Enter a world of magic and mystery, in my own head, where surfing and snowboarding are considered real jobs! Amazing feats of daring and skill are performed every day - and that's just getting the footage onto film!
Media anarchist, film guru, surf addict and web video blogger!
Ok, first off, Kimberley is bloody miles away from Cape Town. Hours of hot dry arid road took its toll and the gazillion road works stops did not help things. But, when we got to Kimberley, unloaded the car, set up our camp, unloaded beer into our faces and walked across to the new Maloof Park - well, my jaw dropped! The plaza itself in super impressive, the big air looks scary, but it was the ginormous Vert Ramp that caught my attention the most! The thing looks like a small building!
Dudes were blowing the Vert ramp up!
We got to catch the Pros during their practice session and it was the best skating I have seen in my life. I cannot wait for the actual Vert comp. After shooting what you can see in the video below, we got smashed, tore up Kimberley and passed out hard - hey we hanging with Skaters, its how they roll!
Matt Wilko gives us all a lesson on how to murder perfect warm water lefts. If you want more from Matt, you should check out his new blog - Out 2 Brunch
Perfect lines, dirt aplenty, some of the world's best BMX riders and time aplenty. This is the Dream Line. Sick event, sick edit!
The qualifers pitted all 16 of the riders against each other. But only eight of them made it to the finals.
Red Bull Dream Line invited 16 of the world's best BMX dirt riders to Anthony Napolitan's private training facility in Wabasha, Minnesota. A first of its kind, Red Bull Dreamline features an unrestricted trails-style course that the riders couldn't get enough of.
The local Wake dudes have just blown my mind and now the foreigners get in on the act! This trailer is totally mental. Killer track, helicopters low flying over boats - I am salivating to see the full video. Check it out...
Mark Mathews surfing "Ours" at night! Pretty scary really...
To say the Bra Boys are not my favorite is simply true. The movie of the same name did not make me feel for these guys at all. In fact I thought some of them deserved exactly what they got. This movie however has a somewhat different feel. Instead of playing the sympathy card, it simply shows the life and bond of 2 truly good mates through their trials and tribulations and missions surfing giant nasty waves. I am amped to see it.
Mark is a Big Wave Surfer. He dreams of being the best.
Richie, Mark's best mate shares his love of Big Wave Surfing but has his own ambitions. A carpet layer by day, Richie dreams of becoming a MMA Cage-Fighting Champion. Both are fearless, living life on the edge, daring each other to surf bigger waves, party harder, take greater risks. But when their adrenalin-seeking antics & hardened partying turns sour, it sets in motion a dramatic and life-changing series of events that threatens to derail everything they have worked so hard for.
In an instant, Mark's Big Wave surfing career is in tatters & Richie is facing a jail term. But for these two friends, giving up is not an option. It's not the mistakes you make but how you overcome them. Their unwavering friendship gives them the courage to battle their demons, rise up from their troubled past & conquer their fears. One good friend can Change your life.
This feature-length docu-drama, told through the eyes of the two friends, Pro-surfer Mark Mathews and MMA fighter Richie Vaculik & filmed over three years, provides a unique & candid insight into the tumultuous life of two world-class athletes facing against-all-odds personal challenges.
This is the second feature film by exciting new Australian talent, Macario De Souza, co-director of BRA BOYS, the highest grossing Australian documentary (non-imax) of all time. Aged just 28, Macario not only wrote, directed, edited, shot & produced FIGHTING FEAR but as Kid Mac wrote & performed 5 songs on the soundtrack.
With a rip-roaring soundtrack and featuring entertaining & insightful interviews from some of the world's most influential action sports athletes, including ten-time World Surfing Champion Kelly Slater, two- time World Surfing Champion Mick Fanning, Big Wave Surfer Bruce Irons, three-time Women's World Surfing Champion Steph Gilmore & two-time UFC World Champion BJ Penn, FIGHTING FEAR is a jaw-dropping action-packed documentary that is surprisingly emotional, powerfully uplifting & utterly compelling.
FIGHTING FEAR is inspirational, heart-stopping entertainment.
Kelly dominated Trestles and is well on track for another Title. (Photo: ASP)
King Slater, that should be his official name change! After he missed Jbay a lot of people were writing him off and claiming his time was done - I might have thought it. He came back to win Teahupoo, nearly took the NY Pro from Owen and absolutely killed Trestles this week to win the Hurley Pro. Firmly back at number 1, World Title 11 on track. Lets not forget Owen Wright though. The kid has made 3 finals in a row with Kelly and won one of them. Owen was ripping all week at trestles, but just did not have the legs to pip Kelly at his favorite contest wave in the world. So now the tour moves across the Atlantic to Europe for the Quik Pro France - a contest Kelly has been know to win! Lets hope Jordy is back from injury and able to climb back into the title race. Right now Owen is Kelly's only competition.
ASP Press Release:
LOWER TRESTLES, California/USA (Wednesday, September 21, 2011) – Kelly Slater (USA), 39, has won his fifth Hurley Pro at Trestles title, defeating Owen Wright (AUS), 21, in a hard-fought Final that saw the iconic Floridian overtake the young Australian in a last-minute exchange with a final score of 17.50 to 16.74.
Slater and Wright’s third consecutive Final bout marks a first in ASP history, as no two competitors have faced off in three successive ASP Dream Tour Finals – a noteworthy statistic in sparking this new rivalry in the battle for the ASP World Title.
Slater roared to life on the Final day, unloading the highest heat-total of competition, 18.40 out of 20 in the Semifinals, and maintained his lethal form throughout the day’s entirety with a consistent display of new-school airs and patented carves to clinch his unprecedented 48th elite ASP World Tour victory and third of the season.
“Owen (Wright) is tough and he’s been surfing great,” Slater said. “There really are no weak points to his surfing and he’s going to be a standout in every spot. A lot of the guys tried to get him this week and I got lucky in that last exchange. I was taking the first wave of the set under his priority and once I got priority I wanted to wait. It almost looked like there wasn’t a wave after Owen’s. It’s been fun surfing against Owen and surfing Lowers. It’s been a great week and thanks everyone for the crazy support, it’s been wonderful.”
Wright, current No. 2 on the ASP World Title rankings, has continued to build momentum throughout his sophomore year amongst the ASP Top 34 and dispatched of a rampaging Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, and rookie prodigy Julian Wilson (AUS), 22, en route to his rematch against Slater, but was unable to solidify the victory over the veteran in the Final.
“I’ve been enjoying the rivalry,” Wright said. “We’ve had some great heats and the last three finals have been great. I’m glad the sets came through at the end. It was a bit of a dud final but I’m glad that last exchange came though at the end. It made it exciting.”
Julian Wilson (AUS), 22, was a standout throughout the Hurley Pro at Trestles, earning the highest single-wave score of 9.80 as well as the second-highest heat-total of 18.23 in his Quarterfinals win over Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, and consistently unloaded some of the most progressive maneuvers of the contest.
“I had a bit of fire after yesterday, not against Joel (Parkinson), but just to show that I could beat him,” Wilson said after his Quarterfinal win. “I’ve dreamed about surfing against Joel and Mick (Fanning) my whole life and yesterday gave me a lot of confidence to go against him today.”
The young Australian got off to a slow start in his Semifinals matchup versus Owen Wright after an interference and was unable to rebound, finishing equal 3rd overall. Wilson now sits at No. 11 on the ASP World Title Rankings.
Heitor Alves (BRA), 29, who finished equal 5th in New York, continued his giant killing spree at the Hurley Pro Trestles, defeating ASP World Title campaigners Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, and Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, before falling to Slater in the Semifinals to earn his career best result of an equal 3rd place finish.
“Thanks God for everything in my life,” Alves said. “This is a good result for me. Adriano is a good surfer, he rips this wave and surfs very well. This is a great event for me and I enjoy this wave.”
Alves’ performance moves him from No. 20 to 14 on the ASP World Title Rankings.
The next stop on the 2011 ASP World Title season will be the Quiksilver Pro France from October 4 – 13, 2011.
Highlights from the Hurley Pro at Trestles are available via http://www.hurley.com/hurleypro
For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES FINAL RESULT:
1 – Kelly Slater (USA) 17.50
2 – Owen Wright (AUS) 16.74
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES SEMIFINALS RESULTS:
SF 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.40 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 16.57
SF 2: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.74 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 10.04
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES QUARTERFINALS RESULTS:
QF 1: Heitor Alves (BRA) 12.77 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.50
QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.60 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 11.07
QF 3: Owen Wright (AUS) 15.67 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.67
QF 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 18.23 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.93
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES ROUND 5 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Heitor Alves (BRA) 12.74 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 9.80
Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.27 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.97
Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.23 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 10.27
Heat 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 15.67 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.37
CURRENT ASP WORLD TITLE TOP 10 (After Hurley Pro at Trestles)
1 – Kelly Slater (USA) 44,950 pts.
2 – Owen Wright (AUS) 39,900
3 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 35,400
4 – Adriano de Souza (BRA)31950
5 – Josh Kerr (AUS)30,800
6 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 29,250
7 – Mick Fanning (AUS)28,200
8 – Jordy Smith (ZAF)27,500
9 – Jeremy Flores (FRA)23,700
10 – Michel Bourez (PYF) 22,250
Believe it, it is here! SA's best and only core action sports show, theGoodLife, is back with Episode 3. In this episode we cover Quiksnow, the SA Snowboarding Champs, theTand Bodyboarding Classic, Jungle Rush Masters of Dirt FMX Qualifiers and a short teaser for the new Wakeboarding Film, Tropical Roast.
@theGoodlife, proudly brought to you by Absa Life Xtreme, is offering you the chance to win some gear from our sponsors.
…and it’s mad easy. Post or upload a link of your favourite action sports video to theGoodLife Facebook fanpage and you’ll stand a chance to win R10 000 worth of gear, just in time for summer, from our guys at DC, Fox and Quiksilver.
Also, don’t forget to tune into SuperSport 5 at 7pm this Wednesday, the 21st of September to catch Episode 3 of theGoodLife featuring coverage of this year’s Quiksnow in Lesotho, the Masters of Dirt qualifiers in Joburg, the country’s best unseen bodyboarding from the Tand Invitational as well as premier footage from the new Tropical Roast DVD featuring South Africa’s top wakeboarding.
King Kelly loves Trestles, is on a roll and clearly wants another Title! (Photo: ASP)
Shew, Ok big week building up to Trestles and we have had the changing of the guard on the Pro Tour. Many an old face has disappeared and a couple of new ones have joined the ranks. The most notable joins are Travis Logie and John John Florence, who thanks to injuries etc have made the cut and are on the top flight tour. Both these guys rip small bowls for breakfast, so the other guys on tour must be somewhat jealous. (See the new Top 34 Further Down.) Here is your 2011 preview video...
So who are the danger men come Sunday and the start of the comp? Kelly Slater - Cummon, the guy has an almost mythical relationship with Trestles! No need to say more. Jordy Smith - He missed out on the air fest in new York and needs to get his title race back on track. Expect a lean, mean and very hungry Jordy! He may still be out, watch this space. Taj Burrows - He was looking unbeatable in NY, but somehow came unstuck! Trestles suits his surfing and he will also want to get back into the title hunt. Owen Wright - Straight off of 2 finals in a row. He won NY. The kid wants in on the World Title race!
Who are the Wild cards and loose canons? John John Florence - the new kid from Hawaii rips everything and was on fire earlier in the year at Trestles. Could just knock a couple of egos! Keep watching this space. Miguel Pupo - New on tour and won the 6 Star at Trestles earlier this year. Airs on demand if the Lefts are cooking. Could dent some established egos! Jadson Andre - The Brazza has been a little quiet this year, but Trestles and its perfect Left-hander will give him ample opportunity to throw multiple airs on every wave. You don't want him in your heats!
This could be one of the best contests in a long time after the mayhem at Teahupoo and NY. I will keep you posted! The ASP Release and Ratings:
LOWER TRESTLES, California/USA (Wednesday, September 14, 2011) – The Hurley Pro at Trestles, Event No. 7 of 11 on the 2011 ASP World Title season, is set to commence this weekend with the world’s best surfers descending upon the jewel of Southern California surf venues, Lower Trestles.
The Hurley Pro at Trestles will reconvene this season’s red-hot ASP World Title race on the heels of historic events in Tahiti and New York where this year’s frontrunners have already begun to distinguish themselves.
Kelly Slater (USA), 39, reigning 10-time ASP World Champion and defending Hurley Pro at Trestles winner, started 2011 with mixed results, winning the opening event of the year before posting relatively an uncharacteristic Equal 13th in Brazil and missing South Africa altogether. However, the past two weeks have seen two consecutive Finals from the iconic Floridian, including a win in Tahiti, and an ascent to the No. 1 spot on then ASP World Title rankings.
“Of course when that opportunity (the ASP World Title) arises, you don’t pass it up,” Slater said. “I fight focusing and competing for all these years in my head, but when I’m there, I know what to do and a title chance is obviously a good goal.”
While Slater is coming off of back-to-back elite tour Finals, it bears mentioning that both appearances were face-offs against young Australian standout Owen Wright (AUS), 21, with Wright taking out the event in New York and moving into Slater’s rearview mirror as the current ASP World No. 2.
“Owen (Wright) is the toughest guy in my opinion given the venues we’re facing,” Slater said. “That might be a big call to some, but having just won and probably should/could have won in Brazil and how things are shaping up, he’s the most well-rounded and confident competitor to deal with. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and I don’t think it (the ASP World Title Race) is an unwelcome pressure for him.”
Last Friday, Wright took out the richest event in surfing history in New York, claiming the US $300,000 first prize. Coming off of his East Coast win against Slater, and his penchant for hi-fi ripping at venues like Lower Trestles, Wright descends upon the Hurley Pro at Trestles as one of the most dangerous men in surfing.
“My confidence level would definitely be at a all time high for myself,” Wright said. “I’m happy to have my first win in a WT event leading into the back half of the year. I was just as stoked after Tahiti as well because of how good the waves we had there. The way I look at it is that I’m in a great position and have a great opportunity. I’ve been working hard with my coach Dean and we are starting to get some results. We didn’t think we would be in this position, but it’s where we are at and we are not going to stop working hard to achieve what I want to achieve.”
In addition to this year’s battle between Slater and Wright, the two met time and again at the Hurley Pro at Trestles in 2010. Wright got the better of Slater in the non-elimination three-man Round 4, but it was Slater who ended the Australian’s run in the Quarterfinals.
“Last year, Trestles was a strong point for me although I ended up losing to Kelly (Slater),” Wright said. “But I found a bit of form from the contest and I’m looking forward to competing in one of the most high-performance venues on the tour. I’m excited about this back half of the year knowing that it was where my best results came from last season. Portugal has been an event I’ve really enjoyed with some wild surf that reminds me of where I grew up. Pipe is always going to be one of my favorites, I hope it’s big!”
Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, current No. 4 on the 2011 ASP World Title Rankings, was absent from the last event in New York after a severe injury suffered in Tahiti relegated the powerful natural-footer to the sidelines. At time of writing, Smith is “day-to-day” on whether or not he will be healed in time for the Hurley Pro at Trestles.
Following the last event in New York, the ASP activated the first incarnation of the midyear rotation, where the ASP Top 34 are updated with the current top 32 surfers on the ASP World Rankings (plus two surfer wildcards). Joining the elite ranks for the remainders of the season will be Gabriel Medina (BRA), 17, Miguel Pupo (BRA), 19, and John John Florence (HAW), 18.
“Those guys are all sick and they’re going to stir things up for sure,” Slater said. “People would have a hard time arguing that anyone else falling out would be more exciting at Lowers.”
Surfline, official forecasters for the Hurley Pro at Trestles, are calling for a series of small south-southwest to south swells for the first few days of the waiting period for very contestable surf.
The Hurley Pro at Trestles will be webcast LIVE via http://www.hurley.com/hurleypro/ from September 18 through 24, 2011.
For additional information log on to www.aspworldtour.com
NEW ASP TOP 34:
1. Kelly Slater (USA)
2. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
3. Mick Fanning (AUS)
4. Owen Wright (AUS)
5. Taj Burrow (AUS)
6. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
7. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
8. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
9. Bede Durbidge (AUS)
10. Michel Bourez (PYF)
11. Adriano de Souza (BRA)
12. Julian Wilson (AUS)
13. Damien Hobgood (USA)
14. Josh Kerr (AUS)
15. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
16. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
17. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
18. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
19. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
20. Jadson Andre (BRA)
21. Heitor Alves (BRA)
22. Chris Davidson (AUS)
23. Brett Simpson (USA)
24. Dane Reynolds (USA)
25. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
26. Daniel Ross (AUS)
27. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
28. Dusty Payne (HAW)
29. Kai Otton (AUS)
30. Taylor Knox (USA)
31. Tiago Pires (PRT)
32. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
33. Travis Logie (ZAF)
34: John John Florence (HAW)
1st Alternate: Adam Melling (AUS)
2nd Alternate: C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Ok, so we all know about the Bobby drama last week in NY at the Quik Pro. The surf media have been aflutter with attempts at getting the man to do an interview to explain himself and why he told the ASP World Tour to go F**ck themselves. Little surprise then that our guy, Wok, was the only journo, hardcore enough, to face the wrath of the Tennis hating Mexican. I am pretty sure this interview will win a Pulitzer!
Ever since he came over to SA and dominated Quiksnow, I have been keeping an eye on the slick Austrian Snowboarder. Part of the crazy Love team from Vienna, these guys do things there own way!
Here is his latest video part online:
And you can win with Marc, by helping him find his mind again! Just go here: Method Mag
Another fantastic show last night with my great mate Robby MacDonald from Vudu Surf. We talked the ASP Surf tour, the new rankings and surfing in general, backed up by some great music as per usual.
Adriano letting his surfing do the talking! (Photo:ASP)
Outside of the Bobby Fiasco, there were actually some pretty amazing waves and surfing on display in New York for day 2 of the Quik Pro. While the waves can certainly not be considered the ideal for a "Dream Tour", they were super fun and the world's best had no compunction in ripping them apart. I would love to see the stats on aerials landed in this comp, would be interesting reading. The big news was obviously Bobby's tirade and consequent disqualification from the competition. In some ways though the bigger news is actually who benefited from this... None other than Mr Kelly Slater, who gets a free pass through to Round 4 thanks to Mr Martinez. That should keep the conspiracy theorists going for a while. In sad news, Travis Logie was knocked out in Round 2 and he now will have to go cane the last WQS contest to have any chance of making the cut. He is however really well positioned for the rest of the year and has a great chance of qualifying for 2012. The ASP Press release below.
LONG BEACH, Long Island/New York (Wednesday, September 7, 2011) – The Quiksilver Pro New York continued for the second consecutive day at Long Beach in Long Island, New York and saw the completion of Round 2 as well as the first four heats of Round 3.
Stop No. 6 of 11 on the ASP World Title Series, the Quiksilver New York marks the final event before the mid-year rotation while also offers up the richest prize purse in surfing history of US$1,000,000. Hurricane Katia continued to deliver increasing three-to-four foot (1 metre) surf throughout the day, and there was no shortage of fireworks that went off in Long Beach.
Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, current No. 4 on the ASP World Title Series, vigorously attacked the Long Beach lefthanders on his backhand and belted the day’s highest single-wave score of 9.20 while netting the top heat-total of 17.93 (out of 20), in Round 2 before taking his Round 3 heat.
“I’m really happy with my performance today,” De Souza said. “My first heat was better for sure, I got the 9 and the 8, but I tried to get in rhythm in Round 3 and I hope I can keep going and get a good result in here. My house is really similar to these waves in New York and I feel at home out in these conditions.”
De Souza, who defeated Travis Logie (ZAF), 33, in Round 2 before topping Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 25, in Round 3, kept his ASP World Title campaign alive with today’s effort and is hunting a strong result in New York to regain the No. 1 position on the ASP World Title Rankings.
“I’m stoked to make my heats today,” De Souza said. “We had tough conditions and I knew for me that if I fell in that heat I would be out of the World Title Race. I’m happy to make it and hope I can keep my rhythm for the rest of the event. I’m looking forward to the no-loser’s Round 4 and hopefully I can keep going in this event.”
Taj Burrow (AUS), 32, put on an amazing aerial performance on his forehand in Round 3 compliments of the side-shore winds blowing into the Long Beach right-handers and lofted a 17.10 heat-total while eliminating Adam Melling (AUS), 26, from competition.
“It’s pretty good out there,” Burrow said “Us natural footers that like to do airs rub our hands together when wind’s like that. I did that big alley-oop on that first wave and I stacked it, but when I was through air I felt the board sticking to my feet. I knew that heat was going to be fun. I wasn’t aware of his (Adam Melling’s) position on the rankings, but I’m thinking about the money. I’m trying not to, but it’s there in the back of my head.”
Melling, current No. 35 on the ASP World Ranking, will not make the mid-year rotation for Trestles, but could possibly appear as an alternate in the remainder of the ASP World Title events.
Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, two-time ASP World Champion, rebounded after a Round 1 loss yesterday, making a change in his equipment to dispatch of dangerous local wildcard Balaram Stack (USA), 20, with a dominant performance.
“It’s always hard when you lose that first round, you’ve got to go back and pick up the pieces and go again,” Fanning said. “Wildcards are difficult because they’re usually locals and they know spot. I tried to get moving early and keep moving. The tide was dropping out and I just tried to get them in early. My board yesterday wasn’t working to well, so I went back to my normal shortboard that I’ve been riding all year.”
Brett Simpson (USA), 26, got the best of a series of exchanges over ASP Dream Tour veteran Taylor Knox (USA), 40, in their Round 2 match-up. Knox, current No. 30 on the ASP World Ranking, will wait on the results of the surfers ranked behind him who are still alive in the Quiksilver Pro New York to see if he maintains his position among the ASP Top 34 entering Trestles.
“We all knew coming into this event that Taylor (Knox) needed to do something and I am coming off momentum from Teahupo’o,” Simpson said. “He’s been a mentor and friend since I started on tour last year. He’s inspired all of us. It’s just the way it goes. I was anxious. I knew there was a lot on the line for him and I want to climb the rankings too.”
Simpson will face off against ASP Dream Tour rookie Julian Wilson (AUS), 22, in Round 3.
Jeremy Flores (FRA), 23, who was a standout at Teahupo’o, maintained his form in the beachbreak conditions on offer at the Quiksilver Pro New York, eliminating fellow European and close friend Tiago Pires (PRT), 31, in a hard-fought Round 3 battle.
“I didn’t like surfing against Tiago, I want him on tour,” Flores said. “He’s my friend, but I want to do well here, I want to make heats, but I wanted to see him do well here because I knew he needed a result. I couldn’t find any really good waves. The guys in the heats before had fun waves with great walls and mine were fat or wide. I guess my wave choice was bad, but I made it.”
Bobby Martinez (USA), 29, has been disqualified from ASP competition in New York. An explanation is available on the ASP website.
When competition resumes, up first will be Josh Kerr, 27, (AUS) against Raoni Monteiro (BRA), 29, in Heat 5 of Round 3.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.
Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro New York will be available via http://www.quiksilverpro.com
Surfline, official forecasters for the Quiksilver Pro New York, are calling for Solid SE swell from Hurricane Katia expected during the second half of the week before fading headed into the weekend.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.20 def. Balaram Stack (USA) 7.06
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.07 def. Asher Nolan (USA) 11.33
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.10 def. Keanu Asing (HAW) 9.00
Heat 4: Bobby Martinez (USA) 14.06 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.73
Heat 5: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 13.10 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.27
Heat 6: Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.13 def. Gabe Kling (USA) 10.00
Heat 7: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 17.93 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 14.40
Heat 8: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 13.17 def. Cory Lopez (USA) 12.50
Heat 9: Adam Melling (AUS) 15.70 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.97
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.50 def. Chris Davidson (AUS) 12.43
Heat 11: Brett Simpson (USA) 12.93 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 11.20
Heat 12: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 14.93 def. Daniel Ross (AUS) 8.83
QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.10 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 12.87
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.60 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 12.67
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.60 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 12.73
Heat 4: Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.17 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 7.93
QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK REMAINING ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 5: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Bobby Martinez *Will not be surfed. Martinez disqualified from competition.
Heat 7: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 8: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 9: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 10: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 11: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat
12: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Bobby turns his back on the "Dream Tour" (Photo: ASP)
I am sure you have all heard about this incident already. Yesterday after winning his Round 2 heat at the Quik Pro in New York, Bobby decided to use his post heat interview on the live webcast to pretty much tell the ASP to go "Fuck" themselves (His words not mine.) Bobby has been vocal for some time now about his unhappiness about the new ASP Tour format and mostly the fact that guys on the Qualifying tour are able to jump above WCT surfers at the half way point of the tour. This has massive ramifications for Bobby and a couple of other long time WCT surfers, who are about to be relegated back to the WQS. Here is the Interview and the response from the ASP Rules & Disciplinary Team.
LONG BEACH, New York/USA (Wednesday, September 7, 2011) – Bobby Martinez (USA), 29, has been disqualified from the ASP World Title competition in New York. What follows is the correspondence between the ASP Rules and Disciplinary Committee and Bobby Martinez:
Date: 7 September 2011
To: Bobby Martinez
Date of offence: 7 September 2011
Dear Bobby,
We are writing to officially notify you that you have breached Article 151, contained in the 2011 ASP International Rule Book (Rule Book).
Article 151 outlines that all Surfers shall not at any time damage the image of the sport of Surfing and can be found by clicking here.
Article 151 has been breached as a result of the numerous comments you made publicly in an interview on the webcast of the current ASP World Tour Event in New York City, which included the following language:
“First of all, I’d like to say (an the ASP are going to fine me) ‘cuz I don’t want to be a part of this dumb f***ing wannabe tennis tour. All these pro surfers want to be tennis players. They want to do a halfway cutoff. How the f*** is somebody who’s not even competing against our caliber of surfers ahead of 100 of us on the one world ratings. They’ve never been here. They’ve never f***ing made the right to surf against us, but now we’re ranked upon them. Come on now. That’s Bullshit. That’s why I ain’t going to these stupid contests no more. This is my last one because FTW, my sponsors is here and I just tell it like it is. This is my last one and I don’t like tennis. I don’t like the tour… Who gives a f***? You know what I mean?”
“I’ve been here before. I love this city. I’ll tell you right now, if my sponsor wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be here for this dumb contest. ASP? They f***ing…surfing’s going down the drain thanks to these people.”
The interview was conducted on the event live webcast being watched by a global audience, which includes many young children.
Article 147 of the Rule Book provides the ASP Rules & Discipline Committee with the authority to decide appropriate penalties to be issued where there is a breach of the Rule Book.
After careful consideration of these comments and taking into account your multiple offenses of this Article during 2011 that clearly “efface a pattern of unacceptable conduct,” the Rules and Discipline Committee have approved the following action in accordance with Article 147.03 of the Rulebook:
Rule Breach: Article 151 – Damage to Surfing’s Image
Action: You are suspended from the ASP World Tour IMMEDIATELY. You will not take part in the remainder of the World Tour Event currently underway in New York City. A Rules and Discipline Report will be submitted to the ASP Board of Directors to consider expulsion for the remainder of the 2011 Surfing Season. Your suspension will remain in place until such time that the ASP Board of Directors have considered the Report.
Please refer to the ASP Rulebook at the link here for your rights to appeal this decision. Should you wish to have a written submission considered with the Rules and Discipline Report to be considered by the ASP Board of Directors in relation to this incident, please send it to rules@aspworldtour.com before 12 September 2011.
Yours Sincerely,
ASP Rules and Disciplinary Committee
Dominic at a "Secret Spot" (Photo: Red Bull Media)
Wow, this a very cool little piece. these guys must have froze their balls off on the Glacier! Really nicely shot and put together to.
Dominic Gührs and Frederic von Osten - two wakeboard pros and best buds go on a search for new wake spots. On their first spot, they shred the Weißsee glacier lake near Uttendorf, Austria.
Kerr was surfing on a magical carpet for Day 1 (Photo: ASP)
Kerrazy is the man! Josh Kerr dominated proceedings on day 1 of the Quik Pro in New York. The waves looked more like PE or Muizenberg on an average day and one was left wondering what happened to the so called "Dream Tour". WQS events have had better waves than this premier event - just think of 10ft hell tubes at Ballito for the Mr Price Pro. However, the forecast is for much more swell, thanks to a hurricane off the East Coast of the US, so we can hope it will get better. Never the less, some guys excelled in the small beach break and Kerr was the star, scoring a 9.5 and a 9.07 in his first round heat. The "Unlucky" award goes to Matt Wilko who dominated his heat only to get a rather dubious interference call on a Hobgood. The guys were not holding back and there was some amazing progessive surfing - hell, even Kieren Perow popped an air! Check out Kerr's heat and the ASP press release below.
LONG BEACH, Long Island/New York (Tuesday, September 6, 2011) – The opening day of the inaugural Quiksilver Pro New York saw the world’s best surfers dig into building two-to-four foot (1 metre) waves, compliments of Hurricane Katia, today, completing Round 1 at Long Beach on Long Island, New York.
Stop No. 6 of 11 on the ASP World Title Series, the Quiksilver Pro New York is a historic event that not only represents the first ever elite contest on America’s East Coast, but also boasts the richest prize-purse in surfing history of US$1,000,000.
Josh Kerr (AUS), 27, reveled in the New York ramps and garnered both of the round’s highest single-wave scores of 9.50 and 9.07 (both out of 10) for monster no-grab air-reverses, scalping a commanding victory over Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, and Kai Otton (AUS), 32.
“It was like an expression session out there,” Kerr said. “I started getting scores and was enjoying myself out there with those little rip bowl rights. We all had 15 waves and I think we all had fun out there. I went for a free surf and the wind came up and I knew I was going to hunt the rights. It was perfect and I found a couple of those ramps so I’m stoked.”
Kerr advances directly into Round 3 of competition.
C.J. Hobgood (USA), 32, current No. 36 on the ASP World Rankings, is in need of a result at the Quiksilver Pro New York to keep his ASP Dream Tour campaign alive. The former ASP World Champion (2001) earned a Round 1 victory with amazing last-second heroics over an in-form Bede Durbidge (AUS), 28, when he belted an 8.37 (out of 10) with commanding rail-work in the dying moments of the heat.
“I guess I’ve had one or two dramatic finishes in my career, but there’s a lot on the line for me in this contest and I was feeling pretty frustrated out there for most of the heat,” Hobgood said. “It had been lefts all day, but there were a lot of rights in my heat and Bede (Durbidge) got some big scores off the bat. I needed a big score at the end and when that wave came through, I pretty much threw everything I had at it.”
Hobgood, a veteran campaigner among the world’s best surfers, admitted that the ability to adjust to the ever-changing conditions expected through the event window will be crucial in earning a successful result at Long Beach.
“Local knowledge can be an advantage out here, but everyone on tour can surf in every condition,” Hobgood said. “With the storm moving through this week, the conditions are going to change day-to-day so the surfers who adapt the fastest will be the most successful.”
Alejo Muniz (BRA), 21, capitalized on today’s building swell and displayed a series of powerful rail-gouges on his forehand and critical backhand turns to earn a hard-fought victory over Australian goofy-footer Adrian Buchan (AUS), 28, and Floridian standout Cory Lopez (USA), 34.
“It’s pretty fun,” Muniz said. “It’s not that big, but there are still a couple bigger waves and I have a good board for small waves. I just tried to have fun. I started a little slow and my strategy was to go left, but my best wave was on the right and I improved throughout the heat. I always try to do big turns even though it’s small.”
Muniz was joined by fellow 2011 ASP Top 34 rookie Julian Wilson (AUS), 22, in posting big Round 1 wins today. Wilson surgically dismantled the playful afternoon peaks, posting an impressive 17.00 out of a possible 20, en route to a victory over Taylor Knox (USA), 40, and Kieren Perrow (AUS), 34.
“I tried not to watch Kersey (Josh Kerr) because I knew I’d try to over-surf,” Wilson said. “I started the heat how I wanted to, got a 5 and kind of built house on that. I made some silly mistakes, but I was pretty lucky to get some scores at the end. I knew if I got some sort of finner or reverse I’d get a good score. I was pretty jittery in the beginning of the heat, but as soon as I got the good one I felt confident.”
Kelly Slater (USA), 39, reigning 10-time ASP World Champion, opened his Quiksilver Pro New York campaign in lethal form with a solid Round 1 victory.
“New York has been good,” Slater said. “Everyone is super cool and I’m excited to be here. The waves are a little small, so it’s tough, but it’s the first round and no one loses and the swell should be building. My board felt good, it’s an epoxy, but pretty much same thing I’ve been riding. Hopefully we’ll find some peaky barrels and we’ll see what happens. I know that Hurricane swell is out there, so we’ll just see what happens.”
Slater, who regained the lead for the 2011 ASP World Title with his win at Teahupo’o last week, easily made the adjustment from the massive barrels of last week’s competition to today’s tricky beachbreak waves on offer in New York.
“After last week, it’s a little different in these waves,” Slater said. “You’ve got to find the sweet spot out there. Last week, you’re just trying to stay with it at spots like Teahupo’o, but on days like today there isn’t much energy so you’ve got to find it.”
Tiago Pires (PRT), 31, current No. 33 on the ASP World Ranking, is also in need of a big result at the Quiksilver Pro New York in order to maintain his position among the elite ASP Top 34, and advanced directly through to Round 3 after heat-leader Matt Wilkinson (AUS), 23, suffered an interference on Damien Hobgood (USA), 32.
“I’ve just been feeling good and not thinking too much about points,” Pires said. “I just try to think about waves and just surf. I wasn’t nervous until Wilko (Matt Wilkinson) got the interference and I got the lead. Wilko kind of gave the heat to me, it was unlucky for him.”
Dane Reynolds (USA), 25, who has yet to compete in an ASP World Title event this season, was scheduled to surf in the Quiksilver Pro New York but withdrew today due to an injury sustained last week to his ribs on a free-surf trip in Japan.
“I came to New York with every intention to surf, but I knew it would be a challenge with my rib injury,” Reynolds said. “I tried surfing yesterday and it was painful to even stand up. I’ve never dealt with bruised ribs before so hopefully some more rest will get me ready for the next contest.”
Reynolds has been replaced by Keanu Asing (HAW), 18, in Round 2 of competition. Asing will face Adrian Buchan (AUS), 28, in Round 2 when competition resumes.
When competition recommences, will be Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, up against Balaram Stack (USA), 20, in the opening heat of Round 2.
Even organizers will convene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 7am start.
Surfline, official forecasters for the Quiksilver Pro New York, are calling for clean offshore conditions with occasional light rain, and slowly increasing SE swell from Katia mostly in the chest to shoulder high range with a few head high sets. Longer lines sweeping in but still peaky/fun from yesterday’s leftovers.
Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro New York will be available via http://www.quiksilverpro.com
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.56, Brett Simpson (USA) 13.50, Travis Logie (ZAF) 6.57
Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.67, Gabe Kling (USA) 3.43, Dane Reynolds (USA) N/S
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.93, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 12.84, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 11.46
Heat 4: Jadson Andre (BRA) 11.77, Owen Wright (AUS) 10.00, Bobby Martinez (USA) 7.10
Heat 5: Heitor Alves (BRA) 13.83, Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.73, Asher Nolan (USA) 8.60
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.20, Daniel Ross (AUS) 11.66, Balaram Stack (USA) 6.07
Heat 7: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 14.40, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.27, Cory Lopez (USA) 12.97
Heat 8: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 15.97, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.77, Chris Davidson (AUS) 12.00
Heat 9: Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 10.80, Adam Melling (AUS) 10.50, Michel Bourez (PYF) 7.66
Heat 10: Tiago Pires (PRT) 12.76, Damien Hobgood (USA) 12.73, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 11.65
Heat 11: Josh Kerr (AUS) 18.57, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.37, Kai Otton (AUS) 11.54
Heat 12: Julian Wilson (AUS) 17.00, Taylor Knox (USA) 12.60, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.60
QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Balaram Stack (USA)
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Asher Nolan (USA)
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Keanu Asing (HAW)
Heat 4: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Bobby Martinez (USA)
Heat 5: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 6: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Gabe Kling (USA)
Heat 7: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 8: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 10: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 11: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 12: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Give your ears some lovin as myself and SA Wakeboarder, Nick Burton-Moore talk the shit, action sports and Tattoos on Show 4 of Captain Kai's World, only on www.2ov.fm
To say I am excited about the imminent release of Travis Rice's new movie, The Art of Flight, would be like saying it would be nice to have my own Island in Sumatra. His previous film, Thats it Thats All, changed the face of Action Sports Cinema forever and Red Bull Media House and Brain Farm have apparently held nothing back in the Production of the Art of Flight.
Making a big budget Cinematic Snowboarding Movie is not easy though, just check out the "Special Features - Making a Snowboard Movie is Easy" short:
These guys are not messing around this time. They went looking for the biggest, scariest and previously unridden terrain for the movie. Check out this line, by John Jackson, from the "Special Features":
The movie is being released later this month and we have been promised that there will be Premiers in Cape Town and Jozi. So hold onto your panties people, the greatest Snowboard Movie of all time is on the way. You can help unlock more special features on the Facebook Page, just go HERE.
Check out the "Metal" teaser:
The Quiksilver Pro New York begins on Monday and it is a first for Pro surfing. Firstly as this is the first ever CT event in NY and secondly due to the mammoth $1'000'000 prize money. After mind altering and rather frightening waves in Tahiti, the pro show moves to pretty mediocre and cold beach break for this event. There have been many questions asked about the feasibility of taking a contest to these kind of venues, but it seems the bottom line is that the major Brands want pro contests back where they will get huge crowds of spectators.
Major points of interest are that:
1) Kelly Slater is back on top of the ratings, hotly followed by Jordy Smith and Joel Parkinson and it looks like we are going to have a major 3 way battle for the World title this year between these 3. None of them will want a bad result before the half way mark of the tour and moving onto Trestles where all 3 are super dangerous.
2) Will Bobby Martinez and Dane Reynolds surf? Both have been awol for the last 2 events and neither has indicated they will be surfing in NY. Dane is of course a Quiksilver rider and I would be pretty amazed if he does not pitch up for the event.
3) Travis Logie, who got a wildcard thanks to Bobby not pitching up in Tahiti, and ended up making the semi finals and getting a 3rd place, is on the cusp of making the cut off for the premier tour. He needs two withdrawals from the field, as he is the 2nd wildcard option, but if this happens and he can secure a good result, he will almost definitely make the cut. In small beachbreak conditions you have to know the Durban beachfront local will be hard to beat. Only time will tell though and Travis must be praying that some of the Tahiti injured don't make it.
4) The Cutoff! After this contest there is a reshuffle on tour and anyone outside the Top 32 on the World Rankings is gone, while any WQS surfer in the Top 32 will move up to the big leagues. there are a span of amazing surfers, like John John Florence very close and the Brazilian wonder Kid, Gabriel Medina is already in.
Why New York and are there Waves? Quiksilver say -
The surf industry was created by surfers, for surfers. New York surfers represent the core dedication that has made the sport what it is today. This event is as much in honor of that dedication to wave riding as it is to the stars who light the way. For many, cold water and big city living would be reason enough to turn their backs on the ocean. To be a life-long surfer in New York requires considerable sacrifice and unwavering commitment. It means braving the majority of the year for the incredible surf pay-off that typically comes during a brief window at the end of summer.
But the surfing culture is rich and deep on Long Island. The East Coast Surf Championships began on Long Island in 1962 and continues to this day as one of the longest-running surfing competitions in the world. Like California, Hawaii and Australia, New York can lay claim to hometown heroes, mom-andpop surf shops, and die-hard personalities who have supported and influenced generations to become a part of surf history.
WHAT ABOUT THE SURF?
Forecasters and analysts pored over charts and historic data before selecting the National Boulevard surf site on Long Island, New York. The September 4-15 time frame has historically offered the highest incidence of quality surf and hurricane-generated swell opportunities. Surfline.com, the world's leading forecaster of wave and surf conditions, conducted an independent long term 15-year wave study for western Long Island, New York, summarizing that September 4-15 is one of the most consistent time periods for sizable surf in the region. In addition, independent local feedback supports these findings, with September typically averaging 3+ hurricane swells, typically with at least one 3-4 day swell. Surfline.com is the official forecaster for The Quiksilver Pro New York, serving as a key reference point for contest officials in selecting surf contest days.
“ This was a very fascinating study,” said Sean Collins, Chief Forecaster and President of Surfline.com. “The surf climate in Western Long Island is greatly affected by the underwater Hudson Canyon offshore, which can turn average surf into very high quality surf comparable to many of the best surf spots in the world on the right day. We are also in a La Nina year, so we expect the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season to be a little more active and hopefully we can score great surf with the world's top surfers in one of the best cities in the world.”
The Wild Cards -
As with all Association of Surfing Professionals events, there are two wildcards selected to mix it up with the world's Top 34 ranked surfers. The first wildcard was granted to rising professional New York surfer Balaram Stack, hailed as the most talented surfer to emerge from the New York surf scene. Balaram joined the Quiksilver Pro Team at the age of 14. He is now 19 and pairs his supremely smooth surf style with a repertoire of crowd-wowing, gravity-defying aerial antics. Balaram won the coveted New York UnSound Pro title in 2010. He is also a multiple NSSA East Coast champion.
The second wildcard will be given to the top surfer to emerge out of a threestage trials competition that was open to juniors, locals and international talent:
Stage 1: The UnSound ASP Pro Junior, held at Long Beach, Long Island, April 27-30, 2011. The winner of the event, Hawaii's Keanu Asing, earned a berth into the final stage of trials competition:
Stage 2: The Empire State Surfing Championships Trials for the Trials, presented by Quiksilver, held at National Boulevard, Long Island, July 15-17, 2011. This was open to 16 of New York's hottest home-town surfers. The winner, Leif Engstrom (Montauk) advanced to the international trials competition that will immediately precede the Quiksilver Pro New York:
Stage 3: The Quiksilver Pro New York ASP World Tour Trials, presented by UnSound Surf, supported by Vitamin Water, to be held September 1-3 at the National Boulevard main event site. This is open to 14 rising international pro surfers, plus Keanu Asing & Leif Engstrom. The lineup of talent includes solid East Coast representation in Fisher Heaverly, Ryan Carlson, Sam Hammer, Asher Nolan, and Jeremy Johnston. International challengers include: Craig
Anderson (Australia), Masatoshi Ohno (Japan), and Marc Lacomare (Europe). The winner will receive the wildcard into the main event.
And this is where it really gets interesting. The two wildcards are always immediately drawn against the two top seeds of the event. That sounds like a good deal for the top seeds, but as often as not, the youthful ambition and nothing-to-lose mentality of a wildcard can prove to be the undoing of a champion.
So get your Fantasy Team ready, even in crap waves there is a whole lot to do for the surfers at both ends of the ratings and this should be a banger of a Contest.
The Billabong Pro Junior is running at Victoria Bay in the Southern Cape and the groms scored great waves for day 1 of the competition. Check out the highlights video:
Rally Cross is the best addition to the XGames is a long time and this on board video of Marcus Gronholm, from XGames 17, will show you why. I especially like how they have made the video look like a video game, as that's how it must feel to drive one of these Rally beasts! Yeeeew!