No Surprises At 2018 US Open

by The Editors on March 11, 2018

It was as everyone expected at Burton’s 36th Annual US Open of Snowboarding in Vail, Colorado March 5-10, 2018. Mark McMorris and Jamie Anderson took the slopestyle event (the women’s final was cancelled due to high winds) and Ayumu Hirtano (pictured above) and Chloe Kim won the halfpipe. Dean Ween and some other bands played and that was that. For the more descriptive official word from Burton (along with more results) please follow the jump.
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RIP: Santa Cruz’s Vince Collier

by The Editors on March 10, 2018

Santa Cruz, California’s surf Godfather Vince Collier has died of a heart attack while on a surf trip to Mexico last week, according to story in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. He was 57. 

Collier was built like a pit bull, and the only thing that matched his raw power and talent in the water was his equally untamed temper and protective nature. During his heyday between the late 1970s and early 1990s, many considered him a menace in the water, a man who would take whatever waves he wanted, who would threaten, and often follow through with, bodily harm to anyone who challenged him. He cultivated a villainous reputation and his tactics, from slashing tires to throwing punches, and his protectionist attitude won him few friends.

Collier reported had a heart attack in San Miguel del Puerto while walking back from a surf session with his partner Denisse Gallagher. He is survived by sisters Reeney Gallagher and Katie Harper, brother Mike Collier and daughters Molly and Leil. Our thoughts are with Collier’s family and friends.

[Link: Santa Cruz Sentinel]

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Nyjah Huston Profiled In LA Weekly

by The Editors on March 8, 2018

With Nyjah Huston’s ‘Til Death seared into our retinas we were reminded of how strange his trip really has been thanks to a profile by Lily Moayeri in LA Weekly.

In an interview, Huston is prepared for personal questions. His responses are tailored and efficient, his tone practiced and final, not inviting further questioning into such subjects as his father, his partying, his haters. He gives a nervous sniff at the end of each of his responses.

The profile covers all that and more, but we’ll let you read it yerself.

[Link: LA Weekly]

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The West’s Deadly Big Snow Weekend

by The Editors on March 6, 2018

We began tracking the storm a week and a half out and new it was going to hit perfectly for a weekend of powder blasting. By Thursday night, March 1, 2018 the snow was piling in. On Friday afternoon some California resorts were reporting up to eight feet of fresh snow. It was set up to be a big weekend, but by the time it was over it was one of the deadliest weekends the West has ever seen. Here’s how it unfolded.

Thursday March 1, 2018

Wenyu Zhang, 42, of Rocklin, California was snowboarding at Squaw Valley when the mountain was hit by wind gusts up to 146 miles an hour. Later in the night his friends reported him missing. Because of the storm a search for him is called off on Thursday. Zhang’s body is not found until Friday morning. (NY Post)

Friday March 2, 2018 

Blake Smith, 36, a season pass holder at California’s China Peak resort, was snowboarding when he reportedly “fell head-first into about 5 feet of fresh snow,” according to the Fresno Bee. He was unable to dig himself out and suffocated.

Alfonso Braun, 24, of Bend, Oregon was found “buried in the snow” around noon at Mt. Bachelor by other snowboarders and skiers. They dug him out but ski patrol was unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at 1:15 PM. Two hours later a 19 year old skier from Eugene, Oregon, Nicole Panet-Raymond, was reported missing. Her body was found by search crews in a tree well at 8:30 PM. (KTVZ)

On Friday afternoon, Evan and Kahlynn Huck (along with three other people) were caught up in an avalanche that swept near the Olympic Lady chairlift at Squaw Valley Resort. Kahlynn was able to free herself, but her husband Evan was buried for close to six minutes before nearby skiers and snowboarders were able to dig him out. He had passed out and was turning blue but came to after being rescued. Click the link to watch the rescue. (SF Gate)

Saturday, March 3, 2018

At 10:15 while ski patrol was doing avalanche control at the top of Mammoth Mountain a slide ripped down the Climax run, down Upper Dry Creek and blasted past the bottom of the High Five Express lift. Eight people (six Mammoth Mountain employees and two guests) were partially buried, but all of them were able to free themselves and no one was injured.  (LA Times)

For video of the Mammoth avalanche’s powder cloud blowing past the bottom of the High Five Express, click here. (CBS LA)

Sunday, March 4, 2018

A mother and son (Olga Perkovic, 50, and Aaron Goodstein, 7) who were skiing back to their slope-side condominium at Kirkwood Ski Resort died when snow slid off the roof of a building and buried them sometime after 4 PM. They were found 9 PM after after a neighbor noticed gloves in the snow. (Reno Gazette)

 

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RIP: Hawaii’s George Downing

by The Editors on March 6, 2018

Surfing legend, environmentalist, and leading surfing ambassador George Downing has died on March 5, 2018 at his home in East Oahu, according to story on Hawaii News Now. He was 87.

Born and raised on the island of Oahu, Downing was one of the last of the old-time Waikiki beach boys mentored by Duke Kahanamoku. . . He later became a mentor himself to generations of watermen and fought to protect coastlines from erosion and development.

Downing is survived by his sons Keone and Kainoa, daughter Kaiulu, grandchildren Kaohi, Kirra, Kainoa, Keola and Nalei, and two great-grandsons. His wife Gildea Lauwe Downing died before him. Our thoughts are with Downing’s family and friends.

[Link: Hawaii News Now]

 

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Jagger Eaton Wins 2018 Tampa Pro

by The Editors on March 4, 2018

Turns out you can win Tampa Pro by dropping a casual bag of unrushed, polite hammers. Here, let Jagger Eaton show you how it’s done.

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The Endless Summer License Plate

by The Editors on February 28, 2018

The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center in San Clemente, California is hoping to get the State of California to produce a “The Endless Summer” special interest license plate and you can help.

The State of California requires that SHACC submit a minimum of 7,500 applicants before it will approve the plate and proceed with its creation. SHACC has opened a “pre-registration” site in order to gauge interest and gather names for registration when the time comes. The pre-sell will commence after the sponsoring state agency files a letter of intent with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the proposed license plate is approved by the Department and the California Highway Patrol.

For all the official details follow the jump or lick here for the Surfplate website.

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Ian Cairns is a Clever Buoy

by The Editors on February 27, 2018

Hall of Fame surfer Ian Cairns is working as a brand ambassador for Clever Buoy, an ocean monitoring platform that detects large marin life (a.k.a. sharks) using sonar and acts as an early warning system for surf safety. Might not be a bad idea to have a couple of the water near our favorite beaches. For more info and how you can help make this happen, please follow the jump.

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Hypebeast Buys Out The Berrics

by The Editors on February 22, 2018

Urban sneaker streetwear music fashion website Hypebeast has reportedly purchased a majority stake in what remains of Steve Berra and Eric Koston’s The Berrics business, according to a story on Techcrunch.com. 

Now, The Berrics is being acquired by Hypebeast and they’re forming a new company “The Berrics Company”, with the express mission of making sure the particular spirit that it was founded to foster in skating never dies. Hypebeast is putting in $750k and ending up with 51% of The Berrics and a majority of board seats. The Berrics will contribute its approximate $2.5M in assets, $1M in liabilities and a board seat. Hypebeast has been on a bit of a tear on the markets, with genuinely solid increases in revenue and profits over the past year, so this seems like a smart small acquisition for the company.

We haven’t paid that much attention to The Berrics since they killed off The Skateboard Mag, but this sounds like one more circuit in their downward spiral. Obviously, Hypebeast founder Kevin Ma (above center) does not agree.

[Link: TechCrunch via SkateDaily]

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2018 Vans Park Series Pro Tour Dates

by The Editors on February 22, 2018

The 2018 Vans Park Series Pro Tour will kick off in São Paulo, Brazil on June 2, with the inauguration of South America’s first-and-only VPS-certified park terrain course, built and donated by Vans. The completely free and public São Paulo course will be only the second built-to-spec permanent public park terrain skateboarding course in the world, following the initial Malmö, Sweden park location. Consisting of four men’s global qualifiers and three women’s global qualifiers, the VPS Pro Tour spans across five countries on five continents over six months and culminates with the official Vans Park Series World Championships, sanctioned by the World Skate Federation to be held later this year in China.

For the official word from Vans including all event dates, please follow the jump.

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