by The Editors on December 28, 2008
To us Alex Knost has always been “that RVCA guy with a cool haircut” who is in that band that we’ve seen dozens of photos of, but never heard.”
We’ve seen him surf in Thomas Campbell’s film Sprout, but obviously we haven’t followed along properly. Now, after reading Joel Patterson’s profile (which we’re guessing is/was from an old (or never published) issue of Water Magazine on Surfline.com) we’re a little bummed that we haven’t paid Mr. Knost more attention. But that’s what good writing does. Right?
Alex looks like a beat poet. At 23, he is taller than average, and he sports a hipster haircut and a tan so true one suspects foul play. He smiles easily and contagiously, though his default facial expression seems to be that of someone listening with purpose to a conversation he’s eavesdropping on: head slightly cocked, eyes narrowed, focus shifting.
With lines like that, how can you not read the rest.
[Link: Surfline]
by The Editors on December 28, 2008
The San Diego Union-Tribune has again jumped in on the SUP vs. surfers story with a piece on what’s going on in the water in Cardiff, California.
But the temptation to grab the wave is almost irresistible when one has such an overwhelming advantage, said Scott Bass, a former professional surfer, author and filmmaker who helped popularize stand-up paddle surfing at Cardiff Reef. “The animosity out there is pretty thick and it’s understandable,” said Bass, editor of Surfer magazine’s Web site. “And it’s because, no matter how hard we try to share, we’re almost always catching another wave.”
There’s much back and forth between the stand-ups and the shortboarders, but we keep coming back to the same question: aren’t the janitors supposed to clean up after the party is over?
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on December 27, 2008
We’re glad to see our favorite old supermodel still trying new things (with Rusty Miller no less). Elle Macpherson is 44. Can you believe that? But she still looks good in the water.
Click the link for the entire photo gallery.
[Link: The Daily Telegraph]
by The Editors on December 27, 2008
Don’t mess with Seany McDonald’s dad. When someone stole the 21-year-old University of Colorado student’s snowboard from the front porch (where he’d left it out over night) Dad called up The Aspen Times and offered a $1,000 bounty on whomever stole the board.
“I don’t want the snowboard back, necessarily,” said Bob McDonald, who is moving here from Newport Beach, Calif. “I just want the name and photograph of the Grinch who stole our son’s Christmas. … I want to challenge his community, his cronies, to say, hey, that was wrong. I’m hoping someone will turn him in.”
We hate crime and all but maybe Bob should just buy his son another board and remind him that it’s not a good idea to leave $900 laying around out in the front yard. . . even in Aspen, Colorado.
[Link: Aspen Times]
by The Editors on December 27, 2008
Bruce Strunk, 56, owner of Spunky’s Surf Shop in Fort Pierce, Florida who went missing Friday December 26, 2008 at about 9 AM after reportedly running by the bank to make a deposit was found alive 12 hours later. Friends and family has originally found his his truck “abandoned at John Brooks Park on South Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County” but couldn’t locate him.
“Mr. Strunk was found in some heavy weeds and brush east of the dune line about 9:20 this evening,” said Sheriff Mascara from South A1A where deputies located Strunk. “Our helicopter equipped with an infrared sensing device called a FLIR (‘forward looking infrared‘) located Mr. Strunk, and deputies were sent to the scene.“
He was taken to a hospital for an evaluation. We’re not even going to hazard any guesses on this one.
[Link: WPTV.com]
by The Editors on December 26, 2008
In May, 2008 ESPN sued Quiksilver for copyright infringement on the letter “X,” then a month later Quiksilver sued ESPN for the same thing claiming they had been using the X since 1994. Now, according to a story in the LA Times ESPN has settled the lawsuit with Quiksilver.
Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN network settled a lawsuit by clothing maker Quiksilver Inc. over the cable channel’s logo for the international X Games competition. . . . The companies didn’t disclose the details of the settlement in papers filed jointly Monday in federal court in New York.
Wonder if the settlement included any “free advertising?”
[Link: LA Times]
by The Editors on December 24, 2008
According to a new study released by Oregon State University surfers “unintentionally ingest 10 times more water than swimmers or divers, putting them at higher risk of contracting gastrointestinal illnesses when surfing in contaminated waters.” Having experience “shit-mouth” while surfing dirty third-world river mouths we believe it.
The results of this Sea Grant study could be useful to public health and environmental officials responsible for beach sampling and advisory thresholds. . . . “On beaches popular with surfers, for example, officials might want to consider lowering the advisory threshold because surfers ingest higher doses of water than swimmers,” said Anna Harding, a professor in the OSU Department of Public Health who collaborated with Stone on the study.
That would be a start. How about lowering the amount of pollution that gets into the ocean in the first place? Until then we’re following the advice of our old social drinking coach: swallow less, spit more.
[Link: KVAL.com]
by The Editors on December 24, 2008
Da Hui and Quiksilver got together December 23, 2008 to bring a little holiday joy to the kids at the Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women & Children, according to a story in the Honolulu Advertiser.
Top contemporary competitors such as Makua Rothman, Kala Alexander and Myles Padaca (pictured above with Julian Rimm) plus past competitors like Tom Pohaku Stone, Mel Pu’u and Bryan Amona were among the dozen surf industry people from Da Hui and Quiksilver to spread cheer and good wishes . . . Quiksilver and Da Hui brought surf poster, caps, T-shirts and goody bags filled with candy, stickers, key chains and gifts for each child. The surfers autographed posters, took photographs with the children and gave them words of encouragement.
It’s great that Da Hui could time a little time out from regulating duties to spread some holiday happiness.
[Link: Honolulu Advertiser]
by The Editors on December 23, 2008
Samuel Daigle a 17-year-old snowboarder died on Whistler Mountain Monday December 22, 2008 after hitting a large boulder in a closed, in-bounds area, according to a story in Pique News Magazine.
Staff Sergeant Steve Leclair with the Whistler RCMP said the snowboarder, who has not been identified pending approval from his family, was riding near the confluence of the Marmot and Lower Rat Fink runs, about a “three minute skiing time” from the top of the Emerald Chair. . . . “Normally they are within the ski area boundary, however due to the snow conditions they were designated beyond boundary,” he said.
Daigle was “honoured by the provincial government this year for taking part in a cycling fundraiser for the homeless.” This is the fourth recorded death at Whistler Blackcomb since January 1, 2008.
[Link: Pique News Magazine and The Vancouver Sun]
by The Editors on December 23, 2008
Ben Stiller must be a little handier at acting than he is at snowboarding. The creator of Tropic Thunder (the funniest movie we saw last year) apparently broke his hand while snowboarding last Sunday.
. . . the star went to New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital Sunday where he was treated for the injury, but released from the facility later that day. . . . “One of the hospital’s top hand specialists was called in to treat him,” the New York Daily News quoted a source as saying.
Hopefully, he doesn’t give it up. We could use a good “Shredding Vacation From Hell meets Zoolander” next year.
[Link: UPI.com]
To us Alex Knost has always been “that RVCA guy with a cool haircut” who is in that band that we’ve seen dozens of photos of, but never heard.”
