by The Editors on July 7, 2008
Speaking of Surfer editor Chris Mauro: The London Free Press is reporting that Mr. Mauro used to take a “16 kilometer detour on his way to work each morning to check out the swells at his favourite surf break,” but that thanks to high gas prices he (like many surfers) has “cut out his daily ritual in favour of the savings.”
We all think about oil in our cars, but very few of us really consider the fact that every little piece of manmade equipment around you is oil-based, and surfing’s no different,” said Mauro, who’s seen the price of some surfboards double to $750 or higher. “The price of a surfboard, it used to be something where it was pretty digestible. Now, it’s like, whoa, OK, I’ve got to put some serious thought into this.”
Seems kind of sad that the editor of Surfer isn’t checking the surf. Maybe we should begin some kind of fund-raising drive so Chris get back in the know each morning.
[Editors’ Note: There is more to the story including quotes from Moonlight Glassing’s Peter St. Pierre, Mark Wooster of Wooster Surfboards, Randy French of SurfTech, and Surfline’s Mike Matey.]
[Link: The London Free Press]
by The Editors on July 7, 2008
The New York Times reminds readers that people still surf, even old people. Can you believe that? Chris Mauro even gets quoted:
Chris Mauro, editor of Surfer, a California-based magazine, said that the number of people surfing has grown since the late 1980s and has greatly increased in New Jersey.
“A lot of these surfers are part of the over-40 crowd,” he said. “In fact, the average surfer now is in their late 20s.”
It must be a big story because the Press Of Atlantic City is in on the “old surfer” tip as well.
[Link: The New York Times and Press of Atlantic City]
by The Editors on July 7, 2008
According to SurfingMagazine.com Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama are co-chairing the PacSun Pipeline to a Cure Dinner Gala, on July 19 at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach. The event will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
The correlation between surfing and healing surfaced two years ago when patients with cystic fibrosis in Sydney, Australia reported feeling better after hitting the waves, stating that their chests felt relieved as the ocean water cleared the mucus from their and sinuses and lungs. The finding made complete sense, as the top daily treatment for the disease, Hypertonic Saline Solution, mimics a “surf session” for the lungs.
“Our duties as co-chairmen are to help push the snowball over the hill,” Kalama explained. “We want to help raise as much awareness and get as many people on board as possible by lending our name to the cause. Surfing has been so great to us and now it is our chance to give back.”
For more info click the link.
[Link: Pipeline To A Cure via Surfingmagazine.com]
by The Editors on July 7, 2008
Cole Ortega, 14, a competitive snowboarder from Bend, Oregon lost his arm (between the elbow and shoulder) while surfing in Pacific City, Oregon after he was run over by a dory (a 20-foot-long motorized boat) driven by Darrel Martin, 55, of Beaver, Oregon, according to a story on Oregon Live.
Other surfers grabbed the boy’s severed arm and helped him to shore on a surfboard. Doug Shugart, an Oregon State Police trooper checking fishing licenses, rushed into the water to help, said Tillamook County Sheriff Todd Anderson. Shugart grabbed his medical bag and started working on the boy, whose arm was severed between the elbow and shoulder.
Apparently, the boats come in and out off the beach and when the surf gets big, the “high waves often obscure visibility in the popular surfing area.
A Life Flight crew airlifted him to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland. His condition was not available Sunday night.
Our thoughts are with Cole and his entire family.
[Editors’ Note: For updated coverage click here.]
[Link: Oregon Live photo: Mt. Bachelor]
by The Editors on July 6, 2008
In the world of ocean art there can be some pretty hideous stuff, but we’ve been hypnotized by Newport Beach artist Phil Roberts‘ WCT work for Billabong since spending the first part of last December at Pipeline sitting next to the event banner. That’s why we were stoked to read an interview with Roberts on the The Billabong Pro J-Bay site, where he discussed his art for all the events.
Jefferies Bay I broke barriers in myself in painting skills… I now feel I can call myself a painter and no longer an illustrator after this painting ( I went straight to paint with no pencil under drawings, I sketched it out with a 4″ brush ) and I wanted to “school” all of those “crappy” underwater painters on how to paint dolphins surfing.
We agree. Click the link for the entire interview.
[Link: Billabong Pro]
by The Editors on July 6, 2008
Tom Butler is the five time British junior surfing champion and now he’s the English champion. What better time for the women’s section of the Times UK to interview the “surf dude” where he got to answer questions like this:
How do you let your hair down? Have a few beers, go out with my mates.
Spend much time grooming? I moisturise a little bit.
Seems like a nice guy to put up with these kinds of questions.
[Link: Times Online]
by The Editors on July 6, 2008
Laird Hamilton will apparently be helping roll out a significantly more upscale line of clothing to the US market on July 20, 2008 as Oxbow opens it’s first store at 131 Broadway in Santa Monica.
Oxbow has sponsored me for almost 20 years: from my first experimentations with speed sailing in Europe and tow-in surfing in Maui in 1990 to the millennium wave in Teahupoo in 2001, and today, I am very proud to be associated with the launch of Oxbow in the US,” explains Laird Hamilton.
Which is great because his recent “more affordable” line of clothing isn’t doing so well.
[Link: Surfer’s Path]
by The Editors on July 3, 2008
In what looks to be one of the dullest shows ever to play The Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA four members of Surfline.com’s “forecast team” will appear live from 1-4 pm on July 12, 2008 to show people how to use the website’s forecast tools. What?
For a $10 cover charge, people will get 3 hours packed with surf forecasting info and chances to win lots of cool surf gear from South Coast Surf Shop, Kommunity, Dakine, FCS, and Bulky Boy. The afternoon will include a presentation, plus open Q & A sessions throughout the rest of the day. Each forecaster will have a laptop so they can show people the most efficient ways to navigate the site based on their forecasting needs.
Each forecaster will have a laptop? Someone, please tell us this is a joke?
[Link: Surfline.com]
by The Editors on July 3, 2008
According to The Age, “former tennis star Mark Philippoussis was lucky to escape with his life after he paddled into wild seas off Victoria’s surf coast today.”
Philippoussis was dragged into an area known as the Valley and pummelled by waves until his board snapped. . . He managed to reach a cave, where he spent about two hours, apparently to wait until the tide dropped, while onlookers alerted his girlfriend who was in a nearby carpark.
Locals apparently warned the Australian champ that he probably shouldn’t paddle out at Winkipop Beach, but he went anyway.
[Link: The Age]
by The Editors on July 2, 2008
Surfer Frank Lourda, 61, a Santa Barbara area contractor was found “floating in the sea off San Augustine’s Beach at Hollister Ranch on Monday, June 30, 2008 according to a story in the Santa Barbara Independent.
Although the official cause of death has not yet been determined, Louda’s apparent drowning comes as a shock for many Santa Barbara architects and surfers as well as to his friends at Hollister Ranch, where he was partial owner of a parcel. He was an avid surfer and appeared to be in excellent health. “He was really very much an alive guy,” said friend and author Nora Gallagher. “People can’t figure it out.”
It’s a total cliche, but if you have to go, there are few spots more beautiful for a surfer. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
[Link: Santa Barbara Independent]
