by The Editors on July 28, 2008
According to a story in the AFP, Sean Michael Foxcroft, 24, from Manchester, England went missing while surfing on the East Coast of South Africa.
He got into difficulties at the main beach in St Lucia, 40 nautical miles (75 kilometres) north of Richards Bay on the east coast. . . “It appears that the man went missing in the surf while assisting a fellow expedition leader to rescue a group of their learners who had gotten into difficulty in shallow surf,” Lambinon said.
[Link: AFP]
by The Editors on July 28, 2008
Things haven’t been going so well since last Thursday’s Volcom Conference call. Shares are down, the market is down, but the Motley Fool investing site is still “stoked” on the stock.
Volcom is one of the smartest consumer-goods companies I can think of, boasting what I consider an intense, in-depth understanding of its customers. That kind of deep understanding of and affinity for a specific client base similarly attracted me to Urban Outfitters (Nasdaq: URBN). . . Furthermore, Volcom’s recent stock’s weakness is giving investors a great opportunity to buy, although the short term might be rough.
Rough, indeed.
[Link: Motley Fool]
by The Editors on July 27, 2008
Years ago when we said that Burton would “advertise on the side of a garbage truck if they thought there was a snowboard in it,” we were only joking. Coming this fall to Huntington Beach.
[Link: Active Ride Shop]
by The Editors on July 25, 2008
This morning at around 9 AM, Ethan Fulton, 17, was surfing with some friends near the jetty in New Smyrna Beach when he was bitten on the right foot, according to the News Journal Online.
Fulton’s friends tried taking him to the hospital, but then thought better of it and called for an ambulance. EVAC ambulance paramedics met the teen at Sapphire Road and North Peninsula Avenue. . . . Fulton was treated at the scene and then taken to Bert Fish Medical Center in stable condition, O’Keefe said. The bite was serious enough that Fulton was still in surgery early this afternoon.
For those keeping track at home, this is number 15 for Volusia County this year. Last year there were only 17 bites all year.
[Link: News Journal Online]
by The Editors on July 25, 2008
If you were basking in the sun at Huntington Beach yesterday (like much of the surf industry) and missed the Volcom conference call, here it is transcribed in it’s entirety. Here’s how Wooly kicked it off:
We are no more than half way through the year and I feel good about the progress that we have made managing our business in the U.S. running our new European operation and integrating Electric. The power of Volcom brand continues to capture the attention of consumers around the world and we are excited about the global opportunities that lay ahead.
His comments about electric:
Last quarter we added the full product line from electric, which includes sunglass, goggles, soft goods and accessories. During this period we launched three new sunglass styles, the Technician XL in May and the Detroit and Hoodlum the last week of June. So far the initial sell-through on all three styles has been very positive and we look forward to continuing to build on this excitement.
The Laguna Surf & Sport story:
The multi branded concept of the LS&S stores is a little different for us, but we believe it helps diversify our retail business by providing us with greater insight about our customers and market trends. It also brings an experience team to the company adding strength to our overall retail infrastructure. We plan to keep these stores operating under the LS&S name with the same employees, management and general product and brand mix.
For the rest of the call (including analyst questions) click the link.
[Link: Seeking Alpha and Reuters]
by The Editors on July 25, 2008
On approach the white topped tents and scaffolding of the US Open of Surfing venue looks like a Bedouin encampment rising out of the dusty sand expanse of Huntington Beach. But on closer inspection it becomes obvious that it is more like of an action sports Bartertow,n with booth after booth of excited merchants pressing products on Southern California’s trend-setting youth.
While the crowds today were nothing like they’ll be this Saturday and Sunday it is obvious that the popularity of Southern California action sports as spectacle is not fading in the least. Follow the jump for all the photos (click them to see them full size).
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on July 24, 2008
Sonny Garcia, 38, is out from under house arrest, back on the hunt for a spot on the WCT Tour and getting married for the third time, according to a story in the LA Times.
Before I went to prison, I made a pact with myself that I would try my hardest to get back on tour and retire on my own note,” he said. “To be back, traveling, hanging with my friends, doing what I love to do, is such a relief.” . . . When I went to prison, I lost all my sponsors,” he said. “I’ve got some new sponsors that are really good and they’re not putting any kind of pressure on me to requalify, or even do the tour, for that matter. They really don’t even care, they just want me to go out and surf and have fun.”
After he surfs in the round of 96 at the Go211.com US Open of Surfing he’s “scheduled to marry Colleen McCullough in Laguna Beach.”
Sounds like a big week for Sonny. We wish him the best. It’s not going to be easy.
[Link: LA Times]
by The Editors on July 24, 2008
If things go according to plans the Oceanside, California based California Surf Museum may move into an empty strip club near the Oceanside Pier.
The museum would nearly triple its space if it moves from its 2,000-square-foot home at 223 N. Coast Highway into the defunct Play Girl Club a half block away at 312-314 Pier View Way. . . The museum’s permanent collection numbers more than 2,000 pieces, with 125 surfboards that can’t be displayed at once because of lack of room. Stuffed into the small space are exhibits depicting the evolution of surfboards, the history of surfing and its distinctive place in the Southern California culture. About 20,000 visitors, including 1,000 students, tour the museum annually.
Wonder if they’ll bring back any of the former employees as docents?
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on July 24, 2008
Florida sure is sharky. Yesterday, at the Ponce de Leon Inlet 15-year-old Troy Zettle fell off his board and stepped on a shark. The shark then bit him several times on the left foot.
“This is the second provoked attack we’ve had this year,” Petersohn said. “He took the wave and when he landed on the sand, he stepped on the shark. It whipped around and bit him a couple of times.”
This is the 14th shark bit of the year in Volusia County. Zettle should be fine. He apparently needed a few stitches and may have some tendon damage.
[Link: News Journal Online]
by The Editors on July 23, 2008
Tomorrow, July 24, 2008 at 1:30 PST Volcom will host a conference call to discuss their financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2008.
The conference call will be available to interested parties through a live audio Internet broadcast at www.volcom.com. Volcom intends to utilize this webcast event to discuss financially-oriented goals and objectives and to disclose material company and industry-based topics in an open manner. The company does not plan to report or comment on its progress during the current fiscal quarter.
For those who are not available to listen to the live broadcast, the call will be archived for one year on the Volcom website. A telephone playback of the conference call will also be available until 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, July 31, 2008. Listeners should call (800) 642-1687 (domestic) or (706) 645-9291 (international) and use reservation: 55485369.
[Link: BusinessWire]
