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!
The old dinosaurs of surfing have to realize one thing and fast, women's surfing is no longer the small often looked down to little sister any longer! With market share fast shifting over to the Brands supporting women's surfing, the numbers of women in the water growing every day and most importantly the level of girl's surfing exploding both on tour and in the free surfs, we may find ourselves as the second string one day...
Leading the charge for female surfing is Carrissa Moore and if you don't believe me just watch the video and accept!
While I did not know David very well, we certainly spent some time together in the Llandudno line up over the years. He always struck me as such a happy guy and the stoke for riding waves literally beamed out of him. As wave riders in South Africa, we all know the risk we take surfing these beautiful waves, yet it still shocks us to our core when one of our own is taken from us. While many will use this to blame the sharks, we have to all honestly accept that we are in their world and this will not change. Instead we must all celebrate the life that was taken from us to early and keep loving the sport and the family that the ocean has given us. It makes me so proud to be part of the waterman fraternity in Cape Town when I see how many people came out to the paddle out at Camps Bay on Saturday, for David's Memorial. Bodyboarders, surfers, swimmers and even the odd SUP. This is what it means to be a family of ocean users and in a way it is sad that a tragic event like this is what it takes to bring us all together. So honor David and the many other wave riders we have lost by keeping the stoke, respecting your fellow wave riders and making the most of our incredible oceans and the waves we love! We are all children of the waves.
RIP David - May you ride the endless wave of perfection in the afterlife!
The surfing world lost one of it's biggest stars this week, with the death of Michael Peterson. He was a true originator in the first days of professional surfing, an absolute hooligan and an eccentric visionary in the water. No one understood him, but everyone loved to watch him surf.
Also in the mix today, a picture perfect on board run in Jackson Hole. With the Northern Winter Season coming to an end, we can only hope this winter in SA has some proper dumps so we can go pow pow riding in Lesotho. Then to end off, check out the life of the Monster Energy Girls at the first F1 of the season. They have it so rough, haha, not...
Dane Searls conquered his dream 2 days before he died. RIP
The BMX dudes were talking about this video the whole day at the recent Ditch Jam and I had to find it for myself. After watching it I was pretty blown away, not only by the incredible riding, but also the story behind it. Pretty tragic that the guy died just 2 days after achieving his goal of doing the biggest jumps ever. Sure he is flying over mega dirt jumps in the sky now!
December 20, 2011 -- The final video release for Professional Freestyle BMX rider Dane Searls sees him successfully ride the biggest dirt jumps in history, clearing distances up to 60 feet (18 metres) on a BMX.
The Giants of Dirt Project began in 2010 when Dane Searls brought the idea to Unit Clothing, his sponsor. Over the next 12 months, together they built and tested the line of jumps in Boonah, (west of the Gold Coast, Queensland) on the farm of fellow Unit rider Freestyle Motocross Pro Matt Schubring. Sheer determination saw Dane push through many painful crashes and set backs, including the devastating Queensland floods of 2010. Dane finally completed his life long goal in November 2011, by riding and pulling tricks through the entire set of jumps. Giants of Dirt 3 is the realization of Dane's dream.
A custom built drop in ramp was constructed and the final jump in the set of four jumps measures 60 feet (18 metres) from dirt take off to dirt landing.
Two days after fulfilling his dream, Dane was involved in an accident and suffered critical head injuries, placing him in a coma for five days. Dane passed away on November 25, 2011 in hospital due to injuries sustained.
His death sent shock waves through the BMX community and he will be long remembered as an amazingly kind person and as a professional athlete who pushed the boundaries of the sport of BMX.
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!
