The 50th Annual Bell Beach surf competition kicked off with the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach yesterday (April 19, 2011) in head-high surf. Round one of both the men’s and women’s events were run. Joel Parkinson had the highest heat score of the day, Kelly Slater put his head straight, and Stephanie Gilmore got right back on her world champion game.
“My first two years on tour I didn’t have great results on the Gold Coast,” Gilmore said. “I always bounced back at this event and then finished the year well, so hopefully I’ll do that again this year. The Gold Coast was a fine showing of what women’s surfing is up to now and everyone has to try and keep up. It really pushes me and I think anyone who wins an event from now on will be a very deserving winner because of that fact.”
The contest continues today in what is likely to be even larger surf beginning at 7:30 AM local (2:30 PM PST). Follow the jump for the official word from the ASP. [click to continue…]
After 17 stops the Volcom Stone 2011 North American PBRJ Tour finished up at Mammoth Mountain on Sunday April 16, 2011 with sunny skies and $25,000 in prize money. Damn, these kids are getting good.
This is probably more than anyone ever wants to know about a tight, kinked, and ugly backyard pool in Sydney, Australia. But aside from the annoying narration it’s an entertaining 26 minutes of skateboarding, art, and nudity. . . apparently.
Nothing like a little b-side footie from new shoe dude Braydon Szafranski. Right? Don’t ever think this whole “skateboarding superstar” thing is easy. It’s not.
Don’t think that photographer/musician/DJ Atiba Jefferson just sits around shooting photos. Nope. Guy can roll as proved by this buying-lunch showdown with Paul Rodriguez.
Tom Curren and the Rip Curl crew travel to Indonesia for some tidal bore riding at Seven Ghosts. Lots of talk and a few meaty chunks of chocolate thunder!
Watching this little Orangatang clip almost made us want to go bomb some hills. Then the little dance at the end reminded us of why we have never really embraced the whole longboard scene.
Leave it to skateboarders to make the most of a terrible New Zealand Christchurch earthquake situation. Seems skaters are always looking on the bright side of every darkness.
Just goes to show us: if we want action photos from a weekend skate event we really have to go do it ourselves. Monday morning, and no one has any good photos from the Phoenix Am. Not even Vans.
Here are the results. Just picture them with a blazing hot sun and a bunch of sweaty kids flyin’ all over the place.
1 Ben Hatchell
2 Jack Olson
3 Collin Provost
4 Tyson Bowerbank
5 Taylor McClung
6 Matt Berger
7 Kechaud Johnson
8 Trevor Colden
9 Dashawn Jordan
10 David Loy
11 Oscar Meza
12 Anthony Estrada
