Quick Hits Archive: November 29 - December 5, 2007
Dec 19 2007 / Los Angeles, CADecember 5, 2007
Peter Davi, R.I.P.
Published: 4:23 p.m. PT by Me
Some sad news via Surfer Magazine:
Legendary Monterey Bay surfer Peter Davi, 45, drowned at Ghost Tree on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Monterey County Coroner's Office.
According to Ghost Tree local Don Curry, the day started out incredibly. Thirty foot sets that stretched out to 70'+ wave faces rolled into the scenic Ghost Tree. It was the biggest Ghost Tree had ever been ridden.
In the mid-morning, Davi, who was paddling into the waves, broke his leash and began swimming in. One tow team offered Davi a ride in but the surfer refused. Another tow team offered Davi a PFD but again Davi refused according to Curry.
Later in the afternoon Santa Cruz surfers Anthony Ruffo and Osh Bartlett came across Davi's lifeless body floating in a kelp patch. They quickly dumped their boards and picked the body up, according to Bartlett. Only then did they realize it was their good friend Davi.
For more on Davi's death check the full report here.
Some Type Of Dream Team Of Skaters Hits Northern CaliforniaPublished: 2:06 a.m. PT by Me
If you're gonna be in the Bay Area this weekend Supra Footwear is gonna offer you something that's pretty dope: a chance to meet their skate team. Alright maybe that sounds groupie-ish but for certain teams, including this one, it's worth it. That's because according to the way Supra's been promo-ing it their NorCal Mission will give you a chance to catch the rarely seen Tom Penny out and about as well as a line up of Jim Greco, Erik Ellington, Antwuan Dixon, and Chad Muska signing autographs. These guys are pretty much all heavy hitters in the game so it's not like you'll be seeing a bunch of [Insert Random Am Names Here] and maybe one star, this one should be the real deal. And the thing is it'll be happening in the Bay Area all weekend, so if you can't make it to the San Rafael signing Friday, you can hit up San Jose or Santa Cruz on Saturday, and if not those then there's always San Carlos Sunday. Oh yeah did I mention Tom Penny should be there (alright I kinda hedged by using "should" there but you never know and it's Penny we're talking about). For details on each of the Supra Nor Cal Mission stops check their event notice here.
Victim Of Knievel Attack Suffered 30 Year Injury
Published: 1:49 a.m. PT by Me
From the "Not Letting The Dead Rest In Peace" files we've got this latest story in regards to Evel Knievel. It seems Shelly Saltman, the man who was the victim of a baseball bat beating by Knievel in 1977, is still intent on collecting the monetary damages he's been owed by Knievel for the beating despite the legendary stuntman's recent death. Ok, we understand that the beating itself was sorta severe (apparently his arm was shattered while shielding his head) and that he is justified in seeking out the original damages, but the kicker is this Saltman claims that the original sum of $12.75 million that was awarded to him has grown to $100 million on account of accumulated interest, which he seeks to collect. It's not even known whether the Knievel estate even has that type of money, yet Saltman has been quoted as saying after Knievel's death, "We are going hot and heavy after his estate." Dude sounds like he needs to take a lesson in forgiving and forgetting, he probably still harbors resentment towards the girl who he shared his first kiss with and told him that it tasted like tartar sauce (I have no source backing that claim). Apparently the original attack, which was a result of Knievel's anger over Saltman writing an unflattering book about him, dealt a pretty significant blow (pun kinda intended) to Knievel's career since he served a six months in jail for the attack not to mention a loss in reputation. Either way this Saltman character needs to get over himself and at the most ask for the original amount owed, but that's just my opinion. For more about Saltman's grudge against Knievel's corpse check the story here.
Snowboarding and BIKINIS!
Published: 1:32 a.m. PT by Me
Ok this actually happened quite some time ago (November 24th to be exact) but I don't think you'll be complaining about us putting highlights of Sun Diego's Beanies & Bikinis Snowboard Jam because it's got....bikinis. Transworld Snow has put up video highlights from the Rail Jam that took place at San Diego's Mission Beach, where Lucas Magoon ended up taking 1st and winning $10,000. But most importantly there was also a bikini Dance-off sort of thing that Transworld covered equally in the clip (I'd say the ratio of Beanies to Bikinis in the clip is roughly 3 to 2) which is what I know you'll be focusing on with laser-like precision. Lucas Magoon does kill it though. Check out the clip here. 
Rick McCrank Suffers Through Questions From FansPublished: 1:11 a.m. PT by Me
A couple of weeks ago eS asked readers of it's blog to submit questions they wanted to ask Rick McCrank as part of its "Ask A Skater" series. Finally they've gotten word back from McCrank as he answers some of the questions. The questions range from the serious (How does he feel about the recent changes in the eS team?) to the obnoxious (What is it like to ride a moose to work in Canada?) but most sorta focus in on the fact that McCrank is Canadian which is probably the most obnoxious part of it all, either way McCrank seems to take all the questions in stride. You can check out his answers at the eS Blog here.
Mark Webb Breaks His BackPublished: 12:55 a.m. PT by Me
Some bad news to report as it seems BMXer Mark Webb recently broke his back at a demo held at his hometown skatepark in the UK. Webb, who finished 7th in last month's LG Action Sports World Championships, apparently fell ten feet onto the ground from a ramp he was donating to Southsea Skatepark, causing him to fracture one of his vertabrae. Luckily doctors do expect a full recovery though Webb will miss much of the BMX action coming up including the X Games in Dubai next week. For more the official report of Webb's injury check the UK Sun site here.
The Obey/Fuji Bike
Published: 12:23 a.m. PT by Me
Awhile ago it seemed we kinda had an onslaught of designer/collaborative fixed gear bikes come out, from the Active Mail OrderAdidas/Marinoni Bike to the Active Mail OrderPuma Urban Mobility Bike. Now we got a new one from Japanese bike makers Fuji Bikes and Sheppard Fairey's company Obey. Not much info on the bike has been released, though really being an old school fixed geared bike there aren't many details that need going over, but as you can see from the pic below the bike features a color way that is distinctly Obey's and the design is obviously intent on pushing the rider's ass in the air (hopefully this bike'll be a hit among the supermodel crowd). According to Hypebeast the bikes will be available at select Obey dealers.
Rock The Vote....For Andreas Wiig....As Norwegian Athlete Of The Year
Published: 12:01 a.m. PT by Me
Ha! It looks like Andreas Wiig is up for some Norwegian Newspaper's Athlete Of The Year and you can vote, which means we all should get involved in this vote rigging though odds are we don't know any of the other athletes in the poll nor do we know the language in which to vote in (don't worry the voting form is pretty simple to figure out). Help load the dice in Wiig's favor here.
December 4, 2007
O'neill World Cup Update
Published: 1:32 p.m. PT by Me
Conditions have been pretty spotty at the O'neill World Cup Of Surfing (the 2nd leg of the Vans Triple Crown and the final WQS event of the season) with rounds being interrupted for the past few days because of harsh conditions (yesterday featured waves that hit the event maximum at 25 feet). With Mick Fanning and Taj Burrow dominating, and Sunny Garcia still in the running there haven't been any major surprises as of yet with the top seeds starting to come into play in the Round of 64 yesterday. Action has picked up today which we'll update you on as the contest draws to a close but for right now you can check out some photos from past days' O'neill World Cup action right here. Also check out our Roxy Pro photo gallery featuring pics from Sofia Mulanovich's win here.
Random News And Notes
Published: 9:26 a.m. PT by Me
• Despite the underwhelming peformance of the recently released Proving Grounds Activision has announced that they will be releasing another sequel to the Tony Hawk video game franchise. No word on when the release is planned, as of now there just the announcment.
• Red Bull's X Fighters Motorcross Tour (which you can read more about here) will air on ESPN2 throughout December. Air dates for the different stops are as follows: Mexico City (12/6 5:30pm EST), Ireland (12/13 5:30pm EST), Madrid (12/20 5:30pm EST). For more info on the X Fighters check the official site here.
• Foundation has announced that one of its long-standing riders, Ethan Fowler, is no longer on the team. No word yet on where Fowler is headed to in terms of board sponsors. For the official announcement check here.
• In other team announcement Blind has added Brazilian youngin Felipe Ortiz to its amateur team. According to Thrasher Ortiz will have a part on the next Blind video.
• Independent's begun putting up parts of its 2007 Northwest Tour Video. They plan on releasing 2 parts to the video every Monday (starting yesterday) and is encouraging viewers to burn their own DVD of the video once all the parts are released. You can get Parts 1 & 2 here.
• According to Plan B legendary skater Pat Duffy's got the metal plate removed from the leg he injured while skating Burnquist's megaramp, meaning he can now start rehabbing, further meaning...he'll be back. • Apparently some Dutch kid named Laurens Groenveld broke the kickflip record with 566 kickflips as part of the Krux Kickflip ChampionshipsActive Mail Order
• Oh yeah and lastly as a follow-up to something mentioned awhile ago, according to TMZ Lindsay Lohan has dumped her "snowboarder" boyfriend, Riley Giles. Apparently they met during rehab which is as close to finding a loved one at the salad bar at Sizzler's. For the heartbreaking details check the gossip rag here.
Mike Reed: Hero
Published: 3:01 a.m. PT by Me
Thanks to Slap Magazine for bringing this to our attention, something that is immensely sad and somewhat uplifting at the same time: a 21 year-old Rialto, California skater named Mike Reed was shot to death while at Fontana Skatepark two weeks ago. The uplifting part comes in the fact that Reed was shot after coming to the aid of a fellow skater at the park. Police report that on Wednesday, November 21 four young men entered the skate park around 8:30 pm asking one of the skaters at the park, John De La Cruz, for some change. When De La Cruz responded that he didn't have any change one of the four men put him in a headlock and pulled out a gun which he pointed at De La Cruz's head, at that point Reed spoke up and told the group to leave at which point the one holding the gun pointed it at Reed and shot him, Reed died shortly after at a local hospital. Suspects in the shooting have not been found though there is a $15,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators. In speaking about Reed's actions De La Cruz made perfectly clear what Reed's actions meant, saying "I don't know what the hell would have happened if he wasn't there. He stepped up for me and I kind of see him as a hero now." Reed had been known by local skaters as an utterly peace-loving guy who was a self-proclaimed hippie. Unfortunately there are plenty of people in the world who aren't cut from the same cloth as Reed. For more info on the incident, including more information on Reed check the report on the shooting here.
Mike Reed's sponsor, Citizen Boardshop, is planning on having a "Mike Reed Night" to honor Reed's memory this coming Saturday at 6pm, any donations will be accepted on behalf of the Reed Family, more info the benefit night can be found on the flyer here.
More (And We Mean MORE) From The Burton L.A. Store Opening Party
Published: 2:41 a.m. PT by Me
The other day we had some photos up from the Burton Flagship Store Opening in L.A., well Snowboard Mag has outdone everyone else in terms of covering the opening with its "Superpost" from the opening. The gallery features tons of photos from the event, including the calm- before-the-storm-like photos, where they were able to get detailed shots of the store before the party hit the floor (wow that rhymes),as well as more photos from some of the opening's attendees including Rob Machado, Hannah Teter, DJ Muggs, Jake Burton and others. So you can kinda think of the previous post as an appetizer to the main course provided by Snowboard Mag's Superpost. Check out the Superpost here.
Rob Machado and Kelly Slater (photo courtesy of Snowboard Mag)
Congratulations: SurfAid Wins Humanitarian AwardPublished: 2:20 a.m. PT by Me
SurfAid International, the non-profit humanitarian aid organization founded by Dr. Dave Jenkins has been awarded the prestigious World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) 2007 Humanitarian Award. SurfAid was started by Jenkins in 2000 after he noticed the poor health conditions of the people of the Mentawai Islands (in Indonesia) while on a surf trip. The organization works towards helping the people of the Mentawai Islands with simple cost-effective methods, such as utilizing mosquito nets, improved nutrition and teaching sanitary practices, that boost the public health of the Islands, the success of which has been reinforced through the award. With the award SurfAid has joined the likes of Rotary International, Ashoka, Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress, Inuit Circumpolar Conference, and Free the Children as organizations recognized for their remarkable achievements in charitable work. For more on the award check the official announcement here also if you happen to come across 'Wave of Compassion' the film that documents much of the work SurfAid does (which played at last year's X-Dance) make sure you watch it.
Some Non-Fully Flared Lakai Stuff
Published: 1:56 a.m. PT by Me
There's really no need for me to mention this because only a few of you (if any at all) will be able to get a hold of these, but I'm in love with Lakai so why not put this up. Lakai Japan has released some limited edition shoes where they play around with the design of some traditional Lakai models. Among the models there are the paint splatter Carroll Select, Buffalo Check Howard Select and the Cement Series (available for Koston, Howard and Carroll shoes). As you can see in the pic below (the Buffalo Check Howard Selects) they feature some quintessentially Japanese designs (trust me having lived in Asia for the past three years these fit right in in the Japanese fashion world). The crappy part is that these shoes are only available in Japan (unless you can work Japanese online retailers Mita) so essentially this is window shopping. For more on the shoes including pics of different makes check the Hypebeast post here.
December 3, 2007
Random News And Notes
Published: 1:32 a.m. PT by Me
• etnies and their affiliated Snowboard Boot company has added the amazing JP Walker to its team. For the announcement including some footage of JP doing what he does best (rails) go here.
• Anthony "Ragdoll" Scalamere has joined the Crimson skate team making the Crimson team that much more rugged.
• Roughneck Hardware is coming out with a special gold series of bolts for your trucks in conjuction with streetwear icon Benny Gold (who helped design the packaging). Check out the bolts here, (they'll be available at Huf and Benny Gold's online shop).
• According to European Skate Magazine/Site Kingpin the X Games will be hitting London sometime around September 2008.
• This year's Roxy Chicken Jam (March 28 - 30) will be moving to Mammoth Lakes, California as opposed to Park City, Utah (where it was held last year).
• Motorex KTM has signed the world's number one female FMX rider Mary Perkins (we're kinda biased since she's a previous Girl On subject) to their team. For more on the Perkins' signing check the official announcement here.
• In a follow-up to a story we mentioned awhile ago Quiksilver has finally sold its stakes in Cleveland Golf Company (the company that sponsors Vijay Singh) for $132.5 million. Read about the sale here.
Highlights From The Nokia Air & Style in Munich
Published: 1:01 a.m. PT by Me
Earlier last week we mentioned the webcast of the Nokia Air And Style SIX(6)STAR TTR big air event that went down in Munich this past weekend. Well that event is done and over with, but luckily we've got some footage from the event to share including highlights and interviews. The event was won by Kevin Pearce who won his first SIX(6)STAR win with a huge Cab 1260. Finishing 2nd was Mikkel Bang while 3rd place was taken by Torstein Horgmo. For more on the actual contest check the recap here. Clips from the event can be found below.
Highlights from the Nokia Air And Style Munich '07
Interview with the winners
1st Kevin Pearce
2nd Mikkel Bang
3rd Torstein Horgmo
Highlights From The Nokia Air & Style in Munich
Published: 12:55 a.m. PT by Me
So we got Fuel TV's December programming schedule and there are some highlights worth taking note of:
• Airing next Friday (12/7) at 8pm EST is a wrap-up of Volcom's 'Let's Live' U.S. Premiere Tour. 'Let's Live' was Volcom' skate video focusing on their Aussie talent including Dustin Dollin, Jake Duncombe, Lewis Marnell, and the late Shane Cross (whom the video was dedicated to). The show will feature highlights from the tour along with the skaters talking about the making of their tour and their connection with the beloved Cross. The actual Let's Live video will then air the following Friday (12/14) at the same time.
• A pair of highly publicized surf events will also be airing December with the inaugural Mancora Peru Classic (Women's WCT), that featured the dominance of hometown Sofia Mulanovich, being broadcast Thursday, December 20th at 8pm EST, and the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro, where Mick Fanning clinched his World Title Crown, airing Monday December 17th at 8pm EST.
• Finally at 8pm EST on New Year's Eve (use your Tivo kids) catch the behind-the-scenes look at the Nike SB Premiere of 'Nothing But The Truth' at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Check out how Nike made skaters like P Rod, Omar Salazar, and Chet Childress play the part of scenesters as they got the full on Hollywood treatment.
Of course that's not it for December...you'll probably wanna keep it tuned to Fuel for some of the other stuff we didn't mention
Princeton Professor Visits Skatepark; Feels Awkward
Published: 12:29 a.m. PT by Me
The following story merges two separate things that seem to have become motifs in this blog: skateboarding in China and a outsider's perspective on skating. More specifically we're talking about a New York Times article on the SMP Skatepark in Shanghai. We did a little feature on the SMP Skatepark a little while back (you check it here) which is the largest skatepark in the world (and some consider it the best skatepark) with its 147,500 square feet of space and 7 separate bowls of various shapes so the subject of the article is something familiar with us. The perspective though is quite different though as this article is written by the Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University who just so happened to bring her son to the park for his 11th birthday.
Again the article is another instance of an author having to describe the most routine stuff to the reader (I'm pretty sure the line where she defines what "rider" means to the reader is as unnecessary as my fifth nipple...also check out the description she gives of the 4th picture in the article, I'm surprised the word rad hasn't popped up yet) as it is also rife with quotation marks (to an almost painful degree, I mean did she need to really add quotation marks to "street competition"?) which goes to reinforce the idea that the author had no real reason to write the article at all. The bottom line is that the article is intended to show the influence of American culture on the youth of a country that had just a generation ago been quite isolationist (which in itself ain't a bad reason to write the article) but it reads as something entirely different...see what we mean here.
Faced With A 10-Stair Rail, What Would Jesus Do?
Published: 12:06 a.m. PT by Me
Now we're not mentioning the following to try to get you to convert to Christianity or anything (trust me I'm like at the opposite end of the religious spectrum from evangelicals) but we just thought it would be worth mentioning on account of some the names mentioned: December 15th Actor Stephen Baldwin will be hosting The AsSALT Tour in Phoenix, AZ. The AsSALT Tour is an event geared towards evangelism by way of non-religious stuff like...the action sports. Thus guys on hand who will be "riding for Christ" will be skate legends Christian Hosoi, Steve Caballero, and Lance Mountain (does Flip know about this?). Also on hand will be skaters Chad Tim Tim, Brian Sumner, and BMXer Mike Mancuso. For more on the event (who knows maybe you agree with their religious stance, or maybe you're able to block out certain "messages" while attending an event) check the announcement here.
December 2, 2007
Robbie Maddison Reacts To Knievel's Passing
Published: 3:16 p.m. PT by Me
Thought we should share the comments we got from FMX pro Robbie Maddison about his feelings on the passing of the legendary Evel Knievel:
After returning to the U.S. from Australia where I was promoting my upcoming record jump attempts, I had sadly learned of the passing of the man who originally inspired me, Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel.
He captivated me as a child and has lead me to live my life jumping my motorcycle. As sad as his passing is I know he was in a lot of pain and was fighting both diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. It's comforting to know he is not living in pain anymore, but I'm deeply saddened by the news of his death.
My upcoming world record jump attempt on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas, where I will jump a football field on my motorcycle, is dedicated to Evel Knievel.
Thank you for the inspiration, R.I.P
-Robbie Maddison
Surfline Covers The Opening Ceremony For Quiksilver's Big Wave Invitational
Published: 12:05 a.m. PT by Me
A few days ago we mentioned that opening ceremonies for the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational In Memory Of Eddie Aikau would take place this week, now we got a fuller picture of the ceremony courtesy of Surfline who was there to capture the special day in words and photos. The ceremony which features participating surfers gathering for a blessing ceremony at Waimea Bay and then paddling out into the water and forming a circle to pay honor to legendary Big Wave surfer Eddie Aikau, whom the event is named after. This year's ceremony featured 24 of the invitees and 24 of the alternates participating, including Bruce Irons, the last surfer to win the event in 2004. The event's waiting period starts each year on December 1st and ends on February 29th the following year with organizers looking for the minimum of 20 feet waves to start competition. Due to such stringent requirements the event has only seen competition 7 times in the last 22 years its been held with the last time being, as mentioned, 2004.
To see and read about how the Opening Ceremony for this year's Quiksilver Big Wave International went check the Surfline report from the North Shore here. For more info about the actual Invitational check here.
Photo courtesy of Surfline/Tostee
Video Roundup: TURF'S UP, The Making Of Fully Flared, The Roxy Pro
Published: 12:01 a.m. PT by Me
Just a few clips to get you through your weekend:
• Turf Skateboards, the team with former Chocolate skater Mike York, Sammy Baptista, James Kelch, and others has a trailer up for their next video 'TURF'S UP', which they sorta promise will be out in the next couple of months though details are sketchy. The clip features some fine skating as well as the randomness you would expect with a team that's affiliated with Mike York. You can check out the trailer for 'TURF'S UP' at Turf's site here.
• Skate Fairy has a slideshow of photos up from the making of Lakai's 'Fully Flared'. Plenty of random randomness and a little more skin shown than I would prefer but again all it does is make you wanna check the video out as soon as possible (in stores December 7th). Check out the Fully Flared photo slideshow here.
• Roxy's got footage up of Sofia Mulanovich's winning heat at the Finals of the Roxy Pro 2007. With the win Mulanovich has pulled within a close shot of Stephanie Gilmore in the WCT hunt (one more event left on the tour). Check out Mulanovich in action here. Also you can check out some of the interviews Roxy did with pros they caught up with while at Sunset Beach, including Mulanovich, Layne Beachley, Gilmore, and Rochelle Ballard.
• Emerica has put up a clip of skater Kevin Adams who submitted footage into Emerica and earned himself a pair of Emericas. Check out the clip here.
December 1, 2007
Burton Plants Its Flag In L.A.
Published: 12:10 a.m. PT by Me
It seems like just yesterday that Burton was announcing the opening of one of its flagship stores in Los Angeles, conveniently located in the Melrose corridor that houses such other shops as Kid Robot, Paul Smith, and Fred Segal. Well apparently it was much longer ago than I thought because this past Wednesday they held the star-studded V.I.P. Opening Party for the store.
Gathering at the 11,000 square feet store space (which features three distinct store spaces for snowboarding, surfing, and skating) was a who's who list of L.A. and action sports celebrities including Kelly Slater, Shaun White, Arto Saari, Elena Hight, tatooist/TV star Kat Von D, actress Amanda Bynes, and even musical douchebag Ryan Cabrera. Attendees were able to peruse the shop with its 20-foot tall massive concrete tree trunk while DJ Muggs (of Cypress Hill) and Prince Paul (of De La Soul and Handsome Boy Modeling School) spun music for those that were interested in dancing (but then again this is L.A. we're talking about where dancing is always at a minimum). Up top on the roof there was also a mini-ramp set up for the skaters in attendance (most of the Analog team was showed up) to tear into while Burton Global Team rider Trevor Andrew’s band ‘Trouble Andrew’ played for those lounging around for the view. All in all it was a pretty huge event (even TMZ showed up to catch Kelly Slater refuting earlier reports of his date with Kirsten Dunst) with pictures included below (courtesy of Adam Moran/Burton) to attest.
For more on the actual Burton Flagship Store in Los Angeles go here.
Burton Riders Shaun White and Hannah Teter
The crowd on the main floor
The "Channel Islands" surf shop within the store
Burton's Crocodile Skin Bags
Published: 12:06 a.m. PT by Me
Just a couple of days ago we had an entry about ostrich and crocodile skin skate decks...those were essentially useless...but a new set of crocodile skin products from Burton are the exact opposite. That's because Burton has released a collection of (possibly fake) crocodile skin bags for the posh traveller in you. The collection which consists of travel bags, backpacks, rolling luggage, messenger bags, and other accessories are made of crocodile skin in a black color way with touches of red and the traditional Burton logo placed throughout the sleek design. Basically this collection of bags'll get you plenty of looks as you head through the airport or Steve Irwin's burial site. The collection is available at your nearest Burton Flagship store as well as select Burton dealers. For more pics of Burton's Crocodile Travel Collection check out Hypebeast's entry here.
Quick Notes
Published: 12:02 a.m. PT by Me
Couple of announcements:
• Thrasher has announced that its Skater Of The Year for 2007 is none other than Chocolate Pro Marc Johnson (pictured). Johnson who for quite some time now has been one of the most consistently technical skaters no doubt deserves this award (which was won last year by Daewon Song) but we have a sneaking suspicion that a big part of the reason he won this is because of his part in the upcoming 'Fully Flared' which Thrasher must have caught at its premiere...those lucky bastards. Just one more reason to watch Fully Flared (as if we needed anymore).
• In other news previous Girl On profilee Hana Beaman has been added to the Bear Mountain snowboard team, which includes J.P. Walker, Seth Huot, Laurie Heiskari and Simon Chamberlain. Great job Beaman it's just another reason for us to flaunt your Girl On Profile.
November 30, 2007
Evel Knievel R.I.P.
Published: 2:26 p.m. PT by Me
Though what he did might not be considered an action sport, I'm pretty sure some of you out there (especially you FMX guys) were influenced by motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel. Unfortunately news out today confirms that the iconic Knievel has passed away at the age of 69. Knievel had been in failing health for the past few years dealing with diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis (lung disease) but his death still comes unexpected as most of us know him as the guy who probably would have died hundreds of times before had he been us and not been Evel Knievel.
Well here's to you Mr. Knieviel you'll be remembered forever.
Read more here...
Sophia Mulanovich Wins Roxy Pro; Nears World Title
Published: 2:31 a.m. PT by Me
Sophia Mulanovich has won the Roxy Pro in Hawaii, marking her second win on the women's world tour in 2007 and her eighth overall win.
"I'm just stoked," Mulanovich said after the win. "Sunset can be such a perfect wave. I really want to thank Rochelle Ballard for helping me out with my board choice, she pushed me to use that board and it really paid off. Thanks to everyone who helped me out, my boyfriend who was my caddie and my longtime sponsor Roxy for another great event."
In the four-woman final Mulanovich scored a 13.73 to to Amee Donohoe's (AUS) 10.83, Samantha Cornish's (AUS) 7.64 and Jessi Miley-Dyer's (AUS) 6.40 points.
Despite a ninth-place finish, Aussie Stephanie Gilmore remains ranked Number one in the world with 5868 points, followed very closely by Mulanovich (5767 points) and Silvana Lima (5252 points). One event, the Billabong Girls Pro, remains on the ASP Women's World Tour and it starts December 8.
In other news from the Roxy Pro, 16-year-old wildcard Coco Ho (HAW) was named the 2007 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Rookie and the Schick Quattro Style Award went to Gilmore.
Also, current Triple Crown Ratings Leader Megan Abubo, who won the first leg of the Triple Crown, was injured in the Semifinals and was taken away by ambulance. There's no word if she will be on hand for the last event at this time.
Epicly Later'd Gets All "Wonder Years" On Us
Published: 2:01 a.m. PT by Me
VBS just keeps rolling out new episodes of Emerica's Wild Ride on Epicly Later'd. Last time around they had a 3 episode arc focusing on Heath Kirchart. This time it's one of the newcomers getting some shine as they put the spotlight on current Emerica Am (at the time of the filming he was just a flow rider) Justin "Figgy" Figueroa. The episode pretty much details the corruption of a young buck while on tour as "Figgy" starts the tour off a sober straight-edge 17 year-old virgin (mentioned in the blog entry for the episode and not the episode itself), but ends it a full-fledged man (sex, alcohol and vicodin). Emerica brand manager Justin Regan sums it up hilariously at the end when he says, "Figgy's aged 3 years [on tour], he's grown like 18 more chest hairs." This is definitely not an episode you should let your mom get a hold of if she's questioning your love of skating. To check out episode 16 of Emerica's Wild Ride on Epicly Later'd check the link here.
P Rod Here and Overseas
Published: 1:43 a.m. PT by Me
With the recent release of highly anticipated skate videos we're also getting our fair share of interviews from those who are featured in the videos, whether it be Brandon Beibel and Brian Anderson for Lakai's 'Fully Flared', or in this case Paul Rodriguez for Nike SB's 'Nothing But The Truth'. Rodriguez sat down for a short little interview with European skate site Tackyworld after the European premiere to talk about his part in the video (happy, but not 100% happy, with it), what it's like on the tour for the video, and what's up next for the comedian's son (filming for the upcoming Plan B video and also releases for 2 different feature films he's starred in). Check out the Tackyworld interview here and don't forget, if you're in the San Diego area tomorrow you can stop by the Active shop in Chula Vista around 1pm for a meet and greet with P Rod the details of which can be found here.
Nokia Air & Style Big Air Contest Starts Tomorrow
Published: 1:26 a.m. PT by Me
Unless you take random trips to Germany every now and then, the following news might be of interest to you because the Nokia Air & Style Snowboarding Contest is gonna be starting a day from now and you're probably not sitting in some cafe in Munich right now. Luckily there'll be a live webcast from the event via Freecaster.tv. The Nokia Air & Style is a 6 Star TTR Big Air contest that'll feature some of the top riders from around the world in the pro contest including Andreas Wiig, Torstein Horgmo, Danny Davis, and Antti Autti as well as rookies such as Iouri Podlatchikov, Christian Haller and Juusi Laivisto (competing in the rookie session) all trying to show off their big air "style" and come home with some of those precious TTR points (the Air & Style will be the first 6 Star event of the season) as well as a part of the 100,000 Euro purse (roughly $150,000US). The event will also feature for the first time a Snowmobile Freestyle Contest as well as a performances by Sean Paul, The Hives, and 30 Seconds To Mars making it a full fledged event (I mean just check out the ramp setup below). For a link to the webcast and further info on the Nokia Air & Style contest check here.
The UnderSkatement Film Festival Vol. 4
Published: 1:09 a.m. PT by Me
Here's something to get your weekend going if you're living in the Bay Area: The 4th Annual UnderSkatement Film Festival will be hitting the Victoria Theater on 16th St. tomorrow. The Festival is one dedicated to films born out of the skate culture, and in saying this it doesn't necessarily mean specifically skate videos/films but more work either created by skaters themselves or work showing a skate aesthetic, all of which fits in perfectly with that certain San Francisco culture. The two-hour program will feature 24 short films (all under 7 minutes) that run the gamut from documentaries, experimental films, animation and music videos shot on 16 mm, Super 8 and digital cameras all shown in quick successive order (with an silent-film type intermission halfway through) then followed by an after party at Cafe Du Nord with music by Hightower and Thee Oh Sees. The Festival will start at 7:30 then upon finishing up will hit Portland on December 8th. For more info on the UnderSkatement Vol. 4 Festival, including more details on some of the films that will be screened, check the S.F. Chronicle write up here. The Looming Success Of Girly Boards
Published: 12:56 a.m. PT by Me
Check out this cool little feature in the L.A. Times (unless you're some kind of chauvanist) on the rise of CoolGirlSkateboards.com, the DIY boardmaker who specializes in light-weight decks for use by girl skaters. The story of CoolGirlSkateboards.com is the story of its owner Frank Davern who one day mistakenly started getting requests from girls all around the world for girl skate decks after his original website Coolgrrrls.com was featured in a German skate magazine (the original site is dedicated to music/party culture around the world). On account of those requests Davern decided that the girl skate market was a good market to, for lack of a better word, exploit so he started making decks that featured thinner plies of wood and more, again for lack of a better word, "girly" designs. After convincing VK Skateboard Distribution Inc. to help distribute the boards to certain local shops and signing Holly Lyons as one of Cool Girl's pros sales gradually picked up for the decks. But Davern is still struggling to get the boards distributed on a wider basis and much of the article is dedicated to that struggle (surprisingly laying out a business plan for Davern to follow). Only time will tell how it all turns out (though from the sales numbers quoted in the story it seems like Davern is sitting on a jackpot). For the whole story behind Cool Girl Skateboards read the article here.
Lat34 has been a fan of Cool Girls thanks to our profile of Holly Lyons and Alize Montes. Congrats to Frank on getting some recognition for his work promoting the sport!
Some More Resort Openings
Published: 12:33 a.m. PT by Me
We got a few more resort openings to update you with:
• Steamboat Resorts in Steamboat Springs, Colorado will be opening up shop today. Details of which trails/lifts are going to be open have not been released (outside of the grand opening of the Christie Peak Express lift but to find out more about the opening or to get contact information check Steamboat's website here.
• Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort in Snowbird, Utah will also open its doors today. Both Middle Bassackwards and Big Emma runs will begin with both runs being of Intermediate level, so think twice if you're a beginner and wanna head out there. For more info on Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort check their site here.
• Another resort opening today is Alpine Meadows Ski Resort in Lake Tahoe, California. Meadow Chair will begin running for beginners while Kangaroo Double Chair will be open for intermediate to advanced riders. For more info on Alpine Meadows check their site here.
• Also of note, though they've already opened up shop a little while back Mammoth Mountains has announced that with the opening of Stump Alley Express and Cornice Bowl this weekend, Mammoth Mountain will have the most open lifts and the most open runs in California as opposed to most others which are opening two or three trails as of now. For more info on Mammoth Resort check their site here.
• And finally, Aspen/Snowmass is also facing increased snowfall meaning crews there are looking to open more trails/lifts this upcoming weekend. Details of which new trails will become open are not availble right now but you can check Aspen/Snowmass' website here for more up-to-date info.
The Element/Vestalife iPod Dock
Published: 12:11 a.m. PT by Me
Here we go with another collaboration. It looks like Element has hooked up with award winning electronics company Vestalife to produce the Ladybug, a new speaker dock for the iPod. The Ladybug, which recently won CES' Innovations Design and Engineering award, features a 2.1 amplified speaker system with built in subwoofer in a circular design that folds down to look like a ladybug (hence the name) all engineered by Vestalife. Element comes into the equation by providing the visual designs for different Ladybug models with a black colorway featuring a skull-and-bones imprint and a sky-blue colorway featuring floral print as the two designs revealed so far (we're guessing the first one's for the boys and the second one's for the ladies). The Ladybug will be launching in Vegas for the CES convention this coming January while retailers will begin stocking the Ladybug a little bit later. For more info on Element and Vestalife's Ladybug check the link here.
November 29, 2007
Kelly Slater: 351948% Man
Published: 2:20 a.m. PT by Cary
Earlier this month the director behind the Mick Fanning documentary 'White Lightning' quoted Fanning as saying that he didn't "know how Kelly [Slater] and Andy [Irons] have won multiple world titles and remained friends with anyone, had a relationship, had a life." Well apparently Fanning just isn't as strong-willed a man as Slater is because word is (albeit from tabloidy sources) that Slater's got a new girl in his life.
Just a couple months after getting in some sort of tussle (probably just a glorified shouting match) with Israeli police over his girlfriend-at-the-time, model Bar Rafaeli, Slater seems to have moved on to actress Kirsten Dunst (pictured). According to Life & Style Magazine via Dlisted (only the most trusted of news sources here) Slater and Dunst were recently seen out in L.A. on a "date" where they were apparently "flirting a lot, smiling and giggling." That's great because two out of those three things just mentioned I do around my dog (smiling and giggling)...holy crap does that mean I'm dating my dog? My other dog better not find out. Better yet Bill O'Reilly better not find out because that can lead to Gay Marriage.
But yeah back to the point, if this report is true (*cue blatantly loud laughter*) that would mean Slater has another celebrity to add to his stable of women after already bagging certifiable supermodel Gisele Bundchen, certifiable bad actress Cameron Diaz, certifiable Israeli model Bar Rafaeli, certifiable horrendous actress Pamela Anderson, and certifiable Governor Charlie Crist in recent years. It's almost as if he's just toying with these (if the reports are true)...kind of like how my little Pomeranian toys with that teddy bear we gave him awwww *giggles*.
Whoever Made This Is NOT A Skateboarder
Published: 2:00 a.m. PT by Me
Alright this collaboration might top them all whether you're talking about creativity, or superficiality, or just plain speechlessness. Apparently magazine/design brand Frank151 has teamed up with French luxury leather goods craftsman and designer Jacques Ferrand to create the worlds first ostrich and crocodile-skin skate decks. Yep you heard me ostrich and crocodile-skin. No seriously clean out your ears, OSTRICH and CROCODILE-SKIN. Details for the deck and it's functionality are sketchy (came across this on Hypebeast) but needless to say this thing's gonna be both expensive and completely useless ....but also pretty, oh so pretty.
Ok upon first seeing these decks I kinda applauded the maker's creativity (imagine hanging this up on your wall as decor) but then again in thinking about it kinda reinforces the idea that a lot of these streetwear/design brands are just entirely too self-indulgent. I mean who the hell is gonna ride this thing? Pharrell Williams? (I guess I probably just answered my own question huh?) One thing's for sure if they ever write a Great Gatsby type book about this generation, this skateboard better feature prominently in it. If any of you out there plan on buying this board after reading this don't forget to read this last line while you think it over: there are Africans getting slaughtered in Sudan right now.
I'm Pretty Sure These Girls Could Kick My Ass (aka I Bench Press 45 lbs.)
Published: 1:42 a.m. PT by Cary
Wanna be in the know in regards to who might be the next Megan Abubo or Stephanie Gilmore? Well check out the rundown Roxy did with some of the youngins on their team out at Sunset Beach:
The King Of Barcelona On DVD
Published: 1:21 a.m. PT by Me
Earlier this year DC expanded it's "King Of..." series of contests outside of this continent with the King Of Barcelona skate competition. As a reminder the "King Of..." skate contests are contests geared around getting local skaters of a certain city (previous cities included N.Y. and L.A.) more exposure through a contest series that focuses on different famous skate spots of a city (as opposed to a built up street course) as its contest sites. Each site hosts its own jam session type contest with DC pros also making visits to each stop to get cozy with the locals, and after all the different contests get wrapped up DC crowns a king of that specific city from among the competing amateurs.
In the case of Barcelona three separate spots were hit and Christian Sanchez was eventually named King. The reason we mention this is because according to Skateboard Mag DC is planning on releasing the footage it got from King Of Barcelona on a 2-disc DVD set. Traditionally DC has released all of its King Of... footage via their DC Podcasts but apparently this time around the footage (which consists of session/tour footage as well as contest footage) was too stacked to cut up. Details of the DVD will probably be forthcoming but as for now DC's put up a trailer for the whole shebang at their site here.
Plan B In England
Published: 1:02 a.m. PT by Cary
Last time Plan B checked in with footage from their recent European Tour it was a clip from Holland (or The Netherlands if you were home schooled). This time around they got footage up from their stint in England complete with music from The Smiths and Monty Python (I guess this kinda soothes my complaint about China and "Kung Fu Fighting"...just a little though). P-Rod figures prominently in the long-play clip (as he should) with the team hitting up both local spots and skateparks (check out the dope 3 bump/big stair set up they got at one of the parks) before ending on a nostalgic-type photo montage from the trip.
You can check out the Plan B in England highlights video at their site here.
Motorcross Rider Promises Death...If He Doesn't Live
Published: 12:51 a.m. PT by Me
A couple of weeks ago we mentioned how Motorcross pro Robbie Maddison and Red Bull were planning a record-breaking motorcycle jump this New Years in Las Vegas. Well Maddison just upped the anticipation factor by promising the audience something that they weren't really planning on originally: the possibility of death (*cue that squirrel animated gif that's everywhere now*). Ok I understand talking about the possibility of something really isn't promising it, but either way you gotta agree that this is something that's kinda upping the ante.
If you haven't read about "The Red Bull Experiment" the idea is that on midnight New Year's Eve at the Rio Casino in Vegas Maddison will attempt the more than 300 feet jump on national television as part of a two stunt event with stunt driver Rhys Millen, who plans on performing the first ever successful backflip of an off-road racing truck. In his recent comment about the attempt Maddison says this, "If something was to go wrong mechanically, if you lose control of the bike, it's death. You can't come down travelling at 140km/ph from 20 metres in the air with a dirt bike chasing you down and expect to live." Seriously what a way to sell the feat Maddison. To read more about Maddison's preparation for the record-breaking jump check the Fox Sports report on it here (disregard what they say about the event being on March 29th, because he'll be doing the same thing on New Years), to read up on the actual Red Bull Experiment go here.
Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational In Memory Of Eddie Aikau Update
Published: 12:19 a.m. PT by Me
Traditionally as the surf competition season winds down each year the Big Waves events pick up. This year will be no different as both the Mavericks Surf Contest and the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational are heading our way soon. But this year there will be some minor tweaks/differences as the Mavericks competition will be starting a month earlier than usual in December (as mentioned here before) thanks to weather conditions, and because this year the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational will broadcast for the first time ever its highly intimate opening ceremony. The ceremony is a gathering of the tribe of Men Who Ride Mountains, who go through the traditional Hawaiian blessing, honor their fallen hero Eddie Aikau (whom the contest preserves in its name) and paddle out in his name.
The ceremony will take place this year today (November 29th), 3pm EST and will be broadcast via Quiksilver's official website here. The actual Invitational itself has a waiting period lasting from December 1st to February 29th of next year with an invitation list that reads like a who's who of surfing (particularly big wave surfing). For more details on the event check the official event site here, for the full invites list go here.
Cory Nastazio On Fuel TV
Published: 12:02 a.m. PT by Me
Here's something to watch on TV tonight, BMX pro Cory Nastazio's going to be on Fuel TV's Daily Habit tonight at 9pm EST (with plenty of additional airtimes later on). In the episode he'll talk about what he's been up to lately, as well as take the cameras to his house for the Stephen Murray Benefit Jam (Stephen Murray is one of Nastazio's best friends and also roommate) that happened a little while ago. There'll probably also be a lot BMXing given that he's a BMXer, but hey that's just a hunch based on nouns and verbs. So yeah you can get that going tonight if you're up for it.
Also in related news check out Zoo York's support for the Stephen Murray Benefit Fund here.
