Jordy Smith RIPs

The man has moves unlike any other! (Photo: Red Bull)

There has been a lot of banter and speculation on Jordy Smith the last few months and the tight loss to good mate Travis Logie at Snapper Rocks just added fuel to the fire. The bottom line is the man does rip hard, whether he gets a world title or not! So just sit back, drop your jaw and be amazed!

1721 Kilometers with Jordy Smith from steven michelsen on Vimeo.

Billabong Pro Junior presented by Bos - Durban

Dylan Lightfoot soars to victory in both the /18 and /20 Finals.

What a great event and weekend in Durban with Wok and the Groms! Warm water, super fun little waves and some incredible surfing from the SA juniors. Big ups to Bos for supporting SA surfing. I got to spend some quality time with the Billabong team and all I can say is that the future for South African surfing is bright!

Billabong Junior Series (Event #1 of 4)

New Pier, Durban

Results

U20 Boys

1. Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) R10 000

2. Michael February (Kommetjie)

3. Mickey Venter (Durban)

4. Dane Staples (St Francis Bay)

U20 Girls

1. Heidi Palmboom (Bluff)  R10 000

2. Emma Smith (Jeffreys Bay)

3. Nicole Pallet (Durban)

4. Chanelle Botha (Warner Beach)

U18 Boys

1. Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay)  R5 000

2. Max Armstrong (Scarborough)  R900

3. Ethan Pentz (Kalk Bay)  R600

4. Justin Sykes (Salt Rock)  R500

U18 Girls

1. Chanelle Botha (Warner Beach)  R5 000

2. Nicole Pallet (Durban)  R900

3. Tahra Uren (Jeffreys Bay)  R600

4. Caryn McNicol (Scottburgh)  R500

U16 Boys

1. Jordan Maree (Kalk Bay)  R5 000

2. Tim Baard (Jeffreys Bay)  R900

3. Jerry van Wyk (Jeffreys Bay)  R600

4. Donovan Wichmann (Marina da Gama)  R500

U14 Boys

1. Koby Oberholzer (Durban)  R2 500

2. Adin Masencamp (Strand)  R450

3. Ethan Fletcher (Kommetjie)  R300

4. Rewaldo Abersalie (Jeffreys Bay)  R250

U14 Girls

1. Kai Woolf (Jeffreys Bay)  R2 500

2. Olivia Izzard (Durban)  R450

3. Sophie Bell (Durban)  R300

4. Kirsty McGillivray (Jeffreys Bay)  R250

U12 Boys

1. Max Elkington (Hout Bay)  R2 500

2. Saxton Randall (Durban)  R450

3. Tide Lee Ireland (Durban)  R300

4. Angelo Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay)  R250

VonZipper Flair Up Award – Best Aerial manoeuvre

Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand)  R10 000

DaKine Youthful Movement Award – Most progressive surfing

Shane Sykes (Salt Rock)  R10 000

Nixon Winner Takes All (WTA) – Highest heat total

Kai Woolf (Jeffreys Bay) – 19.40 (10.0 + 9.40) out of 20 – Custom engraved Nixon Watch

Beyrick de Vries Edit 1.0

Beyrick ripping at home. (Photo: Zigzag)

Beyrick de Vries has been slaying it this year, with some solid results in the contests and arials all over the show during free surfs. This is his new web video.

Beyrick de Vries edit 1.0 from Luke Ochse on Vimeo.

Meet Miss Zigzag 2012 - Nicole Naude, Bikini Babe

The gorgeous Miss Zag 2012, Nicole Naude (Photo: Zigzag)

We all love our home grown SA beauties, especially the ones who love the beach and wearing Bikinis! So I thought why not introduce you to the lady that walked away with the Miss Zigzag Title. Ladies and gents, it gives me great pleasure in introducing, Nicole Naude, Miss Zag 2012...

Kai: Hi Nicole, tell the readers a little about yourself:  
Nicole: I was born in East London. I am a student, studying drama and psychology. I am currently living in Durban and have been since the start of High School.

Kai: First off, congrats on winning Miss Zag! How did you end up entering?
Nicole: Thank you so much. A few of my friends had entered and when I read what the competition was all about, I decided to enter as there was nothing to lose and the prizes sounded amazing. I created a profile and if people liked what I was all about then they could vote for me. 

(Photo: Zigzag)

Kai: Do you surf?
Nicole: I have started surfing, I actually started learning properly before I won Miss Zag and it was such a blessing to have won a board because I have now been continuing my new hobby . 

Kai: Do you read Zigzag?
Nicole: I do read ZigZag at friends houses. To be honest I am not a person who really purchase magazines.

Kai: What were your thoughts on the other ladies that entered? SA looking good on the Bikini stage? Nicole: The ladies who entered were all beautiful and had awesome bikini bodies so seeing all the girls really gives a feeling of pride in our ladies in SA and how well they look after themselves. 

(Photo: Zigzag)

Kai: What are your plans moving forward?
Nicole: I am finishing my 3rd year at UKZN this year and then moving to Cape Town at the end of this year where I will be studying through correspondence and modelling and working. I plan on seeing how I do in the industry in a new city and by thrown into a foreign place to me, I intend on growing as a person and to have a bit of an adventure. 

Kai: Are you single?
Nicole: Haha, yes I am single. 

Kai: Do you prefer surfers, bmx, skaters or snowboarders?
Nicole: Hmmm, I would have to say surfers. 

Kai: How does a guy impress you?
Nicole: A guy just needs to be himself and a whole lot of fun. A guy who can be my best friend and make me laugh is always awesome. As much as guys think a gift is impressive, I am not into flowers or chocolates- doing something thoughtful and sweet means way more to me. 

(Photo: Zigzag)

Kai: Favorite place to eat out?
Nicole: Anywhere that serves sushi or a really good quality meal, there are so many to just name one. 

Kai: Favorite place to go out for a good time?
Nicole: I enjoy going to Czar or Boulevard in Durban. 

Kai: Favorite surfer?
Nicole: Julian Wilson 

Nicole: Thank so much
Kai: No thank you! Look forward to seeing you in the Cape line up soon, albeit in a westuit and not a bikini!

Check out the behind the scenes shoot with Nicole...
 

A kid called Talent - Skate Prodigy from the streets of Durban

I first met Thalente a few years ago when we headed up to Dallas Oberholzer's Indigo Skate Camp for a crazy downhill comp in the Valley of a Thousand Hills. We went down to his shop at the North Beach skate park on Durban's beachfront and I was confronted by a very cheeky and extremely "talented" young black skater, who wanted to know who I was there to film. I introduced him to the crazy Austrians I was with and he ended up spending the next few days with us skating around Durban.
When we heard his story of running away from home and how he was living on the streets, we were very moved. But more than this tale of tragedy, was the huge amount of stoke this kid put out there, as well as gallons of confidence. I said then that this kid from the streets could have a massive future and Thalente did not disappoint. He skates really well and is super technical. He enjoys his life and spreads the stoke of skating wherever he goes. So enjoy this video and support local skaters and great initiatives like Indigo Skate Camp! http://www.indigoskatecamp.co.za/

 

Durban serves up a weekend of mayhem and Mansions with Volcom

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

Captain Kai's World on www.2OV.fm - Podcasts for Show 13

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.

Download the Podcast for - Captain Kai's Show 13

Follow Bilderberg Motel on their Facebook FanPage

July in South Africa is pretty Mental

Shew - yes that's right, shew! I feel like I just ran multiple marathons down here in the Dirty South of South Africa. Every year I try get ready for July, think I am prepared, but I never am. It's supposed to be winter and slow and quiet, but that's not how it works in SA. So here is a little run down of how July 2011 nearly finished your Captain.

The Mr Price Pro in Ballito was mental! Waves, surfing and the jol. John John Florence charging.

So at the start we had the Mr Price Pro in Ballito. Not only did I arrive on the biggest day of competition and get to witness tube riding like it had never been seen in South Africa, we also got to see some truly impressive wipe outs and bomb sets. Went and got hammered with the Twig man and his lady, Kate, at our man Wok's jol. Was a little quiet that party, but it did not stop us from getting pretty loose at the bar. Culprit number 1, Mr Ard Mathews of Just Jinger fame. The man drinks more tequila than a Mexican plantation worker on the day of the dead! This was also not the last we would see of Mr Mathews...

John John paying the band - how big you reckon that white water is?

Saturday was back to the Mr price for the finals. Waves started off mental, but kind of dissapeared towards the final. Still good surfing to see though and Pat G was the eventual winner. Pack up my shit and jump in the cabby, off to North Beach to catch the Red Bull X-Fighters with "Sick" Nick de Wit and crew. Got there just in time to film the show - the boys were busting down! Nick threw about 4 new back flip combos I had not seen before, it was mental. Few beers with Andy Mork to get the hangover out and it was off to the ZigZag surfing Awards...

We like promo girls!

Shew, this bike is bliksems heavy! 

Photogs at work - convo in the back - Hey Wok wanna ride bikes? Wok - Hell NO!

The ZigZag surf awards was a fun night. Thank the lord for Luke Patterson though, without his chirps through the evening I might well have fallen asleep. Some of our older surfers could well use an introduction to how to make thank you speeches. A certain big wave surfer, hall of Fame inductee, spoke so much  ##### no one knew what was going on. All was not lost though, as Sean Thompson made a great speech and really pumped up the crowd about how proud we should be as South African surfers. the Black Label flowed and people were getting pretty trollied. Twig puled the plug and we got to bed early and surfed epic waves the next day.

Twig and Kate looking pretty dam retro for the Surf Awards!

Oh and then there was the Riot Jam BMX - by this time I was on auto pilot till I got back to Cape Town.

BMX at the Riot Jam.

Ok, so deep breaths back to work, then i get the call to drop everything and head up to Jbay for the Billabong Pro Music Festival to MC. Sure, why not. Chris Mason from Wavescape jumped in with me and we blazed up to Jbay getting there at 6:30pm, just in time for me to walk on stage and start the festival. Thus started a 3 nights of mayhem, with no surfing happening due to small swell. Some of the suspects who caused the drunken chaos were Luke Patto, Dutchy, Sasha Specker (I know!), Tyrone Rawlins and of course Dennis the Menace himself, Brad Masters, fresh from Bali.

Hard at work! (Photo: Mason)

Working even harder with Dennis the Menace! (Photo: Spex)

The bands that threw down over the 3 day period were definately AKing on Friday, PhFat went mental on the Saturday (The crowd were getting so loose the security fence almost got taken out.) and Jeremy Loops and Jack Parow finished us off in style on the Sunday. Every member of a band had drinks with us, but Ard Mathews that evil man of sultry music was once again the destroyer in carnate of the weekend! He is in some of these photos, but like an evil vampire you cannot see him! Beware! haha Boy were we slain for 3 days.

There was pretty much a ratio of 2 gals to 1 boy! (Photo: Spex)

Parow and Brandy & Coke, not much more I can say - Oh the boys were all perving his doll hard! true Story! (Photo: mason)

It was getting animated at the bar each night! Spex and I telling stories! (Photo: Mason)

The Champ and his lady, keeping it tidy! (Photo: Mason)

I got back to Cape town feeling like had been stuck in prison for 2 weeks and been considered some big black dude's bitch! The flu struck and I was man down. But the jol was not over, oh no. The biggest booze fueled orgy of party was still to come and it was at 3600m above sea level - Quiksnow!

Marcin Jekot going invert on the slopes and at the bar!

Ok, but that's enough for now, Quiksnow will be out shortly, in the meantime make sure you watch our Supersport Show tonight at 8pm, on Supersport 7. Lukka, Captain out...

The man who started Manny Mania - Joey Brezinski

So the peeps in South Africa are getting pretty amped on the upcoming Red Bull Manny Mania tour in June. So much so, that I thought it would be a good idea to give you guys some info on the man who started the whole thing. So ladies and gents, meet...

Joey Brezinski (c)Yoon Sul/Red Bull Content Pool

Sponsors: Red Bull, Cliché Skateboards, Autohbahn Wheels, Diamond, Adio Shoes, FKD Bearings, Val Surf, Skatepark of Tampa Party Team, Independent Truucks
Hometown: Venice CA
Stance: Goofy

How did you hook up with Red Bull?
This story again? I sent out a Sponsor Me Tape. No, that’s not real. It was on the Red Bull Seek & Destroy, my team won, we went partying and they offered to have me ride for Red Bull and I did. I took the opportunity.

How did you come up with the concept for Manny Mania?
I was a rail dude and I just wanted to change my direction. My legs were getting sore form jumping down the Carlsbad Gap and I saw Daewon Song skate and said, “I want to do that.” No, that’s not right. It was me and Jeff Regis talking. Regis knew I skated a certain way so we just came up with the concept of doing a contest for tech skating. Is that what I do? Tech skating?


Why is it not called the Joey Brezinski Manny Mania?
It was originally going to be called Joey Brezinski’s Manny Mania and that was the only thing I was opposed to. I didn’t want my name on it because I didn’t want to jinx it. I don’t think it would’ve worked if it had my name on it. I definitely would’ve lost every time.

Is there a jinx associated with self-endorsed skate contests?
Yeah, I don’t think anyone has ever won one that they self-endorsed. If you self-endorse a contest, you’re definitely going to lose. Ask Eric Koston about his Game Of Skate or Reese Forbes about his High Ollie Contest.

Tell me, when did you invent the manual?
I didn’t invent it. I think it was invented in the 70s. Who was the dude that used to do the crazy G-turns? Wasn’t there footage of Stacey Peralta doing it with a ponytail, hanging ten, doing long mannies back then?

Joey Brezinski at training: Nollie heelflipping out of nose manual up the bank, then landing back to manual down the other side (c)Shad/Red Bull Content Pool

Maybe he is your father?
He should be. But who did invent the manual? That is the real question.


I’m going to say Rodney Mullen, since he invented everything.
No, he didn’t do it. I thought that ballerina guy from the old Powell videos did.

Oh. Dan Gesmer. No. I’ll say Brandon Biebel.
Yeah, he invented the switch manual.

I’m sure you’re asked this a lot but what is a manual?
The definition of a manual? It is a skateboard maneuver, skating on two wheels, balancing without hitting your nose or tail. Do you want me to use it in a sentence?

Please.
That guy right there just did a nose manual and lost control and fell on his face and knocked his two front teeth out.

Now spell it.
T-e-a-t-h. No, that’s not how you spell teeth is it. T-e-e-t-h. Man, I spelled teeth wrong.

That’s your other area of expertise, how could you spell it wrong?
My teeth were in the way when I was spelling it.

2010 is the fourth year of the Manny Mania contest. What’s going to be different this year?
Four years strong. Hoverboards this year; there’s no wheels. Michael J. Fox is going to show up. No, I guess harder maneuvers are going to go down, I hope. I’m definitely trying to learn some hard ones.

What tricks are you working on? Can you say?
The Viagra Manual; that’s getting harder.

Do you plan on doing better in 2010 Manny Mania than you did in 2009?
Yes, definitely.


Is it possible to do worse?
I definitely hope not.


Are you nervous now that Brandon Beibel rides for Red Bull that—
They’re going to call it Brandon Beibel’s Manny Mania this year?
Yes. No, he’s a homie.

Could you beat him in an arm wrestling match?
If we go left arms.

How do you feel about a second day of Am Manny Mania being added this year?
I think it’s rad because there’s no Back To The Banks; they needed to do something on one of the days. Might as well watch the ams kill it.

There are 25 countries involved in the Am contest. Do you think any of them matter other than America?
Maybe Haiti. Is there one in Haiti? Haiti Mania?

But the cream of the crop of skateboarding is based in America...
Wow, this is turning into the Olympics. As long as U.S. ams don’t choke they can bring home the gold for America but there’s good kids all over the world.


Who are some guys you like from your native country?
That are good at manuals?
Ray Maldonado. Steven Webb, Justin Shulte and Marty Murowski. How about that Flip dude? He’s good at manuals. Oh, he’s not from America—nevermind.


There are 25 countries involved in this year’s am contest. And you have to visit all of them.
I’m looking forward to Iceland. Wait! Greenland is covered in ice, right?


I think they all are except South Africa.
Perfect. I don’t really have to go to all 25 countries, do I?

No, but if you could, which country would you like to go to?
I want to go to China, I haven’t been there yet. Or Taiwan. I’d like to see how things are made. Everything is usually made in Taiwan,

Who are some of the pros in this year’s contest that people should be afraid of?
Stevie Williams probably. Brandon Biebel.


Two years ago Stevie destroyed the early rounds—
And then he fucked up. I don’t know what happened. I thought he had it. I was like, “Stevie is on point.” That’s the thing, if you rush it and do really well in the beginning you’re going to tire yourself out for the finals. I’ve noticed the people that kill the first heat, the second heat they slow down and by the third heat they’re just dead.

The dates and locations for this year’s qualifying events in South Africa are:

·       June 4: Son Skate Park (Stellenbosch)

·       June 11: Element Skate Park (Jeffreys Bay)

·       June 18: Wave House Skate Park, Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Umhlanga (Durban)

·       June 25: Revolution Skate Park, Festival Mall, Kempton Park (Johannesburg)

·       June 26: Finals – Revolution Skate Park, Festival Mall, Kempton Park (Johannesburg)

Each participating country will hold qualifying events, selecting athletes to participate in a national final; the winner of which will represent their homeland at the Red Bull Manny Mania World Final for amateurs in New York City on August 20, 2011. The winner of this event will get a chance to step into the big leagues by competing in the invite-only Red Bull Manny Mania Pro Event, on Sunday, August 21 in New York City.

 

Yes, I did drop in on you - Durban becomes the Burn Capital

Take that you dirty drop in artist!

I have always been wary of surfing the piers in Durban. Take nothing away from the the quality of the waves, but I don't really enjoy surfing in a huge crowd of aggro locals who drop in on you at the drop of a hat. I mean, I am a 130kg guy and am not really used to being dropped in on, let alone screamed at for even paddling for the wave. Once this happened and the guy wanted to go to the beach, luckily his girl talked him out of it, she was clearly alot brighter and had better eye site than he did. Even the famous and infamous are getting in each others faces these days, just look at the recent confrontation with Burn and Ribbink. The site of two of Durban's most famous surfers slugging it out caused quite a stir. My point is, I would rather go surf up or down the coast where there are plenty of waves going unridden every day - ok, so no shark nets, but sometimes I think I would rather tussle with a Zambo than the ouens at the Piers. You think otherwise? It has gotten so bad even the lifeguards are dropping in on surfers!

Last week Durban had a great run of swell and the circus descended on the Bay. Our man in the know, Jimmy Reynolds, was there to capture the madness.
He says of filming the surf, "I just did this edit to show how all the dudes were burning each other. I got so over it I didn't want to shoot any more that day and probably missed a whole bunch of really good waves. I hope I don't get dropped in on for putting this online..."

Seems in Durban, surf etiquette does not exist.

Watch the footage and make up your own mind. You will notice that no one was exempt, from young spongers, to dolls, to stars such as Twig and  Stan badger - who showed what he thought of the douche bag who ruined his wave. Looks like the aggro vibes are not going anywhere in the Durban lineup.