Yesterday, (August 28, 2012) a 50-year-old surfer riding waves created by Hurricane Isaac drowned after getting caught in a rip current near Packery Channel in Corpus Christi, Texas, according to a story in KIIItv.com.
Nearby surfers were able to pull him to shore and start CPR. Paramedics got to the scene minutes later. Unfortunately, the man did later die at the hospital. . . “There is a very strong current out there right now,” said Timothy Netek with the Corpus Christi Fire Department. “As you can tell, even the surfers are taking it very cautiously. Anybody without a lot of experience in this water should avoid it at this time.”
Our thoughts are with the surfer’s family and friends.
Mick Fanning pulled one out from the back seat in the finals of the 2012 Billabong Pro Tahiti as he edged Joel Parkinson 18.87 to 18.37. Parko got out early and scored is 18.37 with his first two waves. But Fanning kept his game face on and waited for his waves.
“It’s a 35 minute Final so I knew the waves were going to come,” Fanning said. “I just had to be patient. It’s Teahupo’o so it goes on and off. You can get two 10s in two minutes so I knew I just needed to keep my composure throughout the Final. Joel (Parkinson) is such an incredible surfer and he’s gotten so good out here. He raced out to an early lead and I knew I needed to focus on my own game plan. I got that good score about mid-heat and then was able to sell him when he had priority on one that didn’t pan out for him. The second wave was the one and it’s an incredible feeling to come back and get the win. I’m stoked.”
This win puts Fanning into the top spot on the ASP rankings ahead of Joel Parkinson, and 2 John Florence in third. For the official word from the ASP and complete results, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
The final day of the 2012 Bilalbong Pro Tahiti (August 27, 2012) is underway in firing Teahupo’o surf. Kelly Slater may be out, but Mick Fanning, C.J. Hobgood, Parko, and Gabriel Medina are already waiting in the finals to see who survives their Round 5 match-ups.
“Surf is coming through in the four-to-six foot (1.5 – 2 metro) range this morning and we’re fortunate enough to have the best conditions available for the final day,” Rich Porta, ASP International Head Judge, said. “We’ll be starting competition at 7am and will be running straight through to the Final. Good luck to all our competitors today.”
For the official word follow the jump and complete results from yesterday’s action. [click to continue…]
The 2012 Billabong Pro Tahiti will run tomorrow (Sunday August 26, 2012), not because of epic surf, but due to running out of days to lay (there have been eight so far if you’re counting). But it’s not all bad news–tomorrow, there should be a swell filling in.
Surfline, official forecasters for the Billabong Pro Tahiti, are calling for [a] new SW swell . . . this medium size SW ground swell will fill in further and be strongest on tomorrow. A larger and solid south swell will build rapidly over tomorrow afternoon and continue Monday. Strong East trades prevail through the weekend, shifting more ENE/NE on Monday and easing.
For the official word from the ASP and the Round 3 match-ups follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Legendary snowboard lensman Jon Foster will present a solo show titled Free Movement: Timeless Moments in Surf and Snow at Bottlecraft Beer Shop and Tasting Room in San Diego, California’s Little Italy neighborhood on Saturday evening August 25, 2012.
The show will feature a sampling of Foster’s 1970’s classic surf style and 1990’s classic snowboarding style images. Show begins at 6 PM. Bottlecraft is located at 2161 India Street in San Diego. If you’re in the SoCal zone, don’t miss this.
Terry “Tubesteak” Tracy, the legendary Malibu surfer who reportedly kicked off Hollywood’s love affair with surfing by loaning Kathy Kohner “a surfboard in exchange for a peanut butter sandwich” has died, according to a story in the OC Register. He was 77 years old.
As he told the Register in 2002, he took to sleeping on the beach at Malibu in the mid 1950s and built a wooden shack that included palm fronds and thatched bamboo mat. He lived in it for two years, holding court there as many of the best surfers of the day would surf at Malibu. A girl appeared one day at the shack – which eventually was bulldozed – and she wanted to surf, Tracy said. The girl reminded Tracy of a short girl he’d once met at a party, named Gidget. He said he told this newcomer to the shack that he’d loan her a surfboard in return for a peanut butter sandwich she was carrying. He took to calling her Gidget.
The girl’s father wrote the book Gidget and we all know the rest of the story. Tracy later became a fixture at San Onofre beach. According to the story he “died peacefully at his home Wednesday.” Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
On August 11, 2012 the Paul Mitchell Supergirl Pro wrapped up at the Oceanside, California Pier with 21-year-old Sage Erickson in the top spot. We missed the entire event, and we’re guessing we’re not alone. So here it is all compacted down into three minutes.
A little over a month ago, when we first got the news that Dane Reynolds would be inducted in to the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, our first question was, “For what?” Not in a disrespectful way, but more in a “what, are John John Florence and Kolohe Andino next?” kind of way.
Now, as is often the case with the chronically cool Reynolds, we discover that he pretty much agrees.
“I don’t really know what it means (to get inducted) but I’m honored for sure, especially so young,” Reynolds said. “I don’t feel that deserving of it but I’m stoked. It’s definitely an honor.”
See, no matter how you come at him, the guy is totally hate-proof.
The story of Sal Masekela’s relationship with his musician father Hugh could be hitting the big screen in a feature film from Olympic Pictures and Paul Haggis, according to a story on Deadline.com.
South African filmmaker Mukunda Michael Dewil has been hired to write and direct the film. The project follows a son emerging out of the shadow of his successful but troubled father set against a backdrop of music, surfing, and South Africa’s racism. The untitled Masekela project will be produced by Leslie Urdang and Dean Vanech of Olympus Pictures, Haggis and Michael Nozik of Hwy 61 Films, and Selema Masekela.
We’re looking forward to this one if only to see the Hollywood version of Sal’s autobiography.
Judge James Black, while acknowledging Fox’s mental illness, said he was a danger to the public and a longer sentence was needed. . . “The public cannot rely on this offender either being compliant with his medication or with him not aggravating his condition by consuming illegal drugs.” . . Judge Black jailed Fox for a total of four years but ordered him to be released on parole in December next year.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that he has already served 600 days and will be released on parole in December of 2013. Hopefully he’ll stay on his “anti-psychotic medication” when he gets out.
