Quick Hits Archive: November 15 - November 21, 2007
Dec 06 2007 / Los Angeles, CANovember 21, 2007
Sheckler And The Plan B Team Hit The Dominican Republic
Published: 2:19 a.m. PT by Me
Wonder what Ryan Sheckler's been up to these past couple of weeks? He's been touring the Dominican Republic with the rest of the Plan B Team as part of their Dominican Tour and luckily Plan B has put up several photo galleries from the tour (we're hoping some footage will be coming soon). As part of their adventures the Plan B guys got to see dudes walking around with machine guns, Christopher Columbus' house, plenty of street vendors, their own David Blaine impersonators (check the gallery to see what it means), and of course a shirtless Sheckler. To catch a glimpse of just some of the good times Danny Way, Paul Rodruguez, Ryan Sheckler and company had in the Dominican Republic check the multiple galleries ... get ready ... here and here and here and here and here and here and here.
Eric Koston + Steve Berra = The Berrics
Published: 1:56 a.m. PT by Me
So apparently Eric Koston and Steve Berra have teamed up for a project called The Berrics in which they, by all indications, have created a skatepark that features obstacles that mirror spots that you would run into in real life (and not in the skate park-y sorta way). The Berrics have just posted a video clip from sessions at their spot and it's some sick footage. The clip features skating by Koston and Berra themselves, as well as others like Guy Mariano, Sean Malto, Heath Kirchart, and others hitting up different types of ledges and square rails, as well as high-school-campus-like transitions. To check out The Berrics footage (which you seriously need to do) click here, then keep an eye out for what should be a longer release December 2007.
Hollywood Loves The Fact That Bobby Martinez Is Mexican-American
Published: 1:31 a.m. PT by Me
Cue the Cypress Hill soundtrack...because Hollywood has decided to make a biopic on ASP World Tour surfer Bobby Martinez. According to Reuters, Participant Productions plans on producing a film based on Martinez's life focusing on his rise from "the gang-ridden streets of Southern California" (ummm I have a feeling they mention Southern California because Santa Barbara seems less...let's say...Latino) to the heights of professional surfing as the second Mexican-American Pro Surfer ever to hit the World Tour (Martinez is currently 7th in the ASP standings and just won the Billabong Pro Mundaka last month).
Hollywood usually does a terrible, and I mean flaming-hot-garbage-terrible, job when it covers any type of subculture in their films, including surfing ('Point Break' anyone), and by just going on that this project has a distinct possibility of morphing into flaming hot garbage (just imagine the stereotyping). The only saving grace though comes in the fact that Participant Productions is the same company behind the films 'Syriana' and 'An Inconvenient Truth'. Which gives this film some hope. I figure the hope will either brighten or be dashed once we get word on the title of the film (something like 'Tubing Through La Raza' would probably guarantee a 525% failure rate). To read more about the planned film check the Reuters' story here.
A Gentlemanly And Quarterly Shaun White
Published: 1:09 a.m. PT by Me
Shaun White means different things to different people. To some he's an unbelievable snowboarder whose dominating presence on the powder is undeniable, to others he's a vert skater who is gradually inching towards the upper eschelon. To others still he's a great segue into some cheap/lame redhead joke that probably begins with "Carrot" and ends with "Top", and coming this month to GQ Magazine he's one of the Men Of The Year.
GQ's annual Man Of The Year issue has hit the newsstands and it features Mr. White representing under the tagline "Reinvention" (the "Reinvention" part probably has something to do with his improved performance as a skateboarder as opposed to the snowboarding most of the masses know him by). By making the list White gets to share the honor with such other notable men such as Bill Clinton ("Public Citizen"/Coverboy), Kanye West ("Graduate"/Coverboy), actor Seth Rogen ("Father of the Year"), rapper Lil' Wayne ("Workaholic"), and Ralph Macchio ("Geriatric"). OK the last one I made up but either way it's an impressive list he's part of -- which I guess called for his wearing a Alexander McQueen suit while skating for the photo shoot. To see what I mean check out GQ's Men Of The Year photo slideshow here and in case you're interested for the rest of the Men Of The Year check here.
FYI: VBS Is An MTV Channel
Published: 12:49 a.m. PT by Me
If you've been checking our blog like I hope you've been these past months you know that we've been following VBS' Epicly Later'd since it's chronicling of Emerica's Wild Ride, which makes the following story a little relevant. Seems like Vice Magazine had signed some type of secret deal way back when with Viacom/MTV to produce online content which in turn birthed VBS. I don't know how many people knew about this but it was a surprise to me especially given Vice's hipster rep.
According to the New York Times the deal, whose details as mentioned aren't fully known, has Viacom financing the content VBS produces with the right to broadcast any of the content on MTV channels worldwide, which explains the commercials for the Epicly Later'd TV show I see every now and then on MTV. The article also mentions the collaborations between Vice and MTV outside of broadcast content, such as Vice doing some work on the marketing of the MTV Networks video game Rock Band and consulting on a virtual world project the company is working on, while MTV Books helped release various Vice publications ('Skinema'). For more details on the Vice/MTV partnership check out the full New York Times story here oh yeah also check out this article about one of the founders of Vice and his O'Reilly like tendencies.
This Year's Gumball 3000: With More Bam And Mike V.
Published: 12:21 a.m. PT by Me
As a follow up to something we wrote about months ago here Element's website has just linked to a trailer Mike Vallely posted for the upcoming Gumball 3000 film to be released on DVD. If you weren't a regular watcher MTV's Jackass you might not know that Gumball 3000 is the yearly event where 100+ superstars race across multiple continents in the most expensive cars imaginable in roughly a week just for the hell of it.
This past year's race featured Element skaters Bam Margera and Mike Vallely (hence him posting the trailer), Tony Hawk, Ryan Dunn from Jackass, and countless other reckless celebrities with way too much money. The race itself is full of random acts of comedy and mayhem even without the Jackass guys, but since they're there one can only imagine what it's gonna be like (well actually one can just watch past Gumball 3000 videos that also featured the Jackass guys). Check out the trailer for this year's Gumball 3000 below.
More Stephen Murray News...
Published: 12:01 a.m. PT by Me
Much is happening with Stephen as he prepares to move back to California. Here's the most recent update from his father, Jeff, plus be sure to check out the end of this entry for another update!
Seems ages since I tapped these computer keys and typed out an update for you but for these last 2 weeks we have been waiting for some important confirmations from the Craig Hospital and it is only today that I feel confident enough to spill some juicy news---more about that later in this bulletin.
During my last trip out to stay with Stephen we saw some huge changes in his breathing abilities and we were on a countdown to try and get rid of the trach from Stephens’s neck which has been keeping him alive for the last 21 weeks via the life support machine [ventilator].
The large diameter plastic trach with the speaking valve and inner balloon was removed with a lousy yelp from Stephen, it really hurt me just watching let alone having that monster pulled all the way up his throat and out of his neck.
No pain no gain! thankfully they managed to quickly insert a stainless steel jackson trach with a slightly smaller diameter as a replacement, then after 4 days they pulled it out [not so much pain this time because there was no inner balloon to worry about] and inserted another jackson stainless steel trach with yet again a slightly smaller diameter. This procedure allows the hole in Stephens throat to heal up a bit and get smaller and smaller each time.
Finally and thankfully Stephen managed to breathe well enough by himself, without any support from that life support machine; and the nursing staff gave the long awaited OK to pull the smaller Jackson trach from Stephens neck, then a special patch was put over the hole in his neck in order to keep it surgically clean and to help close up for good, that horrible neck wound.
YES---YES ---YES----AT LAST NO FOREIGN OBJECTS IN MY MOUTH OR THROAT
These were Stephens words at the time-----can anyone imagine what that has been like for 21 weeks?
Because Stephen is breathing air at a very high altitude [Denver is a mile high] he is taking in a lower oxygen content than we are down at sea level, so as long as he remains in Denver he has to wear an oxygen tube up his nostrils and get his top up from an oxygen cylinder and get his lungs used to breathing on their own without that life support machine
This has been the news we have been praying for and dreaming about, it is such a huge step forward for Stephen in his determined efforts to get better from this most crippling of injuries. A huge well done son, is my way of thanking him for staying strong and continuing to fight to get rid of that machine
BLOODY WELL DONE SON---------WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD OF YOUR ATTITUDE
Other good news is the fact that Stephen and Melissa have found a suitable house to live in,[ back in the Riverside area of Southern California ] and signed a 12 months rental lease.
Because of their unfortunate financial position we had to come up wth all the 12 months rent up front---thanks to all who have helped with the STEPHEN MURRAY FAMILY FUND we have managed to do this, so today, Friday 16th November, Melissa is flying back to California to pick up the keys and start the house moving process. In my first paragraph I did say we have been waiting for some news from the Craig Hospital for the last 2 weeks, this following is what it has been about Stephen has been waiting for his own personal brand new electric powered wheelchair to arrive at the Craig Hospital so that he can have it fitted around him comfortably and learn to use all of the controls with the back of his head, because that is all he has the use of at present].
It is now believed that his new wheelchair will arrive in Denver Friday 23rd November and if all goes well, the hospital staff will work with Stephen for about a week or so to ensure he can totally control it well enough to be finally discharged from the Craig Hospital in Denver, keeping our fingers crossed for hopefully Friday 30th November. I will be flying across the Atlantic Ocean for the umpteenth time to spend the last week in Denver with Stephen and then flying with him from Denver to California and spending another week or so helping him to settle in to a new way of living away from the Hospitals which Stephen has been living in for these last 21 weeks Cynthia is flying to California a few days ahead of us so she can put her own little touches into making their new house, a nice new comfortable home, ready for Stephens arrival, and will also be staying with Stephen for a week or so to help him to get to get to grips with his new way of living in his own home, with his wife Melissa and their 2 sons 5 year old Seth and 2 year old Mason------ not forgetting Stephens 2 Golden Retriever sister dogs Cassie and Geordie and his giant St. Bernard, Rocky. who have been such a miss to Stephen but have all had very good homes these last 5 months.
That’s all for now folks and it goes without saying that you are so much appreciated for everything you helped with, YOU have made us all STAY STRONG FOR STEPHEN
On top of this Stephen got a special visitor on Monday -- BMX legend Mat Hoffman. Check out a photo below and read more about the visit here.
Keep up with all the updates re: Stephen on our Stephen Murray update page and visit www.stephenmurrayfamilyfund.com to donate to help Stephen and his family.
November 20, 2007
So Who Will be on the Women's WCT in 2008?Published: 1:19 a.m. PT by Greg
Last week Karina Petroni was announced as the only rookie to qualify for the 2008 ASP Women's WCT tour but it looks like she might be one of two -- that is, if a few things happens. The WQS series is complete for the year so wherever surfers have placed there is done. However, there are two events left for the WCT tour and things can still shift.
The top eight surfers on both the WQS and WCT will qualify for the 2008 WCT and if a surfer is the top eight of both (like Stephanie Gilmore, for example), the WCT ranking will take precedence.
Here's who's in so far:
Via the WCT:
1. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2. Silvana Lima (BRA)
3. Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
4. Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
5. Layne Beachley (AUS)
6. Samantha Cornish (AUS)
Via the WQS:
1. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
2. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) - Already in via WCT
3. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
4. Megan Abubo (HAW)
5. Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS)
6. Karina Petroni (USA)
7. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
This means there are four total slots left... Still in the running are the following surfers on the WCT:
Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Amee Donohoe (AUS), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Serena Brooke (AUS - pictured), Rosey Hodge (ZAF), Claire Bevilaqua (AUS), Caroline Sarran (FRA) and Rochelle Ballard (HAW).
And then there's that possible #2 rookie: Aussie Nicola Atherton, who currently sits at #11 on the WQS. If Silva and Dyer advance via the WCT (which they are not able to do at this time), Atherton would join Petroni as a rookie on tour.
Whew! That's confusing. Less confusing is Gilmore's chances of winning the overall title...
Snowboarder + Model = Hilarity
Published: 12:33 a.m. PT by Greg
You gotta love this video clip below. Some model in some country where I can't recognize the language is showing off some winter wares at the base of a rail jam. You can guess what's next.
Deegan, McKee and Yeomans Coming to "Daily Habit"
Published: 12:10 a.m. PT by Greg
Yes, it's a holiday week, but you can still catch some original episodes of "The Daily Habit" on Fuel. Later today, goffy-footer surfer Nate Yeomans will be featured, while tomorrow wakeboarder Jeff McKee drops by. But the real treat is on Thursday when Metal Mulisha master Brian Deegan drops by. That's just about worth missing some turkey to check out...
Want to watch? See the first airing at at 9:00 pm ET (6:00 pm PT) and catch repeats at 12:00 am ET (9:00 pm PT), and the following weekday at 2:30 pm ET (11:30 am PT) and 5:30 pm ET (2:30 pm PT).
November 19, 2007
Fifth Day's Not the Charm for Reef Hawaiian Pro
Published: 10:12 a.m. PT by Greg
For the fith day in a row the Reef Hawaiian Pro is off. Today, after several days of small surf, there are "stormy, uncontrollable conditions." Action has been stuck in the round of 96 for days now, but there's still plenty of time for the contest to wrap up as the holding period concludes on Saturday, Nov. 24.
Here's the official site if you want more background.
Active Am 2007 Winners
Published: 1:12 a.m. PT by Greg
One day after the pros took to the course at the Rancho Cucamonga Epicenter as part of Active's BlingFest, it was time for the Amateurs. We've got some quick results for you right now -- Wes Kremer was a pretty surprising first place, with Chris Pfanner in second and last year's winner David Loy in third.
While we get more for you, be sure to check out all our coverage from Blingfest plus check out our huge photo gallery.
For more about the event, check out the official site.
Skateboarder Killed in Collision With Twin
Published: 12:55 a.m. PT by Greg
To be filed under really strange news... Two twin brothers who were visiting skateparks around the country collided while skating at Nashville's Two Rivers Skate Park. Even though 44-year old Michael Jeansonne of Denham Springs, LA, was wearing a helmet, it might not have been strapped on correctly and he still hit his head on the concrete after the collision. So if you do wear your helmet, be sure to wear it right...
Read more here.
Gold Coast to Have a Surfing Hall of Fame?
Published: 12:24 a.m. PT by Greg
Hot off the heels of Mick Fanning capturing the Foster's ASP World Tour Championship comes word that a multi-million dollar Surfing Hall of Fame is being planned for Kirra in the Gold Coast of Australia.
From the proposed spot on Kirra Hill, you see not only the world-famous Snapper Rocks, but also Kirra Point. Also, famous surf brand Quiksilver makes its home there.
Read more here.
Stephen Murray Update: Going Back to Cali
Published: 12:01 a.m. PT by Greg
A lot is happening with Stephen -- we've received the following in-depth update from Stephen's mother-in-law Monika Giles-Freking:
Stephen and Melissa are getting ready to come home. Melissa has found them a home in Corona that meets their needs. Lots of room for the dogs to run and the house is wheel chair friendly. She is coming home this weekend to move their belongings. She plans on bringing the boys to Denver for a week during Thanksgiving. She will then take them home and come back to get Stephen. They will spend Thanksgiving in Denver, but we are blessed they will be home for Christmas. They are anxiously waiting for his new wheel chair.
They are both in good spirits. In January they will fly to Baltimore and spend six weeks in intense therapy. They will be there for about six weeks. After that, they will come home to stay. Melissa plans on getting back to work around March. Once they are home, they will get into a routine and Stephen will concentrate on getting healthier and continue to make progress.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, we are all counting our blessings. We are so thankful Stephen is off the ventilator. We are so thankful they found a home to move into that accommodates their needs and the dogs Stephen loves. We are so thankful for all the well wishes and thoughts from around the world from all of Stephens fans and friends. These well wishes have kept Stephen going when things have gotten rough.
It's amazing....before his accident the little things didn't seem to really count. Now...just hearing he has moved his toes makes us so very thankful. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday - Monika (Melissa's mom)
Also, if you haven't already seen it, we have the video from the AST Dew Tour featuring an interview with Stephen. You can see it directly below. It's a great package and you should definitely check it out.
Keep up with all the updates re: Stephen on our Stephen Murray update page and visit www.stephenmurrayfamilyfund.com to donate to help Stephen and his family.
November 18, 2007
Active's Bling Fest 2007
Published: 12:50 a.m. PT by Me
Hand out money and people will come calling. Hand out money for crazy tricks and skaters will come calling instead. That's exactly what Active did yesterday with its Bling Fest 2007, the glorified Best Trick contest held in Rancho Cucamonga, California. With tons of pros like Jamie Thomas, Chris Cole, Danny Cerezini, and Terry Kennedy looking to "hammer" as many tricks as they can in a confined space and walk away with some bank there was plenty of chaos happening. Yet when the dust settled Dark Star's Adam Dyet walked away with one of the $2,500 purses while another $2,500 was split between Billy Marks, Tyler Hendley, and Greg Myers. Find out all the details including what trick landed Dyet the $2,500 prize at our recap of Active's Bling Fest 2007 here. Also check our massive photo gallery from the event here (with some previews below).
(l-r) Terrel Robinson, Billy Marks and Jamie Thomas wait their turn
Adam Dyet and part of the reason he took home the cash
Vans Takes It Back
Published: 12:23 a.m. PT by Me
You've probably noticed this for quite awhile now but the 80s are in full comeback mode. What with all the streetwear brands bringing back bright colors, loud styles, and tight jeans. Vans seems to be no different as they've released some almost throwback shoes in collaboration with the sneaker store Proper, located in Long Beach, CA. Can't blame them though because skating in the 80s is really something to be nostalgic about. Check out the sneakers below (photo courtesy of Complex Mag) and you'll see what I mean with the purple, silver, and black color schemes. According to Complex, the shoes will retail for $85 at the Proper store only (sorry East Coast hipsters).
Chaz(z) Ortiz Is Blowing UpPublished: 12:20 a.m. PT by Me
Not since the likes of Kato Kaelin have I seen a person burst on to the scene like Chaz Ortiz has. Except in this case Ortiz isn't associated with a double murder...or is he? Either way just days ago we mentioned how Chazz got put on by the guys at Zoo York off the strength of his Free Flow Tour/Dew Tour and Volcom Damn Am showings. Well today we're finding out that he's adding another company to his rapidly expanding arsenal of sponsors, this time it's FKD Bearings who not only announced him joining the am team but also put together a quick little commercial for the kid. After joining a pretty established team like Zoo York, Ortiz has again found himself on a team loaded with talent including the likes of P Rod, Daewon Song, Stefan Janoski, and Nyjah Huston. Watch, by next week we'll probably hear about Ortiz being brought on to the Board Of Directors at Morgan Stanley, and even by then I still don't know if you spell his name with one or two "z"s. To check out the official "Welcome To The Team" video announcement by FKD Bearings go here.
Girls, Go Surfing! Men, Get Back In The Kitchen!
Published: 12:16 a.m. PT by Me
Only in Australia where Summer is Winter and Winter is Summer can they hold a 'Go Surfing Day' in December, which is exactly what's going to happen from December 1st to December 2nd with the 17th edition of the Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing Day(s). Sorry guys this one's for the girls (which in turn could easily be something for the guys...to escort their girlfriends to) as Rip Curl is asking females all around Australia to come out and learn to surf. The event (which boasted an attendance of 6,000 last year) is going to be hosted by Surfing Australia Afilliated Surfschools who will be asking for $40AUS (roughly $35US) that covers a two hour lesson on any of the two days plus free shwag from Rip Curl. For more details on Rip Curl's Go Surfing Day as well as details on how to find the nearest beach that will be hosting the event (remember this is only in Australia) then check out Surfing Australia's event bulletin here.
November 17, 2007
Marc Frank Montoya's Looking For His Private Pyle
Published: 12:20 a.m. PT by Me
Remember that talk show 'The Jenny Jones Show'? Remember how they used to bring fat kids onto the show so their parents could cry about how they couldn't keep food out of their mouths and how they needed help? Remember how Jenny Jones (who was quite fat herself) would call in these army dudes who would drag the kids to some type of boot camp to get them to lose weight? Well I remember distinctly. I remember it made me realize that boot camp could be useful for things other than the military. I guess someone else came to that same realization too because the people at THE BLOCK have finished preparations for the first ever 'BLOCK Boot Camp' to be held at THE BLOCK in Big Bear, CA from December 5th to the 15th.
If you aren't aware of what THE BLOCK is, it's the boutique hotel located in Big Bear that's geared towards the snowboarding crowd. THE BLOCK, which is the brainchild of snowboarder Marc Frank Montoya and Las Vegas Hotelier Liko S. Smith, features suites that are custom designed by snowboarding affiliated companies like DVS Shoe Co, Zoo York, SPY Optic, Nikita clothing and others. Each suite features amenities such as Gravity Suspension Racks, PS2 game consoles, boot/glove dryers, and what not. We actually did a feature on THE BLOCK (with pictures of the suites) a little while ago which you can catch here.
The hotel actually has a reality series based on it airing on G4 and that's part of what this Boot Camp program is for. The BLOCK Boot Camp is intended to prepare participants for a career in "snowboarder hospitality". Potential recruits will be be getting military-style training in the fields of snow resort operations, hotel operations, special event management, etc. As part of the Boot Camp theme any participant must be able to snowboard, do 20 push-ups and sit-ups, have a High School Diploma, run 2 miles in less than 18 minutes, and be able to stand and work for long durations (up to 12 hours) upon check-in. If they complete the program they'd get a pretty nice gift package as well as the chance to be on a reality TV show which apparently is the desire of almost all young people nowadays. Of course it wouldn't be a boot camp without some hard-ass drill sergeant right? Well they've got that covered with former Army Rangers and Marine Force Recon soldiers heading the camp courtesy of Gunmetal Tactical Advisors.
All in all it looks like a creative idea and'll probably make for great television (though a word to the wise: The Jenny Jones Show was cancelled...and I think sued). For more on the first annual BLOCK Boot Camp, including details on how to try out for the program check the event notice here.
Karina Petroni A Hooters Girl?
Published: 12:12 a.m. PT by Me
Yooooo this is something I'm wayyyy late on but still I gotta mention it because it's worth mentioning. Following Halloween I guess, EXPN put up this little gallery featuring a bunch of our favorite Action Sports athletes in recent their recent Halloween costumes. Included in the montage is recent 2nd place finisher at the Reef Hawaiin Pro (and Girl On subject) Karina Petroni in a Hooters getup, Gretchen Bleiler as Dog the Bounty Hunter's Wife, Chad Kagy, Jared Souney and Kevin Robinson as...Kevin Robinson, and Brian Deegan as a Venice Beach body builder (gotta question Jeremy 'Twitch' Sternberg's costume choice...bad taste?). For fear of ruining any surprises I won't post any of the actual photos here, you'll just have to check out the gallery yourself at EXPN.
Kelly Slater: Man Of The People
Published: 12:10 a.m. PT by Me
Following up on a story we mentioned here this past week, after promising Kelly Slater that he would visit the surfer's former elementary school Floridian Governor Charlie Crist did what few politicians seemed to do, that's follow up on their promises...and we found pictures (and video) that prove it. The visit was part of a bill signing ceremony intended to bring attention to the beach protection bill Crist signed that day. Florida Senate Bill 1472 was a bill (now law) that brought landmark protection to Florida's beaches including preserving public access to beaches and protection from experimental coastal drilling. The bill was brought to the forefront by the Surfrider Foundation and then capped off by the signing ceremony at Roosevelt Elementary in Cocoa Beach. As part of the ceremony Slater also handed the Governor a custom made surfboard adorned with the words "Florida Open Beaches 2007" along with a special message to the Crist from the board's shaper Tom Neilson. For more on the signing ceremony including video from the event check out Surfline's report from Roosevelt Elementary here.
Photo courtesy of Surfrider
Also check out this other (old) info I caught at Surfline about Slater's public activism. All in all kudos to Slater for using his celebrity as a pulpit to help others, unlike some other athletes who just keep quiet (I'm looking at you 2002 Badminton Champion Peter Gade)
More Mick Fanning Mania
Published: 12:06 a.m. PT by Me
Alright so you've got the lowdown on how Mick Fanning won the ASP World Title, then you got to see what it was like coming back home to the Gold Coast for the champion, but now you can get the post title-winning experience straight from the horses mouth as Transworld Surf scored the first American interview with Fanning post-Brazil. Now if you're anything like the envious type you might wanna skip this because Fanning goes into detail about the 500 friend "Welcome Back" hotel party on his first night back that was arranged by his girlfriend Karissa Dalton, who did we mention is a model? Fanning also gives the first person experience of what it was like right before he was assured the title and what it was like right after. So basically this is an interview intended to make you feel bad about your own life in comparison to his (that's if you're anything like me), but rest assured we'll probably lay off the Fanning news for a little bit...that is until he wins his next contest which probably will be soon.
To read the post-title Mick Fanning interview check the link here and if your not sick of hearing about him yet then check out the write up World Pro Surfers did on the 10 reasons why Mick Fanning is the champ (and by default why you're not).
Published: 12:00 a.m. PT by Me
For those of you who couldn't be bothered with sitting through all the action that happened in this year's AST Dew Tour, NBC's got good news for you. That's because next Sunday (November 25th) from 2pm to 4pm EST NBC will be airing a highlight show for the 2007 Dew Tour. That means you'll be able to catch all the good stuff without having to sit through some of the not-so-good stuff from the Tour (and given that the Dew Tour was a five stop tour, with usually about three days scheduled for each stop, there had to be some not-so-good stuff...but don't ask me about it...I'm no snitch). The program will also show some never before aired interviews with some of the athletes where they talk about their experience at the tour, as well as giving some tidbits of info from the events that you probably didn't know about. Suffice it to say that the whole Dew Tour experience will be properly covered in the 2 hours dedicated to the highlight show. Now if you're someone lazier than the person who'd only make time for the highlight show I'll break the whole tour down for you right here: The 2007 Dew Cup winners were Nate Adams (Freestyle Motocross), Jamie Bestwick (BMX Vert), Ryan Nyquist (BMX Dirt), Daniel Dhers (BMX Park), Shaun White (Skateboard Vert) and Ryan Sheckler (Skateboard Park). There happy now? No? Then how about this?
November 16, 2007
Aussies Love Mick FanningPublished: 2:15 a.m. PT by Greg
After many years of American dominance, the Foster's ASP World Tour championship is in Australia's hands. Rip Curl, Mick's sponsor, chronicled Mick's flight home from Brazil's Hang Loose Pro and passed us along some video so we could see Mark Occhilupo and other Aussies (Bede Durbidge, Joel Parkinson) bringing Mick home to a hero's welcome.
Watching the video definitely brings up a couple of thoughts:
1. Aussies do love surfing. Not sure if I can recall Kelly Slater ever getting that sort of reception short of his "Baywatch" convention appearances.
2. Aussies love to party. Obvious, true, but I get the sense that flying back on that plane was probably like getting on the "Soul Plane."
More Servings From Flip's Feast
Published: 2:01 a.m. PT by Me
A couple of days ago we put up an update on some of the tours that were going on around the country including Flip's Feast Tour. The update featured links to two kinda-small photo entries from Skateboard Mag's blog and it really didn't offer us much in terms of seeing what really went down. This time it's different because we got more of an update from the tour courtesy of Transworld and Flip themselves. Transworld's update features footage from the San Diego area stop (Escondido to be exact). In it you'll get to see in action new am rider Luan De Oliveira, the always amazing Geoff Rowley, and Louie Lopez (with sick tricks off the main ramp) along with the rest of the team. The Flip update comes in the form of up-close photos from the Fresno and Sacramento stops along with a bit of a recap. To check out Transworld's footage of Flip's Feast Tour in Escondido click here, for Flip's own coverage of the tour go here.
Forum Snowboards Opens Studio On iTunes
Published: 1:44 a.m. PT by Me
From the good folks over at Forum Snowboards we got this:
Forum Snowboards is pleased to announce the creation of the Forum Studio within the iTunes store. Located within the TV Show section of the store, The Forum Studio represents the snowboarding video projects of the Forum team, in conjunction with members of Special Blend Outerwear and Foursquare Outerwear. This influential grouping produces a collection of acknowledged snowboarding films, featuring progressive action, impressive editing, and memorable soundtracks. Currently, three titles are available for a download price of $1.99 each: 'That', 'NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST', and 'FYI'.
"The Forum Studio is the first of its kind for a snowboard brand and this type of distribution capability and exposure is a gigantic move for us. We feel it is the perfect representation for the quality and dedication we put into our video projects,” states Evan Rose, Forum Snowboards Marketing Director.
The Forum Studio is available in the United States iTunes store, with plans to expand to other regions in the near future.
To check out the Forum Studio at iTunes head to the link here (it's probably best if you have iTunes too).
Rogue Status x Arbor Sports Snowboard
Published: 1:09 a.m. PT by Me
Here's another collaboration for you: The Rogue Status x Arbor Sports Snowboard. If you're living in L.A. you're probably up on Rogue Status, the clothing label started by a group of Venice Beach natives including skater, TV personality, and now film actor Rob Dyrdek. Their designs, particularly the machine gun print, has popped up all over the left coast and has made them one of the more influential street wear brands on the scene. Arbor Sports on the other hand is a company dedicated to creating environmentally-friendly boards (mostly snowboards but they produce skateboards too) by using ecologically based material. Their collaboration is a true collaboration in the sense that it really marks a meeting of opposites, in terms of aesthetics at least.
The board itself is a limited edition board (only 333 will be available) made of a sustainably sourced full-wood core topped with environmentally friendly, black Ravenswood that will be available in sizes 153, 155, and 158. The top sheet design features Arbor's signature wood print laced with the Rogue Status machine gun print as well as a bullet belt motif that's in line with the other designs from the clothing company. The base design features the two companies signature logo (though Rogue has been using its Happy Face logo more often nowadays) on opposite ends of the board all in the stark black & white contrast that Rogue Status is also known for.
Board dealers were able to get their dibs on the board starting yesterday, while the board itself will start retailing on December 17 (perfect for Chrismas time snatching). For more on the Rogue Status x Arbor Sports collaboration check here.
Published: 12:56 a.m. PT by Me
In other "It's Official" news, this time in a bad way, Huntington Beach Skate Park is officially closing. It's been decided by the city's school board that they would not renew the lease they had with the city for the iconic skatepark, which was one of the first free public skateparks in the region. In explaining why the decision was made the board mind-numbingly cited bad language, littering and vandalism all of which in their minds would not fit in well with the renovations planned for the neighboring high school. The board did offer $50,000 to the city to help build a replacement park nearby but with a total cost estimated at $250,000 it's unlikely the city council would approve the replacement park.
To read more about the decision to close down Huntington Beach Skatepark including more on the obstinancy of the school officials (they wouldn't build a fence around the park because of "aesthetics"???) check out the report on the closure from the Orange County Register here.
The Inaugural Burton Canadian Open Cancelled
Published: 12:29 a.m. PT by Me
Just as one event is announcing its start (see below) we got word that another event is announcing its cancellation. Burton has announced that its Canadian Open has been canceled this year due to unfavorable weather conditions in Calgary where it was supposed to be held this year. The Canadian Open was actually a brand new event added this year to Burton's Global Open Series that was planning to take place on December 3rd - 9th (the other events in the series being the Burton European Open, the Nissan X-Trail Nippon Open, the Burton US Open, the Garnier Fructis Australian Open, and the Burton New Zealand Open). Organizers for the event are citing warmer than expected temperatures up north (again I blame global warming) for the cancellation, which has prevented them from constructing the top-notch half-pipes and slopestyle courses the Open Series has been known for.
The cancellation of this year's event though shouldn't have ramifications for future Canadian Opens given the enthusiasm shown by riders and sponsors that the organizers mentioned in the announcement. Among the athletes that were planning on participating in this year's Canadian Open (and we assume next year's) were current Open Series points leaders Mason Aguirre and Elizabeth Beerman, Louis Vito, Scotty Lago, Kelly Clark, and Jamie Anderson as well as a boatload of other riders who had expressed their interest. For more details on the cancellation check the official Burton announcement at their site here... hopefully there'll be better news next year.
Mavericks Surf Contest Returns Earlier Than Usual For 07/08
Published: 12:01 a.m. PT by Me
A week or so ago we mentioned in this blog that it was likely that the Mavericks Surf Contest would move up the contest window with a start date in December. Well it's official now as Contest Director Jeff Clark has announced that the contest window will start on December 7th, 2008 and end in March 31, 2008. In case you don't know Mavericks is the most famous big wave surf contest where due to uncertain conditions participating surfers have 24 hour to arrive at Half Moon Bay, California upon notice during the contest window. In moving the window up Clark is hoping to take advantage of a storm season that is predicted to bring excellent surf conditions late in the year, as opposed to last year where conditions prevented the contest from even going off. The invited surfers for this year's Mavericks remains the same as last year's (minus the alternates) which included Peter Mel, Darryl “Flea” Virostko, Grant “Twiggy” Baker, and Ross Clarke-Jones among others. For the full list of invited riders and alternates, as well as details on broadcasts/webcasts of this year's Mavericks Surf Contest check out the official announcement here. November 15, 2007
Megan Abubo Wins The Reef Hawaiian Pro; Petroni Qualifies For 2008 WCT
Published: 12:26 p.m. PT by Me
Bucking this season's trend of extended off days for contests the Reef Hawaiin Pro has been all business the last few days and yesterday was no different as the women's side of the event wrapped up competition, finishing four rounds in one day. By day's end the spotlight was on Hawaii's own Megan Abubo who took home the Reef Hawaiin Pro crown over 2nd place finisher Layne Beachley, and 3rd place finisher Karina Petroni. Abubo's landmark day (this was her first ever win at the first leg of the Vans Triple Crown) started off on a high note as she scored the first perfect wave of the event and her career in the first round of the contest. Things never really looked down for Abubo from that point on as she went on to take the event with consistency throughout her heats. With the win Abubo not only takes home a $30,000 purse but also requalification for the 2008 ASP World Tour as well as the lead in the Vans Triple Crown standings.
Though she didn't finish first in the event Karina Petroni also had a day to remember as her 3rd place finish has earned her a spot on the 2008 World Tour, making her the first Floridian to join the Tour since 2002. Of the feat Petroni said, "It feels fantastic, it really does. I’ll be the first East Coaster since Lisa (Andersen) and I’ll go on and represent for the United States." Other news from the day included Jacqueline Silva clinching the 2007 WQS crown with her Quarterfinal finish (the Reef Hawaiian Pro is also a 6-star WQS event), and four heats of men's action. A detailed recap of the whole day's events from Abubo's win to the men's heats can be found at the recap here.
But yeah congrats to all the winners, especially Megan Abubo and Karina Peroni both of whom also happen to be past Girl On girls. Check out Abubo's Girl On Profile here, and Patroni's profiles (she was so great she had two) here and here.
Nixon Watches Offer Up A Piece Of Your Favorite Skater/Snowboarder
Published: 10:06 a.m. PT by Me
Nixon, the watch maker, has announced that they will be releasing a new line of watches called the LTD collection. The collection will be a limited edition (500 pieces) group of watches made from the boards of some of your favorite skateboarders and snowboarders (who just so happen to be on Nixon's team) including Tony Hawk, Ryan Sheckler, Paul Rodriguez, Danny Davis, Romain Demarchi, and Danny Way among others. The process of making these watches involve cutting down the top sheets of each athlete's board to a 0.4 mm width which will then be hand-laid into the watch's links with engraving in the back that bear the LTD logo, the athlete's name, the watch number, and collection year. The watch's will come in black, gunmetal, gold, antique silver, antique brass and blue metallic finishes and will retail at around $399 to $499 at skate/snowboard shops starting today. Proceeds for the watches will also benefit the Tony Hawk Foundation making this type of purchase a lot less guilt-ridden. For more info on the watches as well as more pictures you can shake a black, gunmetal, gold, antique silver, antique brass or blue metallic stick at check the mini site Nixon has set up for the LTD collection here.
Fully Flared Interview: As If You Couldn't Wait Any Longer
Published: 9:06 a.m. PT by Me
If there's one thing that almost all skaters have been eagerly anticipating this year (actually these past two years) it's been Lakai's newest video, 'Fully Flared' which premieres tomorrow in L.A. (*gets giddy*). With a team that boasts Eric Koston, Marc Johnson, Guy Mariano, and Greg Olson among others it's almost a stone-cold lock that this video is gonna be good, and the trailers and clips Crailtap (the web home of the Girl Skateboards family) has been releasing do nothing but solidify that completely warranted assumption.
To further wet your appetite Transworld has posted on its website the full interview with Ty Evans, Fully Flared's (as well as many Girl projects) director, that was published in their 2008 Buyer's Guide earlier this month. Whereas the footage and trailers provided you with the meat and bones of what to expect in Lakai, this interview goes into the process of making the film including Evans explanation of why it's taken so long to release the film (you can indirectly blame Koston and Mariano for that), how 'Fully Flared' got its name, what the process is for creating a soundtrack, and his thoughts on viral video. It's definitely a good read if for no other reason than getting you prepped for the release of the video.
To check out Transworld's interview with Ty Evans check the link here, to check out some of the footage/clips/trailers from Fully Flared that Lakai has leaked (some of which aren't even gonna make the movie) head to their video vault here.
Published: 3:42 a.m. PT by Me
Terje Haakonson seems to be popping up more and more on the radar recently from interviews to contest participation. This time around Terje's name is surfacing to announce a new six-part TV Series named 'Terje's Season Pass' that will begin airing on Fuel TV this coming January. The premise of the show as Terje puts it is to "find good snow and shred it with friends," where the term friends can be replaced with the term "world class snowboarders like Nicolas Müller, Shaun White, Mads Jonsson and Kevin Pearce". Basically the show is gonna be another one of those behind-the-scenes, inside the life of a pro athlete type shows but with one big difference: it will be guided by snowboarding living legend Terje Haakonson, which means that most of the riders featured will be opening up way more than if they had done something similar with like ESPN. Plus you know Terje's got a purist's perspective right? I'm guessing a lot of the miscellaneous crap they usually throw into shows like these will not even be an issue, making this series a lot more appealing.
In terms of details: Terje’s Season Pass will premiere on FUEL TV on Tuesday, 1/1/08 at 8:00pm ET/PT. Each of the episodes will then air on subsequent Tuesday nights at 8:00pm ET/PT. Re-airs will take place the following Sundays at 8:30pm ET/PT starting 1/6/08. The show will continue to air on FUEL TV throughout the winter. For more info on the series check out the series announcement here.
The New York Times: 'Skateboarding Rolls Out of the Suburbs'
Published: 3:00 a.m. PT by Me
From Harold Hunter (R.I.P.) to Kareem Campbell to Lavar McBride I remember growing up as a skater and seeing plenty of prominent Black skaters (one of them, Sean Sheffey, was one of my favorites), what I saw less were like Hmong skaters (actually I don't know if I've seen any Hmongs in general), but apparently that wasn't the case for some. That's because the Fashion & Style section of the New York Times has done a feature on the increase in the number of Black skaters, making it seem as though it's some type of recent phenomenon. The article sites the rise of Stevie Williams as a prominent Reebok athlete as well as hip hop artists like Pharrell Williams (The Imperial Skateboard P) and Lupe Fiasco ('Kick, Push') referencing skating in their work as evidence of a change in the way skateboarding is looked at by young African-American youth. Beyond that there are also first hand accounts thrown in the article that attest to the fact that in urban areas skateboards have been popping up in young kids hands as much as a baseball gloves. The kicker though is when DC East Coast Brand Manager Jeff Pang chimes in with this gem, "You’ll see kids that are dressed up like Mars Blackman, wearing Cazals and a cycling cap and tight denim, and they’re walking around with a skateboard as an accessory, holding it in a way we call ‘the mall grab'," a quote which in and of itself might describe the reason The Times came up with the idea for the article in the first place. Either way you can check out the NYT article on Black skaters right here.
'The Kentucky Kid' Returns On MTV
Published: 2:15 a.m. PT by Me
Maybe you don't remember it but last year during the X-Dance Film Festival we screened a film called 'The Doctor, The Tornado and The Kentucky Kid' which documented the 2005 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, CA, the biggest motorcycle race in American history. The drama of the film and event revolved around three different competitors in the race, Valentino Rossi (The Doctor), Colin Edwards (The Texas Tornado) and Nicky Hayden (The Kentucky Kid) as they all sought the title which was eventually won by Nicky Hayden.
Well Hayden is back again in celluloid as this Friday MTV will air 'The Kentucky Kid', a follow up to the original documentary. This time around cameras will follow Hayden from the final two races of the 2006 season and into the 2007 season as he tries to defend his championship while dealing with the bumps and bruises associated with competitive motorcycle racing. Being that this is MTV and they're calling it a "reality movie" you're probably guaranteed a large number of musical montages expressing sadness, frustration, and excitement (I wonder how they'll work in Foo Fighter's "My Hero") but if "The Kentucky Kid" delivers even an ounce of the drama the first film featured you're gonna be satisfied.
To watch the premiere of 'The Kentucky Kid' tune into MTV at 10pm EST on Friday. For more info on 'The Doctor, The Tornado and The Kentucky Kid', including pics from the Hollywood premiere earlier this year check our coverage of the X-Dance screening here.
Chaz Ortiz: A Man/Kid On the Rise
Published: 12:06 a.m. PT by Me
A few weeks ago we mentioned this 13 year-old kid, Chaz Ortiz, who tore up the AST Free Flow Tour which lead to an actual Dew Tour berth at the Playstation Pro in Orlando last month where he caught a lot of people's attention by finishing 6th. Ortiz has currently been added by Zoo York onto their flow team and all indications are that this might be just an interim thing, in a good way, because the announcement on Zoo York's blog includes this line: "Chaz is currently on the Zoo York flow team, but with the way he’s been handling business lately, he’ll likely climb to amateur status sooner than later." As part of the announcement Zoo York has also posted an Ortiz highlight clip from Banquet's coverage of the Playstation Pro (which we've also attached below). Keep an eye out on this kid 'cause his prospects are on the up and up.
