by The Editors on September 8, 2008
by The Editors on September 8, 2008
John Morgan, 51, the manager of surf shop Maddog Byron Bay was towed “like a jet ski” yesterday at Clarkes Beach when an 8 to 10-foot shark got caught up in his leash.
I had just come off a wave when I saw a large swirl of water,” he said. “I was then suddenly hauled backwards. . . . “It felt like I was riding behind a powerful jet ski. . . .The water was dirty so I couldn’t make out what type of shark it was but I knew from the splashing white water that it was roughly eight to ten foot (3m),” Mr Morgan said. . . . All I could think about was holding on and hoping the shark would untangle itself,” he said.
Eventually that is what happened and Morgan paddle directly back into shore.
[Link: The Sunshine Coast Daily]
by The Editors on September 8, 2008
It may have been held September 4-6, 2008, but this ASR show felt a lot like a typical January show in terms of size and scale. Still the must-attend trade show of the season, this year buyers, retailers, and exhibitors were gritting their teeth and smiling through a show that comes in the midst of a sliding U.S. economy.
At the surface, things seemed status quo—models in skimpy swimsuits handing out flyers, a full beer garden, after-show parties, and free-flowing drinks come 5 o’clock. But spend more than five minutes talking to nearly anyone on the floor, and the word recession rose quickly to the surface.
“I’m one of the few people here old enough to remember the last real recession,” says Jeff Harbaugh, market analyst and industry consultant. “It’s bad, and it’s going to be a while before we see the end of this one.”
Even those booths and brands who seemed unaffected were keeping their guard up. “As quickly as it comes, it can go,” says SkullCandy’s Luke Edgar in reference to his brand’s current meteoric popularity. “It’s especially important in hard-economic times to keep our heads down, be humble and treat our retailers with respect, and keep charging ahead.”
Click continue for the rest of the story. . .
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by The Editors on September 8, 2008
We hate to say it, but anyone who thought the 80s revival was over is thankfully wrong. Who would think that anyway?
From the look of some of the products on the floor at the September 2008 ASR show, the neon wave is just beginning to peak. Which is great for those who lived through it the first time. And even more fun for kids who’ve never seen color before.
Funny thing is: we like it all. Bright colors are rad. Video games are rad. And, the Dragon Domos (pictured above) are totally rad.
Follow the link for a few more rad things we saw at the show
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by The Editors on September 8, 2008
Surfers who grab a couple waves at Florida’s Ponce Inlet without getting bitten by a shark are beginning to sound more and more in the minority as the sharks nipped a 15 year old and 43 year old this weekend.
Minutes after a lifeguard began treating one surfer for a reported shark bite last weekend, another surfer informed the beach official he too had been attacked, WFTV of Orlando, Fla., reported Monday.
This brings the Ponce Inlet total to 21 so far this year.
[Link: UPI]
by The Editors on September 8, 2008
In a press release Andrew Hourmont, founder and organizer of the Air & Style has announced that “the Swatch TTR 6Star Air & Style Munich 08, originally scheduled for the 29th November, 2008 in the Olympic Stadium Munich, will not be taking place this year.”
We are very sad about the cancellation of the Air & Style Munich 08. We feel sorry for the fans, the riders and for our whole team. After we have seen the best Air & Style of all times last year, the anticipation was huge for this year’s Air & Style in the Olympic Stadium to become even better. But as a company we first and foremost have to finance this expensive happening which is impossible without financial support from sponsors. . . . It is a pity that unlike in countries such as the USA or Great Britain, the communication with young target groups in Germany obviously is not yet considered as important as it deserves to be. We are now focussing on the organization of the top event on January 31st, 2009 in the Bergisel Stadium in Innsbruck and will take care of new, international projects.”
Silly Germans. . .
[Link: TTR World Tour]
by The Editors on September 8, 2008
Some pretty large brands were missing from the ASR show floor this September. While a few disappeared from the San Diego trade show scene completely (Analog, Podium), others like WESC, Nikita, Sole Technology, Gravis, Supra, and 686 all opted for little stalls at the Agenda Trade Show.
Located less than a mile away from the San Diego Convention Center in the San Diego Concourse, Agenda is five and half years old and has shadowed ASR’s dates eleven times. But this is the first time we’ve ever made it over to see the much talked about show in person.
This year Agenda featured 107 brands (The Hundreds, Cre8tive Recreation, Crooks & Castles, Obey, etc. . . ) which cater to the T-shirts and sneakers boutique crowd.
Agenda likes getting people from ASR to come over for a visit. They like it so much that they have 12 limos running all day to shuttle “guests” back and forth between the shows. The limos were hot and stinky and the “10 minute ride” seemed much longer.
More story and photos after the jump. . .
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by The Editors on September 8, 2008
After all those times we’ve been hassled by the man while trying to get a skateboard on an airplane without checking bags it was great to see the new Incase P. Rod skateboard bag at San Diego’s Agenda trade show. This thing is the perfect bag for skate travel and while we’d seen it popping up on all the hype sites, it is much better in person.
And this is just one of a well-thoughtout three-piece line that includes an overnight bag and a skate backpack. It will all be available in October.
[Link: Incase]
by The Editors on September 7, 2008
SIMA, the undisputed champion of trade show scheduling seems immovable. The wiley IASC is tired of living in its older surf bro’s shadow and wants to move the dates. Some hardgoods skate manufacturers (looking for anyone to blame for lagging sales) even say they want skateboarding to have its own trade show.
Retailers claim they’re going to enough shows already. Stuck right in the middle is ASR’s Andy Tompkins.
The talk of the show: who will win when titans clash at Brutal Schedule 09? One thing is sure: if ASR breaks up, retailers will be the losers. And they’re having a tough enough time already. Then again, we’re not sure many of the major labels care all that much about them anyway.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
by The Editors on September 7, 2008
We saw people walking around with these at the ASR show, but we couldn’t really figure out what they were. Now we understand, but it still makes no sense. Stand up skateboarding paddles that cost $149?
Some of the highlights of the Kahuna Big Stick™ Classic is a solid-wood barrel shaped grip with gentle, tapered oval shaft shape to give a great feel in a paddle weighing only 16 ounces. Fabric prints are sealed under the fiberglass for a sweet look. The tip is designed with dual high-performance rubber contacts to allow for high grip and durability and feel as you paddle on the pavement.
Buttons is a pretty heavy endorsement, so they must be serious. But seriously. . . ?
[Link: Kahunaboards.com]
