0 Tyler Wright brings Moore of a good thing to the women's tour

By Chris Mauro, Grind.TV.com

Though there's been a lot of changes on the ladies tour in recent years, when one person dominates the way Stephanie Gilmore has things tend to get a little boring. 

Gilmore, in case you haven't heard, is already on pace to break every record in surfing. Her four titles in four short years is the best career start ever. But what's even more impressive than her dominance of the women's scene is the quantum leap she's made in closing the gender gap between men's and women's performance. 

Now Gilmore's wake is hitting shore. 

16-year-old Tyler Wright, in her rookie season, just smashed her way to the final in her debut event as a tour member. Though she's a relative new face it's worth noting that she's already got a couple huge tour wins under her belt. She earned both wins as a wild card, and her first, in 2008, came when she was just 14-years-old. 

Meanwhile, Carissa Moore has been on our radar ever since bursting onto the scene as a precocious 12-year-old prodigy. Today she already the presence of a cagey tour veteran even though the 18-year-old is in just her second season on tour. 

Both girls have been admiring miss Gilmore's accomplishments, and the performance strides she and her tour peers have been making in recent years. There's been a lot of turnover in the women's ranks, with Sally Fitzgibbons, Coco Ho, and Laura Enever representing a nice injection of fresh young legs with plenty of energy. 

Yet Moore and Wright aren't just a fresh set of legs. They're arguably the most powerful 1-2 punch the women's tour has ever seen. The two young guns are pushing women's performance to new heights, and making converts out of even the most ardent women's critics. They surfed fast, loose, and powerfully in the final of the Roxy Pro on Tuesday as they went toe-to-toe in a very impressive showdown. 

Moore was able to fend off the rookie, but not without some stress. In fact, Wright had what looked like an event winner on her hands when she pulled into a nice little hollow tube up top, but Moore had priority, and took advantage of it by dropping in, and forcing her into the pit. The move ultimately sealed the deal for Carissa. 

Now these youngsters find themselves sitting atop the world tour ratings with six events left to go. Make no mistake, Stephanie Gilmore has her work cut out for her. Granted, she heard that same song last year...but number five won't be easy.

http://www.grindtv.com/surf/blog/24918/tyler+wright+brings+moore+of+a+good+thing+to+the+womens+tour/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+GrindTV-SurfBlog+(GrindTV.com+-+Surf+Blog)

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0 Surfer's monster ride puts big-wave spotlight on Europe

By: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com 

yahoo.com

WHEN it comes to monstrous surf, Europe doesn't get much respect among surfers who ride big waves for a living. But that could soon change thanks to Benjamin Sanchis' recent taming of a bona fide monster beyond the Basque Country south of Hossegor, France. The ride (see video), at a break called Belharra, has made Sanchis a leading contender in several categories of the prestigious Billabong XXL Global Big-Wave Awards, including biggest wave. (The year-long competition ends on the first day of spring.)





Europe has repeatedly been shut out of the annual competition because waves at top destinations, although very large, appear soft compared to the crushing giants at more famous spots such as Maverick'soff Northern California and Jaws off Maui. Stiff competition also comes from the Southern Hemisphere, withTahiti and Tasmania dishing out some angry beasts during their winter months.

Yet with the North Pacific in a relatively quiet pattern this year, Sanchis and his European companions have taken center stage in the big-wave arena thanks to the massive storms pounding the region this winter. Earlier this week they were catching incredible waves off of Ireland as huge swells began marching down the North Atlantic.

"Meanwhile the North Pacific is still just asleep at the wheel," says XXL contest director Bill Sharp. "While Europe's come alive there's only been one big swell off California, and another off Hawaii." According to Sharp, the swell that slammed Ireland and the Basque Country produced wave faces that measured as high as 60 feet.

Source:http://www.grindtv.com/surf/blog/24493/surfers+monster+ride+puts+big-wave+spotlight+on+europe/

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0 2010 Billabong Pipe Masters Finals Friday, 17 December 2010

Le Petit Prince Du Pipeline
By Mark Rosenberg



Pipe Masters Finals Highlights from Surfing Life on Vimeo.


It’s another pristine day on the sands of the Ehukai Beach Park. Pipeline hasn’t come to the party but Backdoor happily takes centre stage. Sun shines and the crowd fills in. Mainland tourists, crusty old shapers, tattooed braddahs, model-esque women and everyone in between. Gerry Lopez, Mr.Pipeline has flown out from Oregon to be here. “I left Pipeline because I didn’t feel like I belonged here anymore,” he says, “Today, I look around and remember why I miss it.”

I’m sitting on the stairs next to the Volcom house when Shane Dorian strolls past. “I’ve been hanging out with Kelly these past few days,” he says. “I’m not sure if he’ll be on tour next year but I’m sure he wants to finish 2010 with a bang.” Kelly’s in the water against Adrian Buchan. He makes an unmakeable barrel and the dominoes fall. Ace is comboed. The Billabong house erupts. Joel Parkinson is a three times Triple Crown champion. “I’ve had a coffee and champagne in my hand the whole morning,” he says, “I didn’t want to start celebrating too early. Now it’s time to let my hair down.”

J-Flo come from behind to take the crown. Pic. ASP

Kieren Perrow was five minutes away from being a Pipeline Master.
Pic. ASP/Kirstin

In most scenarios Mr. Backdoor would be an unfortunate nickname, but not on the North Shore. Kieren Perrow uses the experience he’s racked up freesurfing this stretch of reef for over a dozen years to knock off Jordy Smith. The masses start rooting for the perennial underdog. Jordy offers a simple “no comment,” when asked if his new Tokoro boards might be responsible for the loss. It’s simple a case of Kieren’s knowledge being king.

Taylor Knox can’t find waves against Dane and the chasm between them is apparent when Dane punctuates one pit with a six-foot slob grab. He doesn’t land but amplitude overrules and the beach erupts. Never mind the knee brace, here’s the Dane show. He get’s a 9.33 and advances.

Jeremy Flores v Kelly Slater takes to the water. The Quiktourage aren’t at all torn, like everyone they’re expecting KS to win. A barrelfest ensues and another Kelly milestone looks likely. Jeremy’s been on point all day, but surely can’t dethrone the king? Time’s ticking and J-Flo needs a 7.67. Kelly makes an uncharacteristic priority mistake and Flores nabs a life-raft cylinder. He needs a 7.67. It looks like a high nine. He ducks, drives, weaves, comes out waving ten fingers in the air. 7.93 comes the call. It's an underscore, but the result remains the same.

Jeremy advances to the final and on the beach tells everyone's favourite bro-mentator, GT, that Andy Irons was his inspiration. "Andy was the only one who took it to Kelly. So, when I needed a wave I thought what would he have done. I didn't think about Kelly after that, and I got my wave." Jeremy has Andy's initials and trademark rising sun motif scrawled across the deck of his board. Yesterday Irons brought Dusty the nine point wave he needed to requalify with one second left on the clock. Today AI bundles his old rival Kelly out of the comp. Even when he's not here, Andy's kicking arse and taking names.

Dane did his usual, blew minds one hit, barely caught any waves the next.
Pic. ASP/Kirstin

Dane Reynolds and Kieren Perrow are up next. Dane gives his gal a quick kiss, bumps fists with Marine Layer filmer Mini, signs a few autographs, paddles out. The people’s champ. This time however there are no vert ramp lobs. KP calls on experience to once again get oh-so-pitted. “I can’t keep focus for long enough at these event,” says Dane. He’s non-committal about next year but points out he loves competing. He’ll be back.

Twenty minutes later the most unlikely final of the year takes to the water. Two guys who’ve been around for a while yet never made a final in the big leagues. It’s easy to forget Flores is but 22. Kieren is older by nine years, but went Searchabout for a while as Young Gun Jeremy made his name.

KP and J-Flo have the skill set but their names aren’t synonymous with victory. They trade barrel for barrel and KP looks to have it sewn up. Kieren, the wiliest competitor of them all, has it in the bag. He has priority. He can sit on Jeremy, sweat him till the hooter sounds. His entourage make plans to chair him up the beach, five minutes remaining. Those who know what Flores is capable of bite their tongues.

Mr. Backdoor at home. Pic. ASP/Kirstin

A set approaches. Sets this morning have been two wave affairs at best. Jeremy needs an 8.6 and KP can do what he wants. If he thinks he can better his 6.5 and extend his lead he can go, but by doing so he’ll leave the second unknown wave for his opponent. If Kieren figures the wave doesn’t offer Jeremy 8.6 points of value he can let him have it. Kieren … goes … drives … gets shut down. His heart sinks as he surface to see Flores paddling into one of the waves of the day. The Frenchman swings in high and tight, locks his arm in the wall, and goes and goes and goes and emerges in a shroud of spit as the judges touch nines into their screens. France, nay, Europe’s first Pipe Master is chaired up the beach. Euroforce is suddenly, no longer just a cute marketing term. Vive la France. Jeremy est roi.

Visit the link: http://surfinglife.com.au/news/hawaii-2010/5839-2010-billabong-pipe-masters-finals

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0 Surf Solutions wraps up their Aircamp Project

Aircamp : photo Joel Gray

Surf Training

Surf Solutions AIRCAMP Project comes to successful finale

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 16 December, 2010 : - - Surf Solutions AIRCAMP has just completed a successful week of coaching and training in South West Portugal. This was a week with a 100% focus on airs and new school manouevres. Head Coach Joel Gray was joined by top freestyle snowboard coach Ben Kinnear and Wavelength magazine photographer Greg Martin.

The camp location was mobile around the whole Algarve region of Portugal. The Surf Experience provided accommodation and guiding. Athletes attending represented the top level of junior British surf talent. The 7 attendees were Stuart Campbell, Lewis Clinton, Alex Baker, Seb Smart, Alex Piper, Arron Evans and Liam Turner.

Aside from the in water sessions the team were given a number of video technique presentations alongside the daily video feedback analysis sessions. Ben Kinnear put on some trampoline sessions working on correct in air posture, rotational forces and examining the various planes of rotation. The crew also enjoyed some time working with a  jet ski doing tow-ats.

Head Coach Joel Gray “The idea of this week was to have a 100% mental switch away from contest training and just focus on airs. We spent a lot of time pre trip analyzing common themes and correct technique. Many people now understand the correct technique for a bottom turn for example. What we tried to do was introduce the correct technique for the various aerial manouevres.

I was really happy to be able to get Ben Kinnear involved. As a top freestyle snowboard coach his knowledge and understanding of posture and rotaion brought a lot to the table.”

Arron Evans – “Air camp was sick. I learnt lots of new skills to take away and work on. Working with a top snowboard coach on the trampoline has given me a new perspective and understanding of airs. The trip was a huge success and I’m amped for the next one"

Stuart Campbell – “Next up for me I am going to start to put it all in to practise, so that I can come into the 2011 contest scene comfortable with my new school repertoire.”

Apex Piper – “This week has had a completely different concept to any other trip i've been on in the past and I feel like I've really benefited from this week and have a lot of stuff to think about whilst surfing back at home and through my winter trips. Joel really looked in to the technical side of airs and pointed out things that you don't usually notice when watching a surf film.”

Alex Baker – “I had a sick time and leant allot from it. It was such a good idea having Ben there and he defiantly helped a lot. I think it will help me a hell of a lot when it all pieces together over the next few weeks.

There is a video that on the VIMEO link below that is possible to view and download. Also a couple of photos. Stuart Campbell doing the air. Seb Smart on the trampoline. Other group shot. All photo’s Greg Martin.

The next addition of AIRCAMP will be in the UK in March. For more info on this and other coaching project – 

AIRCAMP TRAILER 1 from surfsolutions on Vimeo.

Source: http://www.surfersvillage.com/surfing/50015/news.htm

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0 Could Kelly Slater be the best athlete ever? No seriously?

By Chris Mauro, GrindTV.com

Nine-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater won the Hurley Pro Saturday at Lower Trestles, the same San Clemente, Calif. venue where he won his maiden victory as a pro nearly 20 years ago to the day.


Of course, if and when any mention of his win makes the mainstream sporting press in the U.S. it's likely to be shoehorned between coverage of the latest hot dog-eating contest and a brawl between college mascots.

Yet this win in particular should be acknowledged because it marks a milestone in sports that's rarely -- if ever -- reached. I'm biased, of course, so I'll ask you to shoot my theory down by answering the following question off the top of your head: Please name an athlete -- any athlete -- who's been the dominant force in their respective sport for a span of twodecades? 


Mind you, I'm not talking about somebody who's hung around the top level for 20 years with a single title or two to show for it. Sports history is rich and thick with lovable legends who've endured like Brett Favre,Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken, even George Foreman. Yet there's a large chasm between enduring and dominating -- as in being the primary gravitational force that others must orbit around. Favre, Ryan, Ripken and Foreman were all that force for a time, no doubt, but for 20 years? Nope. 

Find me somebody who, let's say, holds the record for being the youngest and oldest world champion. Whose career win percentage over two decades was near 80% and climbing. Who 20 years after his debut win as a pro, recaptured a lead in the race for yet another world title, maybe a 10th? Somebody who's owned the top slot in their sport's All-Star voting 15 times, and year-after-year humbles a fresh set of young rookies -- even those less than half his age -- who are allegedly coming to dethrone him. Yep, those are just a few of Slater's stats.

[Photos:Surf legend Kelly Slater rides the waves]

I've been racking my brain to trying to come up with somebody else. I even asked my buddies deep inside Y!Sports and ESPN for help. Surely they'd know someone? "A bowler? poker player? billiard champion?" In their defense, they were buried in NFL and MLB drama and had little time for such silliness from an Action Sports guy. Nevertheless, they politely threw me some meat just to appease me, Jordan, Armstrong,Navratilova and Bonds. I didn't want to rile them by telling them Slater's stats trump all of the above.
 
I dug deeper, only to find that most athletes who rule for two full decades come from sedentary sports, like golfing, curling, angling or lawn darts. Or they spend their careers in idle positions that are highly specialized, like pitching, punting or goal keeper. 


Arnold Palmer and the Golden Bear are good examples of golfers who enjoyed marathon careers. Jack won his first championship in his early 20s, and The Masters when he was 46. Yet, even according to Golf Magazine, the 70s was the only decade he owned, while Palmer ran the show in the 60s.

Tiger Woods is the obvious man-to-beat now. And though Woods (the first golfer to ever hit the gym?) is four years younger than Slater, and just 14 years into his pro career, his reign will undoubtedly surpass all comers. But that's still TBD for now, especially since Woods is slumping after his recent foray into public relations hell. 







Mariano Rivera is arguably right there with Tiger. He's been baseball's dominant closer for 15 solid years. And he stands a decent chance of going five more years since, well, he only throws a handful of pitches per week.

Admittedly, I'm operating under a completely deranged definition of an athlete, especially compared to the contemporary excuse for one. I weigh all of them against an ancient Roman scale that involves lions, tigers and The Colosseum -- an imaginary venue where today's sedentary athletes would become breakfast, brunch or lunch at best.

I know this sounds like an absurd notion. There's simply no way a surfer can enter the conversation when we're talking about the most dominant athletes ever, right? Can we even dare to measure Slater's athletic feats against Wayne Gretzky and Jerry Rice? Those two really did dominate physically grueling sports for two decades. That's why they're considered the greatest. And maybe being blasted into the reef atTeahupoo isn't as scary as being checked, or catching an ill-timed pass over the middle, but watch, then consider which fate you'd choose given the choice.

Whether surfing is a sport or not is an argument even surfers can't agree on. In fact, anything with judges is suspect since it's crossing into art. But there's no denying that whether you're paddling into 25-foot wavesat Waimea Bay, or flying high at five-foot Bells Beach, the act demands endurance, timing, speed and flexibility, not to mention commitment, all which favor the young and athletically spry...or so we were told.

After winning five straight titles in the 90s (six total) Slater retired in 1999, which, when translated, means he went surfing more. He chased swells around the planet for three years, visiting friends at every stop, waiting for a new crop of talent to mature and actually threaten his legacy before coming back to competition in 2003. In his first year back, he fell short in the final heat of the season. But by 2005 he had his title back, repeating again in 2006, and nabbing another in 2008. Now he's leading in 2010.

[Related:Surprise results of 'most popular' athlete poll]

Like Favre, Slater threatens retirement at every turn. Unlike Favre, he tends to go the distance when he comes back. Today 38-year-old Slater is not only defying gravity with his results, but halting time with his surfing, which is still getting better. When asked how old he thinks he'd be if he didn't know how old he was, he says 24. Take one look at his sculpted physique and you'd agree that's his real age. 

It doesn't hurt that he's having fun. "I'd let a hundred thousand people punch me in the face to surf these waves alone," he said after collecting his check for $105,000. "I can't believe you guys are paying me for this."

His decades of dominance required serious sacrifice though. He attributes some of his longevity to never being married, which was supposedly rough. His yearsrunning around with the likes of Pamela, Gisele and Cameron earned him more mainstream press than any of his records, compounding the torture. Poor guy.

His travel schedule is grueling, too, but 12-hour flights or not, there's little sympathy for anyone headed to Tahiti, Fiji or Australia for a match. Slater's pro athlete friends are quick to remind him it beats Pittsburgh, Detroit or Cleveland. 

If Kelly wins his 10th ASP world title this year he'll be tempted to walk away for good...again. Yet after being to the moon and back several times now he's surprised by where motivation continues to come from.

"Once you've done all you've set out to do it becomes about things much larger than yourself," he says. He dedicated his landmark win Saturday to Daisy Merrick, granddaughter of his longtime shaper, friend, and mentor Al Merrick, who's bravely battling a rare form of cancer.

In an era when our sports heroes continually disappoint, Slater, the human, is somebody parents needn't fear their kids emulating. The former Straight-A student has maintained his über-cool (Jack Johnson's singing career was spawned out of Slater-produced surf movies. Eddie Vedder invites Slater on stage for jam sessions at his concerts.) while neutralizing the old pejorative of being a surfer over the course of his reign.

On any coast, in any country, Kelly Slater has tens of thousands of loyal fans who adore him. Yet he can rest assured that his peaceful refuge is always five minutes away, roughly four miles inland. Because on Main Street U.S.A. Slater will always be able to walk down the sidewalk unnoticed, despite being one of the most dominant athletes ever.

Photos of Kelly Slater via ASP/Rowland, Kirstin & Hurley

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0 Tarp Surfing Rides New Wave of Popularity

By Pete Thomas, Grind TV.com

No waves? Not a problem.

More and more surfers, who for generations have sought ways to mimic the sensation of riding waves when the ocean goes flat, are discovering the fine art of tarp surfing.

By skating on longboards and using other people to creatively unfurl billowing tarps in a manner that closely resembles breaking waves, they're able to tuck beneath a spinning curtain and get barreled in what's becoming -- thanks to the video age -- an artsy board sport unto its own.

Skateboarding was invented by surfers, who, nearly 50 years ago, needed ways to keep the thrill going when the waves were flat. It was called sidewalk surfing early on, but as the sport evolved they began riding in empty pools and on concrete banks to simulate the moves they were making in waves.



Tarp surfing is taking skateboarding's surfing roots to the next level by simulating the surfer's cherished feeling of a tube ride, riding through a spinning cavern of liquid. Santa Cruz surfer Homer Henard has given the new hobby a giant shot in the arm by spoofing of a former 90s pro returning to the spotlight in this creative clip that demonstrates the thrill. The video has been viewed by nearly two million people after it was posted on YouTube last month.

Surfers across the country are now emptying tarps from the hardware store shelves, and tarp-surfing sessions are popping up all over the Web. Henard and his crew say it's developing into a full-blown craze.

They've even developed a full quiver of boards made specifically for riding atop tarps spread out like a blue ocean, and to make turns as the tarps are pulled upward and over their heads.

For tarp surfers, the perfect wave is never far from reach. All that's missing are water and, of course, crowds.

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0 The must-have maneuver for pro surfers in 2010

By: Chris Mauro, GrindTV.com

Fans at this year's US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif. are raving about the quantum leap in performance being displayed by a handful of young pros like Jadson Andre, Dane Reynolds and Jordy Smith. These guys are taking aerial surfing to dizzying new heights with their inverted rotations. Heading into the final weekend of giant surfing festival it was Reynolds who set the bar highest with this incredible aerial reverse 360, a high-flying acrobatic move that, suddenly, has become a must-have for anyone hoping to nab Sunday's $100,000 first prize... 


The must-have maneuver for pro surfers in 2010

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