by The Editors on December 11, 2009
The Gretchen Bleiler/Hannah Teter showdown we were kind of hoping for didn’t go down yesterday during women’s qualifiers as Hannah Teter pulled out of the US Grand Prix at Copper Mountain haflpipe due to an injury to her shoulder.
That didn’t stop Bleiler from dominating qualifiers edging Kelly Clark by 1.4 points.
“I had a really good run today. I’m feeling confident, I had a lot of fun and I am excited for finals on Saturday!” Bleiler said.
Today the men’s qualifiers are on. Follow the jump for the entire USSA press release.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on December 11, 2009
Richard McKee, a political activist from Huntington Beach, California is suing the The Huntington Beach Marketing and Visitors Bureau and the Huntington Beach Hotel/Motel Business Improvement District because he says the money they spent in their legal battle with Noland’s on the Wharf and Shoreline Surf Shop in Santa Cruz over rights to the term “Surf City USA” may have been a wasted of taxpayer’s money, according to a story in the Orange County Register.
He alleges in the October suit that the groups are public agencies and must respond to his public records requests about a confidential January 2008 settlement concerning the Surf City USA logo. McKee said the settlement documents could prove that a lawsuit between the bureau and a Santa Cruz shop owner was not necessary because the moniker used before and after the suit is almost identical.
McKee says the public has the right to know.
[Link: The OC Register]
by The Editors on December 11, 2009
The DC Shoes website seems to be missing a few belts, wallets, and other accessories that featured the DC logo. And there appears to be what one friend called “a distinct lack of snowboards” on the DC Snowboarding website. Strange, no?
According to sources, Chanel, which makes a few belts, wallets, snowboards, and other sporting equipment of their own, has reportedly sent DC a cease and desist letter requesting that DC stop producing several items featuring the Chanel-like intertwined DC letters. From the looks of the DC websites it appears that Quiksilver legal is cooperating with the request and then some.
Those who follow along may remember a similar skirmish between the brands in the 90s when DC founders Ken Block and Damon Way reportedly made a deal suggesting that since DC was “just a small skateboard company” that Chanel would allow DC to use the logo on skate shoes and some apparel. Now that DC is part of a billion dollar fashion label it appears that Chanel is looking at their products a little more carefully and it would appear that at least a few logo changes may be on the horizon at DC.
Requests for comment to both Chanel and Quiksilver have not been returned.
by The Editors on December 11, 2009
In his most recent column for Huck magazine surf scribe Jamie Brisick drinks “three-quarters of a bottle of bad red” wine, watches some Jackass clips and then settles down to explaining just why Spike Jonze’s video for The Beastie Boys Sabotage is so amazingly rad.
Spike Jonze’s music videos. . . exude humour, mischief and the refusal to grow up. The first one that comes to mind is ‘Sabotage’ by the Beastie Boys. As a seventies American kid, this is powerful on several levels. I’m reminded of Starsky and Hutch, Baretta, SWAT and Hawaii Five-0. The tone and urgency of the song is pure nineties, but the moustaches and suits and mock screen credits belong to the seventies. It’s an incredibly fun, high-energy video, but for me, and I suspect for many of my contemporaries, it is also nostalgic.
And after approaching bad red wine with high expectations, no one does nostalgia better than Mr. Brisick.
[Link: Huck magazine]
by The Editors on December 10, 2009
Hey, SoCal action bargain shoppers there are only two days left to get in on the RVCA Holiday Warehouse Sale: December 11-12, 2009. And if you don’t want to wait in line with the civilians you can buy a $25 and you and a friend can cut right to the front of the line.
Speed Passes will be sold per hour on each day of the sale. Each Speed Pass purchased will allow 2 people in at the time purchased. Getting to RVCA early before your time is suggested, that way you can get in and start shopping right away when your time is called.
People must really love them some RVCA.
[Editors’ Note: This post has been updated to correct obvious errors. The sale is free, cutting in line with a SpeedPass is $25 for two.]
[Link: RVCA Holiday Warehouse Sale]
by The Editors on December 10, 2009
The NPD Group, “the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information” has reported that Tony Hawk: Ride has sold 114,000 copies during the month of November, according to a story on G4TV.com.
The Game sells for $119.99 and was released on November 17, 2009. For those not so good at math, that means $13,678,860 in sales in two weeks. Looks like Tony’s media roadshow paid off quite nicely, even if the critics are getting Tony down.
[Link: G4TV]
by The Editors on December 10, 2009
Source Interlink Media, the parent company of Surfer, Surfing, Snowboarder, and Skateboarder magazine’s Action Sports Group is apparently doing to reorganization within the company.
Those reportedly no longer with the company include the former ASG President and SVP Group Publisher at Source Interlink Media Al Crolius and the director of Source Interlink Media Ken Lockwood.
Interim personnel are reportedly filling in during reorganization.
by The Editors on December 10, 2009
The final ASP WCT showdown begins today at the Banzai Pipeline with round one of the Billabong Pipeline Masters. Here’s who is up in round one:
Heat 1: Jihad Khodr (BRA) vs. Gavin Gillette (HAW)
Heat 2: Gabe Kling (USA) vs. Kalani Chapman (HAW)
Heat 3: Andy Irons (HAW) vs. Marcus Hickman (HAW)
Heat 4: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 5: Nathaniel Curran (USA) vs. Liam McNamara (HAW)
Heat 6: David Weare (ZAF) vs. Hank Gaskell (HAW)
Heat 7: Bruce Irons (HAW) vs. Reed McIntosh (HAW)
Heat 8: Nic Muscroft (AUS) vs. Sunny Garcia (HAW)
Heat 9: Michael Picon (FRA) vs. Manoa Drollet (PYF)
Heat 10: Shane Dorian (HAW) vs. Kamalei Alexander (HAW)
Heat 11: Dayyan Neve (AUS) vs. Jonah Morgan (HAW)
Heat 12: Luke Stedman (AUS) vs. Flynn Novak (HAW)
Heat 13: Dustin Barca (HAW) vs. Sion Miloski (HAW)
Heat 14: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Danny Fuller (HAW)
Heat 15: Jay Thompson (AUS) vs. Mason Ho (HAW)
Heat 16: Phillip MacDonald (AUS) vs. Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
Follow the jump for even more details. Or click here to watch it live.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on December 10, 2009
In a six-page (get your clicking finger ready) story in Denver’s Westword writer Colin Bane dives deeply into the whole night-before-the-Olympics US Grand Prix scene using Steve Fisher as his muse.
Yes, that Steve Fisher: the amazingly talented rider who competes in a black balaclava that often leaves him looking more like a lost Minnesota hunter than one of the best pipe jocks in snowboarding. The guy who may forever live in the shadow of Shaun White’s pop-cultural zeitgeist.
But Bane doesn’t really mention any of that, or of the strange place less marketable athletes like Fisher occupy in the high-fashion world of advertising-driven board sports. Bane plays the story of Fisher’s Olympic hopes straight and the result is a lot like Steve Fisher himself: really good, but not all that intriguing.
Then again, snowboarding can probably use all the down-to-earthiness it can get before the five-ring hype storm rolls in off the coast.
[Link: Westword]
by The Editors on December 10, 2009
The Gretchen Bleiler/Hannah Teter showdown we were kind of hoping for didn’t go down yesterday during women’s qualifiers as Hannah Teter pulled out of the US Grand Prix at Copper Mountain haflpipe due to an injury to her shoulder. 
