It has to be one of the downsides of having a popular brand, but two men wanted in sexual assault cases (one in LA, the other in Hawaii) were both described as “wearing a black RVCA baseball cap.” In LA:
Jason Maynard Kies, 37, is being held in lieu of $4 million bail in the Van Nuys jail after detectives arrested him while he allegedly stalked his next potential victim. . . He was described as wearing sunglasses, a black RVCA baseball cap, black shoes, gray shorts and a gray shirt during the attacks.
Meanwhile in Hawaii:
Authorities say that on Jan. 28 at around 3:25 p.m., an unidentified man touched a female minor while engaging in an indecent act on a Hele-On bus in Waimea. . .The suspect was reportedly wearing a RVCA hat and white Beats headphones with a red cord at the time.
So, the next time you see someone in a black RVCA hat, you know, keep an eye on the guy. Especially if you’re on the Big Island, because they’re still looking for that guy.
Kering (formerly known as PPR pending approval), the parent company of Volcom, Gucci, and Puma has announced that they’ve just purchased France Croco “one of the leading independent tanneries. . . specializing in the sourcing, tanning and processing of crocodilian skins.”
Owned, developed and headed by the founder’s son Dan Lewkowicz, France Croco supplies high quality crocodilian skins for watchstraps, leather goods, ready-to-wear and shoes to most of the world’s best known Italian and French fashion and accessories houses, including houses belonging to Kering. France Croco’s sourcing activities also set high standards for sustainability and conservation of wildlife species.
We’re looking forward to some France Croco + VeeCo collar trunks with crocodile pockets, or even better yet, some crocodile Volcom boots, maybe? Follow the jump for the official word. [click to continue…]
It’s rare to read a celebrity snowboarding story without seeing that the person died while doing it, but it appears that Justin Bieber who has been having health problems took some time off to make a few Euro laps on a snowboard in Switzerland, according to a story on AceShowBiz.
“Snowboarding this morning and working this afternoon. We go hard,” the teen star tweeted, before raving about his encounter with some Beliebers, “Love to fans i met today. thanks for the letters.” He added in another message, “I like #switzerland #BLESSED.” . . Bieber was in town to perform at the Hallenstadion in Zurich as part of his “Believe” world tour. He will head to Italy afterwards and continue his European leg until May before hitting Dubai and South Africa and eventually return to the States for the remaining dates.
Guess the guy just needs to get outside more during the day.
Former Billabong CEO Matthew Perrin, 40, is back in court after pleading not guilty to defrauding the Commonwealth Bank of AUS$13.5 million, according to a story in The Australian.
It’s alleged Perrin forged his former wife Nicole Bricknell’s signature on documents, enabling him to use the value of a jointly-owned house on the Gold Coast to obtain a loan of $13.5 million from the bank in 2008.
Anyone who has ever watched the now classic episodes of Surfer Magazine TV (with host Sonny Miller) will remember the Opper Sports Productions name. Over the years founder Ira Opper (pictured right with Wingnut and a cameraman) has created loads and loads of action sports television programming. And now, the Del Mar Times has profiled Opper.
He was an early pioneer bringing beach volleyball and the concept of action sports to ESPN. He was one of the producers behind the first regional sports cable network that eventually became Fox Sports Prime Ticket. He has the largest surf film archive in the world — and he’s lived in Solana Beach for more than 30 years.
Kathleen Willhide-Michiulis, 45, of Saugus was snowboarding at the resort on March 25, 2011, when snowcat driver Clifford Mann allegedly turned in front of her unexpectedly. She became entangled in the machine’s tiller, and it took rescue workers about 30 minutes to disengage her legs from it. . . Willhide-Michiulis suffered serious, debilitating injuries in the accident. Her left leg was partially amputated above the knee, her right leg sustained multiple fractures and she suffered a brain injury, according to City News Service.
The woman is also suing the Kassbohrer company for a “negligently designed” snow cat. This is like one more reason why many resorts no longer operate snow cats on the mountain when the public is on the hill. Then again, the same thing happened in Solden, Austria last week.
Orange County, California orthopedic surgeon Jack Chen died Friday, March 22, 2013 while surfing at El Sunzal beach in El Salvador, according to a story in the Orange County Register.
It was the biggest swell El Salvador has seen this season, perhaps in years, with waves of 15 feet and larger, said Edward Smith, an employee at Roca Sunzal Hotel, which sits directly in front of where Chen was pulled underwater. “The surf was so big and the current was pulling so strong,” Smith said. Chen had been surfing at the beach town Playa El Tunco at the surf spot Sunzal, a break known as a popular place to learn to surf, which usually produces mellow right-hand waves suitable for longboarders. . . But on Friday, the waves, current and winds were so strong that even Smith, a native Hawaiian who has surfed 20 years, said he hesitated to go out. . . The current pulled Chen toward a big, iconic rock at Bocanita that sits out in the ocean south of the surf break, and after his leash snapped and his board broke away, Chen attempted to hang onto the rock. Locals from the shore shouted at him to let go, hoping that the ocean’s current would eventually pull him to shore, Smith said.
After a wave slammed into the rock Chen reportedly disappeared. His body was found Monday morning March 25, 2013 three miles east of the beach. Our thoughts are with Chen’s family and friends.
JP Walker with help Finnish rappers Rico and Chebaleba put out a little rhyme to “a remix of Pökötti” and it’s not all that bad. But the crew at Yobeat has decided it’s time to start a snowboard rap battle, so they lobbed a spit back JP’s way. This is it!
Yes, it appears the Alana Surfer Girl train is showing no signs of stopping. Here we see Alana Blanchard work out, talk about working out, and go surfing.
Hawaii’s Carissa Moore defeated current ASP number one Tyler Wright at the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro to take her first ASP win of 2013 season and move Moore into second place in the world rankings.
“I’m feeling really, really amazing right now!” said Moore. “I’m stoked to walk away with the win and to be up on the podium again. I didn’t win an event last year, and it was hard for me, but it definitely fired me up. It’s only been two events and it’s already looking like it will be a close ASP Women’s World Title race, but there are girls who didn’t make it to the final day who are capable of causing upsets and winning events. It will be really interesting to see how it all pans out.”
It has to be one of the downsides of having a popular brand, but two men wanted in sexual assault cases (one in LA, the other in Hawaii) were both described as “wearing a black RVCA baseball cap.” In LA:
