by The Editors on October 29, 2009
After sitting out the men’s side of Rip Curl Pro Search for what seemed like months, we didn’t even get a chance to check in with the women’s event until it was already over. And we’re bummed because we missed seeing Coco Ho, 18, win her first ASP Dream Tour event.
Ho exercised excellent judgment in the Final, patiently waiting while her elder opponent kept herself busy. With conditions deteriorating, the young Hawaiian let loose with a barrage of backhand hits on the dumpy lefthanders, collecting a 7.50 and an 8.33 to combo Hedges and take the win. . . “I knew Chelsea (Hedges) would be dangerous on the left after seeing her this morning getting those barrels,” Ho said. “This afternoon it turned into a more rippable wave and it was hard on the forehand, but I was lucky to get the waves I did.”
Our favorite, Steph Gilmore, lost to Chelsea Hedges in quarter final number two, but she held on to her lead in the ratings. Follow the jump for the rest of the details.
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by The Editors on October 28, 2009
Hey, look: Mick Fanning won the Rip Curl Pro Search. It is his third win this season. Is he unstoppable in this title race? If only Owen Wright hadn’t wrecked his ear drum then we’d might have a little better answer.
“Yesterday was one of the best days of competition I’ve ever seen and we all showed up today and had to adjust our frame of mind to deal with the drop in size and quality,” Fanning said. “I’ve been surfing conditions like this all summer at home so I knew what I had to do out there. I was able to pick off a couple of good scores at the start and then I basically had to sit on Bede (Durbidge) so he didn’t get any back on me.”
Follow the jump for the ASP press release.
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by The Editors on October 27, 2009
ASP and Rip Curl officials are promising that tomorrow will see the end of one of the most drawn out WCT events of the season, as the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search rolls into the semi-finals. After that it will be up to Pipeline put a cap in the 2009 ASP World Championship Tour season.
Tomorrow kicks off with Bede Durbidge vs. Parko and Owen Wright vs. Mick Fanning in the semi finals. Heat two will definitely be the one to watch if Owen is able to surf after busting his eardrum during his round three heat with Damien Hobgood. Follow the jump for the official ASP press release.
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by The Editors on October 27, 2009
A six-meter long Great White shark regulator is apparently cruising Deadman’s Beach in Queensland, Australia, and taking bites out of other Great Whites according to a story on Metro.co.uk. Swimmers and surfers have been advised to stay out of the water after officials “found the remains of a smaller Great White that bitten almost entirely in half.”
Ashton Smith, a 19-year-old surfer, said: “Whatever attacked and took chunks out of this big shark must be massive. . . .”I’ve heard about the big one that’s lurking out there somewhere. . . “We’re all being very, very cautious and looking out for each other. Some people aren’t going in the water at all.”
Dun dun. . . We think we’d just stay behind the nets for a while.
[Link: Metro.co.uk and Telegraph.co.uk]
by The Editors on October 27, 2009
Marc Ecko just turned 51 percent of his clothing business into $63.5 million dollars in cash by selling the majority stake to Op and Mossimo parent Iconix Brands.
Iconix said it will form a joint venture company with an affiliate of the sellers of Ecko, whose brands include Ecko Unlimited, Marc Ecko, Rhino logo and Zoo York. . . “This new venture provides me the bandwidth for my brand and allows me the resources and freedom to extend my professional and creative ambitions beyond my current platform of fashion, video gaming and publishing,” said Mr. Ecko in a statement. He will continue as chief creative officer.
Wonder how Zoo York is going to get along with Walmat, Target , and Kohls?
[Link: Reuters and Crain’s New York Business]
by The Editors on October 26, 2009
At Billabong’s annual shareholder’s meeting today CEO Derek O’Neill explained a down year as well as the negative effects of the rising value of the Australian dollar, according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald.
. . .after-tax profits had dropped more than 13 per cent to $152.8 million last financial year. . . O’Neill said the company’s net profit after tax would decrease by $500,000 for each one cent rise in the monthly average value of the Australian dollar against the US dollar.
For Billabong’s sake let hope the Australian dollars bites down hard in the next few months.
[Link: Sydney Morning Herald]
by The Editors on October 26, 2009
We got word this morning that Sinisa Egelja, the creative mind behind the emergence of the Airwalk skateboarding footwear brand, has died.
Sin, who was always eccentric, had one of the most creative minds in skateboarding. His footwear designs, which seemed delivered from the future, where endlessly boosted, ripped off, and appropriated by employers, competitors, and corporations. That coupled with personal troubles, made things extremely difficult for Sin, and for his family and friends during the past few years.
The last time we spoke Sin was especially hyped on his interview in Sneaker Freaker #10. The magazine, which came out in the summer of 2007, had finally given Sin the opportunity to tell the Airwalk story from his point of view (click the link to download the PDF). It was going to set the record straight once and for all. Sin believed the story would help put his career back into forward motion. Read it, and you’ll understand why. But things didn’t exactly go the way Sin had hoped and his life continued to be plagued with difficulty.
Our thoughts are with Sin’s family and friends who did so much for him over the past few years. Sadly, we don’t have any more details on his death. As soon as we get them, we’ll pass them along.
by The Editors on October 26, 2009
In six days Sal Masekala will be running in the New York City Marathon to raise money for Stoked Mentoring and to kick Diddy’s ass in the process (“Combs has pledged a donation if that happens”). And he told the Los Angeles Times that he is very scared.
“I’ve never been more scared to do anything in my life,” said Masekela, host of E! Entertainment’s “Daily 10” program and longtime TV host of the winter and summer X Games. “In fact, I think I’d rather paddle into 20-foot Waimea Bay by myself than run in the NYC Marathon. However, this isn’t about me. This is about the at-risk and disenfranchised teens desperately in need of the opportunities ‘Stoked Mentoring’ provides. I’m doing this for them.”
While we find it difficult to believe that Sal is that scared, we will say that we’d much rather watch him paddle out at Waimea during the Eddie than watch him pound NYC pavement, but it’s great that he’s doing it for a good cause. Click here to make a donation to Run Sal Run. Follow the jump for Sal’s training video.
[Link: Los Angeles Times]
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by The Editors on October 26, 2009
Zero Skateboards will be premiering their latest video offering on October 29, 2009 at the World Famous La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas, California on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 7 PM. Spooky
[Link: Zero via World Wide Skateboarding]
by The Editors on October 26, 2009
If we owned stock in VF Corp (Vans, Reef, and The North Face’s parent company) we’d be all excited right now about their quarter three numbers. Not because Q3 revenues declined 5 percent (though, that’s pretty good considering). And not because they had a gross margin of 44.3 percent (a near record level). We’d be happy because they’re raising their quarterly dividend for the 37th consecutive quarter.
The Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $.60 per share, an increase of $.01 per share. The dividend is payable on December 18, 2009 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 8, 2009.
We’ve always wondered what would be like to own a stock that paid dividends. Just think: if we owned 5,0000 shares of VFC that would be $3,000 or more than 20 years of World of Warcraft!
Oh, and then there was this:
Global revenues of The North Face® and Vans® brands grew 10% and 4%, respectively, in the quarter on a constant currency basis. Total coalition revenues in our Americas businesses rose 1%, while international revenues were up 4% in constant dollars, led by exceptionally strong growth in Asia. Total direct-to-consumer revenues for our Outdoor and Action Sports coalition rose 17% in the quarter, with double-digit growth in our The North Face®, Vans® and Napapijri®brands.
[Link: Reuters]
