Meet Pro Surfer Tyler Wright - Charging P Pass

Tyler Wright has been caning the women's Pro Tour, including winning the season opener at Snapper Rocks this month. But it was the footage from this session at the infamous P Pass that really got my attention. The wave is big, super hollow and runs like a freight train. No problems for this gal, with brother Owen shouting support, she charges some monster pits!

Meet Pro Surfer Quincy Davis

Meet young up and coming Pro Surfer, Quincy Davis. This girl has got some pretty mental style both in and out of the water. Spending lots of her time in Puerto Rico, she has the Island Vibe down and knows how to put a board on a rail! This is one girl to keep an eye on!

Captain Kai's Podcast - Twiggy from Hawaii, Ultimate X, Rolling Retro & Chris Cab!

Grant Twig Baker on his $5000 Oakley Biggest Slab winner. He talks about this session during our interview.

Jam packed show! We had Twiggy skype in live from the North Shore before departing to Australia where he won the Surfing Life Oakley Biggest Slab Award. He gives us the lowdown on the Mavericks event, what will happen with the Eddie and Red Bull jaws events and who has been flying the Saffa flag in Hawaii.

Markus and Rupert join to amp you on this weekends Ultimate X event in Cape Town and I launched a great competition to win ticket packages.

Robby from Vudu Surf joins us to discuss this weekends Rolling Retro event and of course Chris Cab was in studio, causing mayhem and distorting the Mics..

Download or Listen to the Podcast HERE

Captain Kai's World on www.2ov.fm Podcast - Surf, Skate and Mountain Bike

The Mo is growing!

After a week off in sympathy to our hangovers from Jordy Smith's "Bending Colors" premier, we came back strong! Warren Talbot from Vans joined me with skater, Wong, to chat about the premier of the awesome new skate doccy, Bones Brigade. After that it was Tyrone Rawlins, Craig Kolesky and Oliver Munnik, pro Mountain Biker and radio virgin, who came to tell us about their fund raising efforts for One Sight, as they prepare for the fright of their lives in the Cape Epic next year. We also chatted Hawaii anf the ASP World Tour as Craig is normally there for the Pipe Masters, but he just got depressed!

Bones Brigade will show in Jozi tomorrow night, Thursday in Durban and in Cape Town on Friday.

To win 2x Tickets for CT, JHB or Durban, just tweet me, @KapteinKai with the Hashtags #Vans #BonesBrigade #Rules (T&C's apply.)

Listen or Download the Podcast HERE

Jordy Smith's "Bending Colors" Film Teaser

That's right good people, the eagerly awaited first film from, Mr Jordy Smith is about to drop and I have a little teaser to wet your appetite. I have seen some of the sections and this movie is going to blow your minds with some of the biggest airs, pits and turns seen in surfing. In the meantime enjoy the teaser...

The Friday Mix - Distant Shores Trailer, Erzberg Enduro and California Summer Surf

Welcome to my Friday Mix, fresh from the hi speed bandwidth of the West coast of the USA. It has been a trip having such unfettered and fast internet access and I have been making the most of it. First up check out the trailer for Surfer Magazine's "Distant Shores" film, which will be free to download shortly. Then we have the highlights video from the Red Bull Erzberg Rodeo, the craziest enduro race on the planet. Next up I thought I would show you some summer waves in California, though I have yet to find waves this fun, as the June Gloom bites and the swell continues to be tiny. Enjoy the mix...


 
 

French guy wins Relentless Boardmasters, but Lord Bryson shines!

Photo: ASP

The Waves in the UK are shit. I don't care what anybody says, or send me pictures and video, I have been watching this QS for years and its never had good waves. Having said that, the guys who do well absolutely have to rip! My pick of the contest was for the second week in a row, our very own, Lord Royden Bryson. The little guy was tearing Newquay apart and improved on reaching the Quarters at the US Open to making the Semis here. The wave he needed just did not come to him in his Semi and it was desperately close. Watch this space as the tour heads off to France, Lord Bryson is not done with the Tour yet!

Lord Bryson was kicking ass! (Photo: ASP)

All the final day news:
FISTRAL BEACH, Newquay/England (Sunday, August 14, 2011) – Romain Cloitre (Les Roches Noires, REU) 22, today won the ASP 6-Star Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans defeating Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 24, in a lead swapping final 14.77 to 9.36, to claim his maiden ASP Star tour victory in windblown 3-4ft peaks in front of a huge crowd lining the Fistral beach shoreline.
Cloitre searched the longer rights with rapid fire forehand snaps to build his scores and gain a slight advantage through the first half of the encounter to eventually seal his victory with a combination of two powerful backhand smashes securing an 8.17 out of 10 and an unassailable lead.
“I am really happy right now. This is my best victory in my career and I haven’t had any good results in the last few months so I didn’t have a lot of confidence but now I have some and I am really happy. The start of the Europe leg I was travelling with Tom Whitaker a lot and Oakley and he helped me to get my confidence back. He was always saying that I was going to do well in Europe and it has helped me, so thanks Tommy for that.”

Relentless Boardmasters 2011

Cloitre, former ASP European Pro Junior champion, who had quietly moved through the draw was the form surfer on the final day and met the challenge thrown down by Coleborn in the final with carefully planned heat tactics and priority control against the powerhouse Australian.
“I saw that Mitch had a good left and competing against him is tough because he can get a 9-point ride with one turn so it is never over when you are against him. It was a hard final and I am stoked to have come through with the win.”
Coleborn, making his best podium finish of the season, almost pulled off a massive air-reverse with incredible rotation in the opening minute of the final. Had he made it the story may have been completely different from the start. That one missed opportunity eventually proving costly during the entire heat.
“I just cruised into that first wave,” explained Coleborn. “I didn’t expect such a big section off the bat. First wave of the heat I would have liked to have found my feet before I got that section. I fell off and it almost played on my mind a bit out there. I didn’t really consolidate on that opportunity so I was a little bit rattled. I then just tried to wait it out and the waves just never came to me.”
Coleborn, who was sitting outside the top ranked 100 in the world, will now rocket up the ASP World rankings to place himself in a better position for qualification into the crucial ASP 6-Star and PRIME events coming up over the following weeks in Europe.
“I’m stoked overall because it is the best result I have ever had. It is the start of the European leg as well and it has given me a bunch of confidence going into the next couple of 6-stars and I am just stoked to climb up the rankings a little bit.”

Relentless Boardmasters 2011

Mitch Crews (Currumbin, Gold Coast) 21, finished equal 3rd after a magnificent run through the entire event to eventually fail against Coleborn in a high scoring semi-final clash. The young Australian has achieved his first major result in an ASP Star tour event with his impressive high speed progressive surfing.
“I’m stoked with this result. I haven’t done many Star events this year so I’m happy to make it to the semis. I was determined to win because I had a flawless run to the semis with no seconds, just firsts in every heat. I am bummed to come so far and then get pipped at the end and I am a bit disappointed with myself. I felt that it was the heat that counted the most and I had my worst performance but I am still super stoked.”
Crews had the opportunity to take control of the heat early on however failed to consolidate his first scoring ride which eventually proved crucial in the final outcome of the semi.
“My very first wave might have been a good one,” continued Crews. “I did one good turn and then I got stuck on the bottom so I think if I had of got that first wave under my belt I might have had more confidence but every time I fall on my first wave I get a little nervous. I can’t take anything away from Mitch (Coleborn) and good luck to him.”
Surfers competing in the Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans capitalized on the valuable ranking points in their bid to climb the ASP World rankings and enter the elite Top 32 before the mid-year points cut off. European athletes built on their ASP European Men’s ranking as the main summer leg of events commences.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, The Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans was scheduled from August 9-14, 2011. For more information, and all results, photos, video highlights, press releases log-on to www.aspeurope.com
Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans Final
1 – Romain Cloitre (REU) 14.77
2 – Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 9.36
Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans Semifinal Results
SF 1: Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 15.34 Def. Mitch Crews (AUS) 13.57
SF 2: Romain Cloitre (REU) 16.16 Def. Royden Bryson (ZAF) 10.00
Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans Quarterfinal Results
QF 1: Mitch Crews (AUS) 14.53 Def. Flavio Nakagima (BRA) 11.33
QF 2: Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 13.93 Def. Jesse Mendes (BRA) 13.17
QF 3: Romain Cloitre (REU) 15.36 Def. Glen Hall (IRL) 12.00
QF 4: Royden Bryson (ZAF) 14.40 Def. Garret Parkes (AUS) 9.83
ASP European Men’s Rankings Top 5
1. Alain Riou (PYF) 3775
2. Tim Boal (FRA) 3321
3. Joan Duru (FRA) 3048
4. Romain Cloitre (REU) 2991
5. Vincent Duvignac (FRA) 2928

Royden Bryson the Silent Assasin at the US Open of Surfing

Royden going about his business at HB (Photo: ASP)

It has been a good month for South African surfing. Jordy Smith made the Semis at the Mr Price and then backed that up with a second victory in 2 years at the Billabong. Much of the talk though has been who else is going to do well for SA in the waters of the ASP World Tour. Most of the chatter has centered around the names of young guys like Shaun Joubert and Chad du Toit, the super groms dominating in the Junior contests and starting to attack the tour.

But, it is another man who is stepping up to the plate at the richest contest in professional surfing, a man who normally steers away from the limelight and the circus that is professional surfing in California. Royden Bryson has worked like a silent assassin through the rounds at this years contest to earn himself a Quarter Final Berth. No song and dance, just head down and win heats. In fact, today, after making the Quarters, was the first time I was able to find a photo of the man in action and he has won all his heats. Says a lot when you notice the hubbub going on over some of the US surfers like Kohole Andino. I will guarantee the rest of the field know that Royden is around. He has made his presence felt over the years, both on the CT and the QS. They all know what the little pocket rocket from SA can do. In the small bowling beach break of Huttington Beach it would take a brave man not to put some bills on the explosive goofy footer pulling off the biggest victory of his career.

Live Broadcast starts this evening - US Open of Surfing

So keep an eye out and watch the live broadcast tonight - we might well have to start blowing some Vuvulezas at volume! Make us proud Roy!

(Notice the absence of Roy in the highlights video!)

Asp Press Release:
Thanks to stadium seating, sideline pier access, and jumbo big screens, the south side of the HB pier is the closest thing our sport has to an arena. When the waves are good it’s the best venue in professional surfing and today the waves were going off.

There was no Huntington hopping going on.

Recently the ASP has copped a lot of heat for its decision to bring events to locations with questionable wave quality—and though Huntington has always had that wrap, you’d never know it looking at the ocean today. For two hours Dusty, Dane, Slater, Taj, and Kolohe went absolutely loony. Kelly scored two Nine’s. Taj got a dry tube (below). Kolohe nailed a near perfect 10 for the move of the event—a frontside grab air reverse on a meaty closeout section.

And who won? We all did. Today was good for our sport. Good for the sponsors, fans, and the surfers. Quality waves brought out quality surfing. The spectators were treated to the most high performance action in the history of the US Open and none of the surfers lost. (Round 4 is non-elimination)

Kelly’s in the quarters. Joining him is Dane, Dusty, and Royden Bryson. In Round 5 Evan Geiselman is matched up with Taj and John John comes up against Kolohe.

This thing is setting up for a banger finish this weekend, let’s just hope the waves stick around.—Zander Morton

Nike US Open of Surfing Round of 12 Results:
Heat 1: Dusty Payne (HAW) 17.17, Richard Christie (NZL) 12.63, Evan Geiselman (USA) 9.47
Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.77, Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.50, Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 10.00
Heat 3: Dane Reynolds (USA) 16.43, Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.60, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 8.93
Heat 4: Royden Bryson (ZAF) 12.90, Thiago Camarao (BRA) 12.53, John John Florence (HAW) 10.80

Nike US Open of Surfing Round 24 Results:
Heat 7: Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.06 def. Jesse Mendes (BRA) 7.87
Heat 8: Dane Reynolds (USA) 11.17 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 6.77
Heat 9: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 14.33 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 11.83
Heat 10: Royden Bryson (ZAF) 11.10 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.84
Heat 11: Thiago Camarao (BRA) 11.17 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 10.77
Heat 12: John John Florence (HAW) 15.83 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.60

1 Wave Wonder - Entry 1

ZigZag Magazine and Oakley have come up with a marvelous idea called the One Wave Wonder. Video and Stills guys, teaming up with surfers, enter 1 wave. The best wave every month and the best of all right at the end can win serious dollar and a trip to Gland.

You can check it out at One Wave Wonder  

Check out my first entry with Roosta ripping an old single fin - and please VOTE

Watch and Vote here - Vote for Roosta

South African Surfing's Next Gen - Shaun Joubert

Ok, so we have the World Number 2 in surfing and there can be no doubt that sooner or later Jordy is going to be Number 1. But what comes after, in fact, who comes after? In 2010 we had three surfers finish in the top 16 of the ASP World Junior Tour. Dale Staples finished in third giving him a massive boost for his campaign on the World Tour this year with top seeding in the ASP Prime 6 stars. Tied for 16th were Shaun Joubert and Chad Du Toit.

Shaun mixes Power and Flair. (Photo: SJ)

Having watched Shaun surf for many years in and around the Southern Cape, I have always admired his surfing. Even as a Grom he wanted to put his board on a rail, a trait of old school power surfing that any potential world champion is going to need. Mixed with this is the ability to throw down new school, progressive tricks and airs - an ability that all three of these juniors have in bucket loads. These are the next generation of World Tour campaigners. They are the guys who are going to be Jordy's support act in the next few years. I caught up with Shaun Joubert to get the lowdown on our Next Gen.

Carbo Loading? (Photo: SJ)

Kai) What is the vibe in Junior surfing right now?

Shaun) The vibe is amazing. Everyone is surfing so good, really progressive. Everyone is trying to out do each other. It’s really competitive, but in a good way. I’m really glad to be a part of it.

Kai) We only have 1 surfer on the World tour this year, yet we had 3 surfers in the top 16 of the junior world tour, with a few more in the top 100. Do you think this will turn around into more SA surfers on the pro tour soon?

Shaun) Definitely. I think our surfers are good enough to be on the World Tour. It is really hard to qualify, but I believe we have what it takes to make it on to the tour.

Kai) Your self, Dale Staples and Chad Du Toit all gave the junior tour a good go in 2010. Whats the plan for 2011?

Shaun) I am hitting the WQS full time, making a real push to be on the WCT. I’m really looking forward to it, because I will be traveling with Dale, he always pushes me to be better. I can’t wait for it to all to get started!

Kai) Is the local junior tour in good shape?

Shaun) It’s not really my place and I am not in the Juniors anymore, but it would be really nice if we have more events. Like Australia has 12 events or something, that’s why they are so prepared when they hit the WQS. It’s hard though, with surfing being so small in South Africa.

Kai) The local PST tour is in a shambles. What do you think needs to be done to save the local tour and improve our surfers chances overseas?

Shaun) That’s a hard one. I really don’t know. Like I said, surfing is small in South Africa, which makes it really hard. I reckon outside sponsors - massive companies like Coca-Cola, Vodacom and those companies need to get involved.

Kai) Can Jordy win the World Title in 2o11?

Shaun) For sure. He is my pick for the 2011 World Title. He surfs so good, wow. It would be amazing for him to win. I really hope he does. Him and Dane are on another level. He would be the sickest World Champ. I hope he does, seriously.

Kai) Your favorite surf spot and why?

Shaun) Kerammas in Bali, because when there is swell it’s the best barrel, and when it’s smaller it’s the funnest wave ever. It’s a Forehander's dream.

Thanks Shaun!

You can follow Shaun on his travels on Tour here - Shaun Joubert

A sick little surf video for you to check: