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!
It is that time of the year again, when the Wavescape Film festival hits Cape Town, starting with their awesome cinema night on Clifton Beach. Every year the Festival shows the best and latest in surfing cinema, with both traditional surf films for amping you up, as well as hard hitting documentaries and short films. I will be previewing some of the movies over the next few weeks and you can win tickets (See below) to the Festival to come watch the movies you want to see.
WIN TICKETS:
In order to win tickets to the Wavescape Film Festival, to watch movies at either the Labia Cinema or the Brass Bell in Kalk Bay, simply leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite surf film of all time and why it is your favorite. You can also get active on Twitter, just tweet the above to myself @KapteinKai and @WavescapeSA and you can also win. I have 5 sets of tickets to give away, so tell your friends about it, or just post this blog on your FB or Twitter. I will announce the winners on my radio show on Monday 12th December, 8-10pm, on www.2ov.fm
Film Festival on the Radio:
Tune in to Captain Kai's World on 2 Oceans Vibe Radio on Monday to listen to the guys from Wavescape talk about the Festival, as well as Roosta and Chris Mason talk about their new documentary, Sharks and Surfing, which is featuring at the Festival.
Date: Monday 5th December
Time: 8pm
On: www.2ov.fm
You probably don't need to see this, as you sit at your desk working hard. But, hey it might just amp you up for that next wallet busting trip to paradise. This is Taj and his mates spend their down time from the ASP World Tour. Kelly makes an appearance in video 1, shralping perfect sunset Restaurants and Taj and the boys continue in Video 2. My favorite is the third video, where Taj and Jay tow a perfect and very shallow, right, reef pass, while being filmed from the air.
Taj finds the tubes and takes the win. (Photo: ASP)
You might have wondered why I have not blogged on the Triple Crown yet and the simple answer is that not much has really happened yet - well till the last day of the event at Haleiwa. The surf for the first few days looked like School Champs in Port Elizabeth - in other words really small and not what we expect from the North Shore. You got to know that is the case when the guys are surfing Haleiwa left! The young guns were reveling in the small stuff, throwing airs all over the show - see video further down. But they finally got some swell on the last day and Taj looking hungry as ever took the win. Next up is Sunset and hopefully they get swell...
HALEIWA, Hawaii (November 23, 2011) - West Australia’s Taj Burrow, a virtual veteran of pro surfing at 33 years of age, has claimed his first Reef Hawaiian Pro title in Hawaii to pocket $25,000 and take an early lead on the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing ratings. Burrow, who has been competing in Hawaii for 15 years, left the field in his wake today, finding a form all his own in the pumping overhead surf. Coming into the final, he claimed that this was his year to shoot for the Vans Triple Crown. He kept his word. Runner-up was East Coast Australian Adam Melling; third was Adriano De Souza (Brazil); and fourth was Nat Young (Santa Cruz, CA.). The Reef Hawaiian Pro is the first jewel in the prestigious $830,000 Vans Triple Crown presented by Rock Star Energy Drink.
Burrow surfed through four rounds today, gaining momentum in each. While aerials were at the front of most surfer’s minds, Burrow got creative with every heat, strategically building scores with a mixed plate of form-bending tube rides and lip-belting close-out snaps. He eclipsed his challengers in the final, posting a two-wave total of 16.90 out of 20 (9.37 and 7.53). Melling (12.6 – 6.43, 6.17) and De Souza (12.5 – 7.5, 5) battled it out for second. Nat Young, who had tapped into the best rhythm of the day up until the final, was left high and dry with a two-wave total of only 6.10 (3.73, 2.37).
“I had a good run, it feels good scoring in the 9-point range and it’s hard to do,” said Taj, world #3. “I just really wanted to win an event here. I am really happy.
“It’s funny I have never really gotten a good shot (at the Vans Triple Crown). I was thinking, maybe I should really have a go at one of these things so I actually have it right in the front of my mind.
“I love being in Hawaii. I was saying to a few of my friends it is so good to come to Hawaii and sit and make a base for six weeks. We are getting on a plane every other weekend normally, it’s draining. Coming to Hawaii you just get in a good routine, you unpack your bags and you can kind of relax. We train and eat good food and just the whole routine of it all I feel much better then having to skip town every two weeks.”
Melling, 26, was the quiet achiever through the rounds, chipping away with rock-solid performances and error-free, text-book surfing. A podium finish was a new high for him in Hawaii, and $12,500 wasn’t bad either.
“I am feeling pretty good you know, always wanted to do well and get on the podium here in Hawaii because the waves are so testing,” said Melling. “You can get any kind of conditions. You can get one foot or 12-foot closeouts. I needed to podium this year, I need the points so bad. I have been on the borderline for a while now, so hopefully this can push me up and I can get a couple more results.
“I have some good big boards that have been sitting in the garage for a while. I’m definitely looking forward to Sunset. I hope we get some swell because anything can happen out there. I have lost heats needing a 0.2 and counting a one. So it gets pretty hectic at times but I am looking forward to it.”
De Souza, world #5, has had a stellar season on the elite ASP World Tour and, like Taj, is hoping for a strong Hawaiian season. At 24 years of age, De Souza is undisputedly a member of the youth movement that is driving a fast road to the top of the pro surfing world.
“I am so happy right now with the third, it has always been my dream to get to the finals here in Hawaii,” said De Souza. “I have been watching the last 10 years, all of the finalists, and I have seen them with all their trophies and leis. So I always been dreaming to be one day here. I am really proud of myself. It was an amazing week. Actually the flat waves at the start helped me a lot. I needed the rest. I am really pumped for Sunset. It is going to be big waves so it is going to be a big motivation.”
Young, the youngest of the finalists at age 20, had been on fire in the earlier rounds. He posted the highest heat score of the entire event in the quarters – 17.77, popping two huge reverse 360 aerials on one wave for a 9.77 – the highest single wave of the event. He surfed through more rounds to reach the final than the others and looked to be peaking at the same time. But his cat and mouse game with the waves in the final was fruitless and frustrating.
“Yeah I was super frustrated in the final,” said Young. “Everything that could go wrong went wrong for me. I mean, it’s great to make the final and I’m so stoked about that. It’s all good and I will go into the next event with a little more confidence.
“I feel confident out at Sunset. The waves where I live are like big rights and that is kind of the same. I have done good there the past few years and I am excited.”
On his double air 9.77 that has earned him a shot at the 250,000 Hawaiian Miles Air award: “If you get a long enough wave you can do two airs, it’s just hard to do one right at the beginning and follow it up with another. I was happy to get that. The (second air) was kind of a sketchy landing because I landed it so far out on the flats. I didn’t really think I was going to land it, so that was nice.”
Prior to the final, local favorite John John Florence, 19, floated on air and threaded through barrels to reach the semi finals, but hit a wall at Burrow and Young. Regardless, he was ecstatic to compete in front of a strong home crowd and hopes to build momentum through the remaining two events.
“I’m happy,” said Florence. “I would have loved to make the final but I’m stoked to make the semi’s. All the young guys, Nat (Young), Kolohe (Andino), Evan (Geiselman), Granger (Larsen), everyone’s just kind of killing it, doing airs, getting everything together. It’s great, everyone’s down here, I’m stoked. I feel so at home. Sunset’s next, it’s gonna be big, it should be fun!”
The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing now moves north to Sunset Beach for the Vans World Cup of Surfing (Nov. 25-Dec. 6). The Surfline.com forecast for the coming week promises exactly the kind of hefty, challenging surf that the venue is famous for. Sunset has a reputation for separating the men from the boys and is where a bid for the Vans Triple Crown is usually cemented or crushed.
Happy Thanksgiving! FINALS
Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.90pts ; Adam Melling (AUS) 12.12.60pts ; Adriano De Souza (BRA) 12.50 pts ; Nat Young (USA) 6.10 pts SEMIFINALS
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.84pts ; Nat Young (USA) 12.70pts ; John John Florence (HAW) 11.50pts ; Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 10.67pts Heat 2: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 13.54pts ; Adam Melling (AUS) 13.16pts ; Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.30pts ; Roy Powers (HAW) 4.57pts QUATERFINALS
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.10pts ; Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 15.60pts ; Evan Geiselman (USA) 15.00pts ; Kolohe Andino (HAW) 6.90pts Heat 2: Nat Young (USA) 17.77pts ; John John Florence (HAW) 14.27pts ; Kieren Perrow (AUS) 5.50pts ; Glen Hall (IRL) 5.20pts Heat 3: Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.50pts ; Adriano De Souza (BRA) 12.30pts ; Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 12.20 pts ; Jesse Mendes (BRA) 9.17pts Heat 4: Roy Powers (HAW) 15.00pts ; Adam Melling (AUS) 9.90pts ; Brett Simpson (USA) 7.33pts ; Granger Larsen (HAW) 6.83pts Round of 32
Heat 1: Evan Geiselman (USA)11.33pts ; Kieren Perrow (AUS)10.73pts ; Hodei Collazo (EUK) 6.84pts ; Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 2.90pts Heat 2: Kolohe Andino (HAW) 11.84pts ; Nat Young (USA) 9.70pts ; Adrien Toyon (REU)9.27pts ; Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 9.13pts Heat 3: Glenn Hall (IRL) 15.43pts ; Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 14.37pts ; Sebastien Zietz (HAW) 10.34pts ; Leonardo Neves (BRA)10.00pts Heat 4: John John Florence (HAW) 16.27pts ; Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.26pts ; Thiago Camarao 7.77pts (BRA) ; Daniel Ross (AUS) 7.70pts Heat 5: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 12.67pts ; Brett Simpson (USA) 12.34pts ; Dusty Payne (HAW) 9.60pts ; Adrian Buchan (AUS) 9.30pts Heat 6: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 11.19pts ; Adam Melling (AUS) 10.73pts ; Dion Atkinson (AUS) 8.83pts ; Adam Robertson (AUS) 8.50pts Heat 7: Roy Powers (HAW) 9.94pts ; Michel Bourez (PYF) 9.50pts ; Jadson Andre (BRA) 8.57pts ; Marc Lacomare (FRA) 5.83pts Heat 8: Granger Larsen (HAW) 14.60pts ; Jesse Mendes (BRA) 12.60pts ; Nathaniel Curran (USA) 10.84pts ; Aritz Aramburu (EUK) 7.93pts CLASH of the LEGENDS
Heat 2 : Ross Williams (HAW) 14.50pts ; Shane Dorian (HAW) 14.44 pts ; Rob Machado (USA) 10.83pts ; Kalani Robb (HAW) 8.27pts
I have been sitting around waiting for Season 3 of Nitro circus to arrive. It's probably my all time favorite TV Show. So first I was totally disappointed to hear that due to Travis Pastrana's ridiculous schedule, they would not be making Season 3. But happy days, now we get a full length feature film instead and in 3D at cinemas (Lets hope our SA cinemas wake up and show it.) The guys are apparently lifting the bar on the stunts in this one - they almost killed Jim DuChamp already. So to tantalize your cringe and funny taste buds, check these out...
Make sure you don't miss theGoodLife show 4 tonight on Supersport. The show has got a great mix of sports with the best BMX event in SA, Halloween Jam, as the main piece. Also on the show are the Backyard Burnout, skate event in Durban, we profile SA's top trial biker, Andrew Guest and take a look at the Surfer's Ball and surf contest in Plett, which was in memory of shark attack fatality, Tim.
Brighten up your day/eve with Podcast 15 of Captain Kai's World on 2 Oceans Vibe Radio. I had Jason Hearn on the show promoting his new surf film, the Africa Project, Dom from Goldfish talking music, surf and travels and Wok pulled by to talk shit and make us laugh - he is good at that!
Red Bull continue their annual celebration of New Years eve, with mind blowing stunts performed by their top athletes. This year in San Diego sees the return of Robbie and Levi...
Song: "Sail" by AWOLNATION (Red Bull Records)
A motorcycle and a snowmobile walk into a bar...Well, not quite, but not too different, as a motorcycle and a snowmobile will simultaneously fly over water in the latest installment of Red Bull: New Year. No Limits.
This year will bring together two incredible athletes who have found their way back to the annual New Year's Eve celebration via different paths. The event will air live from San Diego, Calif., on Saturday, December 31.
Dallan has one of the best Whips in the business! (Photo: CTBF)
Dallan Goldman is the rising star of SA FMX. He won the Jungle Rush trials earlier this year to win a place at the Masters of Dirt show in Cape Town this December. The kid is going places! Check out the teaser for his film project.
Masters of Dirt at Cape Town Stadium - 16-18 December 2011 - Find out MORE
This is a teaser video of the soon to be released Dallan Goldman 2011 feature video. Dallan is one of the leading riders in South Africa and is a force to recognized!
CHECK OUT:
www.freestylefilms.co.za for more videos
Sweet Lord of the surf, I am amped for this movie! Jason Hearn has been working on the project for about 3 years now and I have got to see sporadic pieces of the footage, which have kept me frothing! South Africa's best surfers exploring Africa and SA for waves, to an insane soundtrack and with really good interviews. There is even a short piece on our history as South African surfers with legends like "Oom" John Whitmore.
I even got some shots in the film - look out for the extreme west coast and a certain tube fest on the East Coast with a big rock in the foreground!
Surfers include Jordy Smith, Travis Logie, Royden Bryson, Franky O, Shaun Holmes, Grant "Twig" Baker and many more...
The Premier is on Friday 25th November, in Cape Town and if you love surfing, the lifestyle or even just adventure, you want to be there!
Venue: Trinity, Green Point
Time: Pre-Drinks 6:30pm - Screening 8:00pm
Event Page on Facebook - HERE
The Africa Project on YOUTUBE
Show 14 was a petrol head vibe with a touch of dirty surfer! Guests were Lance Isaacs, SA Superbike Champion, Anthony Raynard, SA MX Star and Wok, SA's most controversial surf blogger. We chatted about the Cape Town Bike Festival, with Supercross and Masters of Dirt in the Cape Town Stadium. Also headline artists Seether and Haddaway - Wok seemed pretty amped on the "What is Love" Icon! I talked about the crazy Volcom Party with Goldfish over the weekend in Durban - see my previous blog.
Mansion parties are cool! Goldfish rocking the crowd! (Photo: Volcom)
You have to love being treated like a Pimp Rock Star. I have my fair share of great events and parties I attend through the year, but it is still rare to be treated like this. How was I treated?
Action Sports brand, Volcom, made me feel like the boss! I flew up for the weekend in Durban and was picked up by Jono Channing, the man running Volcom in SA, taken to an amazing dinner of Argentinean steak and beer (Where I immediately became aware of the incredibly large number of single, gorgeous women around and they were all eating steak!). Slept in an awesome B&B, taken for a morning surf in warm water (Was surrounded by calendar quality Bikini clad women), went shopping with the Volcom competition winners at the Volcom store at Gateway, where the winners had the incredibly hard task of buying R12’000 worth of quality Volcom gear and then we arrived at the Mansion…
It could be in Hawaii - really!
My room was bigger than my house - never mind the bed!
First impressions were that I had somehow been teleported to the Playboy Mansion in Hawaii. Gorgeous Promo girls running around, an old house straight out of Donald Trump’s holiday home short list, with lawn and pool area kitted out for the party and finally I was taken to my room for the night. The Room basically looked like it had been taken out of an episode of the Kardasians – Huge four-poster bed, massive bathroom, outdoor shower and of course, the jet bath under the grape vines (My only unhappy memory of this entire weekend was that none of the many gorgeous ladies at the party did ended up in the tub with me and copious amounts of Champagne – bad form Durban girls!) This Captain was thinking things could not get much better and then the party started…
Promo girls were dangerous... (Photo: Volcom)
First off, the weather in Durban decided to go haywire. I am talking high winds, the possibility of rain (Though it never did) and gloomy overcast skies. Having said this it was Durban and it was still warm. Humidity has some advantages it seems, besides causing uncontrollable sweating and rashes in the wrong places.
The skies were gloomy, the view was not. (Photo: Volcom)
The Mansion lawn was the perfect dance floor. (Photo: Volcom)
I was not sure what to expect from the Durban crowds. Would they come out in their droves, would the woman be as hot and scantily clad as their Cape Town counterparts, would I have to deal with an army of self loving cocaine addled agency types? (A regular occurrence in both CT and Jozi.) Happily the Durban crew proved to be incredibly friendly, amped on the party, had zero attitude or dripping noses, there were Mo’s all over the show and the women, shew, the women were gorgeous and very approachable.
Goldfish were having fun... (Photo: Volcom)
A few hours later and Goldfish hit the decks, the crowd went mental, the dance moves rained down like a “Flashdance” remake and the booze flowed from the many bars on offer. Dom from Goldfish told me over dinner that he had not had that much fun at a party for a long time – I told him to down his drink as the night was yet young.
The kind of ratio Jean-Marc and I both like. (Photo: Volcom)
Choices, choices its good to have choices! (Photo: Volcom)
The girls were having a great time! (Photo: Volcom)
This was followed by a serious clubbing session in the dark back streets of Durban – though the Club, Origin, was incredible!(Jono Channing is very dangerous man late at night at the club - that was my public safety announcement!)
It's good to enjoy your own party! Jono in the swing... (Photo: Volcom)
I woke up in my massive bed with a pounding head and a mouth like a 200 year old Persian carpet. Thankfully the Mansion staff had my greasy, yet top notch breakfast ready to go and I was shortly feeling line a young Magnum PI once again. My clear head would be short lived though as I was whisked off to the Durban Botanical Gardens to watch Goldfish rock out almost a 1000 people in the rain – they really did not seem to notice it – while I Watched from under the Volcom tent and quaffed cold beers and lovely snacks. Pimp rolling really is the way to go when away for a weekend.
Found myself stuck at the airport with Goldfish waiting for our delayed flight back to Cape Town. We were all in agreement that it had been a bloody marvelous weekend in Durban.
I was incredibly impressed with Durban, the people of Durban and of course Volcom, who gave me one of the greatest weekends of the year! Well done, next time I want the Ferrari to go with the mansion. (Higgins is optional.)
Captain Kai
Jono (Volcom), Swanky (the Party Manager) and Dom from Goldfish. (Photo: Volcom)
Wanna get onto the Volcom Vibes? Follow them on FACEBOOK
Yesterday it was possibly the biggest wave ever surfed. Today we take a look at possibly the heaviest wave ever surfed. This was Nathan Fletcher on the biggest day at Teahupoo this year. It has made the covers of multiple magazines. He did not make it though and that wipeout must have been so hectic. In my mind a way heavier wave than anything else I have yet seen. Watch the video and let me know what you think?
This week in a remote fishing village off the coast of Portugal, Garrett McNamara, of Hawaii, towed into what many are calling the biggest wave ever surfed. Experts are averaging the wave at 90ft, just 10ft shy of the momentous 100ft goal that many thought would never be achieved. Check the video, make your own call. I call it bloody massive!
Show 13 rolled onto the airwaves and I was joined on air by Sean, Brett and Adrian from local band, Bilderberg Motel (Inge from Lark sneaked in for a short chat.) We talked about the local music scene, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club coming to Synergy, the fiasco around Kelly Slater's 11th World title, the Rebel Sessions big wave awards and the Quiksilver Backyard Burnout in Durban. Of course this was all broken up by great music, some of which was chosen buy the guys in the band.
There were some good sessions! (Photo: Rebel Sessions)
Rebel TV came to the party in 2011 for the Cape Town big wave scene, after the departure of the Red Bull left a large gap in the calendar. Though it was not the best big wave winter Cape Town has ever seen, there was one huge tow day and a couple of pretty hefty paddle days. More importantly some of the Cape's big wave chargers have got some well deserved travel budget for the Northern Hemisphere season. Well done to all involved, we look forward to next year's edition.
The inaugural Rebel Sessions 2011 awards winners were announced at a packed invite only ceremony held at La Cabane restaurant in Hout Bay on Friday night. The four award wining big wave surfers each pocketed a share of R110 000 in prize money for waves ridden at the Capes premier big wave venues this winter.
The Rebel Sessions is a unique big wave surfing awards event that ran for the first time this year from 15th July to the 22nd October. Over 100 days of winter the Rebel Session cameras filmed six sessions surfed with waves over 15 foot, the photographs and footage taken were used to judge the waves surfed and award prizes in four different categories.
The main award for the best-surfed paddle wave went to popular Kommetjie local Michael Schlebach who pocketed R50 000 for a long walling wailer he skillfully surfed at Dungeons. Michael has been charging big waves off the Cape peninsular for many years and was a standout surfer in every session he surfed through the winter. Accepting the check, trophy and framed photograph from the head of Rebel Media, Christian Herles, the broadly grinning surfer said that he was planning on spending the money on new surfboards.
Kommetjie surfer Andy Marr received R30 000 for the biggest tow wave of the season while Jeremy Johnson from Hout Bay got R20 000 for the biggest wave paddled into, and James Taylor received R10000 for the worst wipe out. The winning waves were all surfed at world-renowned Dungeons reef off Hout bay when the biggest swell of the winter hit the Cape of storms on the 21st and 22nd August.
Christian Herles also awarded a surprise "Surfer of the Sessions" award with R5000 going to young Durbanite Josh Redman for the commitment and skill he displayed in the water. Josh based himself in Cape Town for much of the winter and his fearless assault on the Capes big waves showed that he's a big wave talent to look out for in the future.
Awarding the prizes Christian said that Rebel Media would be back with the event next year because Cape Town is "one of the few places in the world that has a real big wave community and thats why (Cape Town) deserves the event and thats why Rebel Media bought the event here.".
The footage filmed will be edited into a documentary that will be distributed and aired worldwide by Rebel Media through their Rebel TV sports channel.
Rebel Sessions 2011 Big Wave awards winners (L-R) Best surfed paddle in wave Mike Schlebach (R50000), Sessions Surfers award, Josh Redman (R5000), Biggest Tow Surfed wave (R30000), Andy Marr (R30000) and Biggest paddle in wave, Jeremy Johnson (R20000) receive their awards at the prize giving in Hout Bay, South Africa 04 November 2011.
This is a very cool video shot from above the cliffs at Shipsterns Bluff, an angle not seen to often. One thing that is glaringly obvious, is that this wave takes no prisoners. Couple of mental waves made, including some crazy tubes, but way more horrible wipes!
Kelly Slater has officially become the greatest surfer of all time. Hell possibly the greatest athlete of all time. Yesterday at the Rip Curl Pro in San Francisco, he causally took down his Round 3 heat to win the 2011 title. The scary thing is that he still looks like he easily has a few more years in him. Could he go for number 12? It would surely ensure his place as the greatest sport star of all time!
The rest of the tour are left wondering what the hell they are going to have to do to stop him. It will be very interesting to see what goes down for the rest of the year and whether Kelly is still amped to compete.
Congrats Kelly! You are a legend.
ASP Press Release:
OCEAN BEACH, San Francisco/California (Wednesday, November 2, 2011) – Kelly Slater (USA), 39, has claimed a historic 11th ASP World Title today, clinching the year-long pursuit with his advancement out of Round 3 at the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco.
In pristine three-to-five foot (1 – 1.5 metre) peaks at Ocean Beach, Slater fought back to an inspired start from opponent Dan Ross (AUS), 28, to claim victory in the dying moments in front of a capacity crowd at Ocean Beach.
“It was a scrappy heat, I didn’t win it in the most effortless style,” Slater said. “I’ve had a lot of heats with Rossy (Dan Ross) this year, and he’s real dangerous with a little power so I knew he’d be dangerous and I was nowhere to be found in the beginning of that heat. I was hunting those lefts and they were fading off I was thinking ‘why am I taking off on these things.’ I knew I had to get in on some of those rights. That wave had a nice open face and I thought it’d probably be just enough.”
After a banner year that witnessed the iconic Floridian make five of nine Finals (thus far) and post three wins, Slater seems to be surfing at the top of his game.
“This is pretty fabulous,” Slater said. “Two days ago in the afternoon it was chunky and small and didn’t look inviting at all. Yesterday was nice and today looks like a nice day in France. I don’t know, this hasn’t sunk in. I’ve been pretty stressed about it and I’m glad it’s over. It’s very fulfilling and there’s personal satisfaction. It feels real nice. I’ve dedicated my life to surfing and competing and to go a whole year and win a world title and have it pay off, it’s really fulfilling. To win on American soil is nice. Everyone’s been so cool and the locals have been so stoked. It’s been a special time. It’s been warm and offshore and a nice little swell. Someone’s looking over us and probably Andy (Irons).”
Today’s clinching of the 2011 ASP World Title comes on the one-year anniversary of the passing of Andy Irons. Irons, who is credited with being a defining force in Slater’s career, was once a bitter rival of the champ (claiming three consecutive ASP World Titles himself) but became a close friend and confidant in recent years. The symbolism of today was not lost on Slater.
“It’s sort of weird and I’ve been thinking about a lot of things coming together,” Slater said. “What are the chances of me winning on the anniversary of Andy passing away? It makes it a lot more special for me. It’s a way to celebrate my memories with him and be thinking about him. It’s been on my mind and I wrote a story about him the other day. It’s a time to think back.”
2011 ASP World Title Series Results:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: WINNER
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Equal 5th
Billabong Rio Pro: Equal 13th
Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay: No Show
Billabong Pro Tahiti: WINNER
Quiksilver Pro New York: Runner-Up
Hurley Pro at Trestles: WINNER
Quiksilver Pro France: Equal 5th
Rip Curl Pro Portugal: Runner-UP
Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco: TBD
Billabong Pipeline Masters: TBD
With the 2011 ASP World Title sealed, Slater is now focused on performing in the event at hand, the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco.
“I’m refocusing on another win here,” Slater said. “I’ve accomplished the year goal. I definitely feel like I can go out and surf a lot more relaxed now. It’s really nice to win here in these conditions with so many people on the beach, I thought it’d be freezing cold and onshore and it’s been amazing.”
Having claimed his first ASP World Title in 1992 at the age of 20, Slater still boasts the record for the youngest-ever ASP World Title holder. Now at 39 years of age, Slater holds the record of being the oldest ASP World Champion ever, but was characteristically coy regarding any talk of retirement.
“I think 39 is actually pretty young to most people,” Slater said. “I guess in the past, you would top out once you hit 30, but that’s definitely not the case now. I feel like I’m surfing at the highest level of my career and I feel like I can keep going. I haven’t thought about it too much, but I plan on relaxing for the rest of the year and enjoying my time in Hawaii. We’ll see what 2012 brings to the table.”
Kelly Slater’s ASP World Title Clinch Locations:
2011: Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco – USA
2010: Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto Rico – USA Territory
2008: Billabong Pro Mundaka – Basque/Spain
2006: Billabong Pro Mundaka – Basque/Spain
2005: Nova Schin Festival – Brazil
1998: Mountain Dew Pipeline Masters – Hawaii
1997: Expo 98 Figueira 97 – Portugal
1996: Coca Cola Figueira 96 – Portugal
1995: Chiemsee Pipe Masters – Hawaii
1994: Chiemsee Gerry Lopez Pipe Masters – Hawaii
1992: Alternativa Surf Rio – Brazil
The Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco is Stop No. 10 of 11 on the 2011 ASP World Title Series with a waiting period from November 1-12. The 2011 Pro Search will be broadcast live on Fuel TV, Livestream.com and live.ripcurl.com
Surfline, official forecasters for the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco, are calling for he first two days of the waiting period, Tuesday and Wednesday, to see solid northwest ground and windswell mix along with generally favorable wind conditions (although still lumpy and bumpy surf on Tuesday). The end of the week and into the following weekend (3rd-6th) will see more swell, but also variable and, at times, strong onshore wind.
Show 12 and for the first time we broadcasted from outside of the 2 Oceans Vibe studio. In honor of Movember, we were live from Barnet Fair in Bree St, the new, old school Barbers. I was joined by Chris Cab (Who lost his Mo to grow a new one), Paul Snodgrass (Who due to having a role in a TV show could not shave his face, so he got a Tit MO instead.), Stuart Bradburn (World Champion Downhill Skateboarder), Ivo (Uber Tech from Digital Agency, Hello Computer), Louis from Taxi Violence and of course the awesome Movember team! It has to be said that I really enjoyed having a Cut Throat shave for the first time, though it was very traumatic losing my beard after all this time together! The show was dam funny with plenty of laughter and Richard Hardiman running the music and mix. Enjoy!
Ok Peeps, I have decided to enter the SA Blog Awards and try shake up the establishment! Hoping you guys like the Captain's World enough to throw your votes at this link - Vote for Captain Kai's World
I have entered into best "Sports" blog and best "Entertainment" blog.
Love you guys! Here is a preview of my face if I win...
It is a year to the day that Andy Irons tragically lost his life while on a layover in Dallas. He had left the Rip Curl Search in Costa Rica complaining of heavy flu like symptoms and was awaiting a flight back to Kauai, his wife and soon to be born child. Andy was a legend and was taken from us far to early. He changed the face of professional surfing and left a mark on all of us who love the sea and surfing. We will remember him for his incredible surfing, no fear approach in waves of consequence and his epic battles with Kelly Slater.
We hope you are riding the waves of joy and happiness up there in the sky Andy!
