It seems the New York Times is writing about skate lately. Here is an interesting little article that talks about Elissa Steamer and some of the other top skaters. Pretty interesting...
Pretty cool article appeared in today's New York Times about skateboard legend Jay Adams. The piece talks about what he's been doing since being released from prison as well as touching a few things from the past.
Two of the world's best surfers were taking out in the third round of the Billabong Pro Tahiti by two local wildcard entries. In a great day of surfing action, both Kelly Slater and Taj Burrow were knocked out of the contest.
In light of the tragic fatal attack in Solana Beach on April 25, 2008, I wanted to post the list of documented fatal shark attacks off of California over the last 50+ years. If you are scared of sharks, well just know that your risk of being killed while driving to the beach are WAY higher than getting killed by a shark. Anyway, here is the list:
Dec. 7, 1952, Pacific Grove
April 28, 1957, Morro Bay
May 7, 1959, Baker Beach
June 14, 1959, La Jolla Cove
Dec. 19, 1981, Spanish Bay
Sept. 15, 1984, Pigeon Point
Jan. 26, 1989, Malibu/Paradise Cove
Dec. 9, 1994, San Miguel Island
Aug. 19, 2003, Avila
Aug. 15, 2004, Fort Bragg
April 25, 2008, Solana Beach
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Solana Beach Shark Attack April 2008
posted April 25, 2008 10:09 am
This morning, there was a fatal shark attack off of Solana Beach, CA. It was the first fatal attack in San Diego in 50 years. For more information watch the video below and check out the following article:
A group of nine swimmers entered the water near Fletcher Cove at about
6:30 a.m. for their daily ocean swim, according to witnesses. They swam
northward, and While they were swimming, a 66-year-old man was bitten
on both thighs, the spokesman for the San Diego County Sheriff's
Department said. Other swimmers looked back and saw the man flailing
before he was pulled under the water, the spokesman said.Witnesses said the victim resurfaced screaming. Several other swimmers pulled the man to shore.Lifeguards arrived and a helicopter ambulance was called, but the victim bled to death on the beach.Helicopter
video showed lifeguards, firefighters and police gathered at the main
lifeguard station in Solana Beach. What appeared to be the victim's
body covered by a yellow tarp was visible under a portable shade
structure behind the headquarters.The victim's identity was not immediately known.Lifeguards did not know what kind of shark attacked the man, but they speculated that it was a great white.
surftraveller wrote: Scary bro. I feel bad for the guy's family man... Posted Apr-26 10:25 am
sdskate wrote: Brutal! Gotta get back out there though, as unfortunately sharks are part of the deal Posted Apr-26 10:26 am
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Interview With WCT Surfer Miky Picon
posted April 11, 2008 7:10 am
Cool interview I came across of Miky Picon:
Words from Miky Picon, 2008 ASP World Tour European surfer
CAPBRETON, France (Thursday, April 10, 2008) – Miky Picon (FRA), 29, current No. 29 on the 2008 ASP World Tour
ratings, is preparing for the Dream Tour’s South Pacific leg that will
take him to the world famous locations of Tahiti and Fiji.
Picon, who is one of four European surfers of the 2008 Dream Tour
with Jeremy Flores (FRA), Tiago Pires (PRT) and Aritz Aranburu (EUK),
spent two months in Australia where he placed equal 17th in the
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast and equal 33rd in the Rip Curl Pro Bells
Beach.
At home in Capbreton until April 28, Picon will attend the ASP WQS
4-Star Vendée Pro next week before taking off for the blue lagoons of
Tahiti for the Billabong Pro. He gives us a look back on the Australian
leg.
1.Two events down on the 2008 ASP World Tour. How do you look back on the Quiksilver Pro and the Rip Curl Pro?
I felt good in Australia for two months and even if my results were
average I feel like it is going to happen. I have good boards and this
is a major part of the recipe. I faced tough opponents in both events,
Andy Irons (HAW) and Taj Burrow (AUS) on the Gold Coast, Taylor Knox
(USA) at Bells Beach...
Big names for sure but I am getting there. Apart from the contests,
we had a great time with Tiago (Pires) and Jeremy (Flores) and some
really fun waves at Winkipop. What comes out of these first events is:
I can surf a lot better and I have to improve my tactics in the water,
so I feel like I have the keys to make things better.
2. The Dream Tour will now hit the South Pacific with barreling lefthanders, how do you like this leg?
I love these waves and places. Looking at the competitive aspect,
you just have to be very focused, choose a strategy on your wave choice
and off course, not leave your courage home because it can get really
gnarly. But I feel better on those waves compared to the Australian
righthanders... I can't bare surfing backside anymore after two months
down under!
3. Back home for a bit, until April 28. What's your day like at home?
I just love surfing at home. The waves are so fun I feel like it's
relaxing and I can enjoy myself almost every day in the water. I've
been trying a lot of new boards because I am always looking for new
sensations so home is the best place to do this. But when I am at home,
it's a lot of organisation and administration as well I have to catch
up with, and off course being with my family and friends is just
perfect.
4. Now you are done with two Dream Tour events, are you planning
on surfing a few World Qualifying Series (WQS) events this year?
I am focused on the ASP World Tour. Once you qualify for it you have
to be 100% dedicated to these eleven events and personaly, I cannot
focus on two goals at a time. This year it is all about the ASP Top 45
requalification and I will do everything for it.
Get all the action from the Europeans of the 2008 ASP World Tour on www.aspeurope.com!
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Rip Curl Pro is Still on Hold
posted March 19, 2008 5:20 pm
Another Lay Day for Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
BELLS BEACH, Australia (Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2008) � Onshore winds and small surf in the two-to-three foot (1 metre) range
prompted event organizers at the Rip Curl Pro pres. Snickers and the
Rip Curl Women�s Pro pres. by Ford Fiesta to call competition off for
the day, opting to hold out for a projected increase in swell over the
next few days.
The second stop for both the ASP World Tour and the ASP Women�s World
Tour, Bells Beach has yet to deliver the classic conditions it is
renowned for. However, with a waiting period that extends until March
24 for the ASP Top 17 and March 29 for the ASP Top 45, and a solid
swell forecast over the next few days, the world�s best surfers could
be sinking their rails into Bells� classic walls shortly.
�The swell hasn�t quite hit yet and the conditions today are a bit
sub-par,� Damien Hardman, Rip Curl Pro Contest Director, said. �Our
swell forecasters are calling for a solid pulse to be hitting possibly
Friday and through the weekend, so we�ll be looking to get our surfers
out in the best possible conditions.�
When competition commences, Round 1 of the Rip Curl Pro will open up
with 2006 ASP World Tour Rookie of the Year Bobby Martinez (USA)
squaring off against Luke Munro (AUS) and Royden Bryson (ZAF) in the
opening heat of competition.
Round 1 of the Rip Curl Women�s Pro will see the highly anticipated
match-ups of reigning ASP Women�s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore
(AUS) face off against veteran Hawaiian Megan Abubo as well as fiery
Western Australian Claire Bevilacqua while current ratings leader Sofia
Mulanovich (PER) takes on Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) and 2008 Dream Tour
rookie Karina Petroni (USA).
Rip Curl Pro pres. by Snickers Round 1 Match-Ups Heat 1: Bobby Martinez (USA), Luke Munro (AUS), Royden Bryson (ZAF) Heat 2: Dean Morrison (AUS), Dayyan Neve (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF) Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Bruce Irons (HAW), Tiago Pires (PRT) Heat 4: Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Neco Padaratz (BRA), Jihad Khodr (BRA) Heat 5: Andy Irons (HAW), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Chris Ward (USA) Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Tim Reyes (USA), Daniel Ross (AUS) Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Ben Dunn (AUS), Nic Muscroft (AUS) Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Stuart Kennedy (AUS) Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS), Leonardo Neves (BRA), Nathan Hedge (AUS) Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA), Adriano de Souza (BRA), Troy Brooks (AUS) Heat 11: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Dane Reynolds (USA), Daniel Wills (AUS) Heat 12: Kai Otton (AUS), Jay Thompson (AUS), Ricky Basnett (ZAF) Heat 13: Tom Whitaker (AUS), Ben Bourgeois (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) Heat 14: Taylor Knox (USA), Michael Campbell (AUS), Mikael Picon (FRA) Heat 15: Damien Hobgood (USA), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Heitor Alves (BRA) Heat 16: Luke Stedman (AUS), Roy Powers (HAW), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)
Rip Curl Women�s Pro pres. by Ford Fiesta Round 1 Match-Ups Heat 1: Layne Beachley (AUS), Julia De La Rosa (PER), Nicola Atherton (AUS) Heat 2: Samantha Cornish (AUS), Megan Abubo (HAW), Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Alana Blanchard (HAW) Heat 4: Sofia Mulanovich (AUS), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), Karina Petroni (USA) Heat 5: Silvana Lima (BRA), Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) Heat 6: Amee Donohoe (AUS), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Serena Brooke (AUS)
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Kelly Slater Wins the Quiksilver Pro
posted March 9, 2008 8:29 pm
Kelly Slater is at it again after taking the Quiksilver Pro in Oz.
Kelly Slater Back to World No. 1 with Quiksilver Pro Win Over FanningCOOLANGATTA, Australia (Tuesday, Mar. 4, 2008) – Eight-time
ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) is once again World No. 1 after
beating Reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) at his home
break of Snapper Rocks.
Slater defeated Fanning 17.94 to 15.23 to claim his second Quiksilver
Pro Gold Coast title and position himself atop the ratings for the
first time since claiming his last ASP World Crown in 2006.
“It’s really satisfying,” Slater said. “I didn’t feel like I really got
into motion last year. Obviously Trestles was good with a win, but the
end of the year was pretty lackluster for me. Even getting into the
Quarters today I was thinking, ‘This is the best result I’ve had in six
months’ It just felt great.”
Slater and Fanning have now met in ASP competition nine times; Slater
leads the exchange 5 to 4. Notably, previous to his win today, Slater
had not beat Fanning since 2003. Both surfers have now won the
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast twice – Fanning in 2005 and 2007 and Slater
in 2006 and 2008.
“Mick is definitely the best competitor in the world right now,” Slater
said. “He makes very few mistakes and surfs the face of the wave real
well time and again. He’s one of those rare guys who can come from
behind or take control from the front and pull out the big manoeuvres
to get the big scores when he needs to.”
Compliments aside, Slater had no reservations about beating the
Reigning and ASP and Quiksilver Pro Champion at home in front of a
capacity crowd.
“Feel bad about beating Mick at home? Not in the least,” Slater said. “He’s won this event twice, I had to catch up.”
Slater has hinted that he will compete on the 2008 ASP World Tour
selectively and has gone so far as to say he won’t surf the next event
in Bells Beach. He made similar statements in early 2006, but after
winning the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper, decided to go to Bells anyway.
He won the ASP World Title for the eighth time that year.
“Yea, I was in the same position back in 2006 and didn’t decide on
Bells until two days before,” Slater said. “The one thing that got me
over the edge was the swell forecast and the fact that I was in
Australia at the time. I was sort of at a low point personally with a
lot of things and the event sort of kept my mind off it for a week or
two while I was there – it kind of got me in the swing of things for
the year and I was coming off a lot of confidence from the year before,
so the wins where coming easy in heats. I seemed to be making the right
choices in the water and riding that wave of confidence from the year
before.”
Slater’s wins didn’t come easily today. He had to beat 3X ASP World
Champion Andy Irons (HAW) in the Quarters and 2007 Rookie of the Year
Jeremy Flores (FRA) in the Semis prior to his heat with Fanning today.
“I’ve never get to surf against Andy (Irons) until the finals and we
haven’t surfed against each other in a two man heat in about two and a
half years,” Slater said. “In that heat against Jeremy (Flores) I had
very little energy and I really had to push it on my one big score.
It’s good to win a contest, but to beat the top guys to get there is
even better.”
Fanning, who took the World No. 1 spot with a win at this event last
year, had not relinquished the top spot until today. He had the highest
scoring wave of the Final heat – a 9.33 – but needed to back it up with
an 8.61 he never found.
“I wanted another wave to come through and unfortunately for me it
didn’t happen but Kelly surfed amazing all event and he’s the greatest
surfer of all time,” Fanning said. “I was just praying for another wave
but it didn’t come.
Fanning had to beat an in-form Bede Durbidge (AUS) and Dean Morrison
(AUS) prior in the day to earn his Final berth this afternoon.
“I didn’t know exactly how I was going to go in this event, but I felt
really relaxed the whole event and did things when I needed to,”
Fanning said. “I just needed one more little wave to pop up but it
didn’t happen.”
Fanning’s Semifinal clash against Durbidge was a repeat of last year’s event Final which Fanning won.
“It’s crazy that we met here again,” Durbidge said. “I wanted to get
him so bad, but he’s just been surfing so well and he was the better
man out there. It’s still a good start to the year though. I wanted to
put myself up amongst the top contenders and up there on the ratings.”
Durbidge, who is now rated equal 3rd behind Slater and Fanning, won the
last event of the 2007 ASP World Tour in Hawaii and finished the season
World No. 5. He was hoping to better his 2007 Quiksilver Pro result and
win at Snapper Rocks, but failed to find the 8.73 he needed to change
the situation. The 8.50 he did manage with minutes to go was close, but
not close enough.
“I’m a little bit disappointed, but it was a good heat that came down
to the wire and Mick just got me in the end,” Durbidge said. “It was so
close it was frustrating, but it was tricky and a little bit smaller
and I tried my hardest and just didn’t come through.”
Jeremy Flores (FRA) also finished equal 3rd today. Despite opening the
heat strong and pressuring Slater to find a combination of two
excellent scoring rides to beat him, Flores eventually lost the heat
15.47 to 15.17.
“It’s a great result for me in the first event,” Flores said. The heat
was pretty close but I think I could have surfed better. I didn’t
really open up my surfing too much in this competition, I could have
surfed a whole lot better, but I’m happy with my result and losing to
Kelly in the Semifinal is not too bad.”
The next event on the 2008 ASP World Tour will take place in Bells Beach Australia from March 18-29, 2008.
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by LG Final Results: Final: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.94 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.23
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by LG Semifinal Results: Semifinal 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.23 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.70 Semifinal 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.47 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.17
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by LG Quarterfinal Results: Quarterfinal 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.66 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.34 Quarterfinal 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 14.34 def. Dean Morrison (AUS) 13.06 Quarterfinal 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.94 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.16 Quarterfinal 4: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.00 def. Andy Irons (HAW) 10.94
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by LG Round 4 Results: Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.73 def. Ben Dunn (AUS) 10.17 Heat 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.50 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 11.17 Heat 3: Dean Morrison (AUS) 15.60 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.34 Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 14.34 def. Leonardo Neves (BRA) 10.10 Heat 5: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.84 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 12.00 Heat 6: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.34 def. Tim Reyes (USA) 10.40 Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.50 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 17.50 Heat 8: Andy Irons (HAW) 15.50 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 11.67
ASP World Tour Ratings after the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast 1. Kelly Slater (USA) 1200 points 2. Mick Fanning (AUS) 1032 points 3. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 876 points 3. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 876 points 5. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 732 points 5. Dean Morrison (AUS) 732 points 5. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 732 points 5. Andy Irons (HAW) 732 points 9. Ben Dunn (AUS) 600 points 9. Taylor Knox (USA) 600 points 9. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 600 points 9. Leonardo Neves (BRA) 600 points 9. Taj Burrow (AUS) 600 points 9. Tim Reyes (USA) 600 points 9. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 600 points 9. Kai Otton (AUS) 600 points
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Tiago Pires Re Signs With Billabong
posted February 27, 2008 11:35 am
Our friend Tiago Pires has resigned with Billabong which should give him a great platform to compete on the WCT in 2008 and beyond. Congrats to Tiago!
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