The 2012 O’Neill Cold Water Classic got through round one in “shifting two-to-four foot waves” at The Lane on day one of the waiting period (November 1, 2012). And, aside for Joel Parkinson and Taj Burrow it wasn’t the best of days for the currently ASP Top 10. Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, 2 John Florence, Adriano De Souza, Julian Wilson, Owen Wright, and Josh Kerr we’re dispatched directly to the second round. Wild card (and local) Nat Young to out Mr. Slater and Kolohe Andino in Heat 5.
“I just wanted to be able to enjoy that heat,” Young said. “It was a really special heat being able to surf against Kelly Slater. He’s been my idol since I started surfing and having him at my local spot and Kolohe (Andino), he’s one of my best friends, so I was just really excited. The waves weren’t really that great in the heat. I just got a couple of 6s and made it. I’m really happy, but I wish we could have had better waves.”
It was a good, cold, NorCal day of waves and it set to get even better over the weekend. In Round 2, Heat 1 we’ll see if Kelly Slater can keep his world title hopes alive as he squares off man-on-man with local wildcard Jason “Ratboy” Collings. Follow the jump for the official word from the ASP. [click to continue…]
Eureka, California Surfer Scott Stephens is glad to be alive today after going through surgery to repair serious damage to his torso after getting hit by a juvenile great white shark on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. If it weren’t for the guys who helped get him to the hospital and the doctors who sewed him up he’d just be another sad statistic. We are super stoked for him and hope he recovers quickly.
Jason “Ratboy” Collins already had one of the wild cards (by invitation) for the 2012 O’Neill Cold Water Classic and now the other goes to Santa Cruz’s Nat Young after he battled his way through the today’s trials.
“I knew it was going to be tough in the local trials,” Young said. “We have so many good surfers up here and everyone is capable of doing well and getting big scores. It was a long day and I’m really stoked.”
This win puts Young right into the thick of it as he’ll meet Kelly Slater and Kolohe Andino in Round 1. The waiting period officially starts tomorrow (Novermber 2, 2012). For the official word from the ASP follow the jump. [click to continue…]
With all the destruction that Sandy caused it’s good to see that some Florida surfers got something good out of here. Cavin Brothers from Colorblindmedia.com offer up this little collection of Sandiness.
The Stokes Me Challenge, in which brands, organizations, and individuals competed to raise money for Humanitarian Organizations is over and the winners are? Reef founders Fernando Aguerre and Santiago Aguerre of Liquid Tribe. They reportedly raised $7,500. Judy Burlingham raised the most money as an individual fundraiser for a total of $6,650 winning a trip for two to Hawaii and the Triple Crown.
“Thank you to all of those that became personally invested with the Stokes Me Challenge as it is surfers like you who are at the heart of this cause,” said Ross Garrett, SIMA Humanitarian Fund President and Vice President at Surfline. “Raising $78,000 in our first year of the Challenge is exciting and I know that we will only continue to grow as we support the amazing work of surf-related humanitarian organizations making a difference in our world.”
A 25-year-old surfer was riding waves at North Jetty on Eureka, California Somoa Peninsula around noon today (October 30, 2012) when he was reportedly bitten by a shark, according to a story in the Times-Standard.
The victim told the deputy he was bitten by a shark while surfing. The victim had an approximate 14 inch bite wound and other wounds on his body that required surgery. . . . [one witness] said the victim had about four 12-inch long gashes from his ribs to below his hips. . . “It punctured all the way through. There were guts and meat hanging,” Gabriel said, adding that the victim appeared to be in shock. “He was going ‘Oh my God, oh my God.'”
According to a spokesperson from St. Joseph Hospital the victim is currently in fair condition. Our thoughts are with him and we hope he has a speedy recovery.
As might be imagined Hurricane Sandy is brining it to Long Beach, New York. A crew is out right now (October 29, 2012 11 AM EDT) doing step offs into bombs like this. Storm riders for sure. [click to continue…]
There’s really not much more to say about the first episode of Alana Blanchard’s new video show, other than Kauai is beautiful and Alana and her friends spend a lot of time in bikinis while cameras pan their tans.
Today O’Neill announced that it awarded one of its two 2012 Cold Water Classic wildcard spots to Jason “Ratboy” Collins. Did anyone doubt that?
“I’m super excited to get the wildcard. I knew there were a few people up for it,” said Collins. “It’s pretty cool for a local to get the opportunity to go out and surf against talent like Slater and Parko, guys you’ve looked up to. It’s also cool to see the event get upgraded, like it used to be. We used to get guys like Martin Potter, Tom Curren, everybody would come up here. But it’s been quite a few years.”
The other wildcard will be awarded in a 12-man invitation surf contest on October 31, 2012 featuring Nat Young, Bud Freitas, Noi Kaulukukui, Adam Replogle, Josh Mulcoy, Randy Bonds, Shaun Burns, Josh Loya and Jimmy Herrick, as well as, Johny Craft, Cory Lopez and Tim Reyes. The 2012 O’Neill Coldwater Classic waiting period begins November 1, 2012. Follow the jump for all the details. [click to continue…]
