On Friday, October 30, 2009, organizer and surfers celebrated the opening of the Mavericks Surf Contest with a ceremonial paddle out. While they were out a “solitary figure appeared our of nowhere, according to a Bruce Jenkin’s story on SFGate.com.
“Out of the mist,” as Evan Slater said with a smile. . . It was Jeff Clark, cruising in on a stand-up paddle board. Clark may be the center of a highly political squabble behind the scenes, but he wanted to give the event his blessing. He said a few words, provided a much-needed jolt of inspiration and then paddled off. . . . “It was a great thing,” said Slater. “Really eased our minds. We know these past few months have really been hard on Jeff, and it was great to know he’s behind us.”
Clark is still not done with Mavericks Surf Ventures (who’s contest waiting period opens tomorrow). In fact, according to Jenkins he is “reportedly preparing legal action.” As we’ve said before. We’d back Jeff.
Former number five in the world surfer Rob Bain, 47, made a little miscalculation while surfing on October 11, 2009, near his home in Sydney, Australia according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald. It began with something we’ve all done before. After getting off a wave in shallow water he pushed off the bottom and dove back out toward the line up. Only this time it was a little shallower than he thought.
‘I’d done this a million times before but for some reason I think I was further in on the reef than I thought. As soon as I went under the water I felt my head just full-straight-on smash into the rock. . . ‘‘All the force propelled down through my spine and I felt my whole back explode.’’
Bain miraculously made it back to shore, with a fractured vertebrae, three compressed disks, a broken rib and a gaping head wound. After a week in the hospital he’s very lucky to be alive and walking. Thanks for the reminder, Rob. We hope you get well soon.
Keith Hufnagel has strangely tapped into the perfect fashion groove with his skate boutiques and clothing line HUF. We always wonder how anyone can put out some much cool stuff and still be relatively, you know, normal. ESPN Action’sJosh Brooks Interviewed him to find out.
Huntington Beach, California police officers have arrested a man and woman who are suspected of robbing the cars of 16 surfers by watching where they hid their keys and then using the keys to get in the car and take what they wanted, according to the OC Register. But the cops got ’em by doing a little watching themselves.
Officers staked out the beach near Pacific Coast Highway and Sixth Street, and waited for a break-in. . . They watched Nathan Pater, 32, of Huntington Beach, take a key from its hiding place and break into a car, where they arrested him, said Sgt. Greg Davis of the Huntington Beach Police Department. . . They also arrested Amber Marie Hintz, 27, of Garden Grove, who acted as the getaway driver, Davis said.
Guess this is what that little pocket in your wetsuit is for.
This is one of the things that over-caffeinated sugar water money will buy you if you play your cards the way Shaun White plays them. Yep, we’ve been tricked into running another commercial and only got to see one double-double. Foiled again.
Sadly, we missed yesterday’s Volcom conference call in which CFO Doug Collier outlined the following:
Total revenue from our US segment including royalties for the third quarter, decreased 22% to 56.8 million, compared with 72.8 million in Q3 of 2008.
men’s product revenue decreased 19% to 24.5 million for Q3, compared with 30.2 million in the third quarter of 2008
girls product revenue decreased 46% to 10.9 million versus 20 million in the third quarter of last year.
Snow revenue decreased 3% to $15.5 million, compared with $15.9 million last year
Revenue from our Creedlers footwear line was a $136,000 versus $316,000 in Q3 of last year.
Revenue from our girls swim line was $65,000 versus $71,000 in Q3 last year
There’s more, but you can read it all right here. Or follow the jump for the official press release.
LG Corp, the giant Korean electronics company has not renewed its presenting sponsor of the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast, according to a story in the Tweed Daily News.
Quiksilver event manager Jamie Wood yesterday confirmed the departure of LG from the first-class event. . . “They did not renew their contract with us,” Mr Wood said. . . LG were presenting-sponsors for the 2008 and 2009 events. . . “We are talking with a number of companies at this time about the presenting-sponsor. . . “We are expecting to make an announcement in the next 30 days.”
As one of Australia (and the world’s) premiere surfing events we doubt the Quik Pro will have much trouble landing a new presenting sponsor.
If News Corp. does part with the channel, it won’t be a whopper of a deal: Fuel TV, which features skate and surf-themed programming like “The Adventures of Danny and the Dingo” (I know. Me neither) boasts just 25 million subscribers — about half of what cable networks need to get taken seriously by operators and advertisers.
Kafka said he spoke to several Wall Street analysts and no one could come up with an approximate price for the channel, which isn’t all the surprising. No one knows what it’s actually worth, if anything.
This winter Portland snowboarders who want to catch a ride to Mt. Hood Meadows can do it any day of the week for $10 round trip in eco-style thanks to Mike Parziale and the Grease Bus. But there is much more to this story as Yobeat.com’sJared Souney discovered in this video.
Former Brighton UK pro skateboarder Steve Brooker, 48, spends a lot of his time these days down on the muddy banks of the Thames River, but he’s not homeless, according to a story in Time Magazine.
Brooker. . . is a member of the Mudlarks, a society of amateur archaeologists who are licensed by the Port of London Authority to scavenge the banks of the Thames for historical artifacts. Because of Brooker’s oversize frame, his talent for major discoveries and his overall awesomeness, he is known by admirers as the Mud God.
Apparently, Steve just loves getting down and dirty.
