DOWN THE LINE Surf Talk Radio

June 24, 2012 Down The Line Surf Talk Radio with Bassy n Baldy on XTRA SPORTS 1360AM in San Diego; on iTunes podcast (Google it).

Tom Morey was once asked if he would give up surfing for a million dollers. He responded by asking something to the effect of “does that include hanging your hand out the car window at a freeway underpass?”.

Segment Sponsor Quiksilver Waterman Collection is presenting next years’ Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection which takes place May 11, 2013 in the brand new state-of-the-art building at the OC Fairgrounds called The HANGAR. Quiksilver Waterman Collection and their brand ambassadors on twitter Mark Healey @healeysurf , Shayne McIntyre @ShayneMcIntyre, Jamie Mitchell, Peter Mel @peter_mel, Mel Pu’u: Robby Naish;

Contact us @surfboardexpo @jeffbaldy surftalksandiego@Gmail.com call the show 858.570.1360

SHOW NOTES:
EMAILs/ TWEEETS / SHOUT OUTS:

Email #1: Hey Bassy and Baldy,

Like both of you guys I’m a fan of the WCT, it’s surfers and the webcasts, and like both of you I was both enthralled and disappointed by what went down at the Fiji Pro on June 8. Enthralled because regardless of who was in the water, we got to see some epic hollow big wave surfing go down. And disappointed because we didn’t get to see high-performance WCT surfing go down in rare waves of consequence. I feel Surfline did a great job at breaking down the situation, but my own thoughts — some not brought up in the article and some in response — are below.

1. While the best surfers for those conditions were indeed in the water when things lined up (and I was stoked to see them charge), this was a WCT event and if those big wave surfers were skunked because the contest was run, well, c’est la vie. Those days were blacked out for that event well in advance and those chargers were aware of this as they boarded airplanes.

2. The fact that some WCT surfers were unprepared for such a swell is inexcusable; Surfline predicted the swell well in advance (hell, I was giddy about watching such a swell hit) and so it wasn’t like it wasn’t in the mainstream. They needed to be ready in case it paid off like expected. They’re professionals, it’s their job to be prepared for all conditions. Shaun White doesn’t show up with his powder board when he’s going to be competing in the Superpipe. Or if it’s fogged out, slope style competitors bring appropriate goggles. Can you imagine Kobe Bryant not competing because he brought the wrong shoes? Please. If you don’t have the right board, whatever the conditions, then you perform accordingly. Simple.

3. The great thing about the WCT tour is that the different breaks bring out different strengths and weaknesses in different surfers; advantages and disadvantages are implicit in such a format. This is obvious. The tour tends to be skewed to fairness because of this; things balance out. The PGA Tour is interesting because of this. It’s the same idea. If you’re well-rounded, you’ll probably succeed.

4. If there was ever going to be a time when “inexperienced” WCT surfers were going to compete in those conditions, this was it. It was indeed paddleable and there was arguably some of the most experienced water patrol to minimize the risk and “pick up the pieces” when necessary. If there was ever a time to go and and push the sport forward, June 8 was the day. There might be another opportunity such as this, but with waiting periods being as constricted as they are, and the lack of spots on the tour that have such consequential “magical” days are few. Sure, there will be special swells for trestles, super tubes, bells etc., but they’ll never have the teeth of a break like Cloudbreak.

5). This is the main stage for pro surfing. These are the kind of conditions where names are made. Think about Jeremy Flores last year in Tahiti. Here’s a kid, who only a couple of years earlier opted not to charge the big stuff when presented the opportunity (the infamous vote to wait or not for an incoming swell) in competition and has now been invited to the Eddie based on his performance. The ASP missed an opportunity to further its lesser-known and younger surfers — the brands future — beyond Kelly Slater. A potential gutsy, surprise performance from somebody unexpected was squandered. Somebody was robbed of the opportunity to make a name for themselves. Imagine an XXL nominee in a WCT jersey? Competition is how these athletes at that level push each other. Those who have it in them to step up, will. Those who don’t, won’t. Simple. Competitive, live sports are compelling because of the drama they create; we truly don’t know what’s going to happen. That’s exciting. It’s not scripted. Think Michael Jordan. Think Willis Reed. Think Kirk Gibson. All big performances on the biggest stage. All legendary.

Look, it was great to see all those waves ridden by guys who do that for a living. As a surf fan, and now a quadriplegic who doesn’t surf much, I was in heaven. But this was a WCT event, and this kind of high-level competition can’t be duplicated during a free surf. Yeah, guys push each other with each wave ridden no matter what, but it’s different — it’s friendlier. Look at the emotion generated between Adriano and CJ; that was only because winning and losing were on the line i.e. ratings points, money, personal accolades, a career.

So as exciting as it was to watch some of the best big wave surfers do what they do in conditions they’re familiar with, it would have been far more riveting and dramatic to see WCTers make competitive surfing history, and quite possibly witness an unexpected legendary performance. Extraordinary circumstances have a way of bringing out the extraordinary in humans.

Oh, what could have been.

Great show guys! Peace and aloha.

Tony S — end emails —-

Segment #2 Brought to you by THE BOARDROOM INTERNATIONAL SURFBOARD SHOW Oct 6 & 7 Del Mar Farigrounds – more info at http://surfboardshow.com

SURFING should consider a separate big-wave tour, says 11-time world champion Kelly Slater.

Slater was responding to questions from The Australian regarding the decision to halt the Volcom Fiji Pro in what turned out to be enormous, perfect waves at Cloudbreak.

When that event was called off, it allowed up to 30 big-wave specialists, who had flown in especially for the occasion, to put on their own show. The session was broadcast live on Volcom’s webcast and its TV affiliates.

Asked if the decision not to run the event had diminished the sport’s marketability, Slater said: “It actually brings up a more interesting question about the Association of Surfing Professionals backing a big-wave world tour or events in a specialty way as they happen.

“These (big-wave) guys and these swells need a good platform that supports what they’re already doing and someone to really document the whole lifestyle and help these guys out more.”
The most influential people in Sport

As reported in The Australian last week, the decision to abandon the contest came down to a split vote, with head judge Richie Porta voting for the event to proceed and contest director Matt Wilson and a representative of the surfers calling for a postponement.

There has been some speculation in online forums about exactly who was the surfer who voted with Wilson to stop the contest. However, Taj Burrow, who would have been in the first heat if the event had continued, said the surfers’ vote had been the result of a kind of consensus.

Burrow said he was consulted, as were a handful of other surfers in the ensuing heats. “I was scared,” Burrow said with a wry laugh.

“I’m pretty sure the surfers felt like we just didn’t have big enough boards. It was just this really weird, unorganised moment. In the meantime, the big-wave guys were out there going nuts and a lot of us felt we’d just watch them.”

The incident also raises the issue of the role of the contest director, and whose interests he represents. In an email to The Australian, Wilson, who normally works for the ASP as a regional director, said he was still being employed by the ASP at the time of the announcement to call off the contest.

But ASP tour manager Renato Hickel said: “For that event, Matt was the contest director through Volcom. Once the event accepts, he’s working for the event.”

The distinction is important. Volcom was in a win-win situation at the time. Call the event on, and the world’s most famous surfers will throw themselves at huge waves, live on Volcom’s broadcast. Call the event off, and it still gets to broadcast the unsanctioned big-wave session anyway, regardless of the opportunity lost for the ASP.

Slater said the ASP should have one contest director for the entire season, whose allegiance is to the ASP.

“We should have a single contest director for all events hired by ASP who works closely with the people who know each spot best,” he said. “We have seen cases where contest directors can run based on conditions that suit their friends/sponsored riders best. It’s human nature. We need someone at arm’s length.”

Slater added, however, he wasn’t criticising Wilson. “I don’t think he did a bad job.”

TOP 5 Stories:
#1 QnA Performance Shaping Bay has a solid list of shapers lined up to talk design to the surfing public:
Rusty P., Matt Calvani, Matt Biolos, Daniel Thomson, Chris Christenson, Timmy Patterson, Tim Stamps, a DIY show by Foam Ez, DIY by Shaper Studios
Name Change

#2 Parko to Paddle Molokai. From JoelParko.com
How long has the idea of doing the Molokai race been floating around in your head?

It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long while now, but I never thought I’d ever get the chance. It’s always been on the bucket list but I never thought it’d come together until I’d finished with the tour.

How much of the race’s vibe have you soaked up over the years?

I’m always watching it every year. We’re generally in J-Bay when it’s on and I’m always checking it out. I guess Jamie (Mitchell, 10-time winner) is the king of it and being a Gold Coast surfer I’ve always been interested in the race and how he went. It’s been in the back of my mind to give it a go one year and experience it.

Are you doing it solo or as a team?

I’m doing it as a team with Wes (Berg). He’s one of the best board paddlers in the world and a guy I’ve trained with for years now, so he’s a pretty handy guy to do the race with.

How do you think you’ll go?

[Laughing] I’ll just be happy to finish. I’m there for the experience, not the win. It’s about being in the ocean, that’s why I’m doing it.

And you’re hearing the Kelly might be doing it as well?

Yeah… [laughing] maybe he doesn’t want Jamie to get to 11 Molokai wins! Nah, I reckon he’ll be doing it for pretty much the same reasons I’m doing it. I reckon he’s probably been thinking about doing it for a while too. It’ll be good having him in the race

#3 Matt Biolos off to Spain to shapes, so if you want him to make you a board call the Pukas factory in Spain and Matt will dial you in.

#4 Congrats to Jake Marshall from Encinitas Ca, for winning the boys U14 division of the USA Surf Championship yesterday at Lowers.

#5 Want to paddle a Downwinder on the Mainland? The Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge (CGPC) is a Festival celebrating the sport of Stand Up Paddling in the spectacular Columbia River Gorge. The 2012 Gorge Paddle Challenge will once again feature a Distance Downwind Race, a Course Race, a Team Relay Race and a recreational, non-competitive Paddle for the Park, a fundraiser for the new Hood River Waterfront Park. In addition, there will be SUP exhibits from many companies, free SUP lessons and demos, live music and more!

The inaugural 2011 Gorge Paddle Challenge was held in near perfect conditions at the Hood River Waterfront Park. The Event was a huge success, with tremendous positive feedback from the athletes, sponsors and spectators. With over $15,000 in prize money given away the CGPC became one of the top prize money races in the US.
#5

June 03, 2012 — Down The Line Surf Talk Radio with Bassy n Baldy on XTRA SPORTS 1360AM in San Diego; on iTunes podcast (Google it).

Segment Sponsor Quiksilver Waterman Collection is presenting next years’ Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection which takes place May 11, 2013 in the brand new state-of-the-art building at the OC Fairgrounds called The HANGAR. Quiksilver Waterman Collection and their brand ambassadors on twitter Mark Healey @healeysurf , Shayne McIntyre @ShayneMcIntyre, Jamie Mitchell, Peter Mel @peter_mel, Mel Pu’u: Robby Naish;

Contact us @surfboardexpo @jeffbaldy surftalksandiego@Gmail.com call the show 858.570.1360

SHOW NOTES:
EMAILs/ TWEEETS / SHOUT OUTS:

Email #1: Scott,
I agree that the commentators need to be a bit more critical and tell it like it is, but I think the bigger problem is all the downtime between waves. Even in pumping conditions, several minutes can pass between rides and the commentators can only say so much. I think the secret to improve the webcasts is filling those time gaps with relevant, educational, and entertaining content.
It requires a lot more preparation and pre-event work, but it would really fill in the gaps and make it more entertaining. Surfing is so much more than just waiting for the next wave. James Humberstone
–end email–
The ASP needs to hire a professional live sports producer. The need Don Ohlmeyer. One problem: verbal rhythm, ie. The lead commentator is the quarterback and all should yield to him to guide the broadcast. ps. A little bit of silence is okay.

EMAIL #2
Bassy& Baldy – re: the commentating on the Volcom Pro Fiji webcast – I fully agree about the 3 commentators talking over each other. I also concur about having a critical color guy (like Chris Collinsworth – as much as he hates our Chargers, he just points out their flaws). But I disagree with you about Woolly’s commentary booth skills.
While watching the webcast with my wife, she kept asking who the annoyingly over-the-top hack color guy was. I had to explain that it was the guy who started Volcom and now feels the need to egomaniacally insert himself into the commentary booth, and talk over seasoned commentators like Dave Stanfield. I was subsequently asked to turn down the webcast.
We professional surfing fans do deserve better commentating – but it should not come from the likes of Bob Hurley, Bob McKnight, or Richard Woolcott. They should save the self-congratulatory brand-hyping for their shareholder meetings.
B.
P.S. They better f*%king run it at Cloudbreak.
—end email –
While I feel that Richard Woolcott is extremely qualified to be in the commentator booth and I appreciate his insights. I do agree that having the CEO of the event sponsor in the booth risks runs the risk of impropriety. Not worth the upside. -SB

TOP 5 STORIES:

#1 Volcom Fiji Pro. Set the stage:

• As predicted a huge swell arrived, 10′- 12′ – 15′; high tide, side-offshore wind. The contest director Matt Wilson decides to wait, hoping the wind and tide change the scenario.
• Around mid-day Matt Wilson decides to run the event. Two remaining round 2 heats are prepared to enter the water.
• The waves are huge and the end section is still difficult to negotiate due to wind, but the scoring is done in the beginning of the ride.
• Massive waves are ridden by all four competitors, and the tension is high, the drama real, an extremely exciting scenario is unfolding before us.
• Eleven waves were ridden in the first heat. It was epic drama watching those first two combatants enter the fray at Cloudbreak.
• Eight waves ridden in the second round two heat, and Raoni Monteiro was injured half way through. There would have been more waves ridden.
• By himself, all alone at Cloudbreak, Kai Otten got a massive barrel, but didn’t make it out.
• Then Matt Wilson called the event off for the day citing conditions, specifically the wind, as the determining factor.
• Literally as he is telling us that conditions have deteriorated, guys are getting sick shacks, behind him, on screen.

* Did Matt Wilson, the Contest Director, make the right call?
Those that said “yes” included anybody on camera. Kelly Slater. The “yes” crowd cited big wave experts deserve to surf this stuff. They train their whole lives for these types of days. They flew over here. It is their turn.
Those that said “no”, mostly via internet or social media, cried bullshit. An opportunity for the ASP to potentially create history was lost. They snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The had REAL drama! Drama that you can taste. The worlds best surfers in the worlds best waves EVER! And they said “no thanks”. ESPN said it best, in a write up stating, “never in the history of the sport has the gap between the world’s best and those that are on the ASP World tour been bigger.”

ASP PROS themselves admitted they aren’t that good, “It was disturbing what those guys were doing, it was a totally different league,” said ASP Pro Surfer Yadin Nichol, “I felt like an idiot out there in the lineup. I was just so under gunned on a 6’9″ with no oxygen tanks or flotation vest. I just got flogged out there.”

FROM ESPN: “The contrast between those that charge and those that don’t has never been so stark. Should the world tour event have pressed on and tried to capture some of this thunder in a bottle? Most certainly. Ian Walsh, Reef McIntosh and all the guys that charged throughout the afternoon proved themselves, as ASP Pro Ace Buchan noted, “to be on another level.” So what does that say about the level on tour? The world’s best surfers in the world’s best waves? The ASP might want to think up another slogan, because with only a few exceptions, that one’s just not cutting it.”

At the end of the day, you can spin the decision to not run the event in the best waves ever however you need to spin it to make yourself feel good. One thing you cannot spin: the ASP’s TOP 34 professionals lost an incredible opportunity to pronounce themselves as ‘the real deal.’That is not an opinion. That is fact. If your definition of “best surfers” doesn’t include tracking through perfect 20′+ Cloudbreak then you’re clueless. Handling 20′+ Cloudbreak is the baseline litmus test for being a professional surfer. After that you can go practice your airs. If you are in the Top 34 and you didn’t paddle out that afternoon, well, you have a lot of work to do. Isn’t charging huge waves important to the Top 34? Goodness, we would have learned so much. The Top 34 would have learned so much– about themselves! An opportunity lost forever. I’ve said it for a long time, the ASP is 50% sport and 50% marketing directive. Finally the curtain has been lifted, the Wizard of Oz revealed.

I don’t blame the Top 34 surfers. If given the green light by the contest officials, I have little doubt they all would have paddled out for heats. They did at Teahupoo last year. It was hair-raising. It was real sport. It was drama.

SOCIAL MEDIA INSIGHT & OPINION FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AROUND THE INTERNET & TWEETERVERSE:
“We’re all challenged to the breaking point at one time or another. Professional surfers on tour should be no different.”

“The ASP needed to run it for the ASP. They would have been on every news outlet everywhere if their PR people were on it. This is why pro surfing will never reach the level some people want it to be .. maybe that’s a good thing. ”

“EPIC FAIL”

“Yesterday’s footage was spectacular, but 2 man heats in that would have been torture.”

“To be honest, I’m glad they put the underachievers over at Restaurants because they would be monopolizing and clogging up the lineup at Cloudbreak keeping the real surfers out of the lineup like Healey, Navarro, et al. This whole debacle has revealed what everybody has already known about the bifurcation in surfing between the pro-hos and the hell men.”

“Those big waves guys really put into perspective just how lame the ASP tour can be.”

“I’m curious which pros are going to speak up about the guys who never left the island (or got onto a boat) yesterday.”

“I am glad they didn’t try to run… way better show… with all those chargers down there for that swell it woulda been a crime to have the water cleared…
Great call to cancel and wait”

Hats off to the best surfers in the world: John John, Pat Gudauskas, Fanning, Parko, Bede, Melling, Healey, Reef, Ian Walsh, both Hobgoods, Jensen Hassett, Ramon Navarro, Dave Wassel, Nathan Fletcher, et al. Watch the video.

VOLCOM FIJI PRO QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.60 def. John John Florence (HAW) 9.10
QF 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 13.60 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 10.46

VOLCOM FIJI PRO REMAINING QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
QF 3: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
QF 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)

VOLCOM FIJI PRO SEMIFINAL MATCH-UPS:
SF 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
SF 2: TBD

#2 Controversial Malibu Lagoon project
LA TIMES: In a battle that has polarized the wealthy beach town of Malibu, activists are pledging to stand in the path of oncoming bulldozers when work begins this week on a controversial effort by the state to clean up a pollution-choked salt marsh that sits next to a world-renowned surf spot.
State contractors are set to begin fencing off Malibu Lagoon on Friday before draining the salt marsh and reshaping its shores and channels

On one side is a well-organized alliance of surfers, environmental activists, Malibu locals and celebrities such as Pamela Anderson and Red Hot Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis. They say the project is too heavy-handed, would destroy a lagoon they contend is already healthy and would flatten the waves at Surfrider Beach.

On the other side is the state of California, government scientists, a loose contingent of local supporters and prominent environmental groups saying that critics are ignoring years of science showing that the lagoon is sick and in need of radical surgery.

The plan calls for workers to drain 12 acres of the wetland and scoop out more than 1,000 dump-truck loads of sediment. The banks will be reshaped and new vegetation planted, correcting a 1983 project that carved a restored wetland out of an estuary that had been filled with dirt to build baseball diamonds.

The four-month project, backers say, will create a viable ecosystem with water flowing in and out again; support more plants, birds and fish; and have no effect on surfing. They say it could potentially bring even cleaner water to Surfrider Beach, one of the most polluted in the state.

#3 With the 2012 Billabong Pro J-Bay being an ASP 6 Star event on the ASP World Tour, this year provides an opportunity for all South African surfers to shine. Prizemoney and ASP points are on offer, with the points being what every aspiring South African pro surfer is after in their respective bids to qualify for the ASP World Championship Tour. From seasoned campaigners to young rookies, everyone wants to surf an event at Supertubes
Segment : Brought to you by THE BOARDROOM INTERNATIONAL SURF BOARD SHOW Oct 6 & 7 2012 DM fairgrounds honoring 4X World Champion MR

June 03, 2012 — Down The Line Surf Talk Radio with Bassy n Baldy on XTRA SPORTS 1360AM in San Diego; on iTunes podcast (Google it).

Listen to the show RIGHT NOW!!

Down The Line tweeter campaign!! Send this Tweet to the Volcom Fiji Pro folks: “World’s Best in HUGE Cloudbreak! Say NO to RESTAURANTS! #volcomfijipro”

Let me know you want to see the world’s best in HUGE Cloudbreak this Thursday and Friday.

Segment Sponsor Quiksilver Waterman Collection is presenting next years’ Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection which takes place May 11, 2013 in the brand new state-of-the-art building at the OC Fairgrounds called The HANGAR. Quiksilver Waterman Collection and their brand ambassadors on twitter Mark Healey @healeysurf , Shayne McIntyre @ShayneMcIntyre, Jamie Mitchell, Peter Mel @peter_mel, Mel Pu’u: Robby Naish;

Surf Forecast SOLSPOT.com – Adam Wright – There is a hefty West swell forming underneath Japan that looks to hit Hawaii June 12th. A Pipeline swell.

EMAIL: Hi Bassy and Baldy!

First off, I would like to say that I am a huge fan of the show! I download the podcasts weekly and listen to them over here in Scotland imagining the sunshine while we have snow! You guys really need to stop moaning about the water being cold in San Diego, it’s May and we still have snow on the hills.

My name is Allyn Harper and I am the film maker behind “Through The Whisky Barrel”. I am so stoked that my film was selected to be showcased at the San Diego Film Festival this weekend. It really is a huge honour to represent Scotland over in one of my favourite places in the world!

I am gutted that I could not be over there fro the SD Surf Film fest weekend to meet you all and hang out. I am planning a trip over later in the summer and hope to meet everyone involved then!

It would be great to hear from you both, as your show always gets me stoked when I listen to it every Monday morning. Yeah Guy!

Also, if you can give me an address, I’d like to send you out a couple of copies of the film.

I was happy to get the hood off this weekend for the first time this year, as we are now basking in 46F water. You guys would be more than welcome over here anytime, as long as you can cope with the chilly weather and uncrowded waves.

Cheers,

Allyn Harper

mail@throughthewhiskybarrel.com
www.throughthewhiskybarrel.com
——————————————————-

Contact us @surfboardexpo @jeffbaldy surftalksandiego@Gmail.com call the show 858.570.1360

SHOW NOTES:

Segment 2: Brought to you by THE BOARDROOM INTERNATIONAL SURF BOARD SHOW Oct 6 & 7 2012 DM fairgrounds honoring 4X World Champion MR Top 5 Stories

1) Volcom Fiji Pro started yesterday, Round 1 in solid 6-8′ Cloudbreak; really if you were there, the boat dirvers would be calling it 4-6′ ; easily 10′ faces out there. Big moment was Mitch Coleborn snatching victory from Kelly Slater in the final moments of their round one heat.

Fantasy Surfer Fans, let me tell you… when it is this big or bigger, it is all about experience. Time in the water at Cloudbreak, very difficult wave to figure it out, until you’ve figured it out. Veterans will do good, unless it gets smaller and moves to Restaurants. Event then, you need to know the wave.
Kolohe, Gabe Medina, Miguel Pupo, Julian Wilson, young guns on tour were firing blanks today. Except John John FLorence, who went over the falls, and then dominated late.

John John Florence (HAW), 19, who took out his inaugural ASP WCT victory in Brazil last month, recovered from a recent bout of flu in Fiji to take a come-from-behind victory over fellow rookie Miguel Pupo (BRA), 20, and veteran Kieren Perrow (AUS), 35.

“My confidence is there, but I’ve been sick the last few days,” Florence said. “I had a session the other day, so the confidence is there and it’s kind of not. I went over the falls on that one and it was a good warm up to get kind of shaken up a bit.”

Friday the 8th (potential to see very long period forerunners as early as Thursday late afternoon and evening), from a storm that will move through the Southern Ocean and toward New Zealand over the next few days. If the storm behaves as currently forecast surf will easily be triple overhead+++ and larger at Cloudbreak.

VOLCOM FIJI PRO ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Isei Tokovu (FIJ)
Heat 2: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Willian Cardoso (BRA)
Heat 3: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 5: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Yadin Nicol (AUS)
Heat 7: Miguel Pupo (BRA) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 8: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Heat 9: Tiago Pires (PRT) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA)
Heat 10: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 11: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 12: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)

2) The Quiksilver Ceremonial Chile presented by MINI will reach the end of its original 60-day contest window on May 31–but with large swells still consistently forming in the region, event organizers have extended the waiting period to June 15. The Quiksilver Ceremonial Chile, the first stop on the Big Wave World Tour, is one of the world’s most anticipated big wave events..

* Hoping they get some surf, this tour needs a full season.

3) explore.org LAUNCHES REEL LIFE with MIKE PRICKETT: A Web Video Series & Community Blog Documenting the Incredible Work & Uncertain Road for Acclaimed Underwater Cinematographer Partially Paralyzed in Diving Accident
On March 14, 2012, while filming underwater on location off the coast of an atoll in French Polynesia, Mike saw a diver below him in distress. Acting instinctively, Mike helped the diver make an emergency ascent but in the process was partially paralyzed from a severe case of the bends. While the man he saved was ultimately able to walk away from the incident, Mike was told he may never walk again. His doctors say it will take six months to find out how well he will recover.
explore.org, the philanthropic media organization and multi-media arm of the Annenberg Foundation, has launched a special web video series, photo gallery and community web site today that chronicles the extraordinary life, work, and current struggle with paraplegia of world renowned ocean cinematographer, Mike Prickett (Hawaii).

* The other get walked away from the accident.

Segment 3: Brought to you by THE BOARDROOM INTERNATIONAL SURF BOARD SHOW Oct 6 & 7 2012 DM fairgrounds honoring 4X World Champion MR

4) Kelly Slater joins Go Pro- Slater will be joining Mark Healey, Alana Blanchard, Sunny Garcia, Jamie Sterling, Kelia Moniz, Harley Ingleby, Monyca Byrne Wickey, Hughes Oyarzabel, Anthony Walsh, Kalani Chapman and Chuck Patterson on the GoPro team.

5) Catching up with Executive Director of a new surfboard show, THE BOARDROOM

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 31 May, 2012 : – - Scott Bass has a hefty resume in the surf world and is most well known as being the instrument behind the Sacred Craft surfboard show. As the owners of Sacred Craft decided not to run the show this year, Scott’s been hit with a lot of questions about future surfboard shows. In the following interview he answers a lot of those questions…

Rob Farrow: So, first off, tell us what happened to Sacred Craft ®*, why did you change the name to THE BOARDROOM?
Well. Frankly I can’t talk too much about Sacred Craft ® because it is not my property. I do not own it. It is not really my place to discuss it. The Nielsen Corporation, the company that produced the ASR shows in San Diego, owns Sacred Craft ®. But, understanding that you and everybody in the industry looks to me for the answer to that question, I can tell you that I was told by the Nielsen Corporation that Sacred Craft ® won’t happen in 2012. Let me be clear that I did not change the name. I can’t change the name of something I do not own. The Boardroom International Surfboard Show is in fact an entirely new surfboard show and is in no way affiliated with Sacred Craft ®.

RF: How is THE BOARDROOM new, what makes it different?
As a lover of surfboards I can tell you that surfboards are at the core of the THE BOARDROOM show, as they should be. I was reading a back-issue Surfer’s Journal entry written by Tom Morey, a fabulous read, and what came across more than anything was that Morey understood and understands, without any sub-cultural dogma, that riding waves no matter what the vehicle, puts smiles on people faces: hand-planes, mats, McDonalds trays, five fins, four fins, no fins, wave-skates, carbon, poly, eps, – whatever. I believe as a sub-culture surfers are finally understanding what Morey has known for decades. We are finally explorers on the wave face, rather than captives. As far as what we use to ride the waves with, I really believe that we as surfers are at a liberating place on our evolutionary surfing timeline. Technology and groovy-ness are becoming comfortable with each other.

RF: That’s rather abstract, what do you mean by that exactly?
I was watching video of Bruce Irons and Todd Morcom getting towed into some meaty Mexican beach break, Colima or Oaxaca, and they were was riding boards that were 4’10”. Doing step-offs, it was incredible. Check out the Volcom Annhilator series videos. Mind-blowing. Sometimes as surfers we are so close to it, we live it, and sometimes we are too close. We can’t see the trees because of the forest. We fail to recognize how radically and how quickly technology is changing things for us. And then to juxtapose, yesterday I was surfing some meager windswell with some 20-something hipster surfers from Newport Beach. They had the whole hipster vibe going, and these guys put a real emphasis on style. They were riding mid-length 6’10” single fins, that they had hand-shaped themselves. They put such emphasis on their bottom turns. There was so much style and body posturing and arching. They were performance artists. And so of course were Bruce and Morcom. Two different perspectives that in the past might not have been able to co-exist, from a marketing perspective, or even in the same physical space. But now it is okay. You can have iced tea for breakfast. And that is really what THE BOARDROOM is all about. It is about Tom Morey’s simple understanding – you and a wave. Go ride it. We don’t care how. Just ride it man.

RF: What are you riding these days?
I’ve been having a blast on some longer single fins that I turned into 2+1’s, widow-makers. They are really similar to the type of single-fins I learned on in the late 70s: single-wing, round pins, slight beak nose, wide-point forward. But they have modern rockers and bottoms, I’ve added the side-bites which I found really helps, especially through full rail-to-rail transitions within the roundhouse cutback. I’m also into Carl’s (Ekstrom) Asyms, and I’m due for the next adventure with Carl. He’s going to do one with the long rail on my heel side. I have so many fun boards right now it’s stupid. I’ve been on the search for the perfect round board. I’ve also been really into the hand plane thing. I can spend 20 minutes swimming with a hand plane and get such a great workout. They waves can be crap, which they often are, but all I need is a 1’-foot wave, an open shoulder. I’ve been doing a little bit of standup too. Long distance runs, which for me is 2 miles (ha). I will say that I’ve taken to that role of aging-shortboard-martyr-dude. You know that crusty older dude that stubbornly sits and sits and sits, up to his armpits in water, for a meager little wave on his 5’ 10” short board while longboarders and SUPS are doing laps around him. That’s me. Sometimes I laugh at myself, “How did I become that guy?” Usually that’s about the time I realize it’s time to swim with the hand plane.

RF: A mainstay of your shows is the tribute to a legendary shaper, I see you have Mark Richards involved this year.
Yes. I am super excited about MR being honored at THE BOARDROOM. I’m calling it the Icons of Foam Tribute. US Blanks is the presenting sponsor and it will follow a similar format to other shape-off competitions. As you know, MR is a 4X World Champion on the ASP World Tour. He is a super person, a wonderful ambassador, a surfing and shaping legend. MR has selected some contemporaries as well as some newer guys to shape. The list is solid: Reno, Rawson, Ricky Carroll (2X winner), Wayne Rich (2X winner and defending champ), John Pyzel (John John’s shaper) and young gun, 15-year-old Taz from the Canary Islands. The MR twin fin is a classic. What MR did on those boards was absolutely masterful. Look, if you get me started on MR I could go on for days. I think the one thing that really sticks out for me, is that he is one of only two world champions to shape his own equipment while on a world title campaign. The other being PT (Peter Townend). Today that’s is simply unheard of.

RF: What about Slater?
Kelly Slater might be in that mix as well. I’m simply not sure how far Kelly translates his designs from the computer to the shaping bay. I certainly do not want to shortchange Kelly. And if he has actually finish–shaped and signed a board that he rode during a world-title campaign, than I want to give him that due as well. Regardless, Slater deserves a lot of credit for opening up the minds of the every day surfer. Kelly is in a powerful position and when he rides something new people sit up and take notice. Just look at Sean Mattison’s Nubster fin. Kelly is an advocate of surfboard design and the surfboard industry. On the webcasts he is often talking about board design, not just his own, but his fellow competitors. It is great for the surfboard industry. In many ways Kelly personifies what Tom Morey was discussing in that article. Kelly is that hardcore surfer who is taking all the tools, the computer, the technologies, the new fins systems, the new foams – all of it, and he’s experimenting. It is not a one-size-fits-all world, and Slater, just as a consequence of his own curious nature and his position as ad-hoc spokesman for surfing, helps push that way of thinking.

RF: What underground shaper is fits that mold, a guy who is experimenting with new technologies and all the tools that are out there?
Well, I shouldn’t really name names because, well really there are too many to name here. You know, we’re going to have a ‘Best of Show’ area within THE BOARDROOM and the viewing public can put in their vote on this very subject. There are five different categories: concept board, longboard, shortboard, sustainable, and wood. The winners of each category will be put into the finals and the viewing public will decide the ‘Best of Show’ from the five category winners. We are asking each exhibitor to enter a board but you don’t have to be an exhibitor to enter a board. It’ll be a great viewing area with state-of-the-art boards. There will be drool buckets… and towels.

RF: I saw on a recent press release that you are including something called ‘Cinema Grotto,’ what exactly is that and does it include Playboy Bunnies?
Ah. No, no playboy bunnies. We’re going to view short films in the Cinema Grotto. The short film genre has been an effective story telling device for, pardon the pun, a long time. It’s also much more challenging for the filmmaker. There are some incredible short films out there. The San Diego Surf Film Festival inspired me to ask some of these filmmakers to show off their films at THE BOARDROOM. Of course we are hoping to show Markus Davids new documentary on the legendary shapers called, fittingly, BoardRoom – Legends of Shaping.

What else do you have planned for THE BOARDROOM?
Oh man, lots of stuff. Tons of live shaping and an inside the shaping bay QnA design discussion with the worlds best board builders including Rusty Preisendorfer, Matt Biolos, Chris Christenson, Matt Calvani, Daniel Tomson and many others. A morning board & gear demo at 15th St., a longboard skatezone, live performance surf art benefitting long time Hobie shaper Terry Martin (RIP) & the Sport of Kings Foundation, the Surfing Heritage Foundation Gun Club lounge, live music, a vintage surf swap & appraisals, free surfboards. It’d be best to check out the website for all the info and the happs.

One last thing, when and where?
October 6 & 7 Del Mar Fairgrounds; doors open at 10am.

* Sacred Craft® is registered trademark, owned by Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Furthermore, Scott Bass, Scott Bass, Inc. and The Boardroom are not endorsed, sponsored, or affiliated with Sacred Craft® or Nielsen Business Media.

www.theboardroomshow.com