At first we were wondering why designer Klaud Wasiak called his lastest car design the Volcom Chariot, but then we read the fine print:
. . . it boasts a relaxed state of mind that neglects pressure of work and focuses towards interaction within a social environment, more specifically the beach. the chariot is edgy and sporty with a very unique style, the same characteristics that are evident in volcom’s clothing and accessories.
Ah, so that’s it. Wonder how Volcom’s designers feel about that?
Last night (July 22, 2009) after crews completed the Converse Coastal Carnage bowl set-up on the sands of Huntington Beach, California Converse’s Steve Luther invited a few people to roll the bowls before any of the official events get started. Tom Grom, Grant Taylor, Remy Stratton, Wade Speyer, Eli Reed, and The Skateboard Mag’s Kevin Wilkins got in on the afternoon session.
But this was just cruise rolling. The real wrecking beings tonight at 7 PM for the Industry Photo Shoot and ends with the Coastal Carnage Finals at 3 PM on Sunday July 26, 2009. For more info visit Converse Skateboarding.
Mornings are still quiet at the Huntington Beach Pier, but that is all about to change as the weekend crowds (and monster swell) begin to roll in. We cruised the scene early to check things out. Follow the link for more photos from the beginning of the 2009 US Open of Surfing. [click to continue…]
It’s the middle of summer, but the Snow Industries of America wants everyone to know that the show’s move to Denver, Colorado (yee haw) is the best thing ever and they’ve got video proof from the likes of Joel Gomez, Dave Roseberger, Andrew Marriner, Rick Alden (and some guys we don’t know from some ski companies) in this six minute “come to cowtown” video.
We’ve laughed, wept, and vomited to @whoisJOB posts ever since Charlie Smith began writing them. Now, we get what is reportedly Jamie O’Brien’s view on why he had Chaz doing the tweeting for him. Here are a few bits from his post on LikeBitchim.com:
The fucking surf industry has strangled the surf media so tight for so long that the brains of all surf writers have turned to mush. The media and most of the surfers believe their own con. That surfers must be nice, polite, petite friends to political correctness and each other. Even if they are not, they must pretend. I am not this and I don’t care to be or pretend to be. I have enough friends, I have my own interests and I don’t need them told by drones. . . Fuck the magazines, fuck the fake interviews, fuck the false humility, fuck the deception and cover-ups. Write something else you little minded clones. Surfing is best left to me, writing to Charlie. Admire us and our freedoms until it inspires you enough to seek your own.
But, ah, this kind of sounds like Chaz writing again. . . either way, it’s good and we don’t want to mess with it.
Vans continues to dominate in the action footwear market. While other companies are complaining about drops in sales, Vans has turned in a 14 percent increase in total global revenue according to VF Corp. CEO Eric C. Wiseman on a conference call that is in progress currently.
Global revenues of The North Face® and Vans® brands grew 4% and 14%, respectively, in the quarter on a constant currency basis. Revenues in our Americas businesses rose 3% while international revenues were up 2% in constant dollars, with a 32% increase in revenues in Asia. Total direct-to-consumer revenues for our Outdoor and Action Sports coalition rose 19% in the quarter, with double-digit growth in our The North Face® and Vans® brands. Our direct-to-consumer revenues reached 22% of total Outdoor and Action Sports revenues in the quarter.
Vans was also named as one of VF Corp.’s leading brand push in China where the company believes action sports is one of their best vehicles for growth. Reef, on the other hand, has not been mentioned on the call yet and only showed up in the press release in the list of companies the VF Corp owns. . .
Tired of getting brand new boards completely ruined by baggage monkeys who know they can do whatever they want to surfboards in transit thanks to the waivers we all have to sign after paying the airline hundreds of dollars? SOMA AirBag Designs may have the answer.
SOMA has designed the air compartments into narrow linear columns. This keeps the protective air pressure isolated and firm in order to deflect damaging contact with your board and disperse the energy. This includes an individual column that wraps around the circumference of the rails that is also fused with 7mm closed cell foam for double rail protection as well as extra reinforcement around the tail and nose.
Sounds like the perfect solution for modern air travel: protection for the boards and a bed to sleep on when you get there.
Late Saturday night July 18, 2009 three men reportedly broke in the Whislter offices of the Camp of Champions and made off with “a large sum of cash and other items,” according to a story in the Whistler Question.
Images of the three males were captured by video surveillance cameras at the Camp of Champions office, located at Whistler Blackcomb staff housing on Glacier Lane, on Saturday at 11:43 p.m., Whistler RCMP Sgt. Steve Wright said in a statement issued on Monday (July 20). . . Police believe the suspects gained entry by forcing open a rear window of an office that is not under surveillance. They tried to enter a number of rooms, Sgt. Wright said.
If the guy in the video (or his hat) look familiar call the Mounted Police at (604) 932-3044.
Converse (sibling of US Open of Surfing sponsor Hurley in the Nike family) is presenting a $50,000 “invite only Mini Bowl Jam” at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach called Costal Carnage July 24-26, 2009.
. . . more than 40 A-list skaters competing for a $50,000 prize purse in a mini bowl jam. The uniquely designed double bowl features a cradle, a spine, and a variety of hips and corners. The jam format is broken up into 10 qualifying rounds which pit four riders against each other at the same time. Practice starts this Friday, July 24th, with qualifiers running all day Saturday and then finals on Sunday.
There were rumors buzzing around last weekend that Bam Margera had been admitted to the hospital for an overdose. TMZ, the bastion of skateboarding rumor control has spoken to Bam and here is what they say is the real story:
We just spoke to Bam Margera who said he was rushed to the hospital Sunday after a four day drinking binge — not because of a possible drug overdose. . . The “Jackass” star blames the “4-day bender” on marital problems, telling us “I may get a divorce … booze helps.” . . TMZ also spoke to Bam’s mother — who told us Bam’s wife Missy called 911 because she was worried about his health after learning that he popped an Ambien during the drinking bender. . . Margera says his kidney and leg muscles were a mess from not eating or drinking enough water — but the hospital flushed out his system and he was released to his home after speaking to a psychiatrist.
