Quick Hits Archive: November 1 - November 7, 2007
Dec 06 2007 / Los Angeles, CANovember 7, 2007
Event Notices: Meet And Greet The Nike SB Team, Mike V., Stevie Williams, And The Emerica TeamPublished: 1:02 a.m. PT by Me
Some cool meet and greet opportunities are happening this week which we thought you would want to know about:
• First in line is the Nike SB 'Nothing But The Tour' demo and signing happening today at 5pm at 3rd Lair Skatepark in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Appearing at the stop should be (we say should because you never know with skaters) everyone's favorite comedian's son/skater Paul Rodrigues, Chet Childress, Stefan Janoski, Daniel Shimizu and the rest of the Nike SB crew. In case you didn't know (which we will fault you for) Nike SB just released their new film 'Nothing But The Truth', thus the team is out on tour to promote that. Future stops for the tour include Seattle (11/8), Sacramento (11/10), Tempe (11/12), San Diego (11/14), and Rancho Cucamongo (11/15). For more info on the 3rd Lair demo head over to 3rd Lair's site here, to get more info on future stops head to Active Mail Order Nike SB's website here.
• Next up we got two different Zumiez shops hosting two different (very different) skaters on the same day. This Friday, November 9th, the Zumiez store in Chandler, Arizona will host iconic skater Mike Vallely (or Mike V.) while the Zumiez in San Antonio, Texas will have self-proclaimed Dirty Ghetto Kid Stevie Williams stop by (with fellow DGK skater Marcus McBride). Both skaters will be stopping off to shmooze with their fans, sign autographs, hand out free prizes, then jet off to the next stop (Mike's headed to Henderson, Nevada the next day while Stevie will be hitting up Tempe, AZ). For more info on the different stops each skater will be making throught the Wild West check the Zumiez link here. 
• Finally for those kids out near the Central Valley of California there's good news as the Emerica team will be stopping by on Saturday, November 10th to not only visit but also to partake in whatever's skate-able courtesy of Pharmacy Boardshop. The demo will feature Emerica skaters such as Andrew Reynolds, Heath Kirchart, Leo Romero, Bryan Herman, Braydon Szafranski, Jerry Hsu, Kevin Long, and Marquis Preston. Pretty solid lineup which means if you're near the area you've gotta be there. For more info on demo location check the Emerica notice here. Mick Fanning In Hindsight
Published: 12:56 a.m. PT by Me
Had enough of the cavalcade of news regarding Mick Fanning's World Title win? Well we didn't think so, that's why we've got this little video interview from World Pro Surfers lined up for you to watch. Taken two days before Fanning stood on top of the surfing world the interview features Fanning talking about the build up to Brazil, what he considers the turning point for this year's tour, and his plans after Brazil (keep in mind the interview was done before he clinched the crown). To view the interview with World Champ Mick Fanning check out World Pro Surfers here.
Reruns Of The Icer Air, Fat Flake Festival, Texas Skate Jam
Published: 12:22 a.m. PT by Me
From the "In Case You Missed It" Files: There were some big time events that popped off over the weekend which meant either you were at all of them and this entry is not something you need to pay attention to (not very likely...matter of fact not likely at all) or you missed one or all of them in which case you can catch up if you check below (most likely).
The great people over at Snowboard Magazine has updated their site with recaps from both the Icer Air which went down in San Francisco and the Fat Flake Festival Rail Jam held in Salt Lake City. The Icer Air was one of those mega-events featuring athletes from all types of disciplines including Snowboarding, BMX, Skating and FMX going crazy on a huge set up in the middle of AT&T Park (where the Giants play) for a weekend. For such a big ass event Snowboard Mag put up an equally big ass update with tons of photos and commentary, though most of it is snowboard-centric. To check out their Icer Air coverage head here.
In contrast to the Icer Air, the Fat Flake Festival was a quieter affair (though not by much) where fans came out to lounge around Downtown SLC, listen to some good tunes, and check out the rail jam. Similarly though Snowboard Mag got lots of photos from the event although with less commentary. To see what Snowboard Mag spotted at the Fat Flake Festival Rail Jam click here.
The Texas Skate Jam was an event that we sorta covered earlier on thanks to Skate Park Of Tampa, but this time around we got some coverage from 411VM to mention in the form of more photos. To check out more Texas Jam pics from 411 go here , and to check out the Skatepark Of Tampa coverage which we highlighted last time head over here.
November 6, 2007
Fanning Wins Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro -- Is World Champ
Published: 11:14 a.m. PT by Me
Mick Fanning has won the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro and clinched the 2007 Foster's ASP World Tour title. Fanning becomes the first Australian since Mark Occhilupo in 1999 to take the honor, breaking Kelly Slater's two-year streak.
Fanning has been absolutely on fire this year on the tour, winning three events and having only one finish outside of the top three places. Taj Burrow and Kelly Slater, his closest rivals for the title, were eliminated before the finals today, giving Fanning the title even before he faced off against fellow Aussie Kai Otton (who earlier stunned Slater in the fourth round). Fanning had no problem with Otton in the final, taking it by a score of 14.83 to 10.50.
In speaking of the fact that the title was already won by Fanning before the day's heats even began Fanning said, "I woke up this morning and I just had a good feeling that it was going to happen today. It was so amazing to be out there with Joel [Parkinson]. When I realized I’d won I went, ‘What do we do Joel?’ and he was like, ‘I don’t know!’ I was just so stoked to share my first ever heat as the World Champion with him. It was amazing.”
The win by Fanning breaks an American hold on the title that has stretched back to Occhilupo's 1999 win, with C.J. Hobgood, Andy Irons and Slater all taking titles in the years since. Last year Slater scored his eighth world title, extending his record mark.
The 26-year old Fanning has been surfing professionally since 1998 and on the world tour since 2002. He finished third in the standings in the 2005 and 2006.
The Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro is the second-to-last event on the tour for 2007. It will close out next month with the Billabong Pro Pipeline Masters on Oahu's North Shore in Hawaii starting December 8.
For a full recap of the final day of the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro and Fanning's win check the story here, for photos from the day check the link.
Round Four Set For Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro
Published: 1:22 a.m. PT by Me
Round three of the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro was completed yesterday, setting the stage for an exiting round four which will feature many of the top names still in contention for the Foster's ASP World Tour title.
Current leader Mick Fanning will take on fellow Aussie Luke Steadman in the next round, while Kelly Slater faces Kai Otton. Taj Burrow, the man closest to Fanning in the race, appears to have a nice match-up against Ricky Basnett of South Africa. Also making it to round four are Joel Parkinson and Bede Durbidge.
To watch the live webcast, visit the official site.
Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Round 4 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Heitor Alves (BRA) vs. Michael Campbell (AUS)
Heat 2: Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) vs. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Heat 3: Dayyan Neve (AUS) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 4: Luke Stedman (AUS) vs. Mick Fanning (AUS)
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 6: Shaun Cansdell (AUS) vs. Leonardo Neves (BRA)
Heat 7: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
Heat 8: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Tom Whitaker (AUS)
Mick Fanning Takes on British Airways
Published: 1:22 a.m. PT by Me
British Airwaves made waves recently (no pun intended) by announcing a ban on surfboards on any of its flights -- a move that didn't set well with socres of British surfers. The ban started yesterday and surfboards weren't the only items covered -- other action sports items like windsurfing boards, hang-gliders and canoes.
The British Surfing Association (BSA) has gathered 8,000 signatures including that of Mick Fanning, the current leader on the Foster's ASP Pro Tour, which it will hopes will change the airline's mind.
Read more here.
Cole, Make-a-Wish Foundation Among Winners at Texas Skate Jam
Published: 12:01 a.m. PT by Me
We told you about Ryan Sheckler making a young girl's dream come true last weekend. Well, this was all tied to the Texas Skate Jam in Houston -- a big event featuring many of the top names in skateboarding.
The Skatepark of Tampa crew was there and you can read their recap. But the bottom line is that more than $100,000 was raised for the organization and there was some pretty crazy skating going on.
Here are some of the key results...
Bowl Jam
3rd - $1000 – Andrew Langie
2nd - $2500 – Curren Caples
1st - $5000 – Ben Raybourn
Bank to Wall
3rd - $1000 – Andrew Langie
2nd - $2500 – David Bachinsky
1st - $5000 – Chris Cole
Zumiez Big 4
3rd – James Hardy
2nd – Chris Cole
1st - $5000 – Billy Marks
Chris Cole on the podium. Photo courtesy Skatepark of Tampa.
November 5, 2007
Slater, Burrow and Fanning All Advance in the Hang Loose Pro
Published: 1:22 a.m. PT by Me
The Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro is well underway in Imbituba, Brazil, and the second day of action saw the completion of the first round and the advancement of the surfers with the most riding on this contest: Taj Burrow, Mick Fanning and Kelly Slater. Fanning is the leader on the Foster's ASP World Tour, with Burrow still in contention and Slater mathematically still in the race.
Six heats of the second round have been completed and perhaps the biggest name to be eliminated was Pancho Sullivan of Hawaii. Among the surfers still to go are Bruce Irons (against Mark Occhilupo), Freddy Patacchia and Kai Otton (see the full list of upcoming matches below).
The next call is coming Monday at 7 a.m. (local time). To watch the webcast, visit the official site.
Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Round 2 Results:
Heat 1: Bobby Martinez (USA) 13.00 def. Guga Arruda (BRA) 9.83
Heat 2: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.67 def. Fabio Carvalho (BRA) 9.16
Heat 3: Marco Polo (BRA) 12.17 def. Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 5.34
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.07 def. Diego Rosa (BRA) 10.00
Heat 5: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 13.17 def. Fabio Gouveia (BRA) 9.00
Heat 6: Michael Campbell (AUS) 10.00 def. Simao Romao (BRA) 8.07
Upcoming Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Round 2 Match-Ups:
Heat 7: Royden Bryson (ZAF) vs. Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 8: Chris Ward (USA) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 9: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Peterson Rosa (BRA)
Heat 10: Bruce Irons (HAW) vs. Mark Occhilupo (AUS)
Heat 11: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Victor Ribas (BRA)
Heat 12: Luke Stedman (AUS) vs. Troy Brooks (AUS)
Heat 13: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 14: Phillip MacDonald (AUS) vs. Bernardo Miranda (BRA)
Heat 15: Greg Emslie (ZAF) vs. Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 16: Ricky Basnett (ZAF) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Round 1 Results:
Heat 1: Dean Morrison (AUS) 14.50, Heitor Alves (BRA) 12.83, Cory Lopez (USA) 8.73
Heat 2: Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 14.80, Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 10.23, Jihad Khodr (BRA) 6.23
Heat 3: Taylor Knox (USA) 10.80, Frederick Patacchia (HAW) 10.50, Simao Romao (BRA) 9.65
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 16.16, Fabio Gouveia (BRA) 8.23, Ricky Basnett (ZAF) 5.94
Heat 5: William Cordoso (BRA) 14.17, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.86, Greg Emslie (ZAF) 12.43
Heat 6: Renato Galvao (BRA) 15.50, Phillip Macdonald (AUS) 12.93, Bobby Martinez (USA) 12.77
Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.10, Diego Rosa (BRA) 12.16, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.67
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.67, Guga Arruda (BRA) 12.74 Bruce Irons (HAW) 7.83
Heat 9: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.07, Kai Otton (AUS) 11.63, Fabio Carvalho (BRA) 11.37
Heat 10: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.20, Marco Polo (BRA) 15.33, Luke Stedman (AUS) 11.34
Heat 11: Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 12.27, CJ Hobgood (USA) 9.30, Peterson Rosa (BRA) 7.63
Heat 12: Gabe Kling (USA) 12.17, Tom Whitaker (AUS) 10.40, Bernardo Miranda (BRA) 9.97
Heat 13: Leonardo Neves (BRA) 11.74, Mark Occhilupo (AUS) 8.34, Michael Campbell (AUS) 7.50
Heat 14: Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 17.10, Royden Bryson (ZAF) 12.50, Josh Kerr (AUS) 9.50
Heat 15: Dayyan Neve (AUS) 13.66, Chris Ward (USA) 8.37, Troy Brooks (AUS) 6.53 Heat 16: Neco Padaratz (BRA) 11.33, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 10.60, Victor Ribas (BRA) 10.07
Taj Burrow in Brazil.
Olsson, Rice Win at Icer AirPublished: 12:34 a.m. PT by Me
Travis Rice and Jon Olsson were the winners as Icer Air celebrated it third season in San Francisco. More than 30,000 fans descended upon AT&T Park on Friday and Saturday to watch the ski and snowboarding action on the huge big-air ramp.
Olsson took the big-air ski title with a kangaroo flip followed in second by Simon Dumont with a huge corked 1080. Sammy Carlson finished third with a sick switch 10.
In the snowboarding comp, Rice (double corked 10) defended his 2006 win with Tim Humphreys in second with a switch frontside 9. Chas Guldemond took third with a back side 1080.
The event also featured a FMX and skate demo.
Seattle Skateboarder Sets World Record
Published: 12:04 a.m. PT by Me
A skateboarder in Seattle has set a world record by skating a distance of 195 miles in a 24-hour period. James Peters, a veteran long distance skateboarder, set the record on Oct. 27 and it is in the process of being verified by officials with the Guinness Book of World Records.
Peters undertook the effort to help raise money for Lance Armstrong's Livestrong Foundation and to help local cancer patients.
Sure, slalom boarding gets a bad rap but if you want to skate long distances, you could do worse. And when soemone's doing good with it, don't knock it. Read more.
November 4, 2007
Gilmore Wins Mancora Peru Classic -- On Track to World Title
Published: 1:49 a.m. PT by Me
Stephanie Gilmore is one step closer to making history on the ASP World Tour. The surfer took the inaugural Mancora Peru Classic on Saturday, marking her third win of the season and giving her a lead of more than 500 points over runner-up Silvana Lima in the points race for the ASP World Tour title. If Gilmore should win the title, she would be the first rookie surfer, male or female, to do so.
Gilmore's win came again legend Layne Beachley, who was participating in her first final of the season. With her second-place finish Beachley finds herself ranked No. 5 in the world, nearly 1,700 points behind Gilmore. It took a wave in the final's closing seconds for Gilmore to take the lead.
"I was definitely feeling the day's strenuous efforts on my body there in the last few minutes of the heat," Gilmore said. "We did a lot of sitting and waiting... I don't know how I managed to get that last wave in the dying seconds. The ocean was dead flat, and then out of nowhere came this little wave and it was pretty special. I'm pretty proud of myself."
The next stop on the 2007 ASP Women's World Tour will be the Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach from Nov. 23 to Dec. 6, 2007, followed by the final stop of the year, the Billabong Pro Maui from Dec. 8-20, 2007.
Heading into Hawaii, six surfers remain in contention for the 2007 ASP Women's World Title: Gilmore, Lima, Sofia Mulanovich, Chelsea Hedges, Samantha Cornish and Layne Beachley.
QUARTERFINAL RESULTS: MANCORA PERU CLASSIC
QF 1: Layne Beachley (AUS) 15.10 def. Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 14.00
QF 2: Silvana Lima (BRA) 15.27 def. Rebecca Woods (AUS) 10.00
QF 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.76 def. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 13.90
QF 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 17.14 def. Amee Donohoe (AUS) 12.20
SEMIFINAL RESULTS: MANCORA PERU CLASSIC
SF 1: Layne Beachley (AUS) 13.83 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 12.93
SF 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.17 def. Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 11.43
FINAL: MANCORA PERU CLASSIC
1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.37
2: Layne Beachley (AUS) 14.46
ASP WOMEN'S WORLD TOUR STANDINGS AFTER MANCORA PERU CLASSIC
1. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 5508 points
2. Silvana Lima (BRA) 4982 points
3. Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 4567 points
4. Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 3878 points
5. Layne Beachley (AUS) 3854 points
6. Samantha Cornish (AUS) 3684 points
7. Amee Donohoe (AUS) 3434 points
8. Rebecca Woods (AUS) 3000 points
9. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 2899 points
10. Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 2474 points
11. Megan Abubo (HAW) 2424 points
11. Melanie Bartels (HAW) 2424 points
13. Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) 2412 points
14. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 2244 points
15. Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 2232 points
16. Caroline Sarran (FRA) 2052 points
17. Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 1260 points
18. Leilani Gryde (HAW) 612 points
See We Knew Bling Fest Would Be GoodPublished: 1:11 a.m. PT by Me
Up until now we've known this year's Active Blingfest in Rancho Cucamonga was gonna be a cool without actually knowing why. We were actually just going on past experience when we made the judgement but now we don't have to as Active has released a little more info on the November 17th event. Among the skaters announced who will be participating are Andrew Reynolds, Leo Romero, Tony Tave, Chad Muska, Kenny Anderson, Erik Ellington, Chris Cole, Jamie Thomas, and others. As a matter of fact the whole Zero team should be showing up. Add to that the fact that Angels and Airwaves (AVA) will be playing live for the audience, and there will be $20,000 in prize money handed out (including the "West Coast's largest best trick competition") and it sounds like you've got a bang up event on your hands. We're also pretty sure Active's gonna have some more info up as the event draws nearer (I mean the flyer advertises "100 top pros and amateurs"), but as for now you can get the early details on the event at Active's Blog here.
New Book Documents The Life Of A 97 Year-Old Surfer
Published: 13:55 a.m. PT by Me
Pull up a nice quilt and a hot cup of cocoa because this one's a heart warmer. Seems there's a new surf book out that chronicles the early years of one Emil Sigler, called 'Waterman's Eye'. Emil Sigler is a 97 year-old surfer who has spent time as a pioneer surfer in San Diego, as a San Diego lifeguard, and as a commercial fisherman. He also has lived with only one eye for 94 of those 97 years as if that matters at all. Either way the story of Sigler's early life as a Southern California surfer in 'Waterman's Eye' is essentially the story of pre-WWII surf culture in a "Forest Gump" sort of way though not completely in a "Forest Gump" sort of way, and there are plenty of photos to boot (72 straight from Sigler's negatives). To find out more about this book so that hopefully you can get a little history in your bloodstream then head to Surf Books here, I know these guys did.
If Only The Flat Bar Came With Better Taste In Music
Published: 12:22 a.m. PT by Me
As a quick follow-up to something we mentioned here a few weeks back the contest for a free Element Flat Bar has been decided. If you don't really remember, upon release of the Flat Bar Element had offered a free one to the first person who could videotape themselves landing the tricks Chad Tim Tim landed at the end of Element's Flat Bar promo video. Well a kid from Denville, NJ named Jeff DeChesare just happened to be that one so he's gotten a free Flat Bar from Element. But that's not the best part...Element has posted up footage from DeChesare and the other 2 runner-ups (who got an Element flow package) and their quite entertaining, particularly DeChesare and his musical choice for the clip (we hope it's tongue in cheek). To get an idea of what we're talking about check out the clip from DeChesare.
November 3, 2007
Video Roundup: Think's Extra Large Promo, The Third & Army BBQ, Nomad Skateboard's Point Of View, And Damn Am Highlights
Published: 2:12 a.m. PT by Me
How about some video clips to help you work your way into the weekend, or work yourself out of the Halloween Hangover (it's been 3 days fella)?
• Think's posted a promo clip for their upcoming video featuring Manny Santiago and Adrian williams, and it's pretty long for a promo, I almost feel spoiled watching these guys just tear it up for so long. Here check out what I mean at at their home page.
• Thrasher has footage up of the BBQ/skate session held at San Francisco's famed spot, Third & Army. The footage features skaters like Dennis Busenitz, Peter Ramondetta, and Dan Pensyl handling business at the spot so you can check it out right here.
• European (Spanish to be exact) skate company Nomad Skateboards has a preview up on their site (as well as Transworld) for their next film 'A Nomad Point Of View'. I always like watching footage from European skaters because they usually hit up tons of spots we (or rather I) have never seen, and from the looks of the preview 'A Nomad Point Of View' will be the same way. Check out the clip at Transworld here.
• 411VM has done us all a favor and created highlight footage from their webcast of the Damn Am skate contest that went down in Costa Mesa last weekend. Here you'll get to see footage from the semi-finals, finals, and the best trick competition won by Chris Mendes' Kickflip Backside Tailslide Big Spin. To check out all the footage click here.
Stephanie Gilmore Thinks Ahead And Outloud
Published: 2:01 a.m. PT by Me
One thing the action sports is lacking that the traditional sports do pretty well is the pre-game interview. You know like when they talk to guys like Kobe prior to tip-off to see what mindset he's in (usually the ballhog mindset I'm guessing)? Surfing Magazine must have been thinking the same thing because thanks to them we have an interview with current ASP Women's World Tour rookie and points leader Stephanie Gilmore live (ok well not quite live, but maybe live in the hiphop sense) from the Mancora Peru Classic on the eve of the event's Quarterfinals. In the interview she talks about the Peruvian experience, who else (besides her) is ripping up the tour, and how it feels to be on top of the field as a rookie. So basically Surfing Magazine is asking all the questions that need to be asked at this point in the tour, to see what we mean check out Surfing Magazine's Stephanie Gilmore interview from the Mancora Peru Classic here. Mavericks Surf Contest Looks To Start Early
Published: 1:39 a.m. PT by Me
When you organize a contest where the certainty of whether or not it will even take place is entirely hit-or-miss you're always on the look out for ways to get rid of some of that uncertainty. That couldn't be any truer for the organizers of the Mavericks Surf Contest, who as such have decided to increase the contest window by starting the contest one month earlier in December. Traditionally the Mavericks' surf contest, the premier big wave surf contest held in Half Moon Bay, California, has had a contest window that goes from January to late March each year with participating surfers getting a two-day advance notice during that window whenever conditions allow for the contest to be held. So by pushing the contest window up one month earlier organizers are hoping to prevent what happened this past year when lack of surfing conditions caused the contest to close up shop without any competition for a whole year. Contest founder Jeff Clark is also relying on meteorological predictions that large swells will occur this year in Northern California from November into December making the December start date a lot more desirable.
An official announcement of the earlier start date for the Mavericks Surf Contest is expected in the coming weeks but as for now you can get the unofficial annoucement here.
Uncle Vito ConvictedPublished: 1:09 a.m. PT by Me
As another follow up to a story we covered Viva La Bam's Uncle Vito is looking at possible jail time after being convicted of two counts of sexual assault on a child this past Wednesday (yes Halloween) by a Colorado jury. The charges stemmed from an incident last year when Vito was accused of groping 3 girls from the ages of 12 to 14 at an autograph signing session near Denver. Each of the conviction carries with it a possible of six years in prison sentence and steeper (life in prison) if he doesn't follow court ordered sex offender treatment. Upon hearing the conviction being handed down Vito reportedly fell to the floor and yelled, "Just kill me now". That's some serious stuff. Sentencing has been set for December 20th. We'll keep an eye out on the proceedings. To read more about the conviction check the AP report here.
Event Notice: The Rip Curl GromSearch California
Published: 12:44 a.m. PT by Me
While last weekend was a showcase for young skaters at the 2007 Damn Am competition in Costa Mesa, CA this weekend is all about showcasing young surfers with the 2007 Rip Curl GromSearch at Salt Creek, CA (near Oceanside). The GromSearch will feature 64 Groms duking it out for a chance at plenty of money, 2 free trips to Australia (to compete in the International Rip Curl GromSearch Finals at Bells Beach), and a free Boost Mobile phone. To top it all off the winner will be stunting on live webcast for you and yours to see. The event kicks off today at 8am but for Webcast sake the Finals are scheduled for 2pm, click here for a link to the webcast.
Ryan Sheckler Opens The Floodgates
Published: 12:11 a.m. PT by Me
As part of her Make-A-Wish Foundation request 15 year-old Kasie Forman has gotten her wish to meet heart-throb extrordinaire Ryan Sheckler. Sheckler will meet with Forman, who has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, this weekend in Houston while at the 11th Annual Texas Skate Jam. Forman, a high school sophomore, has been described by friends and family as someone who has a great personality and who lights up the room, which is fitting since the camera crews at the meeting would probably prefer extensive lighting in order to make Sheckler's skin glisten as much as possible. Even as she is dealing with a serious illness (she's still has tests planned to see the condition of her cancer) it's great to hear that Forman hasn't lost touch of what it means to be a teenage girl, particularly one with a cell phone, as her best friend has said of Forman's meeting with Sheckler, "She's going to call me with Ryan on the phone." Awesome. Though this is a great gesture by Sheckler we've got to wonder how many teenage girls are going to mysteriously come down with critical illnesses and ask to meet and possibly stroke the hair of Sheckler on their "death bed" in the future. Just wondering. To read more about Kasie Forman's Shecklerific wish head to the Pensacola News Journal article here.
November 2, 2007
Aussies Beachley, Gilmore, Dominating Mancora Peru ClassicPublished: 2:56 a.m. PT by Me
Round three is underway in Peru for the Mancora Peru Classic and the Aussies are dominating the contest, with five of six round three winners hailing from the land down under. The winners so far include seven-time women's champ Layne Beachley and current world number one Stephanie Gilmore (left). The only non-Aussie to make it through was Silvana Lima, who defeated one of two Peruvians in the contest, Anali Gomez. Former world champ Sofia Mulanovich is also Peruvian and has a third-round match with French native Caroline Sarran. At least one more Aussie will join the five who have advanced, since the other remaining round three match is between Amee Donohoe and Claire Bevilacqua.
Only one Aussie has been eliminated thus far from the contest -- Samantha Cornish -- and no Americans remain.
***UPDATE*** Since we last spoke one other non-Aussie has made it through to the Quarterfinals and it's none other than hometown hero Sofia Mulanovich who defeated Caroline Sarran in a late Round 3 matchup. The other remaining Round 3 heat was won by Amee Donohoe who, as you probably guessed, is from Australia. To watch along with the action check out the official site's webcast.
ROUND 2 RESULTS: MANCORA PERU CLASSIC
Heat 1: Silvana Lima (BRA) 14.84, Caroline Sarran (FRA) 6.84, Leilani Gryde (HAW) 5.60
Heat 2: Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 13.34, Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 11.83, Samantha Cornish (AUS) 10.34
ROUND 3 RESULTS: MANCORA PERU CLASSIC
Heat 1: Layne Beachley (AUS) 15.67 def. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 12.23
Heat 2: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 15.16 def Melanie Bartels (HAW) 11.67
Heat 3: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 15.00 def. Megan Abubo (HAW) 11.67
Heat 4: Silvana Lima (BRA) 13.00 def. Anali Gomez (PER) 12.50
Heat 5: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.43 def. Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 7.76
Heat 6: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 13.66 def. Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 9.50
Heat 7: Amee Donohoe (AUS) 13.44 def. Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 13.03
Heat 8: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 14.67 def. Caroline Sarran (FRA) 10.26
QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS: MANCORA PERU CLASSIC
QF 1: Layne Beachley (AUS) vs. Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
QF 2: Rebecca Woods (AUS) vs. Silvana Lima (BRA)
QF 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
QF 4: Amee Donohoe (AUS) vs. Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
Jerry Hsu On Epicly Later'd
Published: 2:33 a.m. PT by Me
It looks like I was wrong about my prediction on the last Epicly Later'd entry where I predicted that Episode 12 would be another more in-depth profile of Aaron Suski (I guess the multi episode segments only get planned for big timers like Andrew Reynolds), because this time around Jerry Hsu's the one getting the Epicly Later'd treatment in Episode 12. The segment starts out with the skaters on Emerica's Wild Ride Tour giving out their thoughts on Jerry and the fact that he can pull some crazy technical stuff (check out how Heath Kirchart admits that at first he thought nothing of the guy), then it quickly turns to the subject of contests, particularly Jerry's aversion to them, and the raging debate of whether or not Jerry should accept the invitation to take part in the X Games (he ends up saying "Yes" but doesn't actually show up for the event). At this point I don't know what to expect from the next episode of Epicly Later'd especially since the Wild Ride coverage is winding down. luckily Vice has already spoiled it for us (it's Heath). To check out Jerry Hsu on VBS' Epicly Later'd head over here.
...And The Collaborations Keep Pouring In: Burton x Kid Robot
Published: 2:01 a.m. PT by Me
Another day, another dollar (via collaboration). Looks like Snowboarding giant Burton Snowboards has hooked up with toy boutique Kidrobot to release a brand new limited edition collaborative board design, the Burton Kidrobot Custom Plus. The collaboration came about as Burton handed off a 158 cm snowboard template to Paul Budnitz, founder of Kidrobot, for him to mess around with. The result was a board with a top sheet graphic that features the signature Kidrobot Head in all-over print, and a base graphic that's a mish-mash of a variety of previous Kidrobot characters which in turn were designed by artists like Frank Kozik, Dalek, Tilt, Sket One and others. In line with what most of these types of collaborations do, the Burton Kid Robot Custom Plus will have a very limited release and can only be purchased at Flagship Burton stores and Kidrobot stores (only three stores worldwide). For more on the collaboration including quotes from Budnitz check out the link here.
Snowboarder Charles Coogan Kelly Killed
Published: 1:44 a.m. PT by Me
Sad news for the snowboarding family as up-and-coming snowboarder Charles Coogan Kelly was killed over the weekend. Kelly's death happened at a Halloween party Sunday night in Reno where the 21 year-old was one of three partygoers, including Derek Jensen, 23, of Reno, and Nathan Viljoen, 23, who were killed as a result of shots fired by party crashers. The incident allegedly started when said party crashers got involved in a fight with another guest who had bumped into them while dancing. None of the three who were killed were involved in that incident according to witnesses. Samisone Taukitoku and Saili Manu, both 19, have been charged as a result of the shootings.
Kelly was a local Tahoe snowboarder who had grown up with U.S. Olympic team snowboarder Jason Halebeen and was pushing into the pro ranks in recent times. He had previously appeared in the snowboarding video 'Finding Time' where he landed a Backside 360 off the 75 foot "Hero Gap" in Tahoe. A trust fund has been set up at Plumas Bank in Truckee (Kelly's hometown) by friends in the hopes of helping his family out.
For more information on Kelly's death and quotes from family and friends head to the Reno Gazette-Journal article here.
Special Blend Says Everyone's Favorite Word: FREE
Published: 1:15 a.m. PT by Cary
We don't know what's gotten in to clothing company Special Blend but whatever it is don't tell them or their parents because right now they're offering their newest snowboarding flick 'First Chair/Last Call' (in High Definition) for FREE on the web. In general somethings were just meant to be together, like me and free things so you know I'm gonna be all over this. I have yet to see the whole movie yet (sorry I'm working) but from the looks of Nick Suave's opening part I can't imagine it being not worth it (remember it's FREE). The quicktime file of 'First Chair/Last Call' can be had at Special Blend's home page here, feel free to check out some of their gear while you're at it.
Wow They're That Conglomerate-y? News
Published: 1:01 a.m. PT by Me
Here's something that came out of left field for me, Quiksilver is selling off their Cleveland Golf division to Japan's SRI Sports Limited for $132.5 million. There are two main things to note in that bit of information: first off wow that's a lot of money, second, Quiksilver had a golfing division? Not only that but it wasn't some type of low budget company Quiksilver was using to diversify its portfolio, I mean this is a company that sponsors Vijay Singh, that dude that keeps popping up on Sportscenter when they talk about golf. That's a big time company. Looks like Quiksilver made the sale as part of an effort to focus on its core sports, but I would think it also has something to do with the $132.5 million.
Fuel TV's Got A Full November On Tap
Published: 12:33 a.m. PT by Me
Fuel TV's hit us up with it's November programming update and there are quite a few eye catching shows/episodes to take note of especially if you've been out of the loop these last few weeks, what with all the events that's been going down. First up are the various broadcasts for the ASP World Tour Men and Women events, including the Rip Curl Girls Festival (airing 11/8 at 8pm EST), The Quiksilver Pro France (11/12 at 8pm EST), The Billabong Pro Spain (11/22 at 8pm EST), and the NAB Beachley Classic (11/29 at 8pm EST). Then there's the behind the scenes feature for Birdhouse's 'The Beginning', 'The Making Of The Beginning' (airing 11/8 at 11pm EST) where the Fuel crew heads to places like Dubai, Australia, and Japan to see just how the Birdhouse team captures all their good stuff on video/film. Also there's the premiere of the new weekly show 'The Standard Snowboard Show' (premieres 11/20 at 8pm EST) where snowboarding filmmakers get a chance to utilize their skills to take on a 30 minute episode featuring athlete profiles, snowboard history, random footage and all around snowboarding material (hence the name of the show).
As you can see there's plenty to watch on Fuel this month...so much so that I can't keep listing them out, you might as well just check out the actual programming update here and do your own picking and choosing.
DVS And Jereme Rogers Make It A Go A Second Time Around; Catching Up With Keith Hufnagel
Published: 12:06 a.m. PT by Me
If you remember last month we featured the DVS commercial for Jereme Rogers where Rogers they used some sorta technology to create the "Echo" effect where video footage of Rogers performing a trick was split and made to look like a sequence or "echo" Rogers peforming the trick. Well it seems DVS wasn't fully satisfied with that commercial (either that or they just wanted to further show off the technology) because they've updated the commercial to feature a new beginning. Whereas Version 1 of the commercial featured Jereme doing a pop shove-it over a rail, Version 2 has Jereme busting a switch frontside tailslide to switch backside noseslide for the first trick. Both clips end with the bluntslide / frontside crooked grind sequence on the rail. Check out Version 1 of the commercial here and Version 2 of the commercial here to get an idea of what we're talking about.
Oh in other DVS related news you can catch an interview with skater Keith Hufnagel, owner of the ultra-influential streetwear boutique/brand Huf, where they talk about Keith's travels, his daily schedule, his shop/brand, and collaborating with DVS. It's a really cool segment especially since you'll probably be hearing more of Huf as a fashion force soon enough. You can catch the Keith Hufnagel interview by DVS here.
LG Action Sports Championships Music Lineup Takes One Step Forward After 39,407 Consecutive Steps Back
Published: 12:01 a.m. PT by Cary
If you weren't that interested in catching the LG Action Sports Championships next week (November 9th - 11th) we have a bit of info that might just change your mind: It seems Kanye West has signed on to be one of the musical performers for the opening night in Dallas. With the addition of West the LG Action Sports Championships might now be able to boast one of the strangest musical lineups for any event outside of the Superbowl, with the rest of the musical acts to include rapper Ludacris, pop-punk (*shrug*) band Cartel, and American Idol (*shrug and throat slash*) runner up Blake Lewis.
See, this is the reason why so many of the top skaters/snowboarders/athletes think these type of events are rubbish, 'cause plainly speaking you got someone like Blake Lewis thrown in there (Have you seen his Myspace page? Pay attention to the hair). Yeah West brings some credibility, but still American Idol Runner Up??? Pop Punk??? What, was Richard Marx to busy to schedule? How about Kenny G? Matter of fact how about that clown that stopped off at my cousins 4th birthday? The kids loved him. They also love wiffle ball batting gonads too (as evidenced on 15+ seasons of 'America's Funniest Homevideos'). This whole line up just reeks of some 47 year-old corporate suit stumbling onto his teenage daughter's album collection shortly after stumbling onto his teenage daughters stash of marijuana and webcam photos.
Well it looks like I really sold that one huh? I mean I was so mad I even lost all concepts of grammar. But if you still wanna check out the LG Action Sports Championships go ahead, you can read up on the event's details here.
November 1, 2007
Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro On Hold For Third Straight Day; Invitees For Big Wave Invitational Announced
Published: 11:56 p.m. PT by Me
If you've been wondering why we haven't had any updates from the Santa Catarina Pro recently, especially given the tight race for the ASP World Title, you can put the blame squarely on Mother Nature's shoulders. Surfers faced their third straight off day because weather in Brazil has been sketchy if not turbulent. Reports from the event speak of stormy conditions and even an off-site tornado, obviously not weather to hold a critical surfing competition in. The hope is that the weather will soften in the next couple of days, so its best to check back here often to see if competition has picked up or not. In other surf-related news Quiksilver has announced the invitee list for the historic Big Wave Invitational, In Memory of Eddie Aikau, and the first time in the event's 23-year history the list has been bumped up from the 24 to 28 invitees. The four additional invitees come as the event has allotted additional spots to the top big wave rider from Asia, South America, Africa, and Europe each. The invitee list reads like a who's who of surfers from Andy Irons and Kelly Slater to Sunny Garcia and Peter Mel. This year's Big Wave Invitational will run from December 1, 2007 to February 29, 2008 (remember the leap year) at Waimea Bay, Oahu. For more information on the invitee list and the event in general check out the official announcement here.
Sofia Mulanovich Dominates Round 1 Of Mancora Peru Classic
Published: 1:51 a.m. PT by Me
While the men of the ASP World Tour sit around and wait for conditions to pick up in Brazil, the women of the ASP got Round 1 of the Mancora Peru Classic popping out in Mancora. While there wasn't any shocking news from the day's competition the story of the day was the utter dominance of Sofia Mulanovich. To say that Mulanovich made use of her homecourt advantage would be an understatement as she posted two back-to-back 8-pointers and a 9.25 point ride in her heat. Finishing with 17.25 points for the heat Mulanovich nearly doubled the point total of the runner-up in her heat, Megan Abubo, who finished with a total of 8.75 points. In speaking of her performance Mulanovich said, “I really enjoy surfing my waves. This is the first time in competition that I’ve surfed the waves that I grew up surfing. Here and Lobitos and all down this North Coast is amazing. I grew up surfing here and it’s all good.”
In other heat-dominating news, after effectively having her World Title hopes evaporate at the NAB Beachley Classic Layne Beachley put on a relaxed face and had as good of a ride at Peru as she's had the whole tour. Beachley topped her heat with a 14.25 total.
The final notworthy news of the day was Claire Bevilacqua come-from-behind victory over Silvana Lima (who is currently 2nd place in the WCT standings) and wildcard Anali Gomez in her heat. Bevilacqua was sitting at 3rd place in her heat prior to her final ride, but jumped into first after pulling out a 7 point ride.
For more info on Round 1 at the Mancora Peru Classic check out the official recap from ASP here.
ROUND 1 RESULTS: MANCORA PERU CLASSIC
Heat 1: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 11.50, Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 8.25, Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 6.50
Heat 2: Layne Beachley (AUS) 14.75, Rebecca Woods (AUS) 12.60, Caroline Sarran (FRA) 7.15
Heat 3: Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 11.50, Anali Gomez (PER) 11.50, Silvana Lima (BRA) 8.40
Heat 4: Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 13.50, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.00, Leilane Gryde (HAW) 8.90
Heat 5: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 17.25, Megan Abubo (HAW) 8.75, Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 8.00
Heat 6: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 14.25, Amee Donohoe (AUS) 13.15, Samantha Cornish (AUS) 10.90
A Rare Collaboration: DC and JB Classics
Published: 1:31 a.m. PT by Me
As you can see from some of our past entries here there've been quite a few collaborations between different brands in the skate/surf/snowboard industry. A lot of the time an outsider, most often an artist, is brought in to spruce up a brand's image or to help create a new take on the familiar look the brand runs, but rarely is there a collaboration between two brands working in the same field. That's why the long-planned collaboration between DC Shoes and streetwear shoe label JB Classics is such a unique thing. Three years in the making the collaboration will feature shoes and apparel that evolved out of a team-based effort between the action-sports pillar (DC) and the young up-and-comer (JB Classic). The motifs that run through the collaboration are of tree rings (you know the things inside tree trunks that tell you the age of a tree), an idea which was mutually thought out between the two brands, presented in a new shoe design (seen below), as well as a New Era hat, and sweater all of which will hit the shelves on November 15th.
Also thanks to the good folks at High Snobiety in the run up to the release of the DC x JB Classics collaboration we've got an interview between the head honchos for both brands, DC co-owner Damon Way (Danny Way's older brother) and JB Classics Founder Jason Bass, where they comb through all things related to this collaboration from the origins, to the process, and themes behind the designs. To check out that interview head over to High Snobiety here. To see more of the DC x JB Classics collaboration head to their official page here.
Published: 1:09 a.m. PT by Me
Looks like injuries have taken another surfer out of the ASP World Tour. Up-and-coming rookie and Rip Curl Pro Ben Dunn is likely out for the rest of the WCT due to a knee injury suffered at one of the Quiksilver Pro France's pre-contest events. Dunn, who had been ranked in the top 20th in the WCT standings much of the year, had taken part in the "Kelly Slater Experiment" in Hossegor where on his last move of the event he unknowingly tore cartilage in his knee. Despite the pain of the injury Dunn continued to compete in the subsequent Quiksilver Pro contest as well as in last months Billabong Pro Mundaka before he realized the extent of the injury upon returning to his home in Australia.
Surgery has since been performed on the injured knee with rehab expected to take up to six weeks, effectively shutting him down for the rest of the year. Dunn has indicated that he will appeal to the ASP for a medical wildcard for next weeks tour. Though this year's tour hasn't featured many injuries (only surfers missing significant time include Damien Hobgood, Tim Reyes, and Travis Logie) this is still bad news to hear. We wish a speedy recovery for Dunn.
To read more about Dunn's injury check the official release from his camp here.
A Peak Inside Premieres: 'My Eyes Won't Dry II'
Published: 12:55 a.m. PT by Me
Alright so we tend to put up a lot of film premieres as events to check out either in this blog or our Events Calendar, but we don't really know if you have or haven't been attending any of the premieres (maybe due to other plans or being at the wrong place at the wrong time). So in case you haven't we thought the latest posting on Osiris Shoes' website might give you a feel of what it's like to head out to one of these premieres. See Osiris' surf film 'My Eyes won't Dry II' held its premiere about a month ago in Encinitas, CA and just this week they've put up a photo gallery of the premiere as well as footage from the premiere. The premiere footage features video from the scene, an intro to the film from the director Brian Conley live from the premiere, audience reviews of the film, and superfluous use of the word "sick". Suffice it to say this is what a run of the mill (not in a bad way) action sports film premiere is like. You can catch photos and video footage from the 'My Eyes Won't Dry II' premiere here.
As for 'My Eyes Won't Dry II' itself the film is a sequel to 'My Eyes Won't Dry' the film that nabbed Conley a nomination for Breakthrough Filmmaker Of The Year Award at the 2006 Surfer Poll Awards. It features "sick" tube riding from Conley with some jaw dropping first person camera angles that give you a true sense of what it's like to be inside a barrel. You can check out the trailer for the film here.
Vans' Sky Gallery Exhibition
Published: 12:39 a.m. PT by Me
From Marc Jacobs to Matt Groening, Vans has been pretty consistent in putting out strong collaborations between them and artists/designers. This time around they've gotten a bunch of artists to put together their designs for the Vans slip ons into one gallery show in Los Angeles that will benefit an array of charities. The Vans Sky Gallery Exhibition will take place this weekend, from November 2nd to November 4th, at the New Image Art Gallery (7908 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046) as it features the collaborations between the shoe company and different artists including Marco Zamora, Sage Vaughn, Kelsey Brookes, Cole Gerst, Derek Albeck and Jophen Stein. The charities the proceeds raised from sales of the shoes (by auction) will benefit include Invisible Children, Chrysalis, and Keep a Breast Foundation among others, so at least you can feel good about the next pair of shoes you overpay for...so yeah check it out this weekend.
Nick Dompierre, Like Travis Pastrana, Has Passion For More Than One Thing
Published: 12:19 a.m. PT by Me
Thanks to DLX we have this little bit of info to pass on. It looks like Travis Pastrana isn't the only action sports athlete interested in some type of car racing. Seems Real skater Nick Dompierre has been interested in the sport of drag racing for quite some time now, owning and racing a nitrous-aided '87 Camaro with a 383 small-block through 9.7-second passes at 140 mph (I have no idea what any of that meant...I just cut-and-pasted) when he's not out in the streets skating. What's more he'll be attending the 43rd annual Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals this weekend to cheer on his favorite racer, Jeg Coughlin.
Though it is entirely reasonable for the likes of Dompierre and Pastrana (who as we've mentioned before is an established Rally Car racer) to pursue interests other than the ones that made them famous, I just question if they've ever watched any films from 'The Fast And Furious' franchise and realized how bad of an influence racing is on filmmaking. My guess is they haven't yet.
To find out how I even knew about this check the official NHRA website here. (Thanks for the heads up DLX)
