May 2013

Sewa Kroetkov Is Always On The Grind

by The Editors on May 31, 2013

Yes, Sewa Kroetkov’s manuals are so solid you could build a house of cards between his feet. If you wanna check out the rest of the Venture Trucks complete summer drop click the link. Otherwise, back to whatever it was you were doing.

[Link: Venture Trucks]

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Skimboarder Makes Heroic Baby Rescue

by The Editors on May 31, 2013

1-rescue-IMG_6714The quick thinking of a skimboarder at Laguna Beach, California’s Aliso Beach saved the life of a toddler on Saturday, May 25, 2013, according to a story in the Laguna Beach Independent.

Pat Watson, 46, who took up skim boarding after moving from Hawaii in 1991, said he threw his board aside and took off in a dead sprint when he saw a child tumbling down the sand berm into swirling whitewater. “I couldn’t see anyone else moving,” said Watson, who was skimming with his son, Danny, 18. They both “bolted” for the child. . . “I was on it,” Watson said. He figures he covered 75 yards before diving into the surf, even though he had yet to see the child resurface. Incredibly, Watson caught sight of her underwater and grabbed her diaper. “I knew she’d been under water at least 15 seconds,” said Watson, who held the baby up overhead while still trying to get his footing before another wave overtook them.

Aliso Beach’s steep sandy beach and pounding shore break is world famous for skimboarding and for catching people completely off guard. The mother and child were walking on the sand when a wave blasted them both into the water. Thanks to Pat Watson, one family is still whole. Equally amazing is that former lifeguard Craig Brashier caught the entire rescue in photos. Click the link for the rest of the story.

[Link: Laguna Beach independent]

 

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Bonnier AG Sends Jonas Bonnier To America

by The Editors on May 30, 2013

JonasBonnierJonas Bonnier, the jolly novel-writing golden child of the Swedish media conglomerate Bonnier AG, has announced that come December 2013 he will step down as the CEO of Bonnier’s global business and focus on being chairman of the board of Bonnier Corp., the company’s US-based arm that he helped create in 2006 when he bought 49 percent of World Publications and 17 Time4 Media magazine titles (including Transworld Media).

Since that “merger” things have not gone particularly well for Bonnier Corp, especially after the exit of CEO Terry Snow, according to a story on FolioMag.com.

In an effort to exit markets where its brands weren’t number-one or number-two, the company sold its snow sports titles to Active Interest Media in April, Parenting and Babytalk to Meredith earlier this month, and its TransWorld enthusiast brands to Source Interlink a week later.According to 2012 Bonnier AB financials, 6 percent of revenues are based in the U.S. Overall magazine revenues for the parent company totaled $746 million in 2012. . . “For my own part, I’m looking forward to being even more actively engaged as chairman of the board for Bonnier Corporation, our U.S. operations,” said Jonas Bonnier in a statement.

And who wouldn’t be excited about being shipped off to the colonies to oversee a comparatively tiny piece of the company you used to run? Guess that’s what happens when you convince your family to invest $600 million in print media in 2007. Or, maybe, Jonas’ five year term behind the wheel was simply up and he’s going to let one of his cousins take the company for a little spin.

[Link: Folio Mag]

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Agenda Emerges To Share Knowledge

by The Editors on May 29, 2013

agenda_emergeThe Agenda Trade Show will be launching a “highly curated platform features som of the biggest innovators and industry leaders” when they roll out their Agenda Emerge powered by Group Y on July 26, 2013, from 6 to 10 PM.

“We are focusing on an event that will benefit young brand owners trying to break into the industry.” said AGENDA Founder Aaron Levant. “After 10 years, we’ve gotten to know a lot of these brands and watch them reach immense success. This is a great opportunity for the new generation of designers to learn from seasoned veterans who have turned their brands into household names.”

Speakers will include brand builder Marc Eckō, The Hundreds Bobby Hundreds Kim, and two more who will be announced in the near future. Sounds like a good place to pick up some knowledge on how to get your business rolling on the up and up. For the official word from Agenda, follow the jump.

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Mervin Recalls Gnu Bindings

by The Editors on May 29, 2013

1213_gnu_agro_greenLARGEMervin Manufacturing is voluntarily recalling close to 8,000 pairs of Gnu snowboard bindings sold in the US and Canada after noticing that the “ankle straps can break posing a fall hazard.”  Apparently, they’ve had reports of 30 straps breaking already.

What should you do if you have a pair of Gnu bindings? Well, first make sure your bindings are the ones that are being recalled by visiting this page. Then if they are, stop using them and click here to contact Mervin for more information of call (800) 905-0551.

[Link: Consumer Product Safety Commission]

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Project WOO Could Use Your Help

by The Editors on May 29, 2013

Project WOO (Wave of Optimism), a 7-year-old non-profit founded by ex-Peace Corp volunteers, is currently working in Playa Gigante, Nicaragua to create a sustainable community based partially on surf tourism. They’re doing well with the program, however, they’ve turned to Indiegogo.com to help raise funds to do more.

The non-profit has already started a surf-mentorship program where kids can earn donated boards through community service, initiated a waste management program, and procured a school bus that facilitates education. Our next project is a health center and we’re using the crowd-funding site indiegogo.com (link to our page) to help raise money from surfers who have been touched by this beautiful paradise.

The organization is run in Nicaragua by Palos Verdes, California bred surfer Bo Fox, and the Executive Director stateside is Trent Gordon. Watch the edit, click the link to the Project WOO website for more info and then made a donation if you feel compelled. They’d like to raise $15,000 for this project and with 38 days left, they’re already halfway there. It’s hard not to feel good about what Fox and Gordon are doing. Especially when you see the smiles on the kids’ faces.

[Link: Project WOO]

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Chris Pastras Gets On The Right iPath

by The Editors on May 29, 2013

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Stereo Skateboards co-founder, WESC WEactivist, and all around good guy Chris Pastras is the newest skateboarding brand ambassador for iPath footwear.

Ipath VP of Marketing, Kristin Cusic, says, “Ipath is in a great spot as a footwear brand and we have an opportunity to re-build our initiatives from the ground up. Bringing Chris on to help with that process was a strategic move that relies on his history and 20 plus years of experience in the skateboarding industry.”

Pastras says he’s “happy to be a part of [iPath’s] mission.” For the official word from iPath follow the jump. [click to continue…]

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ASP Buys Big Wave World Tour

by The Editors on May 29, 2013

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The Association of Surfing Professionals has an official big wave tour now that they have purchased the Big Wave World Tour.

“We are very pleased to have finalized the deal between the ASP and the Big Wave World Tour,” Paul Speaker, ASP CEO, said. “The competitors on the BWWT are some of the fiercest and most-respected watermen on the planet and we are eager about the opportunity to take their tour to the next level. This arrangement also allows the world’s best surfers on the ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) to compete in big-wave events moving forward. 2014 will be an exciting year on all fronts.”

The tour, founded by big wave surfer Gary Linden is made up of six international events including Pichilemu, Chile; Punta Hermosa, Peru;  Lincoln City, Oregon; Half Moon Bay, California; Baja California,Mexico; and Punta Galea,Spain. For the official word from the ASP, follow the jump.

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Skater Beats Off Cougar With Board

by The Editors on May 28, 2013

cougarWe’re pretty sure this isn’t the first time a skateboarder has been hit from behind by a cougar and then run for his life, but it may be the first time a skater has used his board in an real mountain lion attack.

According to a story on the CBC, that’s exactly what happened to a skater in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

Parks Canada officials are out with tracking dogs to collect droppings and try to find the cougar. They say they have spoken with a man who says he fought off a cougar attack with his skateboard. . . “They say they have confirmed that a man was knocked down by a cougar in that area Thursday but he swung his skateboard at the animal, causing it to back off,” said Bill Hunt, a resource conservation specialist with Banff National Park.

The man didn’t originally report the attack because he thought it might have been illegal to hit the animal with his skateboard. Which is odd, because all the guys we know who’ve hit cougars weren’t usually worried about the law, they were scared someone would see them with the beast the next morning.

[Editors’ Note: Thank you to everyone who sent us a link to this story. It has been the number one most contributed story in our history. Which isn’t saying a lot, but it’s definitely saying something.]

[Link: CBC News]

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IVI’s Home Showroom Makes Online Easy

by The Editors on May 24, 2013

ivi_homeIVI is trying something with their ecommerce site that even the most bitter online shopper would be stoked on. Now, when people want to buy a pair of IVI shades they can order up to four pairs, try them out for 7 days, then keep the ones they like and send the rest back in a prepaid container. IVI is calling it a Home Showroom.

Keeping in the tradition of attempting the never been done, introducing new and interesting marketing and distribution strategies, IVI’s Home Showroom offers a new buying experience for the sunglass customer, just in time for Summer.  In 4 simple steps, online shoppers now have the ability to tailor their buying experience around their schedule.

We’ve been doing something similar for years on Zappos.com, but it’s nice to know someone in action sports is making it this easy. Follow the jump for the official word.
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