by The Editors on September 6, 2008
Like many people who were on their way home from the ASR show, we exited at Carlsbad’s La Costa Blvd. To check out the Vans El Ponto Loco WQS 2 Star event that’s been going on for the last three days. Shey Yates (above) got up under it, but ended up fourth in heat #4 of the quarter finals.
By the time the finals rolled around the wind was up, the tide was up, and it seemed like the entire heats would go by with only three or four waves. That didn’t stop any of the surfers from making the most of the almost non-existant surf. Here are the results:
Jr. Pro:
- Nat Young USA
- Blake Jones USA
- Brent Reilly USA
- Andrew Doheny USA
Men’s:
- Casey Brown HAW
- Dilon Perillo USA
- Jason Collins USA
- Brad Ettinger USA
Here’s a little more of what we saw:
Mike Parsons with one of the best “who’s the doad with the camera” looks we’ve gotten in quite a while. Kelly Slater, Jim Hogan and the rest of the crew hanging out back by the PCH.
Follow the jump for the rest of the photos (click ’em to supersize).
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by The Editors on September 5, 2008
Vipe Desai and Project Blue got a nice write up by Laylan Connelly in the OC Register. We were planning on meeting up with Vipe to get all the behind the scenes info, but someone beat us to it.
Each of the companies (Billabong, DAKINE, Electric, Nixon, O’Neill, Reef) have set aside specific products, and with each item sold $2 of the purchase goes to San Clemente-based Surfrider Foundation. This year, Project Blue is on track to make $100,000 from the sales to go to the non-profit. . . . The goal of Project Blue isn’t to get the companies to change their entire product line to environmentally-friendly substance, but to slowly get the companies thinking about how they can help the environment. Project Blue’s tagline is: “It’s not a charity. It’s a plan of action.”
Not bad at all.
[Link: OC Register]
by The Editors on September 5, 2008
While we were busy sitting through ASR seminars yesterday Quiksilver held their quarterly conference call. Luckily Reuters was there get all the details: “the company posted a quarterly profit that beat estimates, and stood by its fiscal-year earnings view, sending shares up 13 percent.”
Quiksilver said on Thursday that profit margins were fattened by a higher percentage of sales in Europe and at company-owned retail stores. Results were also helped by a tax benefit. . . . “We had a pretty decent quarter, given how tough the retail environment is around the world,” said Chief Executive Robert McKnight in a conference call with analysts.
Higher percentage sales at company-owned retail stores. . . wonder if that’s how Hollister does it?
[Link: Reuters]
by The Editors on September 4, 2008
Globe’s Gary Valentine and Rodney Mullen hanging out down by the tracks looking for a fight.
More street photos after the jump.
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by The Editors on September 4, 2008
We came in ready to have a little laugh at Fuel TV‘s expense about having a media panel with no media people on it, but Fuel’s John Stouffer surprised us.
Sure, Fuel TV’s General Manager CJ Olivares was on the panel (as he is every year), but also upfront were several other action sports media people: TransWorld Business Publisher Rob Campbell, The Surfer Group Publisher Rick Irons, and Vans marketing guy Doug Palladini.
The stated point of the discussion was how the Internet is changing action sports media. With the exception of Palladini, however, all the panelists were from old media companies who happen to have websites. No one from any of the emerging online action sports media businesses like loopd, Seshn, Sportnet, Go211, or Bnqt were even represented on the panel. Add to the fact that Vans spends millions of dollars with the other three panelists and it ended up like little more than a one-sided scuffle about advertising.
One of most pointed comments came from the audience when Ransu Salovaara the CEO of online ad network Sportsyndicator.com said:
The readers have already abondonded the magazines. The people are already online but the industry is supporting the magazines. The marketing directors are about two years behind the rest of the world. . . . The magazines are not supported by readers anymore, they are supported by the industry.
As might be imagined the entire panel disagreed.
by The Editors on September 4, 2008
From the size of the audience it would seem that specialty retailers have sales data on lock. Only about 14 people attended ActionWatch’s Cary Allington’s seminar at 1:30 PM today. And that is strange because he is offering a completely free way to know exactly what is checking in specialty retail shops across the country. More importantly, his data can be used to compare what retailers are doing in their own stores to the aggregate.
The catch? Retailers simply supply a monthly sales report that gets aggregated, given back to the member retailers free of charge, and then sold to suppliers. Currently, Allington has approximately 180 specialty retailers signed up but he’s hoping to get to 300.
There are great reasons for retailers to share data. One of our favorites is using the data to negotiate with suppliers to get better deals. If a retailer knows that brand “X” skate shoe is selling at margins that are below average, it would be nice to share that information with the supplier as leverage.
This really is about empowering retailers. “Retailers think they have much less power than they actually have,” Allington said.
And after all, data is power. Might as well have some of it on your side. But then again, these are specialty retailers. . . good luck, huh?
[Link: Action Watch Reports]
by The Editors on September 4, 2008
If listening to Quiksilver’s Bob McKnight read a statement and then answer anylists’ questions is something you find entertaining (like we do), then tune your Internet deck to www.quiksilverinc.com at 1:30 PST today September 4, 2008 and be enlightened and entertained all at the same time with Bob, Joe Scirocco, Marty Samuels, and Bruce Thomas.
[Link: MarketWatch]
by The Editors on September 4, 2008
Andrew Palmer is the new general manger at Ocean Minded (makers of some of the most durable stylish flips on the planet).
Mr. Palmer joins Ocean Minded with more than 20 years of experience in the action sports market. Notably, Mr. Palmer was co-founder of Animal, the leading action sports brand in the United Kingdom. As the CEO of Animal USA, Mr. Palmer was responsible for building the U.S. infrastructure while also overseeing global sales. Following his tenure with Animal, Mr. Palmer served as the Global Sales Director for Dragon Optical, Inc.
Company founder Gary Ward is “very excited to welcome Andrew to the team.”
Andrew’s global brand experience and proven entrepreneurial background will allow us to continue with our rapid growth plan. As GM, Andrew will take responsibility for the day to day running of the business and I will work closely with him to bring the Ocean Minded ideals to domestic and international markets,” Ward said.
You’ll get no snide comments from us on the Ocean Minded front. Not one.
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by The Editors on September 3, 2008
Murder charges against Charles Richard Dobson, Jr. (pictured right) in the stabbing death of Folly Beach, South Carolina surfer Craig Massey were dropped today before a hearing was even held.
The case was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Tuesday to determine whether there was sufficient probable cause to bring the matter to trial. Instead, the hearing was canceled and the charges dismissed. . . . Andy Savage, one of Dobson’s lawyers, said the Solicitor’s Office made the right call, much to the relief of Dobson and his family. “We’re certainly not surprised by the action taken by the solicitor, which we think was appropriate.”
Dobson, who is from a prominent area family, claimed he acted in self defense.
Massey’s friend were not happy by the dismissal.
It’s very disappointing, and I don’t think it’s right that (Dobson) was let off with no accountability at all,” said Nancy Hussey, a friend of Massey and director of the Eastern Surfing Association. “This whole thing is just really sad. It’s such a tragedy.”
Some say the entire altercation was because of a love triangle between the two men and a 19-year-old girl named Mary Whilden Hills.
[Link: Charleston.net]
by The Editors on September 3, 2008
When Grant Boxall broke his neck surfing Western Australia, it was Taj Burrow who pulled him out. Boxall, who is now a paralympic rugby player in Bejing tells the whole story in the Sydney Morning Herald.
I went straight down and heard a crunch. I managed to get a few yells of help out. I tried to move my legs but nothing was happening. All the pain was in my head. I’d smashed it open. I was going under. I was panicking, it was all happening so quick. . . . Next thing I knew, this hand grabbed the scruff of my neck, or the back of my wettie, and ripped me back up. I was gulping air. It was Taj who grabbed me. He was saying, ‘Get on my board, try to get on my board.’ I was like, ‘I can’t, I can’t.’ It was just mayhem.”
Boxtall, who thought he was dying, was taken to the hospital by Taj and the boys. He’s been in a wheelchair since, but now he’s in the paralympics. All thanks to Taj.
[Link: Sydney Morning Herald]
