Surfing

Mick Fanning Attacks A Shark At J-Bay

by The Editors on July 19, 2015

It was every surfer’s biggest nightmare and over the past 12 hours it has become the leading news of the day. During the final of the J-Bay Open today (July 19, 2015) between Julian Wilson and Mick Fanning a shark swam over and tried to take a nip our of defending champion and three-time world champ Fanning.

“I was just cruising and waiting for my turn, my opportunity and I knew Julian (Wilson) was down the point,” Fanning said. “I was just about to get moving and start paddling again and all of a sudden I had this instinct that something was behind me. I started getting pulled underwater and then the thing came up and I was on my board and it was right there. I saw the whole thing thrashing around but I was getting dragged under by my leg rope. I felt like it kicked me off but it was still there going and I was still attached to my board. I felt like I punched it a couple of times and then it was dragging me and then my leg rope broke.”

Fanning tried to yell to Julian Wilson for him to get out of the water, but Wilson was already on his way to help Fanning.

“Mick (Fanning) was kind of out in no man’s land so I was really watching him and had my eyes on him,” said Wilson. “Mick (Fanning) was looking down the point and I saw the whole thing pop up behind him. It came up and he was wrestling it. I saw him get knocked off his board and then a wave popped up and I thought, ‘he’s gone’. I felt like I couldn’t get there quick enough. The results don’t mean anything to me, I’m just happy he’s alive. I literally thought when I was paddling for him that I wasn’t going to get there in time, especially when I saw him off his board and swimming away. I thought it was going to grab him and take him under. I’m so happy we’re both on the beach right now, I was so worried about Mick’s life.”

Both surfers were immediately removed from the water by contest water patrol and neither had a scratch on them. The contest was halted and Fanning and Wilson were given equal second place finishes and split the prize money.

We are so unbelievably overjoyed that it turned out the way it did and will be forever inspired by Julian Wilson’s heroic act. For the official word (and complete results) please follow the jump.

[click to continue…]

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Freestyle Gets Smart With Shark Tooth

by Sponsored Post on June 10, 2015

Shark All

 

This post sponsored by Surfshop.com

We’ve said this before, but we’re done wearing watches that only tell the time. Partially because time of day is rarely on our minds, and mostly because we’ve become so used to wearing watches that quietly notify us to calls, events, emails, and text messages, that having a watch just for the time is like dragging around a sun dial on our wrists. Lucky for us, Freestyle has come up with a new watch that does much more than tell time.

Freestyle is well known for making simple, cheap surf watches, but with the new Shark Tooth they’re jumping in on the Bluetooth smart watch game with a reimagining of of their Shark Classic surf watch. The new Shark Tooth features real time surf metrics thanks to a partnership with WaveTrak (a.k.a. Surfline). Once paired to a compatible Android or iOS phone (that’s running the free Freestyle app) the Shark Tooth will serve up all the necessary surf data from your favorite surf spot right on your wrist including: weather, air and water high and low temps, wave height, interval, swell direction, wind speed (in knots) and direction, high and low tide times, and sunrise and sunset times. This is in addition to the watch’s regular functions like world time, stop watch, countdown timer (for heats, bru) and an alarm.

The Freestyle app will also use the phone’s GPS to track activities likes skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, biking, and more then show metrics like speed, distance, direction travelled, and calories burned. And if those aren’t enough parlor tricks for the tech-weeniest surfer, the Shark Tooth can also provide a remote control over a connected phone’s camera and music player.

The Shark Tooth doesn’t pass on smart notifications to the wrist or let you read texts and emails in the lineup and we have experienced repeated connection issues, but the watch retails for only $120. And at that price, it’s a fine surf watch that does much more than tell time.

For all the specs follow the jump. To buy the watch, check here: Surfshop.com.

[click to continue…]

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Kelly Slater Calls Out SeaWorld

by The Editors on June 9, 2015

Sea-World-Of-HurtTomorrow, June 10, 2015 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater will call out SeaWorld during the company’s online annual meeting by submitting a question on behalf of PETA. Here’s the question that he is submitting:

My name is Kelly Slater, and I’m here on behalf of PETA. The veil has been lifted on SeaWorld. All the ads in the world won’t change what the public now knows to be true: that the company imprisons highly intelligent, emotionally complex, social animals in tiny, barren concrete tanks, which leads to aggression and disease. SeaWorld is experiencing declining attendance and revenue, and dozens of companies, including Southwest Airlines, Panama Jack, and Mattel, have recently ended partnerships with SeaWorld. As a professional surfer, I’m lucky and privileged to be able to spend the majority of my time in the ocean—it’s the place where I feel most at home, and thus, I feel an obligation to protect that which I have a voice in influencing. Please, tell us, when will SeaWorld allow the animals it holds captive to return to their home—the ocean—by retiring them to a seaside sanctuary? And wouldn’t this at least be viewed, if nothing else, as a public relations win for you? By righting the wrongs you have committed in the name of corporate profit for so many years, you may actually be able to recoup some of the respect that has been lost in the eyes of the public and work toward an end to the problem of animal suffering. Thank you.

We couldn’t say it better ourselves.

[Link: SeaWorldOfHurt]

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Surfcore: The New Fashion Trend

by The Editors on June 8, 2015

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Looks like surfers are back in style, according to a vomit-inducing fashion article in Men’s Journal (if that isn’t redundant). But be careful — surfcore is not easy to “pull off.”

If the surfcore style is for you, there’s a trick to pulling it off (which is the only similarity it shares with the norm core and lumber sexual looks — or any trend). The trick to making it look as good on the sidewalk as it does on the sand means distinguishing the fine line between gimmicky and genuine. “You have to be careful when it comes to fit,” celebrity menswear stylist Ashley Weston advises. “The guys who nail it do so because their floral shirt is fitted correctly. Surf wear and beach-inspired pieces cannot be worn loose because a relaxed fit translates into a sloppy tourist vibe. The fit can mess it all up. If the shirt is looser then you need to pair it with a much more fitted pant, or vice versa. The look needs to balance.”

Yeah, bro! Looks like Luke Davis will continue to get paid for a little while longer.

[Link: Men’s Journal]

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Tia Blanco Wins 2015 ISA World Gold

by The Editors on June 8, 2015

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The USA’s Tia Blanco edged Leilani McGonagle, Ella Williams, and Chelsea Tuach to take the the 2015 ISA World Surfing Games gold medal on Saturday, June 7, 2015 in Playa Popoyo, Nicaragua.

“It means the world to me, to win this Gold Medal for the USA. I am so stoked!” exclaimed Blanco, still in the awe following her win. “Getting carried up the beach by my coach and Damien Hobgood was a dream come true – it was one for the memory book. Thank you to everyone who believed in me, I could not do it without you.”

For a few more words (thought not many more) please follow the jump. [click to continue…]

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ISA World Surf Games Are Over

by The Editors on June 7, 2015

The International Surfing Association has concluded their World Surfing Games in Playa Popoyo Nicaragua.

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Lib Tech + Lost = Revolutionary Surfboards

by The Editors on June 4, 2015

We’ve been surfing Lib Tech Waterboards for six months now and while we love the shapes and truly believe the founder Mike Olson is changing the face of the surf industry with his complete reset on surfboard construction technology, we also kept thinking how amazing it would be so other high-profile shapers got behind the technology.

Well, today Lib Tech announced a partnership with Lost Enterprises. Now some of Matt Biolos‘ masterpiece shapes are available in Lib Tech ECO ISO construction. And that is just plain rad.

Here’s what Biolos had to say about it:

“Since I first saw Lib Tech’s ECO ISO construction, I wanted to build a board with it. The strength to weight ratio, eco minded materials and techniques, and the fact that this tech was being built in the USA was incredibly interesting to me. I am stoked that the time has finally come and hope people enjoy riding them as much as we have enjoyed building them.”

Mike Olson is also obviously stoked:

“I have been working with alternative environmentally safer, high performance surf construction all my life…our ECO ISO construction process is much healthier for the craftsmen while at the same time using more environmentally friendly materials and having incredible durability. We are so stoked that Matt took notice of what we are doing up in the northern corner of the USA near Canada, we couldn’t imagine a better partner.”

for the official word from Lib Tech follow the jump. To hear all about Lib Tech’s ECO ISO from the man who created it, click here for our original video interview with Mike Olson (from three years ago). [click to continue…]

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Sally Fitzgibbons Wins At Cloudbreak

by The Editors on June 4, 2015

Sally Fitz Tava

Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons did not let a little thing like a busted ear drum get in her way at the Fiji Pro. No, she blasted on through over South Africa’s Bianca Buitendag to defend her win at Cloudbreak.

“I’m so exhausted the tears came out,” said Fitzgibbons. “It’s been such a big couple of days and quite a bit of pain. I just thought whatever the ocean is going to deal up to me I’ll be happy with it. At this stage to have a win is so amazing and I’m just so happy. Credit to the medical staff for taping me up and to everyone supporting me back home – I love you guys, we did it. In the face of adversity this is definitely one of the most special wins I’ve ever had.”

For the official word from the privately owned entertainment company specializing in event and online streamed content production (including final results), please follow the jump. [click to continue…]

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Stoked Sample Sale In NYC

by The Editors on June 3, 2015

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Stoked is hosting their first ever sample sale in their offices in Brooklyn June 12-14, 2015.

We have 25 brands providing great gear and clothing that we’re selling for up to 70% off! All proceeds benefit STOKED. . . We’re also having a preview party on June 11, the evening before. A $20 ticket gives you access to all the great stuff before the sale.

Stoked’s offices are located at 68 Jay Street, Suite 425 in Brooklyn, New York 11201. For all the official details, click the link.

[Link: Stoked.org]

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Laird Hamilton’s GolfBoard Open

by The Editors on May 21, 2015

So big wave surfer Laird Hamilton is reportedly the co-founder of a company that makes a skateboard like golf cart that’s used at Bend, Oregon’s Tetherow Resort. It’s call the GolfBoard. And next weekend he is hosting the world’s first “GolfBoard Only Tournament.” In other words, everyone has to get around the course on a GolfBoard.

Festivities kick off Friday, May 29 with a Speedgolf demo and competition (winner takes home $1,000), followed by a lively meet and greet arrival party at 5:30 pm. The GolfBoard Open Tournament will take place on Saturday morning, May 30, topped off with afternoon libations, lunch and awards ceremony.

We’ve said before that there’s nothing anyone could do to golf that would make us want to play it, but the GolfBoard certainly makes it look a little less boring and painful. The downside — we’d still have to hang out with golfers. Follow the jump for the official word from Tetherow Resort. [click to continue…]

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