DOWN THE LINE Surf Talk Radio

SURFING NEWS — SURFING NEWS — TOP 5 SURFING STORIES OF THE WEEK AND MUCH MORE SURFING NEWS — SURFING NEWS — TOP 5 SURFING STORIES OF THE WEEK DISCUSS

This show brought to you by the Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection
May 11, 2013 OC Fair & Events Center

March 10, 2013 SURFING NEWS — TOP SURFING STORIES OF THE WEEK – March 10, 2013 – Surfing News, Surf News : SURFING NEWS — SURFING NEWS — TOP 5 SURFING STORIES OF THE WEEK AND MUCH MORE SURFING NEWS 5 stories much more!
w/ Scott Bass (surfer) and Jeff Baldwin (surfer)

SURF REPORT: ADAM WRIGHT SOLSPOT.COM

EMAIL:

SONNY MILLER IN STUDIO
CATCHING UP WITH SONNY MILLER

TOP 5 STORIES

#1 THE BOARDROOM AT HB DURING THE US OPEN
Perhaps by now you’ve heard the news that I’m re-locating the 2013 West Coast incarnation of The Boardroom International Surfboard Show to the HB Pier running alongside the Vans US Open of Surf. I’m dedicated to doing it right or not doing it all.

To that end we’re building a 50K sq ft. climate controlled free standing structure with floors and carpet — on the beach. A major undertaking. But like I said, we’re doing it right.

The great success we’ve had with Sacred Craft and now The Boardroom is due in large part to the shapers and board builders commitment and passion. Their surfboards and their ethos of authenticity has made these shows a great place to congregate. The greater surf industry has seen it. They want in. Of course we all now that since day one the surf industry has been about surfboards. Without a doubt, the very first surf commerce involved a surfer paying or bartering with another surfer to build him a surfboard. Then came Blake, Simmons, Pacific System Homes. Then Quigg, Velzy, Noll, Hobie and many many others – the list is impressive. Passion for surfboards. You cannot have the surf industry without shapers / baordbuilder passion for building unique and exceptional craft.

Now we are going to share it: their passion, their vision, their authenticity — for the whole surf industry to see.

#2 TOM CURREN CALIFORNIA GOLD
Tom Curren and his band will be performing on May 11 at OC Fair & Events Center in Costa Mesa during the Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection.

SH VINTAGE SURF AUCTION TWO MONTHS AWAY – thevintagesurfauction.com Google it to see what is on the auction block

#3 John John Pulls Out of Quiksilver Pro

John John Florence 2012 ASP World No. 4 and ASP Dream Tour sophomore, has withdrawn from the opening event of the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) season, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, citing an ankle injury sustained during yesterday’s expression session.

Florence secured a convincing Round 1 win over Kai Otton (AUS), 33, and Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 27, last Tuesday and looked like a contender to post a big result in the season-opening event. However, an injury sustained while attempted a full-rotation aerial in Saturday’s expression session resulted in his withdrawal from the event today, just hours before his Round 3 match-up with Adam Melling (AUS), 27.

Melling advances directly to Round 4 of competition. The ASP wish John John a speedy recovery and look forward to him returning to the water soon.

Dane concept = Wouldn’t it be interesting to see Billabong invite Dane to surf at Teahupoo? WHy not? You’d get tons of exposure, can Dane surf Teahpoo? Puts a liitle pressure on Dane, brings eyeballs to Billabong Pro,

#4 A two-month-old piglet is being taught to surf
by his owner in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. Zorro, the crossbreed pig, has been surfing since he was just three weeks old and is described as a ‘phenomenal swimmer’ by his owner Matthew Bell. Bell says he is determined to take Zorro out surfing with him until the piglet grows too big

#5 RED BULL JAWS, Paddle at Pe’ahi enters the final week

of its holding period today, with the last day being next Friday, March 15.

Since December 7, 2012, the event’s 21 Invitees have been ready to activate for this one-day big wave paddle-in event – the first of its kind to be held at Jaws, on Maui, Hawaii. However, an optimal day of surf with wave face heights in the specified range of 30 to 50 feet, out of the NNW with light winds, has not presented itself. There have been a handful of invaluable warm-up days for the surfers, but the required size and/or quality standards ultimately fell short thus far.

“The New Years Eve swell was for sure the closest we’ve come since the waiting period opened,” explains Jaws local and event Invitee Ian Walsh. “It was definitely a fun day but a touch inconsistent and a touch small for what the surfers and the spectators want to see. We’ve had a few swells right on the line, but not quite big enough.”

“This winter has been very mediocre,” Walsh added. “We’ve had a lot of really strong winds, a pretty decent amount of rain, but as far as waves go, very mediocre. We haven’t had too many really big days and the big days that have come have been with weather or difficult winds.”

SURFING NEWS — SURFING NEWS — TOP 5 SURFING STORIES OF THE WEEK AND MUCH MORE SURFING NEWS — SURFING NEWS — TOP 5 SURFING STORIES OF THE WEEK DISCUSS

FEBRUARY 17, 2013 SURFING NEWS — TOP SURFING STORIES OF THE WEEK – JOSHUA AND DOC DORIAN PASKOWITZ
w/ Scott Bass (surfer) and Jeff Baldwin (surfer)

SURF REPORT: ADAM WRIGHT SOLSPOT.COM

EMAIL:

Hey Scott and Baldy, Awesome shows! Keep ‘um coming and hope you get that second hour!
Long time listener here from Nor Cal. Have been a fan since the “Down The Line Radio” days
So now that Taylor Knox is retired from the WCT, I was thinking it might be a good segment to get him on the phone or in studio and talk about his retirement, reflections, moving on, etc. Timing might be good now also to discuss his and Snips’ trip up here to surf epic Ocean Beach SF last weekend. (Snips’ wipeout and broken neck is also a relevant related story – so glad he’s expected to make a full recovery, yikes.) And now that TK is off the tour, maybe he’ll finally answer the question about why he never took an HPSB Bonzer out in a heat!!
Looking forward to new shows with continuing great commentary and interviews.
Aloha, Koa Pickering Nor Cal
___________________
#2 “I heard Scott Bass’ surf report (on KPBS) and have a couple of questions: What is buoy energy and what does it tell a surfer? This morning, I thought I heard a wave description of “lumpy wagon.” Did I hear correctly and, if so, what does that mean?

Thanks for enlightening me.” Buoy energy = buoys, stationed offshore in various locales, register the swell approaching the coastline. Lumpy wagons= surf venacular referring to mixed up, junky, unclean, un-symetric waves, chaos but also, hollow, tubular. Usually happens after a big wind event / storm, followed by an evening of offshore winds.

SEGMENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY SURFING HERITAGE VINTAGE SURF AUCTION PRESENTED BY QUIKSILVER WATERMAN COLLECTION TAKING PLACE MAY 11 AT THE ORANGE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS: GET TICKETS AND INFORMATION AT :

HTTP://THEVINTAGESURFAUCTION.COM

The Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection – May 11, 2013 at the Orange County Fairgrounds

The theme is “California Gold” and the Surfing Heritage (SH) is focusing on just that, boards and memorabilia with a California flair from the ’20s through the ’80s. We’ve already coalesced a solid selection of “Gold’ from various sellers and are actively searching for more. We’re anticipating between 50 prime vintage surfboards for the live auction and at least 40 items including surfboards for the silent auction.

Randy Rarick, a member of the Surfing Heritage Auction Advisory Committee, and a great friend of the Surfing Heritage, has lent his auction expertise to the Surfing Heritage and will also serve as the emcee of this gala.

Please put the Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection (May 11, 2013) on your radar!
__________________________________________

SEGMENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE 100 WAVE CHALLENGE THIS SUMMER IN MISSION BEACH TH E100 WAVE CHALLENGE 100 WAVE CHALLENGE DOT COM

Joshua and Dorian Paskowitz tell us why you are here, (a big art reception at Bliss 101 in Encinitas).
when what time where, how,

What is Bliss 101, sounds warm and inviting.

How long have you been an artist, were you born an artist?

Doc abandoned the medical practice, loaded his nine children and wife, Juliette, into a camper, and traveled all around the country. In the meantime the eight sons—David, Jonathan, Abraham, Israel, Moses, Adam, Salvador Daniel, and Joshua—and one daughter, Navah, became world-class surfers, all while strictly adhering to their Jewish faith and keeping a diet that included no sugar and no fat. Eventually the Paskowitzes went on to found a surfing camp, which several of the brothers run to this day.

The documentary SurfWise explores the wonders of a vagabond childhood, from growing up on the sea to a frank recognition of the realities of life, as well as the pitfalls—most of the Paskowitz children, all adults now, recognize that their upbringing poorly prepared them to lead normal lives.

Joshua: 10 years, 12 years after the camper thing was already done, all the stuff, each brother wrestled with their own version of the story of the family. In one artistic swoop, Doug and Jonathan and the people involved with the Surfwise film, have been able to unify all those disparate vision into one single, clear story. We’ve never been able to get that close to completeness ever. Just to round up the herd of cats that is the Paskowitz family and get them all pointed in one direction is an impossibility. We’re all very proud of Jonathan and everything that he’s done. We believe in the movie 100%. we feel like people will get a lot of out it. There’s some message that we all believe in.

Paskowitz clan, a unique story… a unique family , unique patriarch, unique upbringing.

You brought the family up in a School bus along the coastline in Southern California and Baja.

This could never happen again in our society: You’d be labeled as a homeless family, living in a car, and child protective services would be called, all of your children would be taken away. Your thoughts.

Joshua: if we equate the Paskowitz family with country of America and the founding fathers, Dorian is Thomas Jefferson, but Mom is George Washington.

Courageous. That’s what comes to mind. Courage.

I’ve met David, Abraham, Jonathon, and Izzy, all in separate contexts, never together. And I came away very impressed, very centered individuals. I think it comes form the love that family brings.

Surfing and Health – What’s the best energy drink for surfing?

Surfing and Peace: In the mid-east… Will Iran’s Ahmadinejad ever ride a wave?

Kelly Slater
Duke Kahanamoku

TOP 5 STORIES
#1 Five-times World Surfing Champion Stephanie Gilmore will be inducted as the 35th member of the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame in Sydney next Wednesday, 20th February. Her induction is part of the 2013 Australian Surfing Awards
#2 Kelly Slater third place at Pebble Beach Pro-Am
#3 Alana Blanchard in SI Swimsuit issue
#4 ASP WCT starts March 2
#5 The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) awarded Hansen Surfboards Men’s Retailer of The Year at its Image Awards. The award was judged by industry peers and honored the best of the surf industry for 2012. The retailer was also named Women’s Retailer of the Year in 2010, the year before Hansen Surfboards celebrated its 50th anniversary.

XGAMES REAL SURF $10K Video challenge
From old-school surf cinema to the modern-day Vimeo clip, monumental performances are spread, new locations revealed, divergent equipment shared, and the progression of the sport and the art of surfing march ever forward, documented throughout.

X Games is happy to introduce Real Surf to the continuum. In following the overwhelming successes of X Games’ Real Skate and Real Snow, Real Surf has pooled eight of the most talented performers the world over and asked them to assemble the most potent video edits possible. The winning video walks away with an X Games gold medal. The Fan Favorite — as decided by you, the reader and critic — comes away with a cool $10,000.

Kelly Slater, the 11-time world champion, headlines the eight-surfer video shootout. Logic would dictate that the winningest wave-rider of all time is a heavy favorite, but victory is hardly assured.
The barrier-pushing Australian contingent, featuring Julian Wilson, Josh Kerr, Chippa Wilson and Dion Agius, are renowned the world over for their performances on film. For the boys Down Under, video edits are like Vegemite and toast — it’s what they do best. Julian and Kerr are both top-10 surfers on the ASP World Tour, and they have a flair for the dramatic when it comes to their free surf sessions. Chippa and Agius have carved out their careers in front of the camera, delivering some of the more memorable video performances in recent years.

That should be enough to keep Slater’s hands full, but add Brazil’s Gabriel Medina, whose backflip at Off the Wall this winter went ridiculously viral, and heavy-footed South African Jordy Smith, who is hot off the release of his HD masterpiece “Bending Colour,” and things start to get real interesting real quick.

The addition of 2011 Innersection winner Matt Meola, who is equally adept at paddling into 30-foot Jaws and landing 720s, kicks things up another notch. The best surfers in the world, serving up their best performances with X Games gold on the line … what could be better?

The Real Surf series gets underway with Round 1 voting on April 2. Winners will be announced during X Games Brazil, April 18-21. Stay tuned, surfing’s about to get real.

September 23, 2012: Scott Bass Surfer, Jeff Baldwin Surfer — Down The Line surf talk radio

September 23, 2012: Today we talk about the Shark Ramp competition at the Boardroom, HURLEY PRO, LOWERS, KELLY SLATER, MICK FANNING, JOEL PARKINSON, JOHN JOHN FLORENCE

SEGMENT 1 sponsor
THE BOARDROOM INTERNATIONAL SURFBOARD SHOW –
HONORING MARK RICHARDS IN THE ICONS OF FOAM SHAPING TRIBUTE PRESENTED BY US BLANKS

October 6 & 7, 2012
Del Mar Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall
Open to the Public — Free surfboards !
Food, Music, Fun
Exhibits, Shaping, Events, Art
$10; U12 FREE
Free sub to SURFER Magazine for each paid entrant
Surfboard Demo morning at 15th Street in Del Mar Sunday Oct 7 CATCH BALDY

WEBCAST OF THE BOARDROOM: ON SURFERSVILLAGE.COM & SURFERMAG.COM & SOLSPOT.COM starts at Noon PST – both Saturday and Sunday

Email:#1

email #2:

email #3:

Belly Up Tavern & THE BOARDROOM INTERNATIONAL SURFBOARD SHOW have a special night planned for Oct 6th when Stephen Marley son of Bob Marley plays at the Belly Up Tavern. Reggae and Surfing, go together like Wavestorms and Costco.
Stephen Marley at the Belly Up Tavern.
I have one pair of Stephen Marley tickets Sat Oct 6 Trivia- 858 570 1360 if you’d like to win a pair of tickets as part of the The Boardroom International Surfboard Show promotion, you’ll have to answer some trivia. Call now to test your surfing knowledge. 858 570 1360
TRVIA: MR trivia, in what city did MR’s father, Ray Richards, have a surf shop for years?

SEGMENT 2: 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

Top 5 Stories of the Week:

#1 Kelly Slater wins The Hurley Pro at Lowers –
Parko in second
Frustrating final for Parko
Slater’s 50th tour victory
Great interview with Kelly Slater for the Boardroom webcast on Oct 6 & 7
Slater’s first pro win came at lowers
Title race heats up –

CURRENT ASP WCT TOP 5 (After Hurley Pro at Trestles):
1. Mick Fanning (AUS) 41,250 pts
2. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 39,700
3. Kelly Slater (USA) 35,450
4. John John Florence (HAW) 32,650
5. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 30, 650

#2 Olympic snowboard champion Shaun White apologized Tuesday for “unwise choices,” saying he got “carried away” after police accused him of pulling a hotel fire alarm that forced guests to evacuate.

White was charged with public intoxication and vandalism and is due in court Oct. 10.

The 26-year-old snowboard star said on his Facebook page he wants to apologize for “any inconvenience it caused my family, friends, business partners, the hotel and their guests. He added that he was “celebrating a happy occasion with a ton of family and friends and got carried away. I’m truly sorry for my poor behavior.”

Police responded to the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel at 2 a.m. Sunday. A drunken man identified as White pulled the fire alarm, forcing an evacuation, police added. An employee also reported seeing White destroy a hotel phone.

White was given the opportunity to sign misdemeanor citations and refused, police said. Baptist Hospital said White was treated there and released Monday before he was arrested and booked by police. A mug shot released by police shows White with a black eye.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/17/4828777/shaun-white-charged-with-vandalism.html?storylink=lingospot_related_articles#storylink=cpy

#3 Garrett McNamara and Garrett’s mother earth, Nicole Macias, drop in on MSNBC’s ‘Caught on Camera: In a Split Second’ this Sunday, September 23rd at 8pm ET. You will get to see rare footage and interviews of Garrett and Nicole speaking of the day he caught the record breaking 78-foot wave in Nazaré, Portugal along with Nicole’s gnarly wipeout that made her think twice about riding big waves. You won’t want to miss this.

The show is airing in perfect time for their departure back to Portugal. He’d love to hear from you – follow him on Facebook and Twitter to send him positive vibes, enter into contests, and to catch all of the action as it happens. You could be one of the first people to know when he makes history again!

#4 Cinema Grotto Short Films Festival announced it s lineup of short films playing Oct 6 & 7 at the Boardroom Surfboard Show in Del mar :
Premiering for the first time ever to be seen are two separate and unique mini documentaries on the hard charging Long Brothers, Rusty and Greg Long.
In addition to those two short films premieres, there are an additional seven short films SHOWING AT THE BOARDROOOM SURFBOARD SHOW including “A DAY IN THE LIFE OF WAYNE LYNCH” ; ALL A PART OF THE BOARDROOM ADMISSION PRICE.

#5 The Del Mar Shark Ranch Skate Competition – we have the infamous Great White Shark Ramp at the Boardroom this yera. Mr Jeff King of Built To Shred, is MC-ing the entire competition. Anyone can enter and there is a $500 purse.

AUG 05, 2012 – - Surfing news, Surf news, Surf Channel, Surf Industry

US Open – big day of action today — final day … Dane v Kelly

EMAIL: — A FAN’S PERSPECTIVE: They’ve made it okay again; this fog will last a few more years, and there will be a back lash; lipstick on a pig can only last so long before the masses realize they’ve been kissing a pig and not Marilyn Monroe.

The puppeteers are doing what they do best, selling the surfing lifestyle as a day-time RAVE for 17-year-olds, “let’s get drunk, smoke cloves and listen to music…, oh shit, here come the cops”;

SURFING DOES NOT COME FIRST, if it did, they’d run the US Open at a really good surf spot. In the long run, this event hurts competitive surfing. It doesn’t hurt the selling of surfing, but it hurts true competitive surfing.

THE US OPEN of Golf is not held at Oceanside Municipal Golf Course. Maybe it should be? Plenty of parking and a main street, plus, you can get an alcohol permit. Huntington Beach (if you strip away the history, the pier setting, and the Main Street) is just a run-of-the-mill California beach break. Sure it gets good. Really good. In October. In January. If the surfing competition was priority number one, it would be held somewhere else. Somewhere worthy of the nations Open Championship.

Que a smattering of well-played excuses in 3, 2, 1… “can’t do it a Lowers; what about parking for 200K; the city really benefits from the revenue; where else can you get an “arena”; we’ve been having this contest here forever; the industry loves it here; yada, yada, yada.”

All valid points. It’s easy to rationalize. However, just because “we’ve had a surfing competition here forever,” does not make it okay. It makes us stupid. Insane. Bottom line: surfing competition does not come first at the US Open of Surfing.

That’s okay. Let them kiss pork. Call me when Kelly’s wave pool is perfected. They can have the US Open of Surfing at Coachella.

Now the final day matchups are very impressive. I must say I’m looking forward to the final day action. After all, I am a fan…
…of surfing in good waves. – Jay T. in Carlsbad

SEGMENT 1 SPONSOR —

THE BOARDROOM INTERNATIONAL SURFBOARD SHOW

–
HONORING MARK RICHARDS IN THE ICONS OF FOAM SHAPING TRIBUTE PRESENTED BY US BLANKS

October 6 & 7, 2012
Del Mar Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall
Open to the Public
Food, Music, Fun
Exhibits, Shaping, Events, Art
$10; U12 FREE
Free sub to SURFER Magazine for each paid entrant

EVENTS AND EXHIBITS INCLUDE:

QNA SHAPING BAY
BEST OF SHOW
VINTAGE SWAP SHOWDOWN
CINEMA GROTTO SHORT FILMS FEST
SURFAID BOARD ART BENEFIT
ARTIZEN LIVE PERFORMANCE ART
ECO-SWIRL LAMINATING
GUN CLUB LOUNGE
MUSIC BY SURFERS FOR SURFERS
Autograph & Book Signings

SURF REPORT WITH SOLPSOT.COM’S ADAM WRIGHT:

SEGMENT 2: 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;

LIBERIA Surfing with Sean Brody – Surf Resource Network

What is the latest with surfing in and around Liberia?

Liberia and the ISA?

You are on your way to do some Masters Degree work over there, correct?

What would you tell someone thinking about a surf trip to liberia; what are the goods what are the bads?

Are there ugly Americans?

What do you eat?

Any dangers in the water?

SEGMENT 3 SPONSOR —

THE BOARDROOM INTERNATIONAL SURFBOARD SHOW

–
HONORING MARK RICHARDS IN THE ICONS OF FOAM SHAPING TRIBUTE PRESENTED BY US BLANKS

October 6 & 7, 2012
Del Mar Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall
Open to the Public
Food, Music, Fun
Exhibits, Shaping, Events, Art
$10; U12 FREE
Free sub to SURFER Magazine for each paid entrant

EVENTS AND EXHIBITS INCLUDE:

QNA SHAPING BAY
BEST OF SHOW
VINTAGE SWAP SHOWDOWN
CINEMA GROTTO SHORT FILMS FEST
SURFAID BOARD ART BENEFIT
ARTIZEN LIVE PERFORMANCE ART
ECO-SWIRL LAMINATING
GUN CLUB LOUNGE
MUSIC BY SURFERS FOR SURFERS
Autograph & Book Signings

TOP 5 STORIES — SURFING NEWS: Mavericks Contest and Big Wave World Tour Join Forces

Early Winter Swells Anticipated for Mavericks Invitational; Organizers Announce Partnership with the Big Wave World Tour
the organizers of the Mavericks Invitational big wave surf contest are opening the contest season on November 1, 2012.
The contest waiting period is officially November 1, 2012, through March 31, 2013
Mavericks Invitational organizers are also announcing a partnership with the Big Wave World Tour.
The tour showcases the world’s top surfers and local standouts as they battle extreme conditions, and each other, in a season long battle to become the next Big Wave World Champion. The tour includes events in Chile, Peru, Mexico, and now in California. For additional details, visit MavericksInvitational.com.

THE COMPETITORS:

Matt Ambrose (Pacifica, CA)

Ryan Augenstein (Santa Cruz, CA)

Grant “Twiggy” Baker (South Africa)

Chris Bertish (South Africa)

Carlos Burle (Brazil)

Ken “Skindog” Collins (Santa Cruz, CA)

Shane Desmond (Santa Cruz, CA)

Shawn Dollar (Santa Cruz, CA)

Shane Dorian (Hawaii)

Nathan Fletcher (San Clemente, CA)

Mark Healey (Hawaii)

Rusty Long (San Clemente, CA)

Greg Long (San Clemente, CA)

Alex Martins (Brazil)

Peter Mel (Santa Cruz, CA)

Ryan Seelbach (San Francisco, CA)

Kelly Slater (Florida)

Tyler Smith (Santa Cruz, CA)

Jamie Sterling (Hawaii)

Anthony Tashnick (Santa Cruz, CA)

Grant Washburn (San Francisco, CA)

Dave Wassel (Hawaii)

Ben Wilkinson (Australia)

Zach Wormhoudt (Santa Cruz, CA)

#2 US Open – big day of action today — final day … Dane v Kelly
Baldy give me your impressions of the US Open

A FAN’S PERSPECTIVE: They’ve made it okay again; to surf in crap; this fog will last a few more years, and there will be a back lash; lipstick on a pig can only last so long before the masses realize they’ve been kissing a pig and not Marilyn Monroe.

The puppeteers are doing what they do best, selling the surfing lifestyle as a day-time RAVE for 17-year-olds, “let’s get drunk, smoke cloves and listen to music…, oh shit, here come the cops”;

SURFING DOES NOT COME FIRST, if it did, they’d run the US Open at a really good surf spot. In the long run, this event hurts competitive surfing. It doesn’t hurt the selling of surfing, but it hurts true competitive surfing.

THE US OPEN of Golf is not held at Oceanside Municipal Golf Course. Maybe it should be? Plenty of parking and a main street, plus, you can get an alcohol permit. Huntington Beach (if you strip away the history, the pier setting, and the Main Street) is just a run-of-the-mill California beach break. Sure it gets good. Really good. In October. In January. If the surfing competition was priority number one, it would be held somewhere else. Somewhere worthy of the nations Open Championship.

Que a smattering of well-played excuses in 3, 2, 1… “can’t do it a Lowers; what about parking for 200K; the city really benefits from the revenue; where else can you get an “arena”; we’ve been having this contest here forever; the industry loves it here; yada, yada, yada.”

All valid points. It’s easy to rationalize. However, just because “we’ve had a surfing competition here forever,” does not make it okay. It makes us stupid. Insane. Bottom line: surfing competition does not come first at the US Open of Surfing.

That’s okay. Let them kiss pork. Call me when Kelly’s wave pool is perfected. They can have the US Open of Surfing at Coachella.

Now the final day matchups are very impressive. I must say I’m looking forward to the final day action. After all, I am a fan.

#3 SURF CHANNEL – The founder of The Tennis Channel and The Ski Channel is launching The Surf Channel, in mid-September. Founder Steve Bellamy said the video-on-demand network should be accessible to 20 million households when it launches through cable, satellite and online distribution partners including Comcast, Cox Communications, DirecTV, Dish Network, Filmon.com and YouTube.

#4 LACK of SURF in S0. Cal; dismal is an understatement