Fsmv6 2

know your clarks

pg. 30

MAGAZINE

The World

Seen

Gathering of the Tribes Surfing nations converge

+

“This ain’t a vacation...” A WCT workhorse speaks his mind [Pancho Sullivan] Photo: Tron

photo: jimmiecane / soens

silvana LIMA BRAZIL

KAMALEI ALEXANDER

www.analogclothing.com

Ă?

è PET (Polyethelene Terephthalate) is the material that plastic bottles are made of. It can be recycled into unique fabrics like breathable airmesh and PET canvas. 8 out of 10 plastic bottles become landďŹ ll waste. The Vans COJO61% PET, RATA PLUS 100% PET

and MESA100% PET are made with PET uppers. A portion of the sales of these shoes will go to the VANS x Surfrider

Foundation’s beach clean-up efforts..

GO TO VANSSURF.COM/TRASHPROJECT FOR MORE INFO

FOR BEFORE AND AFTER SURFING. VANSSURF.COM ÂŽ2008 VANS, INC. PHOTO : HANK FOTO

ARKING

FREE P FR EE SU

14

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

F R E E S U R FM AG A ZIN E.CO M

Newly crowned ASP World Junior Champion Kai Barger proves ready to make the jump to the men's division. Photo: Heff

F RE E SU R F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

15

Contents FSM V6#2

16

F R E E S U R FM AG A ZIN E.CO M

34 Aperture

Gallery International: The Visiting Team

48 Gathering of the Tribes Everything you love (and loathe) about the throngs of surfers that migrate to the North Shore every winter

54 The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Wrap-Up

Being on the bubble is a lot more work than sitting pretty in the WCT's top 15

Photo: Frazer

F RE E SU R F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

17

V6#2

Heff

14 FREE

PARKING Kai Barger

20 C OVER STORY Pancho

22 MASTHEAD 24 E DITOR’S NOTE Taking A Beating

26 FREE

TIME GALLERY Eh, Howzit!

28 I NSIDE SECTION

Breast Casting//The Eddie Opening Ceremony// Kona Surf Film Festival//Two Clarks

32 W HATEVAS Bam

64 G ROM REPORT Makai McNamara

68 FREE

PLUGS Industry Notes

72

LAST LOOK

CJ Hobgood

F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

19

on the FR EE SU

cover

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

Tron

Pancho Uncovered It’s never an easy job to choose a cover. With the thousands of jawdropping-make-you-want-to-stop-everything-you’re-doing photos coming through the Freesurf inbox every month, filtering the gold from the platinum can become an arduous task to say the least. “What image best represents this month’s issue?” is a common question you’ll hear muttered and debated in the office when come time to choose the cover.

Well, if you haven’t been holed up at home for the past month, than you know that the North Shore has born witness to some of the most idyllic and powerful conditions on memory. As I type these very words, the buoys are reporting a 20-foot-plus swell filtering through only to be followed by an even bigger, more menacing 25-foot swell; a powerful winter to say the least.

With the word “power” in mind, we turned to Pancho Sullivan. No one can sum up full-throttle surfing in a single moment better than this month’s cover boy, Pancho Sullivan. The shot—all testosterone and all patented Pancho muscle—was snapped at Rocky Point just a few days before we went to press. In case you haven’t heard, last season was Pancho’s final year in the land of singlets and heat horns as he opted to retire from the tour and spend some well-deserved time with the family. It was a great run, Pancho, and we wish you all the best in the future. —Jeff Mull

On The Cover: Pancho Sullivan Photo: Tron

F O R D T H E

A R C H B O L D

B A L A N C E RVCA .COM

•

O F

O P P O S I T E S

RVCAANPQ.COM

INFO@ RVCA.COM

A product of Manulele Inc. VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 2 publisher MIKE LATRONIC editorial editor KEVIN WHITTON associate editor JEFF MULL content manager TONY HEFF free thinkers BEAU FLEMISTER, ISAAC FRAZER, SIRI MASTERSON, NOA MYERS design art director RICHARD HUTTER staff photographers ERIC BAESEMAN, TONY HEFF, JUSTIN RIDDLEBERGER, TYLER ROCK contributing photographers

NATHAN ADAMS, ERIK AEDER, SCOTT AICHNER, BERNIE

BAKER, JAMIE BALLENGER, MARK BERKOWITZ, BRIAN BIELMANN, JOHN BILDERBACK, BO BRIDGES, VINCE CAVATAIO, DAREN CRAWFORD, HILTON DAWE, BEN DECAMP, DOOMAS, DAMEA DORSEY, WILLI EDWARDS, BRANDON ELLS, BEAU FLEMISTER, HANK FOTO, ISAAC FRAZER, PETE FRIEDEN, KENNY GIBBS, STU GIBSON, GORDINHO, YHAZI GRAHAM, HAJ, JOHN HEPLER, JON HUBERMAN, ERIK IPPEL, JOLI, BUZZY KERBOX, DANNY KIM, PETER KING, LANCIFER, RIC LARSEN, BRUNO LEMOS, CARL LUCAS, MANA, MIKE MCGINNIS, IKAIKA MICHAELS, JUSTIN MORIZONO, ALLEN MOZO, NOA MYERS, NOA, DAVE NELSON, CAROL OLIVA, SERGIO OLIVERA, BRUCE OMORI, BRADY OSHIRO, MANNY PANGILINAN, CHRISTIAN PERALTA, JIM RUSSI, PAKE SALMON, EPES SARGENT, BOBBY SCHUTZ, SPENCER SUITT, BILL TAYLOR, TK, KEVIN WHITTON, DARRELL WONG

sales director of sales and marketing SEAN WINGATE advertising executive SHAUN LOPEZ business coordinator CORA SANCHEZ executive assistant SIRI MASTERSON advertising inquiries contact 808-429-8460 or swingate@freesurfmagazine.com www.freesurfmagazine.com FreeSurf Magazine is distributed at all Jamba Juice locations, most fine surf shops and select specialty stores throughout Hawai‘i. You can also pick up FreeSurf on the mainland at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores and select newsstands.

Ask for it by name at your local surf shop! Subscribe at freesurfmagazine.com.

Other than “Free Postage” letters, we do not accept unsolicited editorial submissions without first establishing contact with the Editor. FreeSurf, Manulele Inc. and its associates will not be responsible for lost, stolen or damaged submissions or the return of these submissions.

One-way correspondence can be sent to P.O. Box 1161, Hale‘iwa, HI 96712 E-mail editorial inquiries to info@freesurfmagazine.com Catch Billabong Surf TV Mondays at 1:30pm, Tuesdays at 2pm and 7:30pm, Wednesdays at 1:30am, Thursdays at 4:30am and 4:30pm, Fridays at 12:30pm and Saturdays at 3:30am and 9am and Sundays at 7:30am.

And don’t forget Board Stories on Mondays at 2pm, Tuesdays at 5pm and 8:30pm, Wednesdays at 2:30am and 9:30am, Thursdays at 5:30am and 5:30pm and Saturdays at 2:30am and 7:30am and Sundays at 9:30am and 4pm.

www.HawaiianSpring.com

’s NOoTtEe R’S EEDdiITtOor FR EE SU

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

Heff

Running Late

By Kevin Whitton

Sometimes it’s more fun to make bad decisions, even though you’re going to pay for it in some way or another.

Why I decided to run the Honolulu Marathon is beyond me. First off, I hate running. I’ve always disdained the sport, if it can even be called that.

Running is one of the reasons I switched from soccer to surfing in grade school. Does that make me lazy or smart?

I do have to admit, every once in a while I take my baby daughter to the botanical gardens by our house and go for a run in the evenings. It’s a nice way to kill some fussy, baby time and she enjoys checking out the trees overhead.

And as a bonus I can say that I’m training for winter without completely lying.

So I suspended reason briefly and ran a marathon in the pursuit of journalistic excellence. I shadowed another runner, a 39-year-old surfer who has run the marathon for the last four years without training, a good night of post-race sleep or proper bodily care. Let’s just say he has ulterior motives during the race that include frosty road sodas every so often.

At first I thought I’d ride a bicycle along side him, but wheelchairs are the only wheels allowed on the course. I could have thread my way around town in a car, meeting him at prescribed pit-stops, but traffic flow around the race route was severely restricted, if not completely blocked off.

With no other non-running option, I broke out my running shoes that I finagled for free while working as a valet at a mall that I was soon fired from for calling in sick incorrectly (I don’t think the boss liked me), threw on a pair of boardshorts and stood in the dark at the starting line, not looking forward to the next several hours. And it was pouring rain.

People were making comments and laughing at us for wearing boardshorts. Like most surfers, I’m self-conscious of my white upper

24

F R E E S U R F M AG A ZIN E.CO M

thighs and feel no need to show them to the world, even if it does mean potentially less chaffing during a 26.2-mile run.

The first seven miles were minor. I felt top-notch, probably feeding off of the energy of almost 30,000 people moving forward in a collective human heard for no purpose other than physical and mental torture.

It was probably around mile 10 or 12 that my right knee really started hurting. It would be an understatement to say that it felt like someone was wrenching jagged screws into the side of my knee.

Luckily for me, my subject’s shoes were too small and bothering him to the point that he chucked them and decided to run barefoot. I only saw one other guy running barefoot and he was dressed like a hula dancer from the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Without shoes, our paced slowed and soon, around mile 17, we were walking. Actually, I was limping. By the end, with the finish line in site, I was in shock. My body was begging me to stop, to shutdown, but some deep, sick and twisted urge pushed me across the finish line. Don’t look for my time on the website. You won’t find it. We didn’t register, didn’t have a chip. We poached the race with numbers from the 2006 Honolulu Marathon. We ran just to know we could do it; sick and twisted indeed.

Lucky for me, the surf went flat for the period of my recovery, a painful week-plus of aches, pains, limping and complaining. I’ll never run, or walk, a marathon again. Funny thing though, if you wipeout, take a beating, even do some serious bodily harm—knee tweaking, ligament snapping, shoulder dislocating—you know you’ll be back in the lineup as soon as possible, probably ignoring your doctor’s warnings and sneaking in a session or two before you’re 100 percent.

I love that sick and twisted feeling in my gut that keeps me in the water. It even makes me want to run down to the beach on occasion.

1 2

3

EHHOWZIT! 1 A lovely beach-yoga aficionado checks her posture in the balancing stick pose using none other than the large stick at her feet. photo: Tron

2 Not only can Rocky Cannon get shacked, but he is also known to bust a little freestyle around the campfire. photo: Tron

3 Bill Taylor is the Bird Whisperer. photo: Tron

4 This is Tai Van Dyke’s idea of multi-tasking. photo: Mana

26

F R E E S U R F M AG A ZIN E.CO M

5 This pooch has some high hopes. No one said man’s best friend was smart. photo: Heff

6 Larry Haynes looks like he’s dropping into ten-foot Pipe.

What a mug! photo: Heff

7 Is that an angel, or devil on his shoulder? photo: Ballenger

8 Security. photo: Rock

5 4

6

8

7 F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

27

INSIDE FR EE SU

N

SECTIO

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

Heff

Heff

One Boob Two Boobs Red Boob Blue Boobs At the Keep A Breast Foundation’s “I love Boobies” party, boobs, jugs, cannons, knockers, hooters, melons and funbags were everywhere and received lots of “support” from the North Shore community.

Hale‘iwa Joe’s was converted into a groovy gallery, rich in art and atmosphere, and locals and professional athletes alike were rocking to the music. Complete with an array of activities, including a live, gigantic 8' X 12' mural painting, a hot dance floor, lots of beautiful people, and let’s not forget…boobies.

Hawai‘i-based clothing brand B-Ware, Roxy and Emergen-C brought together a unique mix of artists, musicians, surfers and legends to raise consciousness and awareness about breast cancer while benefiting the Keep A Breast Foundation and the Rell Sunn Education Fund.

Breast casts of professional female surfers, skaters and snowboarders, like Rochelle Ballard, Megan Abubo, Chanelle Sladics, Kassia Meador and Vanessa Torres, were displayed at the event.

A line of informers stood behind the breast casts and handed out informational brochures on breast cancer prevention and detection while they sold T-shirts and wristbands to partygoers.

Not including sales of the breast casts, the event raised $2,000.

The casts, which were customized, painted and decorated by more than 15 top Hawai‘i artists, are currently on display and available for purchase at the Wyland Gallery in Hale‘iwa. All proceeds will go to Rell Sunn Education Fund and the Keep A Breast Foundation.

—Siri Masterson

28

F R E E S U R FMA G A ZIN E.CO M

Jianca Lazrus

The Circle and the spirit In the beginning there was the sea, a vast, encompassing water-world. From the sea came man. Man returned to her, they made love and man called this surfing. Virtual proof of this ancient and primordial intercourse can be viewed at a mythical place on the North Shore of O‘ahu called Waimea Bay, where man and sea dance in conjugal simplicity with the art of surfing at its core: the paddle in, the drop, the slide, the rush, the climax, the end. And stoke is born.

Where the waves finally cease and the shorebreak pulsates and stretches before it retracts back into the ocean begins the valley—the land. And Waimea valley, where the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Opening Ceremony was half-held, stares at the sea, sitting like a fecund, lush alter made to worship The Spot. “You cannot come on this land and not feel the mana of Hawai‘i nei,” said Kahu Billy Mitchell.

And on this land, perennially for the last twenty-four years, gathered a circle of

men from around the world, all with reputations of mythical proportions, all to honor a man who was very much like themselves: Eddie, the legendary symbol of the “men who ride mountains.” The kanaka maoli who’s perpetual communion with the sea was a way of life, who’s bravery and passion is emulated by all those who even dream of the sea that swells and roars at Waimea Bay. “This is not just about surfing, it’s the honoring of the whole culture,” commented Kahu. “It is a gathering of friends. It is a ceremony for an event that does not always run every year, but regardless, we still gather every year.” And quite a gathering it was.

Men, both invitees and alternates, sitting humbly in a circle with heads down in reverence as Kahu Billy chanted a prayer in Hawaiian to honor Eddie Aikau, the event, and the gift of life itself, all before the men paddled out to the middle of The Bay for the “in-water” gathering.

The ceremony, whether encircled in the sea or on the land, was purely a spiritual phenomenon. “We go to church everyday because we surf every day. This is how we stay in the aloha spirit,” said Titus Kinimaka.

—Beau Flemister

INSIDE FR EE SU

N

SECTIO

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

Heff

Takashima

Surf Celluiod

Frazer

The sixth annual Kona Surf Film Festival was held on Friday, November 28 and Saturday, November 29 at the Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu, a few miles south of Kailua-Kona. In the past, the film festival was presented by filmmaker Chad Campbell and his surf film production company, Folklore.

Unfortunately, Campbell and his crew were busy this year filming on location in Tavarua, Fiji.

There was no need to panic as the newly formed Kona Kai Ea Surfrider Chapter took over the reigns and made the event possible.

Kona Kai Ea Surfrider President Dr. Rick Bennett was more than happy to see many of his goals for this event reached. Their two main focuses were to increase membership and increase funds for the newly formed chapter. “We had 45 new members sign up because of the film festival and we now have a total of 150 members here in the Kona area in just six months after starting the chapter,” said Bennett.

This year’s festival brought a packed house of hooting and hollering surf film fanatics for each group of films that were shown. Friday evening’s showing was of two awesome films: One Winter Story, a film of female big-wave pioneer Sarah Gerhardt’s inspiring journey of life, filmed by Sally Lundburg, and a film titled The Pursuit, which stars local Kona boy Torrey Meister along with Brett Simpson, Jordy Smith, Ricky Basnett, Pat Gudauskas, Dusty Payne and many more. Saturday’s matinee showing featured three films; Between The Lines, which followed the surfing sub-culture during the times of the Vietnam War through the lives of Pat Farley and Brant Page, filmed by Brant’s son Troy Page. The second film, Just Add Water is a stunning look into the life of surfer Clay Marzo as he travels throughout the world seeking wave perfection and the third film of the day was called One Track Mind. This is the latest film to come from Woodshed Productions and offered non-stop surfing action from many of the top professional surfers in the world including Mick Fanning, Dane Reynolds, Joel Parkinson, Kelly Slater, Sunny Garcia, Mark Occhilupo and the legendary Tom Curren.

The final showing of the surf film festival opened with some highlights of the local island bodyboarders and surfers in a film called Roots Reef Radicals, filmed by Big Island local Willy Petrovic and friends. “I am just stoked to be able to help out the Surfrider Foundation who help protect the ocean because that is what is important,” said Petrovic. The final two films, Sliding Liberia and Out There both shared riveting stories of the effects of war and globalization and the struggles associated with places that surfers have traveled and love. —Isaac Frazer

30

F R E E S U R FMA G A ZIN E.CO M

Little

Two Two Clarks Clarks

Barrels, barrels everywhere, but not a wave to ride. The “Two Clarks” Art Show at Wyland Gallery in Hale‘iwa last December featured captivating barrel art by artists Clark Little and Clark Takashima. Although one shoots (Little) and one paints (Takashima), both are interested in portraying the most beautiful waves in the world. Fate would have it that the artistic duo would collaborate for an evening. “It all started because people were mistaking my artwork for his,” says Clark Takashima. “People would introduce my art as Clark Little’s and vice versa, so one day the idea popped into my head and I called him and he agreed to do [the surf art show] with me.”

Their two styles are completely different. Takashima’s paintings are slightly impressionistic, classical and dreamy: the waves are perfect barrels, the clouds are cotton ball puffy and the scenes make you feel like diving into the paintings. His exhibit, “The Dream Tour Series,” is a collection of 11, 24" X 48" acrylics on panel, depicting the beautiful locales of the Association of Surfing Professional (ASP) World Tour.

Takashima, a local Hawaiian artist, has been painting surf art for more than 20 years and says he loves to do it because he “can still be in the barrel and get paid.”

Clark Little grew up on the North Shore of O‘ahu and made a name for himself surfing hopeless closeouts in the Waimea Bay shorebreak, the inspiration for his photography. He gives a unique perspective of the wave from the inside out, while capturing incredible light and color, reminiscent of blown glass. His art is incredibly sharp and clean, every drop of water perfectly placed and fluidly in motion. In short, it’s absolutely beautiful photography.

If you see any of these two Clarks around, make sure which one is which before you pay them a much deserved complement on their incredible talent. —Siri Masterson

INSIDE FR EE SU

N

SECTIO

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

Whatevas

Ba m

Kekoa Bacalso

Interview by Eric Baeseman Kekoa Bacalso needs no introduction and if you’ve seen him surf, then you know why everyone calls him “Bam.” The 2005 ASP World Junior Champion brought it all together at the Reef Hawaiian Pro last year, getting shacked off his head in one of the best semifinal heats ever witnessed (or surfed) at Hale‘iwa and placing third in the final, guaranteeing him a spot on the 2009 ASP World Tour. A natural powerhouse and aggressive competitor with a penchant for good times, Kekoa is keeping the Hawaiian contingent strong on the elite tour and should fit in nicely.

FSM: Yeah Bam! You made the WCT. That’s huge. That’s like college guys making the NFL or the NBA. How does that feel?

Bam: It feels amazing. I’ve been on the ’QS, hacking away since I was 17, right out of high school. It’s been five or six years. Yeah, the big leagues, this is where I want to be in my career. Hopefully make a good dent, surf some good waves and enjoy myself.

FSM: This proves that kids from Mililani or other inland areas can make it with dedication.

Bam: Being from Mililani or anywhere else inland doesn’t mean anything. I’ve lived there all my life, never lived next to the ocean, did the drive every day. It’s only a half-hour drive. It’s all about dedication and a lot of practice and a lot of surfing. I’ve come a long way.

FSM: Now that you’re on the tour, is your surfing going to change because of the combinations the judges are looking for, or are you going to stick to your trademark power turns?

Bam: I’m going to stick to what I know best. I definitely wasn’t good at the beachbreak stuff and always had a hard time. Anytime

Riddleberger

AIR

there’s reef under me or a good wave, I feel real good about myself and open up a lot more than doing little flicks at a beachbreak. The WCT definitely fits my surfing better than the ’QS and I’m excited to see how I really do.

“The WCT definitely fits my surfing better than the ’QS and I’m excited to see how I really do.”

FSM: You’re homeboy Fred Patacchia is on the tour with you, that’s great. Do you think it’s all business with you two?

Bam: Nah, it’s not all business. He’s just super stoked that I made the WCT and he’s not traveling by himself next year. He’s going to definitely have to teach me a thing or two and I’m going to be listening. I’m going to be all ears with him. He’s been on the tour forever and hopefully I can follow in his footsteps and have a notso-stressful rookie year.

FSM: No matter what, you guys are going to be sharing the aloha spirit around the world.

Bam: Thanks.

The Breath Between Life And Death!

EMERGENCY BREATHING DEVICE CONFIDENCE KNOWING AIR IS ALWAYS IN REACH • • • •

Any Time You Venture Into Water

Surfing Windsurfing Kite surfing Boogie boarding

• • • •

Bodysurfing Kayaking Free diving Skin diving

• Snorkeling • Swimming in the surf • Boating

Fire Safety

• High-Rise Office Buildings • Any where the Air • Hotels could turn bad.

• Condos • All homes should have • Cruise ships A.I.R. at every bed side.

• Chemical Plants Mines

www.wegotair.com

To order in Hawaii Call Jeff @ (808) 388-5086 Or email at: jr.wegotair@gmail.com Always In Reach LLC. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Toll free: 866-787-7653 email: alwaysinreach@sc.rr.com

e

a

ertu

r

p

International Gallery

34

F R E E S U R F M AG A ZIN E.CO M

Archy made a name for himself at Off The Wall as a young speed demon from Cali. The wave suited him so well he decided to take up residence. Photo: Baeseman F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

35

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

s

36

F R E E S U R F M AG A ZIN E.CO M

The only thing missing from Califonian Alex Gray’s lengthy shack is a stop over at Ted’s for lunch. Sequence: Heff

F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

37

Brazilian competitive workhorse Adriano De Souza takes time off to put it completely on rail from nose to tail. Photo: Heff

38

F R E E S U R FMA G A ZIN E.CO M

Aussie Dean Morrison tucks into the sweet spot.

Photo: Baeseman

F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

39

Australian Nick Vasicek grew up surfing the right points of the Gold Coast and tapping into perfect Bali lefts at a very early age. He’s also made the annual pilgrimage to the North Shore a lifelong staple. Nick throws down at Off The Wall, demonstrating his claim to surfing better on his backhand.

Photo: Baeseman

40

F R E E S U R F M AG A ZIN E.CO M

F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

41

Garut Widiartha translates Balinese to Hawaiian.

Photo: Baeseman

If the water in the toilet flushes clockwise down the pipe in the Southern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Northern Hemi, then is Jordy Smith really a goofyfoot? Photo: Baeseman

42

F R E E S U R F M AG A ZIN E.CO M

Wakita Takayuki is one of Japan's best surfers, in and out of the water. He's humble, thankful and completely charges. In fact, Wakita even has his own zone in the lineup at Pipe, a distinction that only a handful can lay claim to. Photo: Baeseman

F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

43

44

F R E E S U R F MA G A ZIN E.CO M

You just have to wonder how anyone growing up surfing under-three-foot East Coast slop could get so comfortable in huge, throaty barrels. Cory Lopez glides effortlessly through another Pipeline funnel.

Photo: Heff

Heff

F RE E SU R F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

45

The

Gathering of the

Tribes

By Beau Flemister

E

very winter, the North Shore of O‘ahu bulges with perennial energy. Call it The Circus, The Proving Ground, surfing’s Mecca, it’s Ellis Island if you will, whatever you want—the tribes always come.

Everything about this shot screams Brazilian pride, especially Adriano De Souza.

Photo: Baeseman

Humans from nearly a hundred different countries with coastlines, languages and bloodlines mixing and evolving; they come. Like some sort of massive and twisted “Real World” reality show, all of these tribes have to coexist and live together in Country’s limited space.

Spending time on the North Shore, one can really learn a lot about a people both in and out of the water. For most local people bound to this tiny island in a big sea, the interactions they have with “that Brazilian” out at Rockies, or “that Aussie” out at Sunset may be the only concrete thing that shapes their judgment of an entire distant place and people. And vice versa. As with any judgment, questions must be asked. Is this Gathering of the Tribes a ritual of brotherhood of unity, or at times does it reflect some kind of Battle Royale, surfng’s ultimate cage-match? The following is an examination as well as stereotypical view of the prominent figures in this perpetual dramedy that is our winter season.

The Brazilians: Everything ends in Samba If I had a nickel for every time I heard a surfer, post session, utter the mantra, “Fu@*in‘ Brazilians,” well, you know the rest. These beautiful and tanned artworks of a race have been, and still remain, the original crowd-bringers. But you have to love them, right? And by them I mean the women: the thongs, the luscious butts.

48

F R E E S U R FM AG A ZIN E.CO M

Masatoshi Ohno locks in, harnessing the pride of his people.

Photo: Heff

What is up with the way these people roll minimum twenty-deep? Well for one, while we may think that a place like L.A. (population 4 million) is crowded, they might come from a place like Sao Paulo with a population of 20 million. On the other side of the coin, have you ever been to a party of theirs? You know, the two-story houses by V-land or Sunset they’ve managed to convert into Soviet-era communist style housing—they go off! But besides the crowds, they are the bringers of the pulsating samba beat, ass, acai, caipirinha, the passion and the pain of a country that evokes everything exotic and colorful. It’s true, they’re not really any fun in the water—they’re favela-hungry and Carnival-loud, but how much do you miss Taste of Paradise? Or how nice does it feel to have to walk between two supermodels sunning on the beach before you paddle out at Rocky Point. Tudo Bom? Tudo Bem.

Lovely in any language.

Photo: Frieden

The Japanese: Silent samurais The Japanese: novice-level speed bumps or the nicest people to surf with, ever? So yeah, it is the year 2009, and they’re just graduating from Ala Moana Beachpark to North Shore power—congratulations. And yet guys like Takayuki Wakita and Naohisa Ogawa have dashed this race’s panzy stereotype for decades now at macking Pipe. Fair enough.

But are the Japanese too respectful? Is the polite smile and passive attitude their inevitable downfall? They’re a people from one of the most technologically progressive, politically stable, unwaveringly traditional countries in the world. Organization, cleanliness and the ancient samurai code of honor are Japan’s steadfast reputation. Do not overlook these surfers (though it may be easy when their average height is 5'4"). They are the inventors of hare kare, mochi ice cream, sushi, origami and bowing. If their surfers could somehow get as good as their automobiles, Taylor Steele might have a new cast in his videos. They F RE E SU R F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

49

When all the other Cali guys are packing their boardbags and heading home after a six week surfing stint, you know Nathan Fletcher is laughing under his breath, stoked he’s a permanent resident. Photo: Rock

are the pleasant antithesis to the raving Brazilians. The guys you’d want to have in the crowd when you show up at a spot. Just don’t take advantage of them; there’s only so much snaking a race can handle before the kamikaze switch gets turned on. Banzai!

The Australians: Crazy haoles that use the “C-word” a lot Although I haven’t seen the new movie starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, I’ve always read that Australia was that huge island in the sea where England sent all its rejects: the cons, the criminals, the socially unacceptable. Then they killed or worked most of the natives and now have a country that is a major world power—sounds like another success story I know.

But being that the modern-day Australian surfers are just the distant cousins of criminals, it’s no wonder that nothing really scares them. They dominate and continually hold majority on the WCT and WQS tours. They charge slabs and “bombies” that make Teahupo‘o look tame. They party hard, drink harder and all want to win the Triple Crown. Their toughness, courage and talent even earns them respect from the likes of Da Hui and the Wolfpak, a feat near impossible for any other flag. Although their women may not have the same “personality” as the Brazilians, they continually dominate in Hawaiian waters, too. Any surfer of the world could learn a thing or two from this passionate, gung-ho band of rascals. Just make sure that when winter turns to summer and you’ve migrated from the North Shore to Bali, don’t let them talk you into going to the Sanur whorehouse.

The Americans: Kelly Slater and those other guys Okay, so maybe some of those “other guys” totally rip: Dane Reynolds for example, or Timmy Reyes and Bobby Martinez. And of course, a lot of the transplants from Cali that have made their home on the North Shore—The Beschens, Nathan Fletcher, Matt Archibold—continue to make their mark every year in Hawaiian surf.

50

F R E E S U R FM AG A ZIN E.CO M

South African Jordy Smith enjoys powering through this warm-water layback snap without two mils of rubber around his neck. Photo: Baeseman

Frenchman Naum Ildufonse can’t wait to grind escargot at Lei Lei’s after his sesh. Photo: Heff

Like some sort of massive and twisted “Real World” reality show, all of these tribes have to coexist and live together in Country’s limited space.

But what do these Americans bring to the North Shore for the annual Gathering? It’s simple: Money.

Whether the locals like it or not, the photos, the magazines, the sponsors, the deals, the opportunity to make a living surfing is all American money. Hurray for the industry! But hey, money or not, it’s not so easy for Americans to just fly over, sans passport, and think they can catch whatever they want. Their nationality gives them no edge whatsoever in climbing up the ladder at Pipe or Backdoor. That’s why Matt Archibold was pulling into so many 10-foot closeouts in the ’90s.

Yup boys, drop that slice of apple pie and replace it with spam musubi.

Start watching MMA fights and order some bigger boards. And DO NOT watch the movie North Shore to try and prepare yourself.

The Europeans: New visitors from the Old World Lumping Europeans together as one big nationality is a little unfair. Surfers coming from this diverse continent not only represent individual cultures, foods, and flags, but languages as well. But who’s really trying to be fair here? Can you really tell the difference between a Spaniard and a Brazilian when they’re shoulder-hopping that one at Rocky Point you’re already on? They are, however, a growing contingent to the tribes on the North Shore every winter.

Whether from Spain, Portugal, France, Great Britain or even Germany, these guys come a long way and add a new element of style to Country. Okay, so maybe Jeremy Flores isn’t walking around Foodland in a beret and striped shirt, browsing the wine aisle, looking for a well-aged, dry merlot­­. But when you think about it, it’s like history in the surfing world is coming full circle. Although the Europeans, compared to Hawaiians or Australians, picked up the whole surfing thing a few decades later, besides the Japanese, nearly every single surfer of the races featured in the article have a European last name. The connections are frightening.

Nathan Fletcher.

Photo: Heff

F RE E SU R F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

51

Mick Fanning is the quintessential Aussie: beer drinking, slang-talking, light-hearted and ripping without a care in the world. Photo: Baeseman

Native son Makua Rothman proudly represents the home team.

52

F R E E S U R F M AG A ZIN E.CO M

Photo: Tron

Island ambassador Kahea Hart.

Photo: Rock

Tamaroa McComb is the next generation of Tahitian competitive surfers. He’s young, blowing up and making a name for himself on the North Shore. Photo: Baeseman

The Hawaiians: The first tribe And so we have come to the original tribe of the North Shore, and furthermore the land of sub-tribes like Da Hui, Wolfpak and the Pipeline Posse. The Hawaiians are Kanaka Maoli, the People of the Land. This fierce blending of people make up a place now known as the melting pot of the Pacific. It’s not uncommon to meet a local person and find out their ethnicity spans four different continents. Either that, or they’re a haole. The chances are 50-50, really.

But which reputation of Hawai‘i is dominant in the surfers’ eyes?

The embrace or punch in the face? Which bumper sticker rings more true: “Live Aloha” or “Volcom to Hawai‘i, Now Go Home”?

I’m willing to bet everyone has their own “That time I paddled out at­­…” story. And sometimes you’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Regardless, whether in or out of the water, the North Shore can give lickings. But Hawaiians are also the kings of cruising: beach park hibachi parties, impromptu ukulele jams and blow-up bouncy castles for the keiki. As a visitor, just keep a smile on your face, your head down, be yourself, and lovely people will welcome you with open arms, hopefully.

The South Africans: Post-apartheid pilgrims So you don’t see too many of these faces every winter. South Africa is really far away. Their currency is worth shit if it’s worth a penny, and who wants to leave J-Bay? When they are here, though, they are A+ people. Take pint-sized charger Andrew Marr, for example. This South African surfs waves of any size, has won

various big-wave contests around the world, and when you see him out at big Sunset it’s “like the first time you heard the Beatles.”

His face is one big smile and he’s always joyously hooting while he’s flying down the line. Really, South Africans, or Safas as they’re called, are like diet-Aussies, like Australians minus the “C-word.”

Which is refreshing because it’s pleasant surfing with a people who feel lucky to be in a place. It’s how everyone should be when they’re traveling. Being a tribe that comes from a country of many tribes, rampant violent crime, wild beasts and good waves, they seem to know how to carry themselves correctly in Hawai‘i.

The Tahitians: Calabash cousins These are the French speaking, distant relatives of Hawaiians that come from a place that looks like Hawai‘i did thirty years ago. Or at least like Kaua‘i, minus all the haoles. Compared to the Brazilians or Australians, they are a scant group, but due to their mastery of such homebreaks such as, wait, let me think of one, Teahupo‘o, they are usually right at home in Hawaiian surf. By blood, ability and humble attitude alone, they are well respected, putting them high on the ladder of the North Shore pecking order.

Out of all of the nations aforementioned in this piece, Tahiti gets the least amount of industry influence, yet their surfers, without a doubt, can perform on a top tier level. Tahitian Michael Bourez just won the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Hale‘iwa in November, an ultrachallenging wave and contest against the world’s best. Though their presence in Hawai‘i has always been a special force, this is unquestionably the dawning of a new Polynesian era.

F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

53

The 2008 Van's

TripleofCrown

Surfing No heat sheet necessary

The Work Horse

For the 2007 Reef Hawaiian Pro defending champ, Hale‘iwa isn’t an arena of nostalgia, so much as it is a project. Just one of the many projects this young man must undertake to make a living and find success as a pro surfer.

Meet the humble Kauaian Roy Powers. Roy went into the Triple Crown with the realization that—without some sort of divine intervention—he would not qualify for the ’09 Dream Tour. But dashed dreams do not faze professionals like Roy. He knows that to keep what is quite possibly the greatest job in the world (to be paid to surf), it takes discipline, hard work, and it must be treated like a job.

“Why do we even come to the North Shore? I mean, it’s crowded, and yeah, the waves are good, but we could stay in Kaua‘i for that.” Roy continues, “It’s to get the photos. The more photos we get and the more

54

F R E E S U R F MA G A ZIN E.CO M

we further ourselves in the industry, the more we get paid.”

That’s right, you heard it from a pro: Surfing is work. An unreal job to say the least, but anyone on the WQS knows that it’s only a small minority of the greater surfing majority that actually pulls down an above-average earning from the deal. Anyone can get sponsored, but a box of free clothes, sunglasses and surfboards won’t pay the bills, let alone the mortgage.

Regardless, Roy still thinks he’s got “the greatest job on earth,” and that “the next four months [on the North Shore] are work months… not vacation.” Even Roy’s training and preparation seems specialized and professional. He, along with ’CT buddy, Fred Patacchia, train with Dustin Dillburg on Kaua‘i, a certified chiropractor and doctor of Chinese

Bam eyes his line at perfect Hale‘iwa.

medicine. But when it comes down to the horn, Roy just relaxes and goes with the flow. “I try to have no stress, have a beer, not think too hard, and just enjoy myself out there,” he says.

Speaking of work, the way the 45 rolled over for Slater halfway through the year—calling sour grapes along the way—is a far cry from any definition of “professionalism” you’ll find in any other sport. Many Dream Tour competitors were skipping contests of their choosing solely because the number-one spot was no longer attainable. As the consummate professional, Roy passionately condemns the act. “To be a mainstream sport, this can’t happen,” say Powers emphatically. “Guys don’t pull that shit in the NBA or NFL when they feel like it. Guys are trying to qualify all year. So when you’re on it, you have to think, ‘I’m here and I need to give it my best shot every single time I’m out there.’”

Photo: Rowland/coveredimages

For professional surfing to maintain its validity as a mainstream sport (which, if treated so brings more money to the competitors), then skipping contests “because Kelly won the title again” cannot happen. The events cater to international audiences and fans that want to see guys like Andy Irons blow it up in their hometown. Word to the wise: Take a tip from Roy and get back to work. —Beau Flemister

*Ed Note: Going into the Triple Crown, Roy wasn’t seeded to qualify for the ’09 World tour, but as of press time, Roy’s sitting pretty with an “unofficial” seat on the 45 as Bruce Irons has publicly stated that he will be retiring at the end of the ’08 season, opening up one more spot for Roy on next year’s Tour.

F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

55

2008 Van's Triple Crown It’s Good to be King

In the 1960s, a prepubescent, underdeveloped kid became the stuff of legends by throwing his hundred-pound frame over the lip at what was then regarded as one of the most feared and ferocious waves on the planet. The kid was Jeff Hakman and the wave was Sunset Beach. Through the years, his balls-to-the-wall approach to Sunset would earn him a deity-like reputation in the surf world along with the ubiquitous moniker, “Mr. Sunset.”

Fast-forward some forty-odd years and it appears that Sunset has produced a new “Mr.” But this time the gods picked a big boy to hold the reins in the form of power surfer extraordinaire Pancho Sullivan. With four career victories at Sunset—his most recent coming in the form of the Xcel Pro—and a seemingly uncanny mastery of the peak, Sullivan has cemented himself a reputation as the man to beat out at the Queen of the North Shore.

Following the second stop of the Triple Crown, the O’Neill World Cup of Surfing, we sat down with Sullivan to get his take on Sunset and the Triple Crown. —Jeff Mull FSM: Do you remember the first time you surfed Sunset?

Pancho Sullivan: Growing up, I surfed every part of the reef at Sunset, from Shore’s to Val’s Reef and Sunset Point. My first surf in true Sunset was when I was about 13 years old. I was so far on the shoulder I could see who was walking in and out of Kammies market. It took me about and hour and a half of sitting and shivering before I finally got the courage to move to the inside bowl. It was the best feeling ever. I was hooked for life.

Junior pro standout Dusty Payne.

Photo: Kirstin/coveredimages

FSM: As this was your last year as a full-fledged competitor, did your win earlier in the year at the Xcel Pro have some special meaning?

Pancho: I don’t think any event win or contest really has much meaning in the scheme of life. I was just enjoying riding one of my favorite waves in the world. I really don’t put much emphasis on competitive accolades as a source of deep meaning in my life. It was a blessing to earn some money to support my family but what was meaningful to me was the fact that I was surfing at home and my wife and children and family were there at the beach supporting me and sharing the joy that I get from riding waves. It was very special in that sense.

Miss Moore, Women's Reef Hawaiian Pro champion.

56

F R E E S U R F MA G A ZIN E.CO M

FSM: Do you think a ’CT event at Sunset would be a good thing?

Pancho: No! I don’t think any WCT events on the North Shore are a good thing. It excludes Photo: Kirstin/coveredimages

HAWAII JUNIOR SURF TEAM Ambassadors of Aloha and Hawaii Pride

Keanu Asing - US Champ Under 18 & Under 16 Div. NSSA Explorer National Champ - Boy’s Div.

Baeseman

Riddleberger

Coots

Heff

Malia Manuel - US Open - Woman’s Champion

Leila Hurst - ASP World Jr. 3rd place NSSA Explorer National Champ - Woman’s & Girl’s Div.

Matty Costa - ISA World 3rd place Under 16 Div.

Support our top amateurs as they take to the waters of Ecuador to compete in the International Surfing Association World Junior Surfing Championships March 27th thru April 5th, 2009 Mahalo to Hard Rock Cafe, Hawaii’s World Team Headquarters Check us out at www.hawaiisurfteam.org

HSA

HAWA I I S U R F I N G AS S O C I AT I O N

2008 Van's Triple Crown to many good surfers from the events. People are going to come to watch the events and the media is going to cover the Triple Crown regardless if it’s a WCT or a WQS or a specialty event. The ASP system of attempting to say as if no one outside that 45th spot is good enough to win a surfing event has proved to be a sham and year after year guys outside the top 45 and even outside the top 200 win events on the North Shore: Johnny Boy Gomes, Myles Padaca, Makua Rothman. WCT events also run man-on-man heats, which violates the rules for water shore permits on the North Shore. Not only is it a violation of the rules but it’s also a waste of a precious natural resource.

The guys on the WCT complain like you would not believe about having to surf with three other guys in the water at perfect Pipe. The politics of surfing are pretty obvious, but you won’t find the media doing any deep investigation because they are too busy trying to appease the people buying the bulk of the advertising in their magazines.

Marcus Hickman, perched for the drop.

Photo: Cestari/coveredimages

Megan Abubo harnesses Sunset push.

Photo: Cestari/coveredimages

By Torrey Meister's body language, you'd never know he was surfing a heat.

Photo: Kirstin/coveredimages

FSM: Going into the O’Neill world cup, what was your mindset like? Were you relaxed, frothed, or was it just another day at the office?

Pancho: I was pretty relaxed actually. I was bummed that the surf was so crappy and I expressed how I felt to Randy Rarick. Randy is a businessman and he has his own interest at heart, so when it come to running the events, it’s not always about the performance of the surfing that he cares about. The reality was that if it was a normal day and guys had the opportunity to be free surfing Sunset, there would not have been a single person in the water. Riding a huge board and trimming is not where surfing is at in 2008.

The “wow factor” brings people to the beach more than contests do and it helps sell a lot of T-shirts, period.

The Chocolate Factory

The Billabong Pipeline Masters, the third jewel of the Van’s Triple Crown of Surfing and the final event of the ASP World Tour season, is no place for a professional surfer lurking on the ’CT bubble, staring down the arduous task of another year trudging away at beachbreak after beachbreak on the ’QS. The pressure of making a heat at Pipe is stressful enough. Can you image paddling out in 6- to 8-foot dredging barrels with the prospects of your career hanging in the balance of a 40-minute heat?

Some blokes make it through by the overgrown hairs on their chin, others pack up and head home with their head down, not wanting to think about the nightmarish legwork they will be putting forth on the ’QS to hopefully get back to the Dream Tour. But for the lucky, say, top 15 surfers on the WCT, the only sweating they’ll be doing at Pipe is drawing Jamie O’Brien in a heat.

Fred Patacchia slid into the Pipe event seated at a cool 11th in the ASP Men’s World Tour rankings. The Pipeline specialist, North Shore

58

F R E E S U R F MA G A ZIN E.CO M

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE

HAVE IT YOUR WAY

*Price and participation may vary. TM & Š 2008 Burger King Brands, Inc. All rights reserved.

2008 Van's Triple Crown specialist, golf junkie and summertime secret skatepark surfer has been riding a high since his second place finish at the Rip Curl Pro Search in Bali. Even though he failed to advance out of Round 3, there was no sweat on his brow.

Backdoor was the predominant barrel, Pipe was fickle and chocolaty and Kelly’s shorter shortboard turned over 3,000 heads that showed up to watch the finals in the rain.

With Andy and Bruce officially taking the year off in 2009, save for wild card appearances at Teahupo‘o and Pipeline, Fred cements the Hawai‘i contingent going into 2009.

—Kevin Whitton

From Dreams to Reality

Kelly Slater slots the "Deep Six."

Photo: Rowland/coveredimages

Runner-up barrel master Chris Ward.

60

F R E E S U R F M AG A ZIN E.CO M

Photo: Rowland/coveredimages

Kaua‘i’s Dustin Barca and O‘ahu’s Kekoa “Bam” Bacalso are the two newest Hawai‘i installments on the Men’s ASP World Tour. Fittingly known as the Dream Tour, for these two up-and-comers it’s a dream come true just to be named amongst the world’s elite.

The WQS is no walk in the park. It takes a lot of time, effort, and funds to be able to trek across the globe to surf in contests that aren’t always held at world-class venues. However, within the ’QS quagmire are a few amazing events with world-class waves, and it’s been said that when the waves are pumping and perfect, the Hawaiians will shine. Bam, Barca, and a handful of other Hawai‘i surfers proved the theory true at the Sri Lanka Pro at Pasta Point in the Maldives. A light ignited at the end of the tunnel for Kekoa and Dustin as they took first and second place. Pasta Point was an excellent start to their year and provided a significant step in the right direction towards qualifying for the ’CT. Throughout the rest of the year, each had their fair share of good results. Barca made a run for it in the Brazilian leg of the tour, adding a few podium appearances towards his purpose, whereas Bacalso pieced together his profile with scattered results across the globe. Despite their success, fate dictated they wait until the final leg of the season at home in Hawai‘i.

Both surfers needed a strong showing at either Hale‘iwa or Sunset to secure their spot on the 2009 Dream Tour. The wave gods blessed the Reef Hawaiian Pro as Ali‘i Beach hosted some of its most high scoring heats in the history of the venue. Among the in-form surfers were Barca, who made it to the quarterfinals, and Bacalso, who placed third in the event. Bacalso also surfed in a semi-final boasting so many barrels that it’ll be remembered for years.

Finishing strong in Hale‘iwa alone placed Barca at 12th and Bacalso at 9th on the ’QS ratings, relieving them of their limbo status.

With nerves eased, both could surf the Sunset contest just for fun while the rest of the ’QS questionables still had clinched stomachs. As for now, rest assured they’re psyching for Snapper in the spring. —Noa Myers

They’re to live for

hawaii 74-5483 Kaiwi St. Big Island, Hawaii 808-329-3335

66-560 Kam Hwy Haleiwa, HawAii 808-637-4573

EPORT

GROM R

Surf art by Elise Nicole

FR EE SU

MKH 3.75x1.5 ad:Layout 1 OceanGirlArt.com

10/24/08

12:03 PM

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

Page 1

www.maunakaihawaii.com Jewelry | Home Decor | Trophies | Surf Art | Slippers

*Retail*Wholesale*Custom* Nam Nic e: Ma Birt kname kai M Stan hdate : Eggy cNama ra Spo ce: Re March n 3 g s u , o l Surf 199 r bo s: … ar 5

INDOBOARD Balance Trainers are available at: Aloha Board Shop Hawaiian Island Creations Hawaiian South Shore ■ Moku Hawaii ■ Tropical Rush ■ Big Island Surf Shop ■ Kai Kane ■ Hi Tech Sports W W W. I N D O B O A R D . C O M ■ ■

San ards Lost , Bla Surf uk, ckli N ne, Sam Sea Wat bazon, , erm an’s Sun scre en

■

Kalani Vierra photos: Gibber PARTS

• ACCESSORIES

Whitton

• TOW HITCHES

We’ll Hook You Up.

Watercraft Trailer HAWAII’S

P R O F E S S I O N A L S

SPECTRUM TRAILERS

94-150

LEOLEO

H AWA I I

STREET

#11A

(808) 677 • 8892 TOLL FREE

(800) 677 • 8892 •

WA I PA H U

FREE SURF MAGAZINE Surf Saver Ad 3.75” x 1.5”

Heff

Continued on page 67

Contact: Kathleen Ells

Chaz Kinoshita, organically grown on Maui,

age

11

6th grade favorite wave, maalaea favorite surfer, matt meola, kelly slater, matt kinoshita veg out favorite music band- prong board used- 5’1” x 16.5” x 1.875” milkman other skills- orange belt Brazillian juiu jitsu wishes to be a big wave surfer like dad kalama intermediate, favorite food,

EPORT

GROM R FR EE SU

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

Makai McNamara

Continued from page 64

School: Elite Element Academy Hometown: North Shore Home Break: Shores Post-Session Grinds: Cinnamon rolls at Ted’s Bakery Favorite Video Game System: I suck at video games Favorite Surf Movie: Stranger Than Fiction Favorite Music: Le disco Favorite Activity When Not Surfing: Training Favorite Surfers: Mick, Parko, Dion, Clay, Julian, Kelia Moniz Favorite Maneuvers: Switch 360 McTwists on 10-footers at the Banzai Favorite Wave: Everywhere Friend’s List: All da trogs Off-Island Travels: Indo, Fiji, Tahiti, Cali, Outer Islands Surf Trip Dream Destination: Micronesia Best Advice from Pops (or Mom): Have fun Highlights in your surfing career: I don’t know about that one. I don’t have many highlights yet!

What bugs you the most? Temari and Sister Girlfriend? Looking or no time? I suck with girls Would you ever ride a fish or a twin fin? Yeah!

In your division/age group, who’s the surfer to beat? All da boyz Skateboarding: Ankle breaker or good times? It’s fun, but scary For surfing, is the kickflip doable? If you’re on crack!

What are the biggest waves you’ll surf? That depends what kind of mood I’m in Worst wipeout? Kewalos, solid half-a-foot on the inside bowl Would you rather have Carissa Moore as your girlfriend or in your heat? I’m tripping on this question

Best Contest Results: First – 2008 Koastal Kaos Sunset Beach, Boys 12-and-Under Division Second – 2008 NSSA Nationals, Explorer Menehune Division Third – 2008 NSSA Nationals, Open Boys Division

MacDaddy

UTION

DISTRIB FR EE SU

R FM AG

AZ

Smoothies Vegetarian Plates Organic & Sustainable Breakfast & Lunch

M IN E. C O

66-443 Kam. Haleiwa, HI 96712 Photo: Heff

808-637-4540

Monday thru Saturday 9 to 5 Sunday 9 to 4

spaghettini

HAWAI‘I: O‘ahu: North Shore: Aikane Kai Surf Shop, Aloha General Store, Aoki Shave Ice, Banzai Sushi, Breakers, Cafè Haleiwa, Cholo’s, Da Board Shop, Deep Ecology, Haleiwa Eats, Hawaiian Island Creations, Island Shack, Kemoo Pub, Killer Tacos, Kono’s, Kua Aina, Matsumoto Shave Ice, Quiksilver Boardriders Club, Raging Isle, Spaghettini, Starbucks Pupukea, Strong Current, Surf N Sea, Surf and Sail, Ted’s Bakery, Tropical Rush, Turtle Bay Resort, Waimea Falls Grill, WRV, Xcel East Side: HIC, Hukilau Cafe, Hukilau Surf, Island Snow, Laie Inn, Maui Tacos, Muddy Waters Espresso, Point Break, Uncle Bobo West Side: Blue Hawaii Surf Outlet,Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, Local Motion South Shore: Billabong Waikiki, Blue Hawaii, Blue Planet, Borders, Clips, Down To Earth, Downing Hawaii, Drift Surf, Hawaiian South Shore, HIC, Honolua Surf Co., House of Flys, Koa Board Sports, Kua Aina, Local Motion, Mauka to Makai, MR3, Quiksilver Waikiki, Quiksilver Youth, Rip Curl Ala Moana, Roxy, Russ K Boardriders, Sera’s Surf & Shore, Surf Co., Surf Garage, T&C, Tropical Blends, Turbo Surf, Up and Riding, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos, Xcel Maui: Lahaina: Billabong Retail, Boardriders Lahaina, Boardriders Whaler’s Village, Honolua Surf Co., Local Motion, Maui Surf Company, Maui Water Wear, Maui Tropix, Napili Coffee, Paradise Smoothie, Surfline Store Town: Ainokea, Borders, Hawaiian Island Sun Sports, Hawaiian Surf Works, Hi-Tech Surf, Las Pinatas, Lightning FreeSurf Magazine is available at all Jamba Juice Locations in Hawai‘i!

6/9/06

3:28 PM

Page 1

Bolt, Local Motion, Maui Tropix, Neil Pryde, Otopia, Second Wind, Shapers, The Foam Company Kihei: Big Wave Cafè, Jaws Fish Tacos, Local Motion, Maui Tacos Paia: Anthony’s, Da Kine Factory Store, Hana Hwy Surf, Jaws Fish Tacos, Live Wire Cafè, Maui Tropix, Sailboards Maui, Simmer Big Island: Hilo: Big Island Surf-Prince Kuhio Plaza, Big Island Surf-Bayfront, Hilo Surfboard Company, Local Style, Orchidland Surfboards Kona: 808 Surf & Skate, A‘ama Surf & Sport, Big Island Surf, Conscious Riddims Records Inc., Hawaii Lifeguards, Honolua Surf Co., Honolua Wahine, Kahalu‘u Bay Oshima Surf, Killer Tacos, Kona Boyz, Miller’s Surf & Sport, Pacific Vibrations, Surf & Sea, World Core Pahoa: Jeff Hunt Surfboards, Kona Boyz Waimea: Big Island Surf Kaua‘i: Hanalei: Bamboo Bamboo, Bikini Room, Hanalei Backdoor, Hanalei Surf Company, Mormaii, Kai Kane Princeville: Paradise Kilauea: Kilauea Bakery Kapaa: Tamba, M. Miura, The Wave Wailua: Chicks Who Rip, Kauai Surf Company, Play Dirty, Underwater Lihue: Deja Vu, Honolua Surf Co., Hawaiian Blades, Jamba Juice Poipu: Aloha Surf Shop, Honolua Surf Co., Nukumoi, Progressive Expressions Kalaheo: Kaleheo Steak House Ele Ele: Grinds Cafè Hanapepe: Dr. Ding MAINLAND DISTRIBUTION: FreeSurf Magazine is also distributed at select locations on the Mainland. Ask for it by name.

FreeSurf Magazine is proudly carried on Hawaiian Airlines.

Open Daily from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm In the heart of Haleiwa

637-0104

SUBSCRIPTIONS are available online at www.freesurfmagazine.com

LUGS

FREE P FR EE SU

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

1 Hawaiian Surf Experience Day

Swanson

Swanson

Swanson

2 Keali‘i Mamala

Jeff Widender

Ruiz, Grant Willing, and Distrikt Collective. This exclusive series is designed to showcase the artwork of Analog artists, team riders, photographers, and friends.

Riddleberger

On December 7, 2008 the Mauli Ola Foundation “Breath of Life” presented its first Hawaiian Surf Experience Day at Hale‘iwa Beach Park to benefit children and young adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) (1). It has been suggested that exposure to salt water helps as a natural therapy. Seven kids and young adults, ranging from 12 to 25 years of age, took part in the exciting event sponsored by Volcom and Da Hui, Buttons Surf School and Hawai‘i Waves Surf School. Kala Alexander, Kamalei Alexander, Tye Van Dyke, Gavin Beschen, Alex Gray, Dusty Payne, Mitch Colborn, Tom Dosland, Shawn “Barney” Barron, Claire Bevilacqua, and Jamie O’Brien showed up to support the cause. www.mauliola.org Analog’s third PLA (Permanent Light Archive) series is out on the shelves and features photographers including Andy Wright, Craig Wetherby, Reuben

Keali‘i Mamala (2) makes history at the fourth annual Nelscott Reef Tow Classic by winning the first-ever paddle-in division at a wave considered only attainable by tow-in. It was a winner-takeall 45-minute heat with nine surfers going for the gold.

Keali‘i snagged the wave of the day, a 35-foot-plus bomb on his 10'6" quad-fin Stretch.

On December 23, 2008, Makua Rothman, Mark Healey, Kala Alexander, Mel Pu‘u (as Santa), Myles Padaca, Fred Patacchia, Tyler Newton, Tom Stone, Eddie Rothman and Bryan Amona from Da Hui showed up at the Kapiolani Women and Children’s Hospital to bring holiday cheer to children who weren’t able to make it home for Christmas.

Santa and the boys made the Christmas rounds to lift the spirits and spread good tidings to the keiki.

Two-time Women’s Pipeline Pro Champion Alana Blanchard

LUGS

FREE P FR EE SU

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

3 Alana Blanchard 5 Bethany Hamilton 4 Volcom Store

Haleiwa Town Center

�next to Food For Thought�

10 :00 am – 6 ISH 808. 637.9670 guavahawaii.com

qualified for the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour.

KONA, BIG ISLAND 808-326-1771 76-6246 Alii Drive | OPEN 8:00-6:00

BODY BOARDS Ballistic Custom-X BZ Cartel Morrey Toobs Unit-X Vortex VS J.L. Designs Nomad Turbo NMD Empire Manta 4-Play Toys H.B. elmnop Wave Rebel Body Glove Stewart Science

BODY BOARD LEASHES BSD Custom-X Bully’s Creatures Dakine No Friends Gyroil e lmnop BODY BOARD FINS Blunt Cuts Custom-X DaFin Kicks BZ Vipers Churchill Hydro Tech V-Duck Unit-X Duck Feet

SURF EQUIPTMENT & ACCESSORIES OAM Daline Komunity Futures FCS O’Fishl ProTeck Local Motion Arnette Hoven SPY Sanuk Vertra

SKATEBOARDS/ TRUCKS/BEARINGS (all parts sold separate)

element Plan B GIRL Chocolate Almost Blind Darkside Dogtown Gravity enjoi Alien Workshop Spitfire Thunder Grind King Venture Independent Bones and more...

The Volcom Bruce Irons signature store (4) opened it doors in the heart of Waik-lk-l. With high ceilings and a massive video projection unit, it’s location at 2134 Kalakaua, at the intersection of Beachwalk and Kalakaua, is more than just a Volcom store, but also a showcase of sorts for the many accomplishments of Bruce Irons surfing career. Some of his most prized trophies like his Eddie Aikau and Pipe Masters trophies are housed in specially designed showcases. The store walls are also covered with countless photos of Bruce’s family and friends.

Bethany Hamilton (5) finished second to Rip Curl teammate

Pauline Ado at the most prestigious junior event in the world, the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships at North Narrabeen Beach, Australia. For Bethany, this marked one of the greatest feats in her decorated surfing career.

On the men’s side of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships, 19-year-old Kai Barger claimed the ASP World Junior Title. “I’m as high as Saturn’s kite baby!”

Barger said. In addition to the prestigious ASP World Junior Title, Barger is also awarded preferred seeding into all ASP World Qualifying Series events in 2009, a great advantage in the qualification quest for the elite ASP World Tour.

Heff

Courtesy Volcom

Open

OK

LAST LO FR EE SU

R FM AG

AZ IN E.

COM

ttt Flying high from his win in macking Sunset at the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing , Clifton James Hobgood has room to stretch his arms and relax deep in the pit. Photo: Baeseman

72

F R E E S U R F MA G A ZIN E.CO M

Photo: Baeseman

F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

73

2008 ASP World Longboard Champion

PHOTOS BY: DORSEY

Welcome to the Ohana

74

F R E E S U R FMA G A ZIN E.CO M

Maui

Whalers Village, Ka’anapali Front Street Lahaina Cannery Mall South Kihei Shops At Wailea Paia

Big Island

Kona Inn Shopping Village Kings’ Shops Waikoloa

Oahu

Outrigger Waikiki Hilton Hawaiian Village Pearlridge Center Aloha Tower Marketplace Waikiki Beach Walk Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Royal Hawaiian Center

Kauai

Poipu Shopping Village Anchor Cove

www.honoluasurf.com