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CURL women’s surf & lifestyle magazine
Gu ide
2011 World Champion,
Carissa Moore
reaching new heights
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code red in tahiti | sally fitzgibbons spring essentials | how to and more
CONGRATULATIONS
TYLER! 2011 ASP Women’s Rookie Of The Year
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Cover: carissa moore | Photo by: jason kenworthy/Red bull photofiles
issue#30
main event 12. Carissa Moore 20. Sally Fitzgibbons 28. Code Red Teahupoo 42. 48 Hour Strike Mission 46. Sandra English 50. On the Road with Bevo 52. Angie Koops 54. Bikini Bible 64. Sunnies Guide 68. Finding a Board Shaper 70. Surf Coaching with Kate Dunn
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10. Curl.co.nz 66. Spring Essentials 67. Subs 74. Beauty 76. Love your Skin 78. Swell Shops and Schools 80. Spring Giveaways
managing Editor & senior photographer Steve Dickinson Ph: (09) 428 3046 | Mob: 027 577 5014 Email: p.media@xtra.co.nz
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editor Lynne Dickinson Ph: (09) 428 1193 Email: lynne@curl.co.nz Advertising sales Courtney Johns Ph: (09) 428 1193 Email: info@curl.co.nz art director Lynne Dickinson
Ph: (09) 428 1193 Email: lynne@curl.co.nz
Contributing Writers and Photographers Jason Kenworthy, Alex Laurel, Trent Mitchell, Augustin Munoz, Steve Dickinson, Keala Kennelly, Leith Holtzman, Sandra English, Claire Bevilacqua, Angie Koops, Mallanlieu/ Surfing Queensland, Thandi Tipene, Nick Herson, Kate Dunn, Greer Ell,
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Publishers Curl magazine is published four times a year by Pacific Media Ltd P.O.Box 562, Whangaparaoa, New Zealand 0932 Ph (09) 428 1193 | Fax: (09) 428 3046 Contributions of articles and photos are welcome and must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope. Photographic material should be on slide, although good quality prints may be considered. All care is taken but no responsibility accepted for submitted material. All work published may be used on our website. Material in this publication may not be reproduced without permission. While the publishers have taken all reasonable precautions and made all reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy of material in this publication, it is a condition of purchase of this magazine that the publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omission in this publication, or from the use of information contained herein and the publishers make no warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to any of the material contained herein.
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Five minutes with Airini Mason GIVEAWAYS | soul surfer tSB Women’s surf festival
NEW STREETWEAR LABEL Sistahood is a new organic streetwear label that was inspired by the desire to create comfy, funky street styles in an earth and people conscious way. The pesticides and insecticides used in the current cotton industry are extremely toxic to us and the planet, so we’ve decided to do things differently. All Sistahood garments are made from 100% organic cotton (which means no chemicals), and are customdyed, printed and manufactured in New Zealand. This process is fair on the environment and fair on our workforce, and means you can feel good about what you’ve got on!! You, the consumer, have the power to make positive change for our earth right now! Follow your heart... much love, Freddy Chur
Although Gisborne is now the family home, Airini has spent the past year in Christchurch attending university where she doing a bachelor of Science with the hope to major in geology. We caught up with Airini to see what it's been like studying in the quake stricken city. How has it been living through the earthquakes? It's been a very different experience. I was quite on edge after the February quake. Having heard about what had happened in the city and that people had died from fallen buildings was very sad. It was a big impact on the community and all of NZ. I was on campus at the time of the earthquake and we were evacuated for a few hours, we had no power and the phone connections were overloaded. It took a while to find out and realise what damage had happened, it was a big shock. The University was very efficient with getting the lectures up and running again. We continued most of the first semester either in tents or online. It wasn’t the most ideal way to start first year off as it was a little difficult to adjust to. Overall this whole year has definitely been a big learning experience. Why did you choose Christchurch? I had never been to the South Island before and thought it would be cool to go somewhere different. My older brother has also been studying at Canterbury University doing an engineering degree. He has been enjoying
VANS TRIPLE CROWN Although there is no women’s series this year, Hawaii’s newly crowned World Champion, Carissa Moore, will still be able to compete. She has been awarded the wild card into the Reef Hawaiian Pro and the Vans World Cup meaning she will be the only woman to line up against more than 200 of the best male surfers in the world. Carissa has been competing in this event since she was only 12 years old and is a worthy recipient of the wild card spot! Congratulations Carissa. 10 //curl #30
Just for the ladies.... East Coast Paddler & Hoe Aroha Waka Ama Club will be running a fun paddle workshop as part of Live to Play Month with Sport Bay of Plenty. Focus is on encouraging more women and girls to get into the awesome sport of stand up paddling & outrigger. For your $10 donation you get a few hours of fun in the sun, you learn a new sport and even get a gift to take away with you from us.Numbers are limited so please contact us to book your place. www.eastcoastpaddler.co.nz East Coast Paddler Mount Maunganui Hiria Rolleston 07 575 3493 or 021886552 info@eastcoastpaddler.co.nz
Christchurch and so recommended study here. Did you manage any surf time down there? During summer and autumn I surfed every weekend either Taylors or Waikuku. We had a few fun summer swells. As soon as winter came around me and my brothers made the most of the snow so spent the weekends snowboarding up Mt Hutt. Where has been your favourite spot to surf? I did a couple of trips up to Kaikoura which were fun. I never scored it really good but the days I did surf it was decent. With the quality of the set ups I could imagine how good the waves would get! How'd you cope with the cold? With my O’Neill gears; 4’3 steamer and booties keeping me toasty and warm, I didn’t have a problem with the cold. What have you enjoyed most about living in Christchurch? Being so close to both the sea and the mountains, so being able to do both surfing and snowboarding throughout the year while studying. I really enjoy the scenery too, it's beautiful and it's great for studying Geology down here. We did a field trip to Waipara River just out of Christchurch and the landscapes were amazing, especially with how active the environment is down here. Another cool experience were the snow days, that was exciting to wake up in the morning and everything outside my window was white, thick with powdery snow.
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C2 0A1 1RISS A M O O RE WORL D C H AM P ION words by lynne dickinson
| images compliments of red bull
The first time I watched Carissa Moore surf was at the 2007 Roxy Pro at Snapper Rocks. A prestigious event that is so well watched that it would make even the most seasoned professional feel nervous. At that time Carissa was only just 14 and was without a doubt the standout surfer at the event.
deep in concentration on the beach in france moments before taking out the world title | alex laurel/red bull
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surfing in pompnpei | jason kenworthy/red bull
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She literally powered her way through each heat, her strength clearly evident even then. Carissa in many ways heralded a new age in women’s surfing, an era where professionalism, dedication and athleticism combined to face-off against the experienced and talented Chelsea Hedges. I remember the murmurs on the beach that day, “who the hell is that young girl?” The women on the tour were secretly happy that she was too young to be on the World Tour because she really had so much potential and no one really knew what she was capable of. Roll on two years later, and Carissa, at the tender age of 17, qualified and joined the ranks of the world’s elite. After a slightly rocky start to the year in 2010, Carissa came to New Zealand and experienced her first win and finished the year 3rd in the World, taking out the prestigious “Rookie of the Year” award. We all knew that it was only a matter of time before Carissa unleashed her full potential on the World Tour and in her second year, 2011, she won three of the seven finals making her the youngest ever World Title winner. Carissa Moore was born in Hawaii on August 27th 1992 and is the eldest of four girls. Although many of the girls on the World Tour have chosen to home school, attending regular school has always been important to Carissa. She proudly graduated from Punahou School in Honolulu during her rookie year on tour in 2010, the same school as President Obama and golfer, Michele Wie. Surfing has always been in Carissa’s blood, if you have not yet seen the Nike 6.0 clip, then check it out on http://vimeo.com/26486451. She shows incredible balance and movement at a very young age and it’s obvious Carissa has lived and breathed surfing since she was a gromlet. Carissa began competing in surf competitions by the time she was just six and within the course of a year she had secured sponsorship with Roxy. By the time she was ten years old she had begun to make a name for herself locally, winning numerous events and competing against the guys for more of a challenge.
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freesurfing in mexico| jason kenworthy/red bull
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In 2004, Surfer Magazine named Carissa the “Breakthrough Performer of the Year”, quite an achievement for a 12 year old! Carissa continued to show she was not just a one hit wonder and took out an unprecedented eleven US National Scholastic Surfing Association titles. In 2007, Carissa burst onto the international scene in true style when she won the trials and entry into the Roxy Pro in Snapper. In the next few years Carissa continued to excel on the international scene when she became the youngest winner of a Van’s Triple Crown event in Haleiwa in 2008 and then went on to win the Gidget Pro at Sunset Beach in 2009 as a wildcard entrant. In 2010 Carissa became the youngest female surfer to land a cover on SURFER magazine, the first woman since Lisa Anderson in 1996 to grace their leading page. If there was any doubt that Carissa was deserving of the front page, her resume speaks volumes and should silence the loudest of critics. Her dad, Chris, has been by her side throughout the past two years on tour. Carissa describes him as the complete package, “great coach, loving dad and fun travel partner.” Despite coming to surfing later in life, Chris was a successful and competitive long-distant ocean swimmer in the late 80’s early 90’s, he has been the rock in Carissa’s rise to stardom. Although Carissa lives an enviable lifestyle, she has had to make her own sacrifices to get to the level she is today. Many of us would have loved the opportunity to skip school and travel the world, however, for Carissa it was hard to be away from family and friends who were all off to enjoy the whole college experience. A surfer’s life used to be described as “a lifestyle thing”, surfing when the surf was good, chilling with your mates when the waves were flat. But Carissa is one of the new breed, she takes her sport seriously and trains accordingly. Do not be mistaken, Carissa still is super approachable, friendly and relaxed yet she knows what it takes to be on top of her game. Dedication, confidence, hard work and training all play a part in her success and it was no surprise that she featured in six of the seven finals this year One of the delightful things about this focused and dedicated athlete is that she has not yet let
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the stardom spoil her. She has been touted by the media as the next big thing for quite some years yet Carissa has managed to remain humble. In 2010, during her first ever trip to New Zealand, she endeared herself to the local community, spending time with the kids from the Waitara Marae. Her attitude and approach to the whole experience in NZ really left a mark on both the locals and on Carissa and in an unprecedented gesture she donated her winning cheque, of US$15,000 to the Waitara Bay Board Riders club. Showing such generosity at the tender age of 17 speaks volumes about the young woman she has become. It is not surprising that the name Carissa can mean “beloved”, “grace” and “kind” and is also related to the name Charity. Carissa is aware that she has been fortunate to have had the experiences and support she has had thus far, both from family, friends and sponsors. In 2009, after a seven year relationship with Roxy, Carissa joined the team of Red Bull, Nike 6.0 and Target, making her one of the new breed of athletes that have looked outside of the core surf industry for support. The move has been a good one for Carissa, amongst other things Nike 6.0 have recently released the first women’s surf DVD in over ten years. “Leave a Message” featured some of the best female surfers in the world, of which Carissa stands out with her flair and rhythm. Carissa is now sponsored by Red Bull, Nike 6.0 footwear, Target and DaKine accessories. 18 //curl #30
air time in her home of hawaii| jason kenworthy/red bull
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SALLY FITZGIBBONS 2 0 1 1 WORL D RUNNER U P words by lynne dickinson
| images compliments of red bull
The first thing you notice about Sally is her smile. She has the ability to light up a room and also the ability to make you feel as if you are the most important person in it. That’s just one of the things you have to love about Sally. This year she came so incredibly close to winning the World Title that we felt we could not leave her out of this edition of the magazine. Not only was she in five of the seven finals, she won three of them, equalling that of World Champion, Carissa Moore.
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sally at bells beach, australia| trent mitchell/red bull
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sally at the roxy pro, snapper|simon williams/red bull
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Sally was born 19th December, 1990 in Nowra, NSW Australia and is one of four children with three older brothers. Sally is a talented athlete and no matter what she put her mind to she was going to do well. Before she began her professional surfing career Sally was a national champion in middle distance running as well as a keen touch rugby and soccer player. In 2008 Sally made history by winning the World Qualifying Series by the biggest point-spread ever to qualify for the World Tour in 2009 and from there has continued to push the boundaries of women’s surfing. We caught up for a chat with Sally after her successful year... Can you tell us a little about growing up in your family? With three older brothers and my dad who all surfed and living right on the beach, meant that surfing and the ocean would be a part of my life one way or another. I took up surfing at a really young age along with a number of sports. Surfing was definitely the cool thing to do amongst the kids in our town and I had to copy everything my brothers were doing and then try to school them at it ha ha! I guess that is where my competitive spirit originated. My brother, just a year older, influenced me in competitive surfing; he started entering contests and I wanted to follow suit as I had to go the beach anyway to watch. I thought blow this, I may as well compete in these things. We did all the grom events and Pro Juniors together. It was so good surfing with my brothers, it always pushed me to want to surf like them and there was a great friendly sibling rivalry in the line up when trying to catch waves. I was definitely a bottom feeder, right at the back of the line picking up the scraps. We still do epic family surf trips but I wish all my brothers could travel with me on tour, it would be so fun. You have shown yourself to be very progressive in your surfing and approach it like it’s a sport rather than a lifestyle - your thoughts? I’ve always wanted to be a professional athlete. ever since I was a young grom. So I take pride in my training and doing everything I possibly can to ensure I get the best out of myself when I’m in the water. I want to be competing for as long as I possibly can and all the training I put in keeps me fit and injury free. I want to keep improving and pushing my level, I know there is such a lot I still want to achieve in my sport. What do you do for training - how does this effect your lifestyle? My training routine has to be very flexible as we are always on the road and you don’t always have all the equipment and gym gear available. So I try to use my surroundings where ever I am. When the waves are pumping I tend to surf as much as I can to make the most of it. When it’s a dud day or lay day, I like to do strength work in the gym, cardio somewhere around the www.curl.co.nz// 23
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busting some air during the ripcurl search, puerto rico| agustin munoz/red bull
town I’m in or on the beach. You can explore a lot of the area you’re in if you run or bike around it. I don’t think this effects my lifestyle at all, my lifestyle has always had a heap of activities and training sessions in it. An active, healthy lifestyle is the best one to have. You don’t drink or smoke - comments? Drinking and smoking were things I just never chose to do. I think when I was younger I always wanted to get up and go for an early surf every morning. I would go out with all my friends and then when it came to the morning they would wake feeling like a bus hit them in the face and didn’t want to go and surf. So I would surf empty line ups all to myself. I love going out and partying, I guess my non drinking and smoking is just a lifestyle choice to keep my body having clean fuel and makes me a killer designated driver. Can you tell us about your relationship with your dad - his role as your manager and mentor? I feel so fortunate to be able to take my Mum and Dad to the events. My family have gone above and beyond to enable me to be doing what I love and it’s the least I can do, to take them to see the world. My dad wears many hats; he’s my manager, coach, filmer and over all organiser of my schedule. He makes everything simple for me so it’s all about just going out and surfing. It’s so nice being able to take a little bit of home with me as we’re on the road so much. It helps me to compete at my best and feel at home where ever we may be in the world. Also shared memories are the best memories so when I look back at a lot of my adventures we can have a laugh together. You are progressive in small waves but I have also seen you charge in large surf. Can you tell us about that? I love whatever conditions that are coughed up on the day. I love the challenge www.curl.co.nz// 25
of big and small waves. I guess that is one of my strengths being able to adapt pretty quickly to what’s in front of me. That’s due to where I’ve grown up. We have a lot of variety at home and it gives you that balance in your surfing with time at reefs, points, beachies and working on forehand and backhand. There’s so many things I want to work on and develop in my surfing and that’s the thing I love about our sport. You can never be the master of surfing, there is always something to work on. Did you always want to be a pro surfer or was there a plan B? When I was a youngster I always had the dream of being a professional athlete. I didn’t know what sport I was going to end up doing, my plan was to just try every sport until I made it in one. I wanted to be an Olympian originally and I guess when I discovered surfing and started competing when I was 11 I thought hmm this is amazing sport...maybe I want to be a World Surfing Champion instead. I still had the Olympic bug after winning gold in the 800m and 1500m in the Youth Olympics when I was 16 but in the end surfing just naturally picked me, with the other sports falling by the way side. I thought if surfing didn’t work out I knew there were my other sports I would go back to. Goals for the future? My goals for the future are to win a World Title and keep improving and stepping it up in every event. I want to spread my wings in between events and explore a lot of countries I’ve never surfed. What would you like to see change in women’s surfing? The things I hope to see change would be: More events and preferably one day just run most of the events along side the men’s events, I believe that provides more hype and excitement at the events and better waves would help to make it exciting. I hope to see the prize purse increase following the lead of the men in this situation. Their big prize purses of late have been great for the sport and let’s hope a little of this love is passed down to the women’s tour after all I am sure Women’s clothing is a big chunk of the profits of the surf companies. I would like to see our tour managed properly, someone hired to look after it, with the sole focus of sourcing sponsors and events and promoting and marketing the tour. Favourite stop on the tour this year and why? My favourite stop on tour this year would have to be Bells Beach. It was my very first World Tour win and it was an unbelievable feeling. It was such a special year to win with it being the 50th anniversary and I had my family and a lot friends down there cheering me on. It is such an iconic event and I’ve grown up always wanting to win at Bells since I was a grom. I’ll always remember this event, best moment in my career so far. What do you most love about being a pro surfer? I love that I am doing what I love, being a pro surfer is a dream job and it for fills everything that I am looking for in my life at the moment. I’ll work hard to make sure I’m doing this for as long as I possibly can. I’m one with the ocean for the rest of my life. 26 //curl #30
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it’s not just the height of the wave but the sheer volume of water that makes Teahupoo such a formidible wave image by steve dickinson
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teahupoo
CODE RED
WORDS BY LYNNE DICKINSON IMAGES AS SHOWN
The ground shook beneath my feet and moments later the water surged, flooding the carpark and marina. In the distance you could see the waves breaking but the fact that you could actually feel them from almost two kilometres away was frightening. It was CODE RED in Tahiti and Teahupoo was experiencing the swell of the century. The predicted 4m swell had risen to over 10m and despite the threat of fines and boat confiscations for entering the water, every surf photographer, surfer and tourist flocked to the marina with the hope of getting on one of the boats prepared to venture out in CODE RED. www.curl.co.nz// 29
teahupoo
keala kennelly showing she’s still fearless surfing during the code red in Teahupoo | image by steve dickinson
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CODE RED It is hard to describe what it was like that day because I was stuck on the marina unable to get on one of the boats. After a four hour wait one final fisherman chose to risk losing his licence for the chance of earning some very good money. Unfortunately there was only one spot left on the boat and like a true martyr I gave the spot to Steve, our photographer and much appreciative husband! I spent the rest of the day standing on the bridge at the end of the road, listening to and feeling the power of the surf. The frustration of not being out there was only heightened by the many texts I kept receiving from friends in NZ who were watching the whole thing live on the internet getting a better view of the whole experience from thousands of miles away. At the end of the day when everyone finally
returned to the marina, faces and conversations told of the experience of a lifetime. One that is truly hard to explain in words and also hard to capture on film. What can be seen is the size of the wave but what cannot be shown is the fear of being within metres of such a powerful wave. A friend googled Teahupoo and found this quote. “Guts alone may cut it at some big wave venues, but here they’ll get you killed. An iron sack must be accompanied by finess in negotiating a wave that has relegated Pipeline to mere warm-up status.” Amongst the testosterone fuelled iron-sacked men, was also big wave surfer, Keala Kennelly. In 2005 she became the first woman to tow into Teahupoo and was out there mixing it up with the boys during the CODE RED, proving that girls too can surf this challenging wave.
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owen wright dropping into one of the waves of the day, considering his nickname is avatar you can begin to imagine just how big that wave is | image by lynne dickinson
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teahupoo
There’s an old song that says, “what a difference a day makes” and this could not apply more to Teahupoo. The unpredictability and changing faces of Teahupoo are what make this such a challenging wave. Only days earlier Teahupoo had resembled something completely different. When we first arrived in Tahiti for the Billabong Pro, the sun was shining and the ocean was as glassy as a mill pond. Teahupoo looked tamed and inviting, breaking cleanly over the clearly visible reef below. Roll on a week and CODE RED had turned Teahupoo into a boiling mass of water. The following day, when the competition resumed, it was still pumping 10-12 foot and we got to witness some of the most exciting competitive surfing ever. Owen Wright, dropped into some of the biggest waves of the day and was well deserving of his place in the finals.
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teahupoo There has been much talk over the years about the need for the women to have more (or even one) wave of consequence on their competitive schedule. Teahupoo was first introduced to the women’s tour but was removed in 2006. Since then every wave of consequence has slowly disappeared from the women’s world tour leaving them with what can only be described as a beginners guide to crappy beach breaks. So we caught up with some of the old and new faces of the World Tour to get their thoughts on big wave surfing for the girls. Thanks to Keala Kennelly, Serena Brooke, Melanie Redman-Carr, Paige Hareb, Sally Fitzgibbons and Felicity Palmateer for sharing your thoughts. There is no doubt, Teahupoo is a wave of consequence. During the week I saw broken legs, torn tendons and scratched bodies and faces from a session at Teahupoo. So is it simply too dangerous for the girls? Surfing waves of consequence requires courage as well as skill. SERENA: “I think the women on the WCT have courage and skill, what they need is the opportunity to showcase them, the only way there is going to be footage and experience gained for the girls in these events is if they actually run them again.” SALLY: “I think for sure every girl on tour could handle surfing Teahupoo at a modest size. I think it requires confidence and having time in the water in those conditions on a regular basis which I think a lot of us don’t have. I think we can all adjust and have a good crack at it though and you would be very surprised where we can push ourselves too.” PAIGE: “I think there’s probably about a third that has courage for it, a third that has skill for it and a third that have both.” MELANIE: “They possess it, but they certainly don’t get the chance to display it.” KEALA: “I think the majority of the women on the WCT could handle it and would be so much more exciting to watch than the 1-2ft crappy beachbreaks they are forced to surf in now. I also think that if you want to be on the tour that crowns the World Champion you need to be able to surf and excel in challenging waves.” FELICITY: “I definitely think that there are quite a few girls on the tour that do possess the skill and courage.”
“in 2005 keala became the first women to tow into teahupoo, the place she refers to as her dream wave” image compliments of asp
Getting sponsors to back events for women’s surfing has been an ongoing challenge and as the economy has plummeted the girls are the ones who have missed out. KEALA: “When the economy wasn’t in the toilet there were a lot more events in better locations but a lot of those locations are expensive events for the hosting sponsor. In some of the beach towns with easy access and the ability to host much bigger crowds sponsors get a lot more bang for their contest buck. Everybody is trying to make their dollars stretch these days and surf companies are no different. I think the ASP is also trying to grow the sport by getting it more of a mainstream audience which explains the trend towards Mega-Contests in places like New York, San Francisco and Huntington Beach. When I first started competing in ASP events, the ASP Men’s & Women’s World Tour was sponsored by Coke. Coke eventually pulled out a few years later as the umbrella sponsor and somewhere around, I believe 2001, the ASP secured Fosters (“Australian for Beer”... and also Australian for “we don’t sponsor Sheila’s”) who ONLY sponsored the Men’s Tour. The ASP was fine with that because their main event (the Men’s Tour) was covered; the men had their umbrella sponsor and they had their www.curl.co.nz// 35
teahupoo media coverage paid for. The Women’s Tour, for the next decade or so, were left out in the rain with the promise that the ASP would find the Women’s Tour an umbrella sponsor. The general feeling you get being a female pro surfer on the ASP World Tour is that women are only a sideshow to the main event (the men’s event) an afterthought really. So although the ASP had good intentions of finding the Women’s Tour an umbrella sponsor, I don’t think it was a top priority and when the economy started failing that didn’t help matters. In all my years on tour they never did find the Women’s Tour an umbrella sponsor and they still haven’t and the women are still treated like the sideshow. Eventually women’s events managed to fall by the wayside. Take Sunset for example, there were a couple years where the event still managed to run because I think one year the men’s sponsor had a change of heart and kicked in a few extra dollars (not enough to fully sponsor the event mind you) and they found some random alternate sponsors to pick up the slack. In fact I think one year the women had to “sponsor” part of their own event with their prize money. Yeah, try asking the boys to do that!” PAIGE HAREB: “I’m not sure why there aren’t many sponsors jumping at the opportunity to see hot girls in Bikinis tackle 12ft plus waves.” However, we look at it, surfing is still a sport where the men are getting more than their fair share of the pie. Decisions are made by men in a sport still dominated by men. It makes you wonder what the girls can do to secure a better schedule for 2012. FELICITY: I think ultimately we are women in a male dominated sport so it is always going to be harder for us to move forward and have a voice than it will be for the guys. They have more financial backing and more of a say about what they want to achieve for their sport in the long run. It doesn’t really make much sense though considering that the companies that are supporting the men’s tour are making most of their money from the women’s product… But they still choose to market the men more and fund their events. I hope that one day surfing becomes more like Tennis where the men and women are both recognised equally.” SERENA: “ Well I personally think the men stick together better than the women these days. They have meetings, an IWS association, they know it would be boring as hell surfing their whole tour in 5-6 small beach breaks, half of them would not even do the tour. Basically they SET and EXPECT higher standards for themselves and stick together which is what the women need to do again. SALLY: “In the future I hope we can do all the same tour stops as the men and have duel events. I think its best for both men’s and women’s tours. It is the cheapest way for sponsors and only requires one extra day in the waiting period. It seems so logical and I really like competing alongside the men, I believe it improves our performance level. It’s time for women’s surfing to shine, we just need be given the platform and opportunities to do so.” Keala has a slightly different take on the situation. KEALA: Are they though? They haven’t added any amazing locations recently. They had Fiji, lost it and then just got it back thanks to Volcom stepping up. The “Search” is in Ocean Beach, SF....WTF?! (no disrespect to San Francisco AT ALL, I just think the “Search” suggests an event that should be held in some place that you actually have to find, not a place where you can pull your car into the parking lot right after picking up your Starbucks) and the contest with the biggest prize purse ever is being held in the epic, heaving barrels of NYC. I don’t know... Maybe the ASP knows exactly what it’s doing and the new direction it’s taking is going to rocket the sport into the mainstream in an X-Games Lalapalooza MTV sort of way and then 36 //curl #30
ABOVE: Felicity Palmateer drops into a sizeable wave at Teahupoo while freesurfing in 2010 | BELOW LEFT AND RIGHT: Chelsea Hedges was formidable at Teahupoo, experiencing the best and worst of what the wave had to offer at the women’s event in teahupoo in 2003
image compliments of asp
they will finally try to do right by the Women’s Tour by reaching out a loving hand to bring them along to the party. Wouldn’t that be lovely? I just wouldn’t hold my breathe is all. As for me, everyone who knows me knows I have always been such a huge advocate of women’s surfing and the fact that women should be able to compete in events such as Teahupoo. There is no doubt that many of the women on tour could compete at this challenging location. However, after experiencing first hand the many faces of Teahupoo and the potential for serious injury I can begin to understand the predicament the officials find themselves in when choosing to hold a competition here. But should they be given the choice? Too right they should, and the sooner the girls get some representation on the ASP the better.
“Teahupoo is a beautiful but really dangerous wave. You can be really lucky and get the best barrel of your life or really unlucky and get yourself into a heap of trouble.”
image compliments of asp
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INSIDE teahupoo WITH KEALA KENNELLY
The world had been watching when during the CODE RED, Keala Kennelly joined the tow in surfers to surf Teahupoo at it’s all-time best. On one wave she went over the falls, but despite how horrific it looked she came away unscathed. I spoke to her on the boat in Tahiti afterwards and she admitted to being pretty scared, however, she was stoked she’d been out there doing her thing. Two days later, when the surf dropped to a more moderate four foot, Keala was not so lucky. One minute she was being barreled in what by comparison, was a tame looking wave, the next she was being rushed to the hospital, sporting on the most horrific injuries I have seen. We caught up with Keala when she returned to her home in Hawaii to get her insight into what is without a doubt, a wave of consequence.
What were the conditions like on CODE RED day? It was gnarly, dark and ominous, especially in the morning when the tide was too low (that's when Raimana got hurt). It looked unrideable to me like it was just regurgitating all over itself. I waited for the tide to fill in a bit before I gave it a go but there were still some absolute mutant waves out there. The bombs that Bruce and Nathan Fletcher got were mind blowing. It was intense. On a day like that it's really life and death so you are so hyper-vigilant at all times. Everything is so chaotic with all the boats and cameras in the channel but once you take the rope and go out the back
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and get the view of those mountains a calm washes over you. Once you are up on your feet flying into a wave from behind you are so focused that everything else in the world fades away and the only thing that exists is you and that wave in that moment. What are the challenges you face when surfing Teahupoo on such a huge day? Well for one you are only as good as your driver on the day. They are the ones choosing the wave and putting you in the right spot so there has to be good trust and communication between you and your driver. Once you are on the wave picking the right line becomes the most important thing (too high you will get sucked over with the lip and get absolutely pounded, too low your and you are going to be crushed by the lip). That leaves the last and probably most terrifying challenge which is getting caught inside because there is really nothing you can do about that except hold your breath, take the beating and try to relax. We saw some pretty impressive wipeouts on CODE RED day, some fortunate to come away unscathed. Is it just a game of luck as to whether or not you get injured in conditions like that? It's luck and skill. If you are a skilled surfer like Bruce Irons for example, he got absolutely swallowed on some of the biggest waves of the day but came out unscathed because he is a brilliant surfer who knows how to read the wave and draw the right line. The worst injuries come when you go over
the falls or the lip lands on you and detonates like a bomb. If you don't make it out but are holding a good line in the barrel those two things don't usually happen, instead you fall into some void. Then there are times when luck is just not on your side like when the bottom drops out of the wave, the wave closes out and leaves you no exit strategy, or when you are unfortunate enough to get caught inside of a big set and take a bunch of waves on the head. Two days later you were free surfing in the expression session for Andy Irons. Can you tell us a little about that session? I felt really honoured that Bruce invited me to come surf with him to honor Andy. Those boys are like brothers to me and I love them so much. I was happy I was there to be a part of it and offer my love and support to Bruce. I could tell he was really feeling it out there and for me just to be able to paddle over and give him a hug in that difficult moment meant a lot to me. Can you tell us what happened on that wave? It was a pretty regular looking wave. I took off and it kind of had a bit of bump that kept me from pulling into the barrel straight away. I had to make some adjustments and then saw that the next section was going to barrel so I bottomturned and parked it in the barrel. I had to negotiate the foam-ball and that may have thrown me off and made me have to draw a higher line. I thought I was coming out but the lip just caught me in the head and
being rescued by the tahitian water patrol | image by tim bonython
threw me straight into the reef before I even realized what happened. What happened after you hit the reef etc? The pain was intense and I knew I was hurt, I could see lots of blood but I had no idea it was as bad as it was. The water patrol scooped me up so fast that nobody in the water even realized I was hurt. I was on the point in the doctors tent within minutes. 20 minutes later I was in an ambulance with Mary one of the event medics on the way to Taravao Hospital. There they took one look at me and sent me in another ambulance straight to the main Hospital in Papeete to get emergency facial surgery. The cut was all the way to the bone, dangerously close to my right eye and there was reef inside that needed to be removed. When I arrived at the main hospital in Papeete they first did a CT Scan because they were very worried I had broken my skull, cheek bone or injured my neck. We were all very relieved when the CT scan came out all good. From there I went into surgery where they removed the reef from inside my face and stitched up the huge gash by my eye, cuts in my head, chin and jaw. I counted 51 external stitches and there are a lot of internal stitches that will be absorbed by my body. The Tahitian team did an amazing job and took really great care of me during my stint in the hospital.
Was it just bad luck or are you more likely to be injured on a smaller day at Teahupoo? I think it was more of a freak accident really. It seemed like a very typical wipeout and I was completely shocked when I saw the damage that was done. I must have just been really unlucky and found a particularly sharp patch of coral. I have hit the reef out there many times but have never had a laceration that was so deep. It seems like you definitely hit the reef at Teahupoo more on smaller days and during lower tides and I heard this particular week the tides were more extreme than usual. The amount of water that is moving on a huge day can actually protect you at times from hitting the reef if it fills in before you get thrown. Not to mention on days when you are towing you are wearing a tow-vest which makes you more buoyant. Do you still feel Teahupoo should be included in the Women's Tour? I do, I think that if you are on the World Championship Tour you need to be able to surf in all kinds of conditions and you need to know how to get barrelled. I know girls can surf Teahupoo but in competition like conditions some may feel forced to take off when they could get really hurt. I am sure some of the men feel the same way when they have a
heat at Teahupoo when it's as big as it can be paddled in to. If you watch those heats you see people push their limits and do things that they never imagined they would do. I have seen guys that I thought were only good in small waves go out and absolutely kill it and change everyone's perceptions of them. I think it is good for the individual surfers and it elevates the sport as a whole. I also think this is the key ingredient missing on the Women's World Tour. Maybe it's just the male psyche that they feel they have to protect the female species. What’s your thoughts on that? Men wanted to "protect" women by not welcoming them into the work place. Voting booths were dangerous territory as well. I understand that most guys would not want to imagine their daughters out there. It is probably the same reason they have a hard time watching women's boxing it's hard for them to watch women get banged up. However, I think that it is important to remember that men were not the only hunter/ gathers and there have been plenty of female warriors through out history. If women always did what was safe and waited for permission from men then the world would be a very different place. I think that truly skilled and capable women belong out there even if it makes some men uncomfortable.
The wave that drove keala into the reef at teahupoo | image by tim bonython
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48 HOUR STRIKE MISSION WORDS BY kEALA kENNELLY | iMAGES BY lEITH HOLTZMAN
After being sidelined for the last six months with a knee injury, I have been absolutely frothing to go on a surf trip. I was looking at Mexico and Tahiti, but then I noticed a lot of swell activity out in the Indian Ocean off the coast of W. OZ. Claire Bevilacqua is one of my best friends in the world, and I have been threatening to come visit her in W. OZ for quite a few years now, plus, she just happened to be home. 42 //curl #30
“As we came around the bend at our destination we could see swell lines stacking up all the way out to sea. ”
I paced around my living room waiting for it to be a decent hour to call her in Australia. At 6 am I couldn’t wait any longer, and I called and woke her up. She made a few phone calls. The wind was looking troublesome for the southwest where she lives, but it was looking good in a spot way up north in the desert. I had heard about this place before, and had been told that I would love this barreling left. It was going to be a
long drive, but I didn’t mind taking a roadtrip with Bevo, she is non- stop entertainment. I booked the flight. After the 23 hour flight I arrived in Perth. Bevo picked me up with her filmier friend Leith, and she had the biggest grin on her face. She had managed to organize a private charter plane to fly us up to the desert. I was pretty happy not to have to spend the next 12 hours in a car. We went to Claire’s mom’s house in Perth and
spent the night. I have chased swells before, but I had never chartered a private plane to do a strike mission like this before. I was so excited I could barely sleep. The next morning we were up at dark loading the car with supplies and then drove to the small airport of Jandakot to meet up with our pilot Paul and Bevo’s other mate Tavita. Bevo is kind of scared of small planes, so when she saw the tiny sixwww.curl.co.nz// 43
seater we would be flying in to the desert all the color drained out of her face. I don’t think I have ever seen her so nervous. We crammed five boards, backpacks, wetsuits, bags of food, a cooler, camera gear, sleeping bags, you name it into the small aircraft. We were packed in like sardines, every square inch so full that we couldn’t even take a deep breath. It was a beautiful three hour flight along the southwest coast. As we came around the bend at our destination we could see swell lines stacking up all the way out to sea. Score! We did a fly-by to make sure there were no sheep or kangaroos on the dirt runway and then pilot Paul brought her down in the dirt smooth as silk. We taxied up to the end of the runway 44 //curl #30
and came to a stop where there was a 4x4 SUV covered in mud and dirt waiting for us. We scrambled out of the plane and loaded all our gear in the car. I think I caught a quick glimpse of Bevo kissing the ground when she got out of the plane. Blasting down dirt roads in the middle of nowhere everybody was super excited to get to the beach. We pulled up and the surf was pumping six-eight feet with some 10 foot sets. There was howling offshore wind and long barrel sections with boils and steps to negotiate. We paddled out for the late afternoon session. Having never surfed there before, I was having trouble reading the wave and didn’t luck into any good ones, just a couple closeouts. Bevo on the other
hand scored a sick one off a bodyboarder and got barreled behind the guy and came out! At the end of a solid first day, we went to the beach shack we had rented for the night, had a few drinks, ate some food and went to bed early. The next morning we were up at dark. The place we were staying runs on generators, and they were not on early, so we were stumbling around in the dark trying to make coffee and eating whatever was easy to shove in our faces. We loaded into the car and went blasting down dirt roads for miles through the desert in the dark to this lefthand point break. When we got to the spot the sun still hadn’t peaked up over
48 HOUR STRIKE MISSION
lEFT: bEVO CHARGING BACKSIDE | aBOVE: SOME STOKED GROMS | bELOW: kEALA GETTING BARRELED
the horizon, but we could make out perfect left barrels screaming down the reef in the twilight. Bevo couldn’t get her wetsuit on fast enough. I had never been in the water before the sun was up but was willing to make an exception for perfect barrels. We surfed for a few hours and each got a few nice barrels and had a great time (except for Tavita who broke his board on his first wave). Back at the car we ate muesli bars, fruit and whatever else we had packed that was edible, then it was back to the other spot we had surfed the day before for a surf check. It was looking good, but we thought it could be even better when the tide started going out, so we decided to go pack up and check out of where we were staying and
give Leith the filmer a chance to get wet. When we returned to the beach the waves were going off! We paddled out, and it was perfect five-eight foot glassy barrels. We had managed to pull a strike mission for the best swell of the entire year! I broke my board on my second wave and had to swim in. When I was about halfway to the beach I noticed Bevo swimming in with a broken board as well. We gave our broken boards to a couple stoked grooms on the beach, grabbed our back-up boards and were straight back out there. We pulled into barrel after barrel. I kept getting obliterated by the foamball, but finally came out of a good one. Tavita was killing it and pulled into a couple of thick
ones. Bevo was charging backside and pigdogging like a champ. Even our pilot Paul picked off some sick waves. We surfed until the sun was about to set and then hurried in so we could get back to the plane in time to take off before it was too dark to see the runway. We flew out over the waves with the sun setting in the distance --a picture perfect ending to an incredible day. Three hours later we landed back at Jandakot Airport where this mission had begun less than 48 hours before. We were tired, salty and hungry but totally stoked. We high-fived each other and said our goodbyes. This will definitely be one of the most memorable trips of my life. -KK www.curl.co.nz// 45
SANDRA DURING HER RECENT TRIP TO THE MENTAWAIS
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SSTILL A NDR A ENG L IS H SURFING STRONG Winning the Australian National Title once is something to be proud of, but Sandra English has taken out the honour ten times! In 2003 she showed she still had the goods when she won the World Masters Title. We caught up with the legendary lady... Can you tell us a little about how you got into surfing? We lived out in Western Sydney and we went to visit our Grandparents on holidays who lived on the Central Coast. All the cousins would be at the beach just hanging out riding surf mats and KFC foam boards. My Uncle told me that I could read the waves well and should start surfing so that is when I started hassling my parents for a surfboard. I got one for my 14th birthday then my mother passed away that Christmas and I moved in with my Dad. He lived on the Northern Beaches and surfing became my escape and my obsession. I taught myself to surf by watching others. My two older brothers surfed and even though they told me girls didn’t I was not giving up and then they supported me and would take me with them and encouraged me 100% .One of my first sponsorships was from my brothers company they put $20.00 away a week for me to use on travelling. What year did you start surfing and were there many other women surfing at that time? I would have started to surf in 1977. I did not think that there was, as I surfed with my school mates all the time and did not see a lot around but really there were lots when we all got together for a national event you would have had 100 surfers, nowhere near as many as today. What was the attitude towards women surfing like when you first started out? The attitude varied depending at what beach you were at and who you were with. When I moved schools and became friends with some of the guys they were great, we would all just surf and skate together, I was just one of them. The older guys or guys that did not know me would give me a hard time like say, “girls belong on the beach,” or “get back in the kitchen,” so I used to go home in tears a lot of the time but I am so happy that I never gave up. Than I started surfing Narrabeen and met a heap of the older guys out there and we are still all really good friends they supported me and encouraged me. Can you tell us a little about how you got into competitive surfing? I had not been surfing too long, I could just make my way across a wave a couple of wiggles at best. I met a guy and he convinced me to go into a contest at Long Reef. I was so excited and I came 4th which was last but I just had the best day and started going in as many comps as I could. I came last in every one for ages. Then I started getting better and received encouragement awards like new surfboards and it had me, I was totally hooked. My very first trip overseas was www.curl.co.nz// 47
to America for a team challenge, it was so much fun. You have won ten Australian Titles and took out the World Masters Title in 2003. What has been the highlight of your surfing career? You know I have had so many highlights that they are all so special in different ways for different reasons. The World Title was so great but I did not have any family to enjoy it with on the night. The one I really enjoyed and was a highlight was the year that I won the Open and Senior Australian Titles at Cronulla as it was the first time it had been achieved and my husband and loads of friends were there. You have recently been on a surf trip to the Mentawais and are still surfing big waves with style. Can you tell us a bit about the highlights of that trip? Ohh my!! That was just an insane trip, a lifetime experience, with two really good girlfriends, the hubby and my boardshaper HPS surfboards and five other mates. The most exciting thing was waking up that first morning with 5 foot waves peeling across the reef. Then every day was just great, Macaronis was definitely a highlight, sharing the waves with Bruce Irons and the Red Bull team. We surfed a secret spot which we were told if we told any one the skipper would have to kill us. The Hole was great even though I was on edge, it was solid and I was only taking the smaller ones. The swell picked up and we went back to Roxy’s, a fantastic right hander with loads of barrel sections, re-entries and round house cutbacks on the inside. We surfed that with the Rip Curl girls and the Oakley boys, they are all such great surfers and share the waves. Another highlight was at night time sitting at the front of the boat watching the stars just talking about all the great waves we had that day. Yes, and I had to leave a bit of skin on the reef at Mutts just to say thank you for having us; even though the husband had much pleasure in applying the Lime to get out any germs and it was so painful, I was not letting anything stop me from surfing. Another highlight was surfing everyday for 13 days. I surfed 12 different breaks and some days surfed for about 6 to 7 hours no wonder I slept so well every night. You have spent the last 15 years running the Terry McDermott Surf School in Budgewoi, NSW. Can you tell us a little about your role in that? I bought the business and ran it for a few years just as a bit of extra money while my children were young so I could still do the important things with them. As they got older I did more Level 2 coaching certificates, which is for Elite coaching, so now I do a lot of travelling around coaching the juniors. I do work for Surfing Australia and also Surfing N.S.W. I get a big buzz out of my job right from the first timer standing and getting that feeling with big smiles through to the 48 //curl #30
competitive surfer getting better and better results where I can show them some helpful hinters to improve. The worst part of my job is the paper work which seems to grow and grow. How do you think surfing has changed or evolved over the years since you started surfing? I think it has changed enormously, even though a few surfers made some money back then it was never ever considered a proper job, it always had the label of druggies surf or dole bludgers. As it has become more main stream and the media follow it and people love to watch it the sponsors are out there now so lots of elite surfers are making a great living out of it and it is being treated as an elite sport. A lot of the professional surfers, male and female, now take coaches and have managers looking after their affairs, they own houses and nice cars and can take their families with them. The sport itself has changed as well because I think these top men and women have woven a path for the younger ones to aspire to through all their training and good healthy lifestyles, they now know that they will not get bagged for being a great surfer. The corporate companies have also helped by putting up money for major contest and also learning programs from the beginner to the elite. From a competitive view point, do you think the girls are challenged right now with the events they have on the World Tour? I do not think they are being challenged enough, it would have always been exciting to make the tour to know that you had to put some hard yards in to surf the big stuff over reefs like Tahiti and Fiji, you know that real extra training so that you could prove you deserved to be there. I think it would be great to see more events at the big wave venues, I do not mean that big where it is dangerous and lives are at stake! It just makes the tour more enjoyable and exciting to be on and follow. Final thoughts? I would just like to say that being a surfer and a surf coach has had so many great rewards; the people I have met and the places I have travelled will be cherished for ever. I would like to thank my darling husband David and my 2 daughters Kirsty and Tori for being so supportive and encouraging as I know how hard it is when I am away. I could not do it without them. Also to all you girls out there wanting to take up surfing and are not too sure whether you should or not and are thinking it is too hard, just put the hard yards in, have a great laugh along the way, enjoy it and you will never look back. It is something you will have for life, whether you compete or just do it for pleasure, it is so enjoyable out there with nature, on your own or with friends. There are also lots of all girls boardriding clubs out there and not all of them are real serious but about having fun as well. ENJOY!
TUCKING INTO A BARRLEL IN THE MENTAWAIS
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on th e r oa d w i th bevo
Lions, snakes and barrels: oh my, the G- Spot Java
The rickety old surf van slowly creeps up the dirt track leading to our villa in Canggu. I’m amazed they have found us amongst the millions of tiny local streets scattered through miles of rice fields. They are here to take us on a 7-hour mission through jungle and over seas to have access to a relatively forgotten gem in our surfing world. 50 //curl #30
“I really appreciate the simple life the Indonesians live and the small impact they have on our environment compared to us greedy westerners. We can learn a lot from them and a dedication to their historic culture and values”
To get to the G-spot you need to be able to travel the distance, no pun intended. It took 3 hours to get to the ferry terminal, it was midnight so I was exhausted but sleeping was impossible. Our wired chain smoking indo driver went into formula 1 mode, over taking around corners and speeding through the windy streets. With no seat belts in our ancient bus I held on for dear life. An hour on the ferry and a few hours more through the Jungle of Java, we finally had an hour of peace where the bus stopped for us to sleep on the floor of a local window and door less jungle shack.
By 7am, one more drive and a speedboat ride later, we arrived at our final destination, Grajagan. We were greeted by big smiles and a friendly family vibe at our cozy surf camp, Joyos. After a quick breakfast we headed straight out to the lineup. With zero hours sleep and a stiff neck I wasn’t feeling my best but I could not let any doubt get in the way of what I was about to face on my 4-day adventure. It was 6-8 foot and perfect. There were so many peaks on the point to choose from so I didn’t mind the small crowd embracing the peak of a south east swell. That first warm up session was great for finding my feet but what I really needed was some sleep. The next day fully recharged I attacked the swell with much more hunger. There were people watching from boats and many capturing special moments by shooting pictures for the surfers to buy from the beach, reef and sea. I surfed until low tide where the reef really started to show its power, open tubes, destruction of boards, bodies and egos. Making the long walk across the reef at low tide is best done with booties as dodging urchins and coral can be testing for even the most agile of athletes. If that wasn’t enough of a heart racing mission walking through the jungle to my bungalow was exciting too when I casually passed a snake cruising by. The Javanese family running the surf camp made a real effort to please us trouble eaters with sensitive stomachs, making special vegetable dishes for me every day with extra garlic and no lettuce leaves to avoid tummy bugs. The camp surf guide also doubles as a yoga instructor, which comes in handy for realignment after the body beatings the ocean serves. By night I was so exhausted from surfing all day I fell asleep soundly to the orchestra of creatures communicating outside throughout the night. As the sun set on my last day at the G-spot I sat back and watched the local families collect seafood. I really appreciate the simple life the Indonesians live and the small impact they have on our environment compared to us greedy westerners. We can learn a lot from them and a dedication to their historic culture and values. I would recommend everyone to visit their childhood dream island and escape the city for adventure, experience and epic waves. Peace. www.curl.co.nz// 51
five minutes with
aNGIE
Image compliments: Mallalieu/Surfing Queensland
K O O PS
Kiwi born Angie Koops has been making a name for herself across the Tasman. She recently took out the Queensland Title, receiving the wildcard spot into next year’s Roxy Pro in the Gold Coast. As well as continuing to surf at a high level, Angie has also been involved in stunt double surfing for the TV series, Lightning Point. Angie took some time out from her busy schedule to chat with the team at CURL... You have just won a spot in the trials for the Roxy Pro in Snapper early next year. Can you tell us about this? Yeah so stoked, I have been trying to win that spot for the past 5 years or so, only the winner of the QLD title receives the wildcard into the Roxy trials, I have only ever had a few semi finals and a third place spot in those previous years. I found it really tricky to put it all together in those comps, so to have finally got it was so cool. You also won the VB Slab of the week comp, taking out some of the boys on the way, can you tell us about that? Yeah my friend Cindey who works at ASP
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saw the pic of me of FB and told me to enter the pic in the comp. So I did and I won the slab of the week. The winners get to go into the draw to win a trip with Ross Clark Jones to Fiji and surfing world at end of year. You would be considered one of the older girls out there still competing in an environment where the girls seem to be getting younger and younger. How does your age help/hinder your progress? Yeah it’s amazing seeing how young these girls start surfing and competing these days, some are incredible at competition even at 9-10 years old. I didn’t start competing in surfing until I was about
16 - 17. I was a gymnast prior to that and at 16 I was starting to get over the hill for that sport, so I guess at a young age, I thought about age and sport. It’s interesting to see the up and coming youngsters, but in saying that it’s interesting to see how much older professional athletes are becoming in every sport these days too, still improving and playing at an incredible level. I look up to Kelly Slater in so many ways, he’s 39 and still winning World titles and improving all the time. I recently watched him do a backside full rotation air reverse at the US open and was blown away! I also look up to the All blacks this year the oldest
NZ test team by average age (28) the oldest being (36) this would have to be the toughest sport on your body and these guys are world class. I really don’t believe chronological age matters, especially in surfing, it’s about how well you look after yourself as a whole. I’m 27 and to tell you the truth I feel the fittest strongest and healthiest I ever have. So I don’t feel my age hinders or helps in relation to surfing progression, but I know I have a lot more self-awareness and experience than when I was 18 which is definitely a positive. What else have you been up to? Lots of things have been going on which keeps life really fresh and fun. I have recently worked on a TV series called Lightening Point, being a surfing stunt double for one of the main actors, my absolute dream job. I got paid to just hang on the beach, meet amazing people and surf all day and I still dream about that
catered food they had! This job also led me into getting extra work on Spielberg’s new Tera Nova Series. I have been having fun meeting more people and playing as an ex-military jungle renegade. I remember signing something, so not sure how much I’m allowed to say, but it’s been amazing experience being at the different sets and seeing how they film, direct and coordinate the production, I’m enjoying the industry. Steven Spielberg has put $150 million into the production so it’s not a budget set that’s for sure. I have been doing these roles in-between surfing and my main job working as a personal trainer and sports remedial massage therapist at Xtreme Results personal training studio. I love the environment, it is so inspiring and so fun watching people reach their goals it inspires me to continue with mine in my surfing. I’d also like to thank my sponsors too: DMS Surfboards, Fox Clothing, Tahitian Noni, OAM, Smith and Alope.
MakE EVERy Day BETTER. Start a healthy new habit with Tahitian Noni™ Bioactive Beverages. They’re loaded with potent phytochemicals called iridoids that support the immune system, boost endurance, help to maintain heart health, support proper joint function, fight harmful free radicals, and more. In fact, iridoids have been linked to dozens of wideranging benefits. Order online at www.TNI.com or call 0800 443 064 Tues–Sat 9am-3pm
www.curl.co.nz// 53
moontide.com
IMAGE COMPLIMENTS OF RIP CURL
2011 BIKINI BIBLE
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1. Kulu Small Daisies Sliding Triangle Bikini $69.00 2. Moontide Summer Garden Piped Dual Cup U/W Halter $89.99 [AU$79.99] Moontide Summer Garden Piped Tie Tanga Pant $64.99 [AU$54.99] 3. Vitamin A Rio Ruffle Reversible Halter and Rio Scoop Brief $189.00 4. Billabong Sultry Top $55.99, Flirtatious Pant $55.99 5. O’Neill Courtesan Swimwear $99.95 6. Roxy Amelia Balconet $119.99 7. Roxy Sundancer Underwire $119.99 8. Moontide Screen Sirens Dual Cup U/W Balconet $99.99 [AU$84.99] 50’s Full Brief $79.99 [AU$69.99] 9. Speedo Denim Rose Frill Bra $90.00 Denim Rose Pant $45.00
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2011 BIKINI bold andBIBLE beautiful 1
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1. O’Neill Birthday Party Swimwear $89.95 2. O’Neill Sperkini Five-O Swimwear $114.95 3. Rip Curl Stripe Mix Tri Bikini $79.99 [AU$69.99] 4. Fox Platinum Bikini $119.95 5. Billabong Biarritz Top $75.99, Portifino Pant $59.99 6. Fox Smash Bikini $99.95 7. Fox Mile High Bikini $119.95 8. Moontide Bow Belle Twist Top $79.99 [AU$69.99], Bow Belle Ruched Front Pant $64.99 [AU$54.99] 9. Moontide Sporty Splice Dual Cup U/W $114.99 [AU$99.99], Classic Pant $45.99 [AU$39.99] 10. VitaminA Twisted Bandeau and Le Blon Hipster $189.00 11. VitaminA Silver Collection Flipside Reversible Ruffle Halter with Rio Ruffle Tieside Briefs $189.00 12. Roxy Hermosa Sunset Slider $69.99 13. Rip Curl Dot Bikini $89.99 [AU$69.99]
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2011 BIKINI BIBLE Perfect in patterns 2
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Stockists BILLABONG www.billabong.com FOX www.foxhead.com/girls/swim HIVE www.hiveswimwear.com KULU www.kulu.com.au MOONTIDE www.moontide.com O’NEILL www.oneill.com RIP CURL www.ripcurl.co.nz ROXY www.roxy.com SPEEDO www.speedo.co.nz VITAMIN A www.vitaminaswim.com
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1. O’Neill Entwined Swimwear $99.95 2. O’Neill Lifesaver Swimwear $94.95 3 Kulu Stripe Fade Halter Bikini $87.50 4. Moontide Paint Spot Piped Halter Dual Cup U/W $89.99 [AU$79.99], Paint Spot Piped Tie Tanga Pant $59.99 [AU$49.99] 5. Roxy Electric Ladyland Moulded Bandeau $99.99 6. Speedo Vintage Bra Top Navy Gingham $75.00 Wide Side Pant $55.00 7. Speedo Vintage Bra Top Fire Gingham $75.00 Tie Pant $55.00 8. Fox Turbulence Reversible Bikini $119.95 9. Hive Snakecharmer Collection Honeysuckle Top and Bee A Star Pant $89.95 10. Rip Curl Castaway Bandeau $89.99 [AU$69.99] 11. Speedo Future Check Twist Bandeau $65.00 Wide Side Pant $55.00 12 Billabong Amira Top $49.99, Savanna Pant $49.99
LIVE THE SEARCH ripcurl.com
2011 BIKINI BIBLE Perfect in patterns 1
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Stockists BILLABONG www.billabong.com FOX www.foxhead.com/girls/swim HIVE www.hiveswimwear.com KULU www.kulu.com.au MOONTIDE www.moontide.com O’NEILL www.oneill.com RIP CURL www.ripcurl.co.nz ROXY www.roxy.com SPEEDO www.speedo.co.nz VITAMIN A www.vitaminaswim.com
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1. Kulu Reef Over Shoulder Moulded Cup Bikini $99.50 2. Kulu Leopard W/Wire Bandeau Bikini $99.50 3. Moontide Prism Bandeau $104.99 [AU$89.99], Prism Classic Pants $79.99 [AU$69.99] 4. Moontide Asterix Dual Cup U/W Tie Top $89.99 [AU$79.99], Asterix Ruched Side Hipster $$64.99 [AU$54.99] 5. Moontide 70’s Paisley Dual Cup U/W Bandeau $94.99 [AU$79.99] 70’s Paisley Ruched Side Pants $64.99 [AU$54.99] 6. VitaminA Topanga Reversible Halter with Doheny Boycut Brief $189.00 7. Billabong Coral Bay Bikini $99.99 8. Hive Bubbles Collection Bee Racey Athletic Bikini AUD $89.95 9. Hive Carnival Collection Beehive Bikini AUD $89.95 10. Hive Hennabuzz Collection Beehive Top and Stinger Pant AUD $89.95 11. Hive Hippy Chick Collection Pollen Top and Sweet Heart Pant AUD $89.95 12. Hive Silverbuzz Collection Beehive Bikini with Frill AUD $89.95
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2011 Protection SUNNIES GUIDE for your eyes 1
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1. Bollé Queen Shiny Black Pol TNS $220.00 2. Bollé Hamilton Dark Tort TLB Dark $145.00 3. Bollé Damone Black Red TNS Gun $145.00 4. Bollé Phoebe Violet TLB Gradient $145.00 5. Bollé Madison Shiny Gold Pol Axis $275.00 6. Bollé Tetra Dark Tort Polarised A14 $210.00 7. Bollé Tetra White Blocks Polarised A14 $210.00 8. Smith Brooklyn Vintage Tortoise Polarised $189.99 9. Smith Gibson Ice Blue Polarised $189.99 10. Smith Roundhous Olive Polarised $189.99 11. Smith Serpico Slim Mint Polarised $189.99 12. Rip Curl Peniche Polarized $199.99 13. Rip Curl Bombora 2 $149.99 14. Rip Curl Shelly $149.99 15. Von Zipper Toots $229.99 16. Von Zipper Mustafa $209.99 17. Dot Dash Slow Jam $49.99
www.bolle.com.au | 0800 BOLLENZ | www.smithoptics.co.nz | www.ripcurl.co.nz | www.vonzipper.com
www.curl.co.nz// 63
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SPRINGEssentials 2011 sistahood b y f r e d d y c h u r Milkyway Harem Pants NZD $149.00 Whether you’re going for a surf, chilling on the beach, or partying with your mates, these are the perfect pants to do it all with style :) made from 100% organic cotton. www.freddychur.com
too late a u r o r a g l o w i n t h e d a r k NZD $40.00 Aurora comes in 5 glowing colours www.too2late.co.nz
too late m a s h u p w a t c h NZD $67.00 Mash Up ACD comes in 5 colour ways and is available with a white or black strap www.too2late.co.nz
patagonia s u m m e r t i m e t a n k NZD $89.00 Its super flowing blend of organic cotton and hemp fabric is supple and breezy. Doubled fabric on bodice and adjustable drawstring underbust. Shoulder straps adjust for the perfect fit and a slit at center back provides additional airflow. www.nevada-sport.co.nz
havaianas t u r k i s h o c e a n NZD $58.00 www.havaianas.com
havaianas o r i g i n a l p a l m s NZD $33.00 www.havaianas.com
too late a n a l o g u e w a t c h patagonia i s l a n d h e m p s h o r t s NZD $99.00 Made of soft, summer-weight 55% hemp/45% organic cotton fabric, with a linen-like patagonia w a v e f a r e r b o a r d s h o r t s appearance that drapes beautifully, the low-rise shorts have a zip-fly with coconut button closure. NZD $99.00 Two patch pockets on both front and back hold Wavefarers feature a snap fly with flat-tie closure shells and other treasures. that won’t bunch up during paddling, and offer www.nevada-sport.co.nz maximum comfort in the waves plus a quick drytime afterward. The welted side pocket with key loop has a button closure. www.nevada-sport.co.nz
NZD $40.00 Analogue comes in 10 different strap colours and is available with a white or carbon watch face. www.too2late.co.nz
stash-it r e c y c l e d b i l l b o a r d l a p t o p b a g NZD $183.00 Constructed in sturdy waterproof recylced billboard PVC vinyl with high-density shock absorbing closed cell foam padding. Cool graphics to suit both sexes. www.stash-it.co.nz
skullcandy l o w r i d e r NZD $79.00 Skullcandy’s new lightweight sport headphone the Lowrider delivers superb sound while remaining super stylish. With smooth styling, 90-degree swivel DJ-style speakers, and a unique fold up headband for ultra portability, the Skullcandy lowrider will roll all over the competition. Available from from Harvey Norman and other leading retailers nationwide.
havaianas s l i m c o o l w h i t e NZD $42.00 www.havaianas.com
patagonia m a r g o t d r e s s NZD $129.00 Soft one-inch straps stay put and merge with a feminine, crossover V-front that supports. A flattering midriff is gathered for comfort; the slight A-line hem drapes to just above the knee. Made from our ultrasoft organic cotton (95%) with a touch of stretch (5% spandex). www.nevada-sport.co.nz
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too late n e o w a t c h NZD $67.00 Neo is available in 10 cool colours www.too2late.co.nz
havaianas s l i m s e a s o n NZD $42.00 www.havaianas.com
ho w to choo s e yo u r p e r f e ct boa r d
WORDS BY thandi tipene surf iMAGE BY nick herdson 68 //curl #30
Kiwi surfer, Thandi Tipene, shares with us the importance of finding the perfect board and the perfect shaper.... It’s a well known fact that women’s surfing is freaking amazing right now and the speed and level us wahine are progressing is because of a few very important factors. Being brought up around and in the ocean, having supportive parents, access to coaching and travel, exposure to a high level of surfing, attitude and belief are key parts but as the king of surfing (Kelly Slater) himself says, the most important factor of all is your equipment! This means wetsuits, leg ropes, tail pads, bikinis (as we all know there’s nothing worse than a loose floppy piece of fabric that at best only works if you’re straight lining it) but the most defining piece of equipment is what’s under your feet; your surfboard.
I’ve been riding for Cain Aldridge; CSA surfboards for a number of years now and built a relationship where he knows where I'm at with my surfing and where I'm wanting to go. Having a good relationship with your shaper is super important as he learns from you and you learn from him. The results always show. With each new board your shaper gets to understand what changes will lead to improvement for you and give you a better surfing experience. The improved feel and performance of your new board are then easily understood and this new knowledge is the basis for your next board design. This way you get a lifetime of improvement and the fun really begins. When Bachelor and I moved to the Gold
f i n d i n g a boa r d s ha p e r n e a r yo u csa surfboards L: 45/905 South Road 45, New Plymouth, Taranaki P: 06 7527646 E: cain@csasurfboards.com W: www.csasurfboards.com
Coast we found our Taranaki boards didn’t suit the punchy, bowly and fast beach breaks. Our NZ boards were made for bigger faces and fatter waves. Even though we were across the Pacific Ocean we were still able to communicate what we needed for our surfing. This is the benefit of having a personal shaper, someone who listens and has the experience. Our new boards, which had narrower tails, more width through the centre and more foam in the nose where chucked on a plane (nicely) and unwrapped in our lounge which over looked snapper rocks! We also have travelled to Tahiti; Teahupoo, Hawaii, Samoa and Western Australia where the surf conditions all vary and we needed the right boards so we got them. Cain at CSA surfboards shapes for all ages and levels. Take my 12 year old sister for example; she has been getting customs for sometime now and absolutely loves designing sprays and choosing bright colours to amp her up on a winters day ( although Northland's pretty mild compared to Taranaki). Having the right surfboard helps with gaining confidence hugely. How many of you have bought a board from a mate, through the internet or off the shelf only to find your excitement slammed on your first surf? A lot of money is spent buying the wrong board and when this happens the board sits in the garage or you simply lose your enthusiasm. This is avoidable and has to be the single most important reason to work with a shaper who builds a board that meets your needs. Spend nothing unless you are confident you are on the right track. When you get it right it’s much more fun for sure. So what ever your age or level I highly recommend giving your local shaper a call to get you on the fast track to gaining your quiver and charging the surf!!
sadhana surfboards L: 35 Tanner Street, Woolston, Christchurch P: 03 3895611 E: jay@sadhanasurfboards.co.nz W: www.sadhanasurfboards.co.nz
jdub surfboards L: Auckland (by appointment only) P: 021360768 E: charmian_wood@hotmail.co.nz Go to Jdub Surfboards NZ on facebook
primal surfboards L: 54c Barrys Point Road, Takapuna, Auckland P: 094887523 E: primalnz@ihug.co.nz stevehamlyn@ihug.co.nz W: www.primalsurf.co.nz
jordon surfboards L: 4 Tyne Street, Mt Maunganui P: 075743463 E: ajsurfshapes@hotmail.com W: www.jordansurfshapes.co.nz
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s u r f coach i n g cam p s with kate dunn It would be almost impossible to grow up in the Dunn household and not develop a love of surfing. So for 21 year old Kate Dunn, surfing is well and truly in her blood. Her father, Martin Dunn is Australia’s most successful and innovative surf coach and her brother, Ben Dunn is a professional surfer. After a few years looking for the ideal job, including work experience at CURL, Kate went travelling and it was here that she met her partner and together they developed Surf Coaching Camps. The camps offer all kinds of programmes, trips and experiences for surfers of all levels. We caught up with Kate as they launched their new business.... You have spent the past few years travelling. What have these experiences taught you? So much! Travel is the best education, just simply getting by on your own from one place to another, by catching three planes, two buses, two trains and switching languages is something many people would be afraid to do. You have the chance to see things and do things many people would never have the opportunity to do. You meet amazing people and you often realise what you really want to do in life while travelling, you experience different people, different cultures and it’s good to be a part of these things to help you grow as a person. You have recently set up Surf Coaching Camps in both France and Australia. Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to this point? I have been based in France with my partner Vincent for just over a year now and he was already a surf coach before he met me, so we decided that we should do it together, with me teaching him my Aussie methods and bringing in some materials given to me by my dad as well as him teaching me the French way of doing things. We started coaching some of the local kids from Brittany
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(Guidel) area and some others from around Europe which they really liked it and we enjoyed working together. Vincent has been a competitive surfer as well as a coach in France for years now. He has good advice and also lived half his childhood in Tahiti, so he has well and truly been around the surfing scene just as much as I have. We were also trying to figure out a way we could have the best of both worlds by living in both France and Australia, so this is when we decided that we could do coaching camps as we had property in France and Australia with cool towns and a good comfortable space to house the surfers. Coaching is something we both love doing so it was always what we talked about but just getting started and how we would do it, and who we would market to be a part of the programs we wanted to run. You are offering camps in both Australia and France. Why Old Bar? Old Bar is my home! I know it like the back of my hand, the waves are always good and uncrowded. The locals are wonderful and friendly to anyone who comes to town and my parents have a house there that they used for my dads coaching camps as well as a bed and breakfast. Noone is living in it at the moment as my parents moved back to the Gold Coast as my dad is now the National Coaching Director at Surfing Australia. It’s perfect for running camps with it only being 100meters from the beach and shops and plenty of space. What about Guidel Beach in France? Guidel Beach or Guidel plage (in French) is a small cute town in a region of Brittany in France, it’s where my partner Vincent is from, and it also gets great waves. The whole Brittany region has a good spot for any day or wind direction so it’s also good for coaching. We moved into a house only 50 metres from the beach on our own private lake that also had another two bedroom apartment attached downstairs so it was perfect for people coming for camps while having their own space as well. You have grown
up surrounded by surf greats, how has all this affected your life’s paths? Many people would say I grew up in an unusual situation, my house wasn’t your normal household. Every week I was surrounded by a new group of 4-8 surfers and the majority of them were some of the best surfers in the world. It was so awesome to grow up in this situation, I also think this is why my brother is so good at surfing as well, he was surrounded by many great surfers and listened in on all of Dads coaching sessions every week. Because of this it has given me the opportunity to travel like I have in the last few years as we had people come from every part of the world. I had always wanted to create something similar to this for myself as I enjoyed working and learning from my father and growing up in this environment. I wanted to do something that I loved and knew well. What is it that makes your camps different or better than the rest? I watched my parents create something great with my dad being the coach and my mum doing the cooking and taking care of all the surfers. (Many would say they came purely for her caramel pie, not for the coaching) just kidding! I think the fact that we will be doing the camps in two languages, both French and English and will be running all different programs, not just the same thing day in day out, for example we will also be running surfing and English programs for Europeans to come and have a surfing lesson and an English lesson each day. Our main aim of course is to help people become better but also to give people the opportunity to experience France and Australia how they would like, mixed with surf coaching. We will be using the same system that my dad has used over the past 25 years just with a French Twist. We are keen to help others and give more people the opportunity to experience similar programs for them to become better surfers. Final thoughts? For all the girls out there! We will also be running all girls camps and trips. We are open to anything, though programs have already been set we are happy to create a program to suit the surfers needs. Just send us an email or call and we can chat about something possibly for you. For more info, check out... www. surfcoachingcamps.com info@surfcoachingcamps.com
“Our main aim of course is to help people become better but also to give people the opportunity to experience France and Australia how they would like, mixed with surf coaching. ”
ho w to w i t h k a t e d u n n Forehand Cutback: Cutback’s are linking turns that are used between sections on waves. If a wave flattens out or becomes fat, surfers should cutback to the foam to allow the wave to rebuild into more functional sections further down the line. Surfers can say to themselves in their head ‘ if fat, cutback!’ 1. Surfers need to drive out and up from the foam before beginning the cutback, there needs to be enough distance from the foam for the surfer to perform this manoeuvre to allow the surfer to have maximum height off the foam when rotating back around. 2. Surfers need to compress low and position themselves into a T -shape like position while leaning as if they are going to touch the wave face. The surfer then needs to hold this position looking at where they are wanting to go and stay in this position until they have spotted the top of the foam they are wanting to hit. It’s very important to look where it is you are wanting to go as your board will follow where your eyes are looking.
brittani nicholl in action
3. Once the top of the foam has been targeted the surfer needs to straighten their body forcefully out of the compressed position they have been holding to enable them to hit the foam high. 4. Surfers need to hit the foam hard and high while rotating away from the foam and compressing their body low to aid balance. A great tool that is used out of the water for surfers is practicing on a ‘street board’ that has been especially designed for improving your technique with surfing and great for using with the ‘forehand cutback’. You can order them online at www.surfcoachingcamps.com
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streetboardz No one likes a road trip more than the boys from Streetboardz, so when the call came out to make the trip across “the ditch” for the 2011 TSB Bank Women’s Surf Festival the Streetboardz crew were all over it. For those of you not in the loop, Streetboardz are the latest ‘must have’ surf training board to hit the market in NZ. Way more than a traditional skatey, streetboardz have a unique patented coil spring truck system that simulates the ‘rail to rail ‘ characteristics of a surfboard perfectly. Indeed the list of prominent (female) surfers from around the world who either own a Streetboard or have used them as part of technique training programs at development squads and high performance camps is testimonial in itself. And being your average bunch of ‘frothers’ the Streetboardz guys were keen to use the TSB Bank Women’s Surf Festival as an opportunity to catch up with a few of the girls who have been riding Streetboardz for some feedback and input for the R & D team back at Head office. A couple of last minute logistical issues meant that some of the work party needed to arrive in Auckland a few days earlier than anticipated, so with a few spare days up their sleeve before they needed to be in New Plymouth and with a “macking” 6 foot swell on it’s way, there was only one place a couple of Aussie ‘backpacking’ tourists were going to go – Raglan of course. The rest of the Streetboardz crew arrived in drips and drabs over the following few days. By this stage the Taranaki weather had turned foul. Streetboardz ambassador and 1988 ASP world Surfing Champ, Barton Lynch was one of those who ended up having to Bus into New Plymouth after his connecting flight had been cancelled due to the local weather conditions. Barton was scheduled to give a speech at the Opening Ceremony for the event and arrived on
ABOVE PAIGE HAREB ENJOYS THE STREETBOARDZ EXPERIENCE
queue with less than 5 mins. to spare. Nice! Since the TSB Bank Women’s Surf Festival and Subaru Pro, it has been well reported that spectators were treated to an incredible display of surfing throughout the event and that the standard of women’s surfing has well and truly exploded this year. Indeed it has been the opportunity for Streetboardz to work with some of the worlds leading surf coaches and athletes both on a recreational and competitive level that has provided us with an intense sense of job satisfaction and the desire to maintain our involvement with NZ surfing into the future. A big shout out to Courtney Colongue who picked herself up a new Streetboard after taking out the expression session, Ella Williams and local junior surfers Jana O’Connor and Reef Mathews, who also won themselves a Streetboard each.
“SURF BETTER WITH STREETBOARDZ” Streetboardz are used by leading surf coaches around the world. See how Streetboardz can rapidly progress your surfing, from the recreational weekend surfer through to the aspiring elite level competitive surfer.
Check out the free online video tuition with former ASP World Champion, Barton Lynch @ www.streetboardz.net”
yes, I’ll subscribe* One year NZ subscription. That’s 4 issues for NZD $28
Two year NZ subscription. That’s 8 issues for NZD $50 One year Australian subscription. 4 issues for AUD $45
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Is this a gift subscription? YES NO Full name Postal address City Phone Mobile Email BILLING INFORMATION (IF DIFFERENT TO SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION) Full name
Two year Australian subscription. 4 issues for AUD $80 In New Zealand, subscribe by email, fax, or mail to: CURL SUBSCRIPTION PO Box 562, Whangaparaoa 0932 New Zealand EMAIL: subsmagazine@xtra.co.nz FAX: (+64) 09 428 3046 In New Zealand, subscribe online at www.isubscribe.co.nz
Postal address City Phone Mobile Email Charge to my: MASTERCARD VISA CHEQUE ENCLOSED Card number Expiration:
Signature
In Australia, subscribe online at www.isubscribe.com.au
www.curl.co.nz// 73
*[curl 30] subscribe
SUBSCRIBE TO CURL AND BE IN TO WIN THIS COOL DRAGON STREETBOARDZ
Love your skin It’s that time of year when Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) levels are high and protecting your skin when outdoors is important. You wouldn’t take a risk while surfing so why take a risk with your skin and sun exposure? So we share with you some tips about how to keep safe in the sun, our pick of this summer’s suncare products and Greer Ell shares her own personal tragedy.
Sunscreen How much to apply, when, and how often to apply sunscreen can be confusing. The rules to remember for sunscreen application and SunSmart behaviours are: • Use an SPF30+ water resistant sunscreen. • Apply at least 15 minutes before going outside. • Apply 1 teaspoon to each arm, 1 teaspoon to each leg, 1 teaspoon to the body and ½ teaspoon to face, neck and ears. • Be sensible about being outdoors between the hours of 10am -to 4pm, especially between September and April. • Be SunSmart when you’re at high altitude or near highly reflective surfaces such as snow or water. • People who have had skin cancer, have sun damage or are on medicines that make them sun-sensitive should be SunSmart all year round.
Sun Protection Sunscreen should not be used to extend your time in the sun. It should be part of your daily routine that also includes: • wearing shirts with collars and sleeves, and long shorts • wearing a broad-brimmed hat to protect your face, ears, and neck • wearing wrap-around sunglasses • seeking shade as much as possible.
Excess sun exposure, including sunburn is a risk factor for all skin cancer types, especially melanoma. Regular use of a good quality SPF30+ sunscreen may help to prevent and/or reduce the chance of skin cancer.
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Pro Sport SPF 30 $24.90
Lil Kids SPF 45 $28.00
Pro Sport SPF 50 $26.00
What to Look For: Skin changes: • a spot or sore that doesn’t heal • an itchy bleeding or ulcerating spot or • changes in a mole or freckle, for example colour, shape or size. If there are any changes see your doctor immediately.
aloe up www.hydrosurf.co.nz
Water Sports Jelly SPF 30+ $24.90
Sun protection
e di tor s pick s
Lip Balm with neoprene sleeve SPF 30 $9.90
Sunscreen tube SPF 30 $13.90
Soothing After Sun gel $16.90
Non-melanoma skin cancer is by far the most common cancer affecting New Zealanders and melanoma is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in New Zealand. Here are some statistics from 2008 (the year for which most recent figures are available): • Melanoma was the fourth most common cancer with 2,256 cases. • There were also 317 deaths (202 male and 115 female) from melanoma. • In the 25 to 44 year age group, melanoma was the leading cancer among males. • Melanoma was the second most common cancer in females of the same age group.*
After sun soothing Body Lotion $15.90
Great barrier island bee company www.lesfloralies.co.nz
Lip Protection SPF 30+ 4hr $8.95
Water Block 120ml SPF 44 $24.95
Aloe After Sun 120ml $18.95
$12.95 Anti-Rash
Zinc $14.95
Hands Free 50g $27.50
sURFERS SKIN www.surferskin.co.nz
Sunscreen 40ml SPF 30+$12.95
SKIN DEEP Despite all our best efforts, some of us have already shown the effects of a sun drenched lifestyle. To help combat the signs of ageing we recommend Biotopical Age Intervention by Defy • Defy Biotopical Age Erasing Serum $50.00 • Defy Biotopical Renewing Eye Treatment $38.00 • Defy Biotopical Face Lifting Night Cream $48.00 • Defy Biotopical Age Intervention Set $120.25 www.tni.com
Rubber Ducky 120ml SPF 44 $24.95
solrx www.exitsurf.com
www.curl.co.nz// 75
Love your skin Sun protection
SLIP SLOP SLAP or DIE is a very clear, honest and hard hitting message that we at Surfersskin are determined to drum into all active, sun loving, water sports consumers. Surfersskin was born out of tragedy – losing a friend to melanoma at the age of 31 after a 3 year battle to beat the deadly disease. The Muriwai community and Craig’s home town of Dargaville was hit hard by the loss, in turn prompting a lot of discussion about how this incident could be avoidable in the future. Three heads collaborated and a sunscreen was created that worked and more importantly educated surfers of the risk they’re taking if they do not protect themselves from the sun. Since the development of Surfersskin sunscreen we have added to our range – giving people less excuses for not having any sun protection – lip balm, zinc and a handsfree unit – all coming up trumps when stringent testing was carried out. All our products hold the AUS/NZ Standard, FDA Standard and COLIPA (European Standard). Maz Quinn and Billy Stairmand are staunch users of Surfersskin as they realise the importance of serious sun protection! Only the best use the best! Maz Quinn image by Cory Scott
76 //curl #30
gr e e r’s s t o r y ON LY T H E GOOD DI E YOU NG They’re only f lying too close to the sun Greer Ell shares her life changing story about the effects of melanoma...
What is a father to me?... A father is someone that - held my hand over the jagged hot summer rocks, pushed me to be the best I could be in my music, studies, my nature, my relationships and my career. A father to me is someone that held back my hair when I was sick, applied the toothpaste to my brush when he knew I had tired eyes, knew when I had a worry purely by the expression on my face, let me eat ice cream for breakfast during summer holidays (but only when Mum wasn’t there), walked me down the aisle and told me everything was perfect and that he was so very proud of the woman I had become. My Father, Douglas Ell (most commonly known as Dougie) was a huge part of my very special and privileged upbringing, therefore his death from Melanoma Cancer in June 2009 was unimaginably hard to comprehend. Dad’s skin cancer battle was a two and a half year reality and now upon reflection the emotional toll feels more like half a century in length. Stress, suffering, treatment, laughter, tears and goodbyes were just a few of the millions of emotions our family went through during his 30 month fight against Melanoma Cancer. My mother, three older brothers, three sister in laws, my husband, fours nieces and four nephews and myself lost the “Leader of our families Band” to one of the most aggressive and unforgiving forms of cancer – Melanoma. To describe my Father is next to impossible. No words can quite convey the special man he was. He exuded a passion and vest for life that
compares to none: my Father with beautiful grandchildren; my father with a supportive and loving wife; my father that raised three strapping and successful boys; my father with a son in law and daughter in laws he was so proud of; my father who I looked up to in every facet of life; my father with the natural ability to aggressively fight anything that came his way and all of these loving and supportive people behind him still couldn’t beat this aggressive cancer. He lost his battle at just 60 years of age. Yes – The sun robbed my father – And the world lost an angel on earth 30 years premature. Mastering on air radio broadcasting, programming, management and radio advertising sales - Douglas Ell could do it all. I have had the privilege to continue his legacy in the world of Radio and there isn’t a day that passes where I don’t stop and think, “I hope I am making you proud Dad”… This doesn’t bring him back nor ease the pain, but it does indeed give me an inner strength and drive to keep going and reach the best I can be – Even if it is just a touch of the success he had in his long career, I know I will have had the best mentor in the world… Who now is my guardian angel from above. Douglas Ell truly personified the word LIFE. You know what they say about prevention, an ounce of worth a pound of treatment and that is the case of skin cancer.DON’T LET yourself or your family/friends have the same fate as my dear Father. If this article encourages just one person to change their mind set and come to the realisation that the Kiwi Sun is extremely harsh then I will be content. Remember to Slip Slop Slap this summer, stay away from sunbeds, consult a doctor about any new or changing lesion on your skin. Watch out for the “ugly duckling” –
something that’s not like your other moles. Girls, please encourage your partners and Fathers to be sensible about the sun! Melanoma incidence and mortality in NZ is consistently higher in males than females. It’s the most common cancer in men aged 25 -44. Men over 50 are at high risk and should be sure to check their skin regularly. Also remember that Sun protection involves more than sunscreen. Make the most of shade, sexy sunglasses, big widebrimmed hats and cover up with clothing. Broad spectrum SPF30+ sunscreen’s a useful addition to these things but not a substitute for them. For more information on the UV index and how to have a safe summer outdoors, go to www.weatherwatch.co.nz and for more info on Melanoma prevention, detection and causes go to www. melanoma.org.nz. All I now have left of mine and my Father’s relationship are a treasure trove of memories – A living photo album and all of the pivotal moments are captured there. Make sure that you have more than just memories left with your loved ones… Don’t “fly too close to the sun” this summer. We truly don’t know how strong we are until it is the only choice we have.
There is nothing wrong with looking after yourself and your skin – your family will thank you for it. *(Most recent figures from 2008 statistics)
For more information on skin cancer prevention and detection, see our website: http://www.cancernz.org.nz/reducing-your-cancer-risk/sunsmart/
www.curl.co.nz// 77
Come CheCk out our wiCked new store
247 Trafalgar STreeT, NelSoN Surf@hogeyS.co.Nz |03 548 4011 like us on facebook www.facebook.com/pages/hogeys-Surf/
Muriwai Surf School NZ family owned since 2002
* Muriwai Beach on Auckland’s West Coast * Qualified professional instructors * “Introduction to Surfing” Lessons held twice daily * Individual intermediate & advanced lessons * Huge range of boards and wetsuits for hire * Gift vouchers available * Free surf magazine if you mention this ad
For a booking phone 021 478734 or email info@muriwaisurfschool.co.nz www.muriwaisurfschool.co.nz
A l l t h e b e s t h i v e s t y l e s At tutukAkA surf this summer! TuTukaka SurF experience Shop 2, Marina road Tutukaka new Zealand pO Box 402086 | Tutukaka p:+64 (0)9 434 4135 F:+64 (0)9 434 3514 surf@tutukakasurf.co.nz www.tutukakasurf.co.nz
MakE EVERy Day BETTER. Start a healthy new habit with Tahitian Noni™ Bioactive Beverages. They’re loaded with potent phytochemicals called iridoids that support the immune system, boost endurance, help to maintain heart health, support proper joint function, fight harmful free radicals, and more. In fact, iridoids have been linked to dozens of wideranging benefits. Order online at www.TNI.com or call 0800 443 064 Tues–Sat 9am-3pm
Find us on Facebook Tutukaka Surf Beach Shop
“One Stop Paddle Shop” For all your SUP n Waka Ama Needs
We stock the best brands | C4 waterman|Paddle Surf Hawaii | Boardworks | Quickblade • Sales • Lessons • Accessories • Hire • Tours • Surfing NZ registered School Winter Hours 10am - 4pm Tuesday - Sunday (Or by appointment) Totara Business Park | 37 Totara Street Mt Maunganui | P:075753493 M:02102300746 www.eastcoastpaddler.co.nz Like us on facebook
for stockist enquiries please email donna.henderson@xtra.co.nz
SPRING 2011 Giveaways This issue we have some fantastic giveaways from Fox, Lush, Too Late Watches and more. Go to www.curl. co.nz for all the details on how to enter. Good luck!
INVISIBLE ZINC f a c e a n d b o d y
Inika b l u s h b r u s h a n d b r o n z e r
NZD $24.99 This light and easy-spread natural sunscreen provides high Invisible ZincÂŽ broad spectrum protection. It is perfect for outdoor activities and also as a daily protective moisturiser beneath make-up. Low irritant for sensitive skin. We have 8 to giveaway. www.invisiblezinc.com
Fantastic Mineral Bronzer and Blush Brush for fair to medium complexions. Add that sunkissed glow to your skin this spring. We have three packs to giveaway. www.inika.co.nz
SolRX w a t e r b l o c k 1 2 0 m l Get your hands on one of 24 SolRX waterblocks to giveaway. www.exitsurf.co.nz
aloe up p r o s p f 3 0 $12.90 We have 12 x 1oz Pro Sport SPF30 waterproof sunscreens to give away. www.hydrosurf.co.nz
Too Late m a s h u p w a t c h NZD $69.00 We have five of these fantastic watches for you to win! www.too2late.co.nz
Fox n e w s e a s o n b i k i n i s Defy B i o t o p i c a l A g e I n t e r v e n t i o n
Get your hands on one of these great new season bikinis from Fox. We have one of each to giveaway!
We have three of these fantastic sets from Defy to giveaway. RRP: $120.30 www.tni.com
ECO $ 2 0 . 0 0 s h o p c r e d i t Be one of the first 20 people to register themselves on www. ecoaroma.com.au and tick the Curl magazine box will receive a $20 online store credit!
Coolcharm b o d y s p r a y This spring, Cool Charm introduce two new delightful fragrances to their body spray collection: Ocean Desire and Diamond Bliss. Curl has six packs to giveaway.
Lush l t t l e g r e e n b a g NZD 44.90 We have three of these fantastic eco friendly gifts from LUSH www.lushnz.com
www.curl.co.nz// 79
Remembering Christchurch
Aumoana
This year for a surf business in Christchurch – as with most businesses, has been a tough one. Starting with the 7.1 shake in September which saw many close their doors for the first of what was to be many a big cleanup operation. However things got back on track with all looking forward to a warm great summer filled with long days of surf and stoke! After a few interruptions with sizable aftershocks , January and most of February was shaping up to be great. Unfortunately the summer was cut dramatically short at 12:51pm 22nd Feb, midway through a great pumping offshore east swell! Tragically lives were lost and ruined, businesses ended and homes destroyed. After weeks of clearing, shoveling and tidying – not to mention running outside for every one of the 4000 aftershocks, shops began to reopen. Coming into winter a naturally slower time for the surf industry, things were not helped with the beaches being closed to the public for recreational use. The sewer systems were so severely damaged that it meant raw, untreated sewage was being pumped directly into the rivers, estuary and beaches from Scarborough up to North Beach. To get clean, safe surf local Christchurch surfers were heading north and Waikuku was now the new favorite spot. A great beach and most importantly safe to surf, however for many Sumner, South Shore and Brighton surfers, the convenience of popping straight out into the surf before work or walking down to check the conditions on the weekend was long gone. Now at the least, a half hour drive meant for many taking the winter off from surfing and waiting for the summer with hopes of beaches reopening. Now as we fast approach spring and with many of the pipes fixed up, a few surfers are heading out for a few little sliders at Sumner. Rumors of the beaches all safe and open by November is putting the stoke back into our lives.
sadhana
surfboards
T he idea of Sad ha was bor n na Su r fb as a reac oa rd s tion to th ma rketed e ma s s , med ioc re, one -s a ll appro ize -fitsach to su r fi ng. Dr the da ily aw ing on in fluence of the oc sma ll cott ea n a ag believe q e la bel was for me ua lity a n d. We d work m a ren’t a th a nsh ip ing of the past, ou r a re made boa rd s in the tra d itiona l w using no ay la rge fac tor y mac or mass p h ines roduction tech nolo Uti lising g y. strong q u a lity la m v intage c inates, otton in la ys, custo str ingers m , re fi ns, we g sin ti nts a nd ha nd ua ra ntee foiled a 10 0% h s h ap e d a a nd nd fi n ish ed su r fb Wit h ove oa rd. r 25 yea r ex per ien s s u r fi ng ce, Sad h a na Su r fb you r a lte oa rd s is r native c ustom bo a rd store . 80 //curl #30
Au Su m n moa na is t h e v i llag r. T he bea e su r f sho p e u of cha of Ch r istc t if u l sea sid i n h r e you r ac ter a nd u rch w it h do 3 lo for a ll or step, p su r f spots ts rov id on levels in c oz y ca fes . A a ron s s g waves u r f sc a nd a a re c h omple r tsy s hops ool, t i ng t la nd s he c st ron ape. Su m n st u n n i ng g e well w com mu n it r ha s a ve ry y it sit uat h t he hea a nd is de a li ng ion, a r t bre a ll c om i ng ov it need s n k i ng e o you r nex t r for a v isit w is peop ad le !S ou t t h e st u n vent u re a o, pla n nd ch A t Au n eck moa n i n g S u m n er v i ll a you you n ’l l e a a ma z ed from su fi nd ever ge. y thin i ng s t r f ha r g re adv ic d e! Se et wea r a wa re to e n d y o lo u ht t p:/ ca l s o on /a : Au mo u moa na.c ) o.n z a na is on Fa c ebo ok too !
seventh wave Than kfully, the Seventhwave prem ises and our staff escaped major dam age or injur y duri ng the earthquakes. A fence dow n here, a crack in the pavemen t there, but otherwise the shop and facto ry are both safe and operational. Although the loca l beaches have turned to poo (literally) we’ve been send ing our wetsuits worldwide via our easy -to-order website. New How-to Videos, FAQ ’s, and our online custom-fit serv ice has mea nt surfers from Aust ralia to Argentina are experiencing their own Seventhw ave custom. Our online serv ice and free worl dwide shipping mea ns you can support Seventhwave from wherever you are, without havi ng to dodge potholes and cones to get here! www.seventhwave.co.nz
exit surf Exit Surf Shop in Ferrymead, Christchurch is alive and certainly open for business! Exit Surf has been closed for approximately two months in total due to the earthquakes and has suffered dramatically due to the contaminated water and closed beaches. However we are open for business and as the days are getting longer and the water becoming cleaner, come in and see us for specials on quake damaged boards and get ready for an all time Christchurch summer of surf!
IWANT JUST DON’T TO BE AROUND
SMOKERS PAIGE HAREB PRO-SURFER
FIND US AT facebook.com/notourfuture
HSC6868_PHareb_Curl_HP_200811.indd 1
16/08/11 10:44 AM
Island Holidays can get you the perfect longboard break! With access to dozens of tropical perfect peeling beachies, reefs and point breaks - anywhere in the world! We have charter boat and land based packages from budget to luxury, to suit all levels of surf ability for singles, couples, groups or families.
Nemberala Beach Resort Indonesia
Chaaya Island (Dhonveli) Resort Maldives
Namoutu Resort Fiji
Playa Grande Surf Villas Costa Rica
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Noosa/Gold Coast/ Byron Bay Australia
For more info on our packages and more check out
www.islandholidays.co.nz
Tel: 0800 336660 Email: pete@islandholidays.co.nz
Visit www.islandholidays.co.nz for more info and prices.