil, and Ed Hardy, giving the consumer the ultimate extreme sports experience.”
All the PacSun posing aside, something must be working.
[Link: MarketWatch]
by The Editors on November 6, 2008
While PacSun same-store sales were down 11 percent and Zumiez was down 13 percent, Urban Outfitters was reportedly up 17 percent, according to Forbes.
Same-store sales for its Urban Outfitters brand climbed 17 percent, while Anthropologie same-store sales edged up 2 percent and Free People same-store sales increased 4 percent.
Are action brands beginning to slip?
[Link: Forbes]
by The Editors on November 5, 2008
The street is not so happy with Zumiez after the company released a same-store sales drop of 13.1 percent in October. Not that it was surprising. It was just lower than expected.
That compares with a same-store sales gain 5.1 percent for the comparable period last year. . . . Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected same-store sales to fall 6.5 percent for the four weeks ended Nov. 1.
Net sales were up 1 percent, but with the economy and a “highly promotion retail atmosphere” we really can’t fault them. The stoked closed down 76 cents at $8.59.
[Link: Forbes]
by The Editors on November 5, 2008
Volume two in Surfline.com’s World Wide Waves book series The Pipeline will be rolled out at Billabong Headquarters in Irvine (click for map) on Saturday, November 8, 2008 with a special guest appearance by Gerry Lopez (and other Pipe Legends featured in the book).
Through 200 pages of captivating and timeless images from over 50 of the world’s best photographers, combined with words from surfing’s most renowned writers, “The Pipeline: The World’s Most Respected Wave” tells the stories from almost five decades of heart-stopping action: the first rides, the first contests, triumphs, deaths, localism, foreign invasion, performance revolution, with a special chapter by Surfline’s Sean Collins on how and why Pipeline is the wave that it is.
The only downside is that it’s a pretty spendy evening. It costs $35 just to get in, $100 includes a book, and $200 includes a limited edition of the book and some 2008 Pipeline Masters gear. Click the link to buy a ticket.
[Link: Surfline.com]
