Thursday, May 9, 2013

Captain Kai's World has moved to my very own Dot Com

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2013 Review - Was Jordy Smith Ripped?

With turns like this throughout the event, we have to ask how Jordy Smith did not win?
Ok, I am a South African and Jordy is my mate. This however is not what prompts my feelings on the results on the final day at Bells. I have sat and watched the Semi Final between Jordy and Adriano about ten times and I cannot see how Jordy lost that heat? Compare their two first scoring waves and it is clear that Adriano is over scored. He had a section of wave he had to half turn and hit a wobble and did less aggressive turns than Jordy, its that simple, yet he got a score in the 9's. Now take a look at Jordy's last wave, needing over a 9, he gets an 8.8 and I reckon the entire contest site, surfers and all the viewers were calling him getting the score. Now, I dont blame Adriano for this, in fact I think he ripped the whole contest, but the ASP judges need a good wake up klap! Either that or Jordy needs to start going up the stairs and throwing his weight around a little - maybe get some advice from Sunny Garcia...

Anyway, that is my rant. All in all the contest was absolutely amazing. Cooking waves throughout the rounds, including an old fashioned 8ft day at Bells, you could not ask for much more really. Early losses for Kelly Slater and Joel Parkinson opened the door for the rest of the field and allowed Adriano, Jordy and Taj to play catchup in the rankings. Stand out for the event must be tour rookie, Nat young, who absolutely caned every wave he got all the way to the final. I thought he had it for a while there. Jordy was looking his sublime and powerful best and must be thinking World Tour run this year.

Anyway, congrats Adriano! (Please dont rape the trophy again, a little decorum goes a long way!)

Next up Brazil, with probable shitty waves and the focus back on the air game. All in all, it looks to be a cracker year on the World Tour...

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2013 Preview

Mick Fanning may have won in 2012, but it was "that air" by Kelly Slater in the final we all remember. (Photo:ASP)
52 Years of iconic contest surfing starts up again tomorrow with the start of the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. Stop 2 of the World Tour gets underway in small conditions with the forecasters calling epic conditions for the Easter Weekend, just in time for droves of fans to line the point at Bells.

That man Kelly Slater is in the number 1 slot once again, with Joel Parkinson breathing down his neck. Mick Fanning as defending champion will also be a major threat and after watching his turns at Snapper, you best believe that if Bells is big, Jordy Smith will be taking names! Dust Payne has just come off a win at Margaret River and that confidence may well see his best result on tour happening at Bells. Julian Wilson was also in that final and will be feeling good. Dark horses in my opinion will be Kohole Andino and Philipe Toledo.

Anything can happen at Bells though, so look forward to an exiting event!

Monday, March 25, 2013

220ft Snowmobile Jump in Sweden - Daniel Bodin 2013

Its a bird, no its a plan, no its a crazy Swede called Daniel Bodin... (Photo: Red Bull)
This is seriously nuts! Watch profesional snowmobiler Daniel Bodin jump 220ft (67 Meters) off a ski jump in Sweden.

RVCA Junior Series Jbay Final Day - The Groms Caned It

Mikey February was on fire with the highest heat score of the event in the semi-finals & the U20 Win. (Photo: Stix)
Pro Surfing is all about rivalries and on the local Pro Junior PST Tour we are now looking at a absolute banger in the Under 20 Boys Division. Dylan Lightfoot won by a whisker at the Billabong Pro Junior in Durban, while Michael February fought him off with some world class surfing here in Jbay. Both of these surfers have a well rounded bag of tricks, both remind me of current World Tour Champions in style and outlook and both are hungry for victory both locally and abroad. The Tour heads to East London in 2 weeks time for the 2nd Billabong Pro Junior and I cannot wait to see how this battle unfolds.

Spare a thought though for the silent assassin  who missed out in Durban and did not find the waves in this event. Slade Prestwich is a big kid and has all the pedigree to challenge for the Tour Title. Along with David Brand and Max Armstrong, who was looking incredible through the first 2 days before having to leave for a family emergency. (We hope all is well with Armstrong Family.)

Emma Smith, the local girl with all the knowledge of the surf break at the Point, as well as some huge support from the local crowd, was always in my mind going to win the premier girls division.

My big surprise and probably also for the guys in his division was local kid, Rewaldo Abersalie. Coming through the development and grass roots programs in Jefferys Bay, he blazed the Under 14 Final with some quality surfing on his backhand. This kid is worth keeping an eye on!

All in all it was a great event, with some really good waves on the final day. RVCA did an excellent job of their first Pro Junior event and I am confident that this is the start of a long running competition.

RVCA Junior Series – Results
U20 Boys
1.  Michael February (Kommetjie) 12.85 (Tied – count back to best ride – 8.25 vs. 7.0)
2.  Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) 12.85
3.  David Brand (Kommetjie) 12.50
4.  Slade Prestwich (Durban North) 9.75
U20 Girls
1.  Emma Smith (Jeffreys Bay) 13.25
2.  Nicole Pallet (La Lucia) 11.25
3.  Tahra Uren (Jeffreys Bay) 7.50
4.  Nikita Kekana (Kalk Bay) 6.85
U16 Boys
1.  Steff Burrows (Stellenbosch) 12.0
2.  Sebastian Williams (Mexico) 11.25
3.  Adin Masencamp (Strand) 10.20
4.  Ethan Fletcher (Kommetjie) 7.75
U16 Girls
1.  Anoush Zakarian (Melkbosstrand) 13.0
2.  Ashleigh Vaughan (Port Elizabeth) 8.50
3.  Kayla Verreynne (Mossel Bay) 6.25
4.  Robin van der Merwe (Port Elizabeth) 5.60
U14 Boys
1.  Rewaldo Abersalie (Jeffreys Bay) 13.50
2.  Adin Masencamp (Strand) 11.50
3.  Sebastian Williams (Mexico) 7.50
4.  Ford van Jaarsveldt (Kommetjie) 6.50
U12 Boys
1.  Saxton Randall (Durban) 14.10
2.  Max Elkington (Hout Bay) 11.35
3.  Karl Steen (Morningside) 10.65
4.  York van Jaarsveldt (Kommetjie) 10.25
U10 Boys
1.  James Ribbink (Durban North) 10.50
2.  Christian Venter (Melkbosstrand) 9.50
3.  Alex Townsend (Cape Town) 5.65
4.  Viviers Strydom (George) 2.60
Fly Away Award
Michael February (Kommetjie)
On Fire Awards
Ford van Jaarsveldt (Kommetjie)
Adin Masencamp (Strand)
Carve Award
David van Zyl (Glenashley)
Highest Heat Score
Michael February (Kommetjie) – 19.50 out of 20 in U20 boys semi-final
The RVCA Junior Series is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), recognised as the national controlling body for surfing and a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA). The events form part of the Pro Surf Tour (PST) with competitors in all the divisions earning points towards their 2013 PST rankings.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

RVCA Junior Series Jbay Day 2

The waves were tiny, but the Under 20's were still ripping! (Photo: Stix)
It was a tough day for the Groms with small, small waves at the Point in Jbay, but that did not stop the kids from ripping. We saw the first Round of the big lads and Mikey February and Max Armstrong were my pics in the first round. The Under 14's scored for their Quarter Finals as the swell picked up and glassed off towards the end of the day. Check out the Day 2 video...

Saturday, March 23, 2013

RVCA Junior Series Jbay Day 1

Wok and Warbot scaring the Groms! (Photo: Stix)
The RVCA Junior Series got under way yesterday with Day 1 action. The waves were small but the groms were caning it. My stand outs for the day were little girl ripper Kai Woolf, Max Elkington and Simo Mkize from Umzumbe. Check the video out...



Ford van Jaarsveldt working the small waves. (Photo: Stix)
Keep an eye on this gal! Kai Woolf ripping the Point. (Photo: Stix)

Thursday, March 21, 2013

All time Kirra

Empty Perfection amongst the madness! (Photo: Dunbar)
Its a dredging sandbank in the heart of the chaos that is the Gold Coast. It's bred multiple world champions and countless super stars. The day after the Quiksilver Pro it turned on for the many that had been waiting and what a show it was...



K I R R A 13 from THEMADHUEYS on Vimeo.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Dane Reynolds caning California


The guy may not love contests or want to win a world title, but he surfs some truly inspirational lines. I just love how Dane surfs! The kook wipeout parade at the start also nearly made me crap my pants I laughed so hard. Enjoy...



Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Slow Motion Flatland Magic - Terry Adams BMX


Flatland BMX is a little forgotten here in South Africa. In Europe and America it still has a strong following though and one of the mega stars is this man, Terry Adams. Check out some of his signature moves in slow motion, its a wonder to watch!