Eating It: fueling your sesh pg 40
Discover This
Soul Doubt?
The Plight of the st
21 - Century Surfer
Alex and Koa Smith Mike Bruneau Photo: Baeseman
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VOLUME 6 NUMBER 9
Heirs to the Throne
Third World Hellholes...We Found ’Em •
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Photo: Baeseman
Torrey Meister meaning to match his boardshorts and fins: coincidence; Torrey Meister sticking a huge double-grab air: fate.
F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M
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Double Parked
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Download this image and others at FreeSurfmagazine.com
Photo: Baeseman
Tom Dosland, right on track heading into winter.
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aperture
Infiltrating our favorite archipelago
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State of surf
Has the green blackened our soul or given us wings?
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Never say die
The next evolution of Kaua‘i’s bloodline
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This photo available at www.freesurfmagazine.com
Contents FSM V6#9
Photo: Heff
Mason Ho, throwing rainbows.
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Model: Alessandra
Photo: Carol Olivia
Contents FSM V6#9
10 FREE PARKING Torrey Meister 12 Double parked Tom Dosland 24 COVER STORY Mikey Bruneau 26 MASTHEAD 28 EDITOR’S NOTE Moving On Up 30 FREE-TIME GALLERY Eh Howzit! 32 INSIDE SECTION V intage Surf Auction // Target //
Age of Discovery // Yearbook // Just the Tips
36 WHATEVAS Out of Eden 38 GROM REPPORT Ian Gentil 40 FIT FOR SURF Pre-session Grinds 74 SURF SCIENCE Murphy’s Law 76 QUALITY TIME Duane DeSoto 78 NEWS & EVENTS Rip Curl GromSearch 80 PAU HANA Brothers Ciotti 82 FREE PLUGS Industry Notes 90 LAST LOOK Relampago de la Playa Hermosa
On the cover
Photo: Heff
The Age of Discovery
There were a lot of elements that went into the building of this magazine that you now hold in your hands. As a wise man once told me, putting a monthly magazine together is akin to herding cats. But this issue, this bound piece of paper and ink that represents the collective sweat and work of the entire FREESURF team, is special for us; it’s a swatch of imagination, hard work, and fine-tuning that we think rests on a higher plane. Although FREESURF is read all across the world, this issue goes to the tradeshow in the industry’s beating heart, Southern California, and is our opportunity to show the rest of the surf world what Hawai‘i’s leading surf magazine is all about. With the weight of the industry bearing down on our shoulders, Editor in Chief Kevin Whitton and I began sculpting an issue that we thought had it all. From the overstuffed Photo Gallery (Aperture, p.42) featuring the best of Eric Baeseman’s recent sojourn to the Society Islands, to the introspective thoughts from one of our favorite wordsmiths, Beau Flemister, on the effect the Dead Presidents are having on the soul of our cherished sport (Title p.58), you can rest assured that this is one of the most eclectic issues we’ve ever produced. We even profiled Alex and Koa Smith, the latest pair of Garden Island Brothers poised to take over the sport (Never Say Die, p.68). And if that wasn’t enough, we’re going so far as to tell you what you should be eating before your next session (Eating It, p.40). And then there’s the cover, a nifty (yeah, I just used the word nifty) shot of North Shore local and Pipe connoisseur, Mikey Bruneau, getting slotted in a bowl of Tahitian home cooking. This issue is Hawai‘i, this is FREESURF, and as we so aptly mentioned on the cover, DISCOVER THIS. —Jeff Mull
On the Cover: Mikey Bruneau Photo: Baeseman
To l l Fre e : ( 8 0 0 ) 4 4 3 - 5 6 5 6
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A product of Manulele, Inc. Volume 6 • Number 9 Publisher Mike Latronic
Editorial Editor Kevin Whitton Associate Editor Jeff Mull Photo Editor Tony Heff Art Director Richard Hutter
Free Thinkers Beau Flemister, Jack Kittinger, Siri Masterson, Noa Myers, Manny Pangilinan, Tom Stone
Staff Photographers Eric Baeseman, Tony Heff, Mike Latronic, Tyler Rock
Contributing Photographers Nathan Adams, Eric Aeder, Kirk Lee Aeder, Jamie Ballenger, Mark Berkowitz, Brian Bielmann, John Bilderback, Holt Blanchard, Vince Cavataio, Mike Coots, Darin Crawford, Hilton Dawe, Patrick Devault, Damea Dorsey, Willi Edwards, Brandon Ells, Beau Flemister, Isaac Frazer, Pete Frieden, Kirby Fukunaga, Ryan Gamma, Gordinho, Chris Hagan, John Helper, Jon Huberman, Rick Hurst, Buzzy Kerbox, Danny Kim, Kin Kimoto, Peter King, Ric Larsen, Bruno Lemos, Mana, Mike McGinnis, Ikaika Michaels, Justin Morizono, Allen Mozo, Dave Nelson, Carol Oliva, Manny Pangilinan, Christian Peralta, Steve Robertson, Pake Solomon, Epes Sargent, Bobby Schutz, Spencer Suitt, Bill Taylor, Paul Teruya, Kevin Whitton, Jimmy Wilson
Sales Director of Sales and Marketing Sean Wingate Advertising Executive Shaun Lopez Business Development Tina Marie Business Coordinator Cora Sanchez Executive Assistant Siri Masterson
Advertising Inquiries Sean Wingate swingate@freesurfmagazine.com 808-429-8460 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 FREESURFon 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 is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged submissions or their return. 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.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Moving On Up By Kevin Whitton
For a surfer, proximity to the ocean is everything. It defines daily routines to and from the coast and rituals of sunrise and sunset veneration. Getting in the water is the basis around how we organize our day and the easier it is to get wet, the more that the stresses and speed bumps of life drip off our fingertips with the post-surf rinse. For the past three years I’ve been living on the east side of O‘ahu, on a nice little patch of red dirt right on Ka- ne‘ohe Bay. The trades whipped through our abode, the rain did most of the watering of the yard for me and the deep, dark waters lapping up on the small, silty beach put me to sleep without worry. Thing is, we lived at the back of the bay, where mountain streams carrying street runoff water reached their oceanic terminus and those same cooling tradewinds pushed all sorts of organic and synthetic marine debris up onto the shell-ridden shore. Let’s just say that living by that body of water was a blessing and a curse. But finally, I’m moving. Some folks need to be right on the beach, their backdoor opening up to a world-class wave, and others prefer centrality, posted up in the middle of the island where it's not too far of a drive to wherever it’s breaking on any given day. Living in Ka- ne‘ohe, you’re neither close to a breaking wave nor centrally located, which means I drive a lot. No, I drive a shit load. I’ve become an expert at the critical non-rush hour times to navigate
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traffic, low-profile parking spots and back-alley short cuts, all of which is nothing to brag about. In fact, I’m stoked that my life on the road, and on the bay, has come to an end. Some people live at the ocean and visit the mountains and some live in the mountains and visit the ocean. Well, living in Ka- ne‘ohe is like living in the mountains and I’m finally moving to the ocean. I can regain two lost hours of my life every day, lost to the monotony of steering an accelerating hunk of metal in a circle around the island. I’ll be reclaiming youth like Mr. Buttons himself. My truncated, rushed and hopefully daily surf session can be extended to a muscle-burning feat of athleticism and I’ll still be home in time for the baby handoff. I grew up watching a giant flaming ball fall into the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. Lately, I’ve been watching that same orange ball jump out from behind a marine base and it just doesn’t sit well with me. There isn’t the same intensity; gone is the closure to a day that comes with a burning sky at dusk. I need the sunset over the water. I’m a West Coaster, not an East Coaster. Since all things are relative, I have to admit that my new locale is not beachfront, it’s not a bike ride to the surf and it’s not at ocean level. In fact, my new vantage point is from a verdant escarpment overlooking some of the best surf on this planet, and I couldn’t be luckier. I’ve got the mountains, the ocean, the sunsets and time.
Illustration: Drewtoonz
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2 1 Proof you don’t have to be in a bikini to get a shot in the mag. 2 But it doesn’t hurt either.
Photo: Frieden
Photo: Latronic
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7 Alex Gray has his hands full. Photo: Heff 8 FSM 10:14: Thou shall smite thy brother whilst on the green.
3 Big umbrella, little rig.
Photo: Baeseman
9 True…so true.
4 Mick Lowe, cooling off.
Photo: Latronic
10 Chris and Carissa, what’s not to smile about.
5 I heart whiplash.
Photo: Frieden
6 Slow-mo on high speed.
Photo: Latronic
Photo: Heff
Photo: Latronic
11 Too bad you weren’t invited.
Photo: Heff
Photo: Heff
EH HOWZIt!
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inside section
The Age of Discovery Somalia
This volatile country that hugs most of the Horn of Africa has thousands of miles of coastline ripe for the picking. It also hasn’t had a functional government for the last 15 years. Ask the pirates to drop you off at a pointbreak en route to their next heist.
2 2 2 2
Russia
The Kamchatka Peninsula has to have some sick waves. All those North Pacific storms pumping lines over to Hawai‘i should be shooting swell over there, too. Just make sure you bring at least 7 mils of rubber.
India
E
xploration and surfing go hand in hand. After all, with the here-todaygone-tomorrow nature of swells, it’s usually pumping somewhere else on this massive blue globe. Bruce Brown’s The Endless Summer is a perfect modern-day cinematic illustration of The Quest. And with the advent of such brilliant Big Brother spy gear like Google Earth, we’re finding waves in places with names we can’t pronounce. Do you have the stomach to bail the luxury boat trip for the adventure and unknown of surf discovery that truly defines the hardcore international surfer? —Beau Flemister
It only takes one quick look at a map of the hub of Middle Eastern culture to realize that there has to be at least a hundred secret spots that the world hasn’t caught onto along the pyramidal east and west coastlines. Wait for the monsoon season and follow Gandhi’s footsteps down the path of enlightenment.
Pakistan
The proof is in the pictures; yes, there are sick waves in the land of Allah. The Makran coastline along the Arabian Sea has numerous sandy left pointbreaks. Hire a driver in a machine-gun mounted jeep, grow out your beard (ladies don a burkah) and prepare for a surf insurgency.
Just The Tips
When you’re falling off the map, not everything goes to plan: Your girlfriend goes AWOL, you wake up in a bathtub full of ice with a striking pain where your kidneys used to be or you’re chewing on the barrel of an AK. Sometimes you have to learn your lessons the hard way. To avoid Third World dungeons and a mouth full of blood and chipped teeth, what you need are a few good tricks up your sleeve. Try these out in the hairiest of situations; you might just come out alive. —BF
only the necessities, no more than two sets of clothes, one pair of 1 Pack boardshorts. If you’re going tropical, nudity is the most practical choice.
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A smile goes a long way when language is a barrier. Try saying this with a grin next time you’re knee deep in the favelas: “Se você me desatar, Eu te mostro aonde esta o dinheiro.” (If you untie me, I’ll show you where the money is.)
extremely nice to the airline ticket agent. Most people haven’t 3 Befigured this out so when you show up with nothing but courtesy,
they’re more likely to hook you up. Just image how far $100 goes in Galle, Sri Lanka.
up and wait. Be prepared to sit around airports and bus stations, 4 Hurry marooned by unexpected delays. Have a mag, your iPod and your patience handy.
5 6 Bribery is king on the road. Bribe a skycap to get your bags
When you set your board bag on the scale, pretend like your steadying the bag and lift the end up secretly with a foot to lighten the weight.
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and avoid the ticket agent all together. 7 pre-checked Don’t stare at a map in public unless you want to be the next mark at the bus station.
travel with drugs. Unlike the U.S., profiling is frequent and legal 8 Don’t and surfers are seen as the drug-toting types. medical supplies like Band-aids, rubbing alcohol, Neosporin and 9 Buy malaria contraception in the host country. This will save you room in your bag and it’s always cheaper abroad.
a phrase book so you can approach people in their language. This 10 Buy will help to make friends and avoid getting ripped off. Guaranteed. a pack of cigarettes with you at all times, even if you don’t smoke. 11 Carry Offering a grit to an eggy police officer or a 16-year-old rebel soldier with a death grip on a machine gun is a great way to take the edge off.
some extra T-shirts and stickers for the kids you encounter along 12 Pack the way. Your faded Gotcha tank top is gold in Guadalajara.
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inside section
On Target Carissa Moore Signs with Retail Giant
Department mogul Target made its first strides into the surf world recently by officially signing one of surfing’s most publicized female upstarts, Carissa Moore, to their national brand. The deal opens up the Minnesota-based company that posted a net income of $2.2 billion in profits in 2008 to the surf industry for the first time. Although the company’s entrance to the sport will inevitably raise a number of eyebrows, Target has been a player in the action-sports industry for nearly a decade, supporting snowboarding giant Shaun White for eight years. By signing Moore, who at 16 years old is a two-time NSSA National Champ and is currently leading the WQS, Target is making a relatively understated entrance to the game. The details of Moore’s contract have not yet been released. “We’ve been looking at Carissa for a few years now and after meeting with her and her family, we feel that she’s a perfect fit for our company and represents us well,” said Target Lifestyle Manager, Troy Michels. “Right now we’re not looking at doing anything but supporting Carissa and making sure that she gets all of the best opportunities out there.” Currently, Target is keeping their role in the surf world low-key, opting to keep their marketing team restrained in the coming years. “We’re currently not going to do any advertisements in the magazines or sponsor any events,” said Michels. When asked if Target will be pursuing any other surfers to add to their bulls-eye logo, Michels did not discount the idea, but remained adamant that they are currently only supporting Moore. “I can’t say if we’re going to be sponsoring anyone else or not in the surf industry just yet. But right now, we’re putting our support behind Carissa.” Moore, who is poised to make her debut at the elite level come next year, effervescently stated that, “I love Target and I am honored to make my relationship with them official. Target opened two stores in Hawai‘i this year and it’s been great to have one so close to home. I’m really excited and am looking forward to working together. I know we’ll have a lot of fun.” —Jeff Mull
Photo: Hawaiianswell.com
Going Once, Going Twice, Sold The Hawaiian Islands Vintage Surf Auction in Honolulu raked in a handful of records (not the vinyl kind) and a hollow wooden board full of dough. A record 379 international bidders packed the Blaisdell Center for the fifth biennial roundup of vintage surf memorabilia. Last auction’s single-item record of $33,000 was smashed twice by the star of the show, an 11'0" Bob Simmons foam sandwich board (1949/50) from the James Arness “Gunsmoke” collection that topped the night at $40,000, and a1955 Matt Kivlin 10'4" balsa board for $39,000, both going to an Australian bloke with deep pockets. Lighting Bolts went for $25,000, and Shaun Tomson’s surf trunks and trophy from the 1975 Duke Surf Classic pulled in more than 10 grand. All together, the auction raised $767,546, with a portion of every sale made being donated to the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, along with the Surfing Heritage Foundation and the Surfrider Foundation.—KW
Hot Summer Nights Is there really anything better than a day spent roasting in the warm waters off town with a pulsing southerly? The answer is yes, but only if that day can be capped with a fashion show chock full of scantily clad women and free-flowing drinks. Welcome to Lucy Love’s latest nightcap and fashion show at Tiki’s Bar and Grill in Waikiki. Lucky for us FSM front man Mike Latronic was on the guest list and got a front seat view of the action. “The party and fashion show was awesome. It was a killer night. Lucy Love emulates fun and what’s better than spending a day surfing good Town only to top it off with a killer shindig?” For more info on the party, check out Freesurfmagazine.com
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inside section
Whatevas
Photo: Baeseman
Out of Eden Even Paradise Gets Old
There’s a common, haunting question we face as surfers from Hawai‘i when we strike out on the path of surf travel, “If you’re from Hawai‘i, then why are you here?” As if every single day in Hawai‘i the waves are 6- to 8-foot, the winds perfectly offshore and the barrels as round as doughnuts. Yeah, there are definitely those days when you roll up to ‘Ehukai and look to your right to see every wave to Sunset is firing, then check to the left to watch the lineups all the way to Ke Iki spin off barrel after spitting barrel. No doubt, this is Paradise, but winds do turn onshore, surf zones go flat and the crowds can be horrendous. While Hawai‘i is definitely one of a kind, bridging the gap between epic surf and comfortable lifestyles, sans passport, sometimes you have to get off the islands in search of greener pastures. Maybe you can relate to doldrums of living in paradise than make us want to skip out on Eden for a week or two, or three, or four… —BF
1. The Sleeping Giant
With the exception of a random, out of season summer swell or two, the Seven Mile Miracle closes up shop from June through early September. And usually, after clinging on to that high of weekly small to medium north swells funneling empty rights through Rocky Point as late as May, you just don’t want that feeling to end. The bummer quickly fades as you realize that it’s still winter in a hundred places south of the Equator.
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2. Summer Bummers
With the summer of late being an outlier to the norm, the best one in over a decade, summer is usually a time of over hyped and infrequent swell occurrences. Because south swells travel thousands of miles from the frigid waters off New Zealand to grace our southern shores, they arrive with questionable vigor and lulls that require a fishing pole to keep your sanity. The crowds swell with the gentler conditions and the peak tourist season. Egos flare as all sorts of surf craft collide. It’s no wonder there’s no better time to seek out far away alternatives.
3. Ex-Patriotism
In most out-of-the-way surf destinations, take Indonesia for example, the cost of living is far less than in Hawai‘i. Forget about expensive food, gas, rent and beer, it’s all available for at least half of what you would be spending at home. In this troubled economy, airlines are practically begging you to fly with generously discounted airfare. So shack up in a warung, shack up at Ulus and save a boatload of money in the process. You can’t afford not to go on a surf trip!
4. Wait, No Zippy’s?
Sometimes the best part of taking a break from paradise is to get reacquainted with it upon your return. With a pang in your heart, you’ll realize how truly lucky we are to live in a place as stable, beautiful and climatically perfect as Hawai‘i. The old adage that a crummy day of surf in Hawai‘i is epic for somewhere like Florida will always hold true and don’t forget that most of our waves are reef breaks with channels, a luxury many surfers outside of Hawai‘i are without. Try this the next time you’re out at any given break on the island: look towards the shore and tell us that view isn’t worth returning to, over and over again…
Grom Report
Maui’s
Ian Gentil Nickname: lhama Birthday: February 12, 1996 Sponsors: Nike 6.0, Dakine and …Lost School: CMA - ‘ia Hometown: Pa Home Break: Ho‘okipa Post-Session Grinds: Sandwich Favorite Surf Movie: Days of the Strange Favorite Music: I don’t really care Favorite Activity When Not Surfing: Playing around on the trampoline Favorite Surfers: Jordy, Dane, Andy and Slater Favorite Maneuver: Barrels Favorite Wave: Pretty much any wave in the Mentawais Off Island Travels: Mentawais, California, Brazil, Australia, Tahiti, Mexico and Nicaragua Surf Trip Dream Destination: I’d love to surf Kirra Best Contest Results: NSSA Nationals 2009, First Place Open Boys and Menehune; Surfing America 2008, First Place Best Advice from Mom and Pops: Always try to have fun What bugs you the most? When it’s flat Ever ride a fish or a longboard? I ride my rocket a lot In your age group, who’s the surfer to beat? Brother, I guess, maybe Koa or Lahiki Skateboarding: ankle breaker or good times? Good times Tattoos: cool or for bikers only? I would never get one
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Photo: Epes
Fit for Surf
Pre-Session Grinds
It could be the best move of your entire session
We’ve all been there before. Halfway through a marathon session and the hunger pangs reach full effect, twisting your gut into knots. You’re moments away from tasting your wax or licking your fiberglass, but the surf is too damn fine to go in, so you stay out and deal with the stomach rumblings. In an effort to keep this madness from happening again, FREESURF is setting you wise to what you should eat pre-marathon surf session. We consulted Sarah Stepath, our favorite dietician (what…you don’t have a favorite?), to figure out what’s the best thing to fill up on before a gut-busting surf. “Before a surf session, it’s important to not go out on either a too full or too empty stomach,” explains Stepath. “Having a meal high in complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat, and protein will keep you full and energized while you’re in the water. Try to avoid anything with too much fat and grease because these are more difficult for your body to digest and you may really regret that cheeseburger halfway into your session.” Keep in mind that the prone position we assume when paddling flexes the esophagus and keeps food from making its way down the home stretch. And a cheeseburger is usually much better the first time you taste it. Here are a few examples of what to eat before your next session. —Jeff Mull
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Gavin Gillette
Photo: Baeseman
Lip smacking meals for a lip smashing sesh • A whole-wheat English muffin breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese and a banana • A tuna fish sandwich/wrap (whole wheat) with veggies and orange juice • A grilled chicken sandwich with a side of fruit and plenty of water • If you’re hardcore enough to pull off fourhour-plus sessions, stash an energy bar in your pocket for a snack during a lull. Just make sure you hang onto the wrapper
APERTURE While roughing it in the
Society Islands,
FSM came across a weathered and worn journal buried in the sand.* The following accounts represent one man’s harrowing tale of exploration. We can relate. Photos by Eric Baeseman
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* FSM did not literally find a journal in the sand (c'mon now),
we did, however, find a mess of good waves in the Society Islands.
Day 63: 2,600 miles from home, we finally found solitude.
Mikey Bruneau
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Day 66: Waters, as serene as I've ever witnessed, seem to magically contain us." Flynn Novak
Day 75: It’s been said that the locals navigate by the stars.
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Day 82: As we rounded Tautira District, we found a noble guide in Mr. D’Esposito. Adam “Bif” D’Esposito
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Day 83: Some of the crew have taken to the local pastime. Kamalei Alexander
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Day 87: The ‘ote‘a, the traditional Tahitian dance, closely resembled the Hawaiian hula. Keala Kennelly
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Day 88: Furthering our journey we ran aground on the all-encompassing barrier reef. Michele Bouret
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Day 90: With rumors of mutiny spreading faster than scurvy, a few of the crew abandoned ship.
Raimana Van Bastolaer
Day 93: Running out of food, water is gone. All hope is lost with only one thing left to do‌ 56
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Gavin Kennelly
State of Surf Declassified
BY : Beau Flemister NO : 419
Co ntrol: 8012 Re c'd : September 1, 2009
There was a time when surfing was pure. It was clean, pristine and untouched by the mass appeal of consumerism. The first generation of surfers were looked upon as bums, losers and social deviants, a son no mama would want to call her own. Take that vision of beach-sleeping debauchery and juxtapose it with today’s close cropped, chisel chested, six-figure salaried professional Dream Tour athlete. How did it come to this, and perhaps more importantly, is the current state of the surfer and industry a stain on our soul or a beacon to surfing's future? Drift over to Sunset Beach on a 12-foot northwest and you’ll see the likes of Allen Sarlo dropping in on his heels, a toothy grin beaming across his suntagged face, joy emanating from his body with every west peak bomb he descends. Not familiar with Mr. Sarlo? You’d be forgiven, because this guy doesn’t push it for lensmen and photo incentives, he does it for the love. Sarlo’s scene at Sunset is a far cry from the scene a quarter mile up the beach where a hundred WQS soldiers are becoming cannon fodder for the paparazzi, pulling into teeth-gritting Off The Wall closeouts for the money shot. Despite the homogenization of our once-earthy lifestyle—surf industry gurus estimate that the sport brings in $7.2 billion dollars every year—pockets of soul will always remain. There’s a backbone that will never falter. In the following pages, we examine just some of the pros and cons that the Industry has brought to the sport. For richer or poorer, from the vagabonds dirt-bagging it in Third World ghettos to the first-class pampered boat trips, we want to know: Is surfing better or worse with the money?
Progression: It can’t be denied that the technological evolution that has accompanied the rise of the sport is a direct result of the sport going mainstream. Good luck punting a rodeo on a 12-foot koa wood plank like you can on an ultra light 5'10" Merrick Proton. Take the face of surfing’s latest stride, slabhunting, as an example. Without the combination of spaceage board technology and high-octane Red Bull-sponsored trips into the abyss, there’s a good chance that we’d still be hanging ten with Gidget at Malibu. With the industry dollars acting as fuel to drive the ball-dropping exploits of surfing’s hellmen, would the sport be where it is today without their help? Behind our magnificent movements of creativity and progression, the Industry has enabled the production, and furthermore the realization, of these lofty and innovative dreams. Yet at the same time, a rogue individual like Jeff Clark, the man who first took Maverick’s by the horns, had
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the audacity to pioneer his way into the future without the support of industry giants. Would men like Jeff Clark or Jamie Sterling still be pursuing waves of such height and consequence as Maverick’s and Waimea without the money? Probably. Could these odysseys to the unknown like Cortez and Shipstern’s honestly have taken place by Joes working a regular 9-to-5 and only hard charging on the weekends? Probably not.
Sometimes, amid the acceleration of a massive vehicle like Progression, speeding blindly into oblivion, not everyone can hang on. Take guys like Archy, Christian Fletcher, and Buttons. These men were the creative innovators that embodied the sport’s explosive progression. They took flight, literally pushing the sport above the lip. But the parties, drugs and fast life that followed the contest circuit seemed to swallow them. These days kids are signing six-figure contracts with surf labels before their voices change and puberty kicks in. That’s a lot of pressure for your average
Would Kelly be Kelly without the Industry, without the competition, the prize money, the pressure and the fame? Or would the Industry be the Industry without Kelly, the celebrity face behind surfing known around the globe; still engaged, still relevant. Photo: Frieden FREESURFM A G A Z I N E . C O M
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Gerry Lopez defined a generation of surfers who charged in a new, stylish way, entirely for the love of riding waves. He had no choice—pre-World Tour, pre-leashes, pre-six-figure contracts, the Industry was yet to be born. Photo: Jeff Divine
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Declassified tweenage surfer. Does the act of putting a price tag on an individual tarnish the essence of stoke and put a collective dent in our sport? Is it still possible to blend a “for the love of it” attitude with the demands of surfing being a full time job that has some of the most talented surfers ever burning out and just plain walking away?
Mass Appeal: Though at times many view surfing as an individual and introverted art, it would be absurd to say that all surfers aren’t part of a greater community, our lifestyle separating us from the masses. This community has been strengthened and arguably created by an industry that expands through networking. And c’mon, there is definitely soul found in unity, in friendship and free communication. Most importantly, through a community, knowledge is shared and then built upon. Say someone gets an idea like the wetsuit. In the ’60s, those puppies were pretty rugged. But then a surfer starts to take a tip from a scientist and shares this tip with O’Neill or Rip Curl. A few decades of constant improvements go by, and today, through the workings of an Industry that wants its consumers equipped, we’re wearing 3/2 fullsuits that are nearly as light and flexible as rashguards. Hell, the Internet has specific chat rooms where shapers can ruminate and bounce ideas off of each other about the latest rocker and template designs. Even big name sponsor-backed contest circuits like HASA and NSSA, regardless of the competition involved, bring people from all over the islands together. Through this greater surf community, we not only better the products and equipment we use to excel at our shared love, more so, through continual discourse, we better each other.
Once upon a time there was this thing called a homebreak. It was where a surfer learned to surf, or rather where the ocean taught one of its many creatures how to surf. A surfer pledged allegiance to his homebreak. Always returned to it, paid her attention; even played with her on the small, shitty, windy days. You don’t forsake the homebreak. As surfing’s popularity progressed, the selling of the surfer image spread to the masses and the ever-so-sacred homebreak received an influx of other surfers who could not respect her as her original children did. This population explosion, this new crowd, inevitably caused various problems. Novice surfers got in the way of experienced ones. Bodies and boards collided amidst the chaos. People were even scalped. Animosity seethed within the original surfers of the homebreak and small gangs and crews were assembled to inflict violence upon those who disrespected or even entered their homebreak. At times, people received ruthless beatings, lawsuits ensued, and the vibrations and atmosphere in the water at the homebreak went from stoked to tense. Soul was becoming harder and harder to find in the line-up.
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Kyle Ramey boosts, grabs and stomps it. In the '90s it was something to write home about. Today, it's par for the professtional course and proof of progression. Sequence: Riddleberger
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Photo: Rock
Escape: Over the years you’ve put in your time at the ol‘ standby homebreak and graduated through the ranks. Now you can get any set wave you want. But Blue Crush and Surf’s Up just hit the big screen and a Pac Sun just opened up at the mall and now every college kid is a “surfer” and you can’t do a single cutback without running over a human speed bump. Probably more prevalent in SoCal and Town than many of Hawai‘i’s heavily guarded gems, but the plague is persistent. So what do you do? You escape. Look in the back of any surf mag to find tightly packed advertisements for a hodgepodge of surf camps, resorts and boat trips. Far-flung islands with exotic names that drip off your tongue like a distant promise: Nias, Sumba, Tavarua, Salani. So you crawl out of your comfort zone and go to grow as a human being and fellow worldly citizen. You’ll learn bits and pieces of another language, get diarrhea far, far from home, bring back pictures of this place to share with family and friends, and have new and interesting stories to tell and re-tell. You realize that through surf traveling—a modern, comfortable and widely accessible version—the human heart is not much different regardless where you go in the world. Though cultures may vary, the lines and borders that divide nations can be easily crossed, and maybe while in the water, even erased. And maybe you leave a board behind. And in a land where no surf shop even exists, a kid learns to surf.
Here’s a little anecdote. A few years ago I went on a surf trip to Western Samoa. My friend and I didn’t have the $120 daily budget required to stay at the surf camp near the village where the island’s premier wave pitched perfectly onto a shallow reef pass. No big deal, we had the taxi drop us off in the village. We asked who the chief was and then respectfully asked permission to camp, fish and surf at his beach. Permission was granted, but he insisted we stay at his family’s fale, welcoming etiquette for guests of his village. The following two weeks were, in short, an incredible and interpersonal experience with a people and place that, like the MasterCard commercial says, was priceless. And for those two wave-soaked weeks, minus the lineup, we never saw one of the surfers from the surf camp wander into the village; they just kicked it on the camp property, mingling with the other American surfers and its American owner and employees. With all-inclusive surf camps—make that surf resorts—the truncated travel and cultural experience is left to the airport and the handmade dwellings of the resort, touted as giving back to the local community. Surfers, know this: near almost every single epic break where there is a surf camp, there exists a village. Try life in the village. It’s cheaper, more intimate and definitely a more enriching experience—even life changing.
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State of Surf
The reality is that the Industry is ubiquitous: just take a look at your boardshorts. In a world where being a professional surfer means always being in front of a lens with the proper branding, some guys know how to handle the pressure and others remain leery of the limelight. Bruce Irons balances the predicament. Photo: Heff
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Movement or Fad:
recycled materials and a spattering of little triangular logos on everything from T-shirts to shoes, all for the better.
These days pop culture and the surf industry dance a complicated waltz of fads and fashion. But despite the fleeting popularity of skulls and logos, there are movements that stir and breed a deeper and more substantial awareness. They are rooted in ideology, morality and emotionally backed by professionals in the industry as well as dedicated individuals. They are concepts that do not revolve around the all mighty dollar, but are centered in humanity. Welcome to the Green Movement. About two years ago, the international surf community jumped on board the eco bandwagon, producing a realm of eco-friendly products: boardshorts made from recycled bottles, slippers from recycled tires and hemp and less-harmful materials for surfboards. While some products have been more widely accepted than others, the major brands are also marketing their Earthfriendliness by joining coalitions like 1% For The Planet and project BLUE that tackle environmental problems. The complete Patagonia business model is founded on principles of sustainability, creating an example of a profitable, environmentally conscious business. Whether companies get on board for the popularity of the movement or to actually make a change, if the end is more beach cleanups, the use of organic and
Why do we now live in a world where it’s more shocking to see three young men camping in the jungle, living off the land and catching sick waves with no help from a boat charter or surf camp, then to see major surf label clothing being sold at Costco? When did it come to this? When did fashion come to define what it is to be a surfer? Ancient Hawaiians used to surf naked. By the mid-1990s, surf fashion had us buying boardshorts that dropped below the calf. When did the missionaries start designing surf lines? And the homoginization of the surf T-shirt, small logo on front left pec, identical big logo on the back— sometimes I feel like a walking, talking billboard. This season, skulls and camo are in. Next season it’s spirals and geometric shapes. And what better models to advertise such fashions than fit, glistening, tanned and virile young men and women who define progressive surfing. What happened to surfing being part of a counter-culture? Is the Industry defining style or is style, like soul, forever timeless, an ineffable, continually transforming entity? Once again, it’s time to ignore the trends, sleep on the beach and surf naked—the hairier the better.
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never say die
Alex and Koa smith, the Garden Isle’s next brotherly duo By Jeff Mull
U
pon entering the Smith family driveway that meanders through the lush Kaua‘i countryside, the rotting hide of a boar can be plainly seen sprawled along the top of a fence that skirts the family’s yard. Flies strafe the remnants of the carcass like dive-bombers. The stench wafting from this hunk of maggot-laden fur peppered with bits of ripe flesh is enough to make my stomach turn. The smell is unholy and serves as a very real reminder that life on the neighbor islands still holds some resemblance of a country living. The disemboweled hide is not what I expected to see when I met with Kaua‘i’s latest brotherly contribution to the surf world, but it does make a hell of a first impression.
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Photo: Nelly/SPL
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Photo: Schutz
Stepping through the front door that opens into the family’s living room and Koa, Alex and their brother Travis are seated around the family dining table. The house is neat and tidy. Unlike the rooms of many a teenage pro, there are no trophies and swollen checks scattered around for visitors to marvel. Those things are kept out of sight. At the dining table, Alex is studying math and Koa Spanish, while Travis is nursing a half-full glass of orange juice. “Good God that rotting boar out front is disgusting,” I say to no one in particular as Koa shoots me a wry grin, letting me know that it was his kill without muttering a single word. Photo: Courtesy Smith
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Alex stands up, straight as an arrow, and asks me if I want to see a tour of the house. Koa follows his older brother’s lead while Travis, the middle child, excuses himself to another room to finish up his schoolwork. “You want to see the chickens?” asks Koa and we slip through the inside of the house and out through the backdoor that opens into a sweeping field and one of the most scenic views on the island. Koa walks toward a chicken coop and picks one of the feathered creatures, holds his him in has palms, smiles, and says that this particular chicken has “the boots with the fur,” a reference to a recent Flo Rida song. We laugh.
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Even the stars seem within reach when Ben Aipa is your coach.
In the ensuing hour, the brothers show me the rest of the land. They show me their horses, their dog, the hideout where Koa sunk an arrow into an unsuspecting sow days prior, their skate ramps, their motorbike, their seemingly endless quivers. It’s a beautiful home stacked with all of the amenities and livestock a boy could ask for. “We’re really stoked to live over here. Too bad there’s no surf around here though,” they sarcastically say with a laugh. Too bad indeed. The story of the Smith brothers and their campaign into the world of surf cannot begin without mention of their guiding light, the legendary Ben Aipa, a stalwart member of Hawaiian surfing hierarchy and a man with a Yoda-like mastery of surfing fundamentals. “I remember when I first saw those kids surf. They were talented, but they could definitely improve. I met with the family, talked to the kids, and after seeing what kind of people they were, how respectful and serious they were, I agreed to coach them,” said Aipa. A handful of national titles later, and it seems like Aipa’s handiwork has paid off in spades. “Ben’s the man. He’s a great coach. I don’t think we’d be where we are without him,” says Alex. He is being modest, because where they are sitting now is at the top. At 15 years old, Koa is one of the most talented and competitively savvy juniors around. In the surf world, he has become a household name, not only for his numerous national titles and countless photo spreads, but also for his effervescent personality. If his exploits in the water and wise cracks on land were not enough, Koa has even started his own clothing line, Little Fella designs, where he acts as the lead designer with his
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mom, a talented seamstress, there to support Koa along the way. Alex, on the other hand, remains calm, cool and collected. He pauses before he speaks to ensure that each word that leaves his mouth is deliberate and to the point. He is not shy, but thoughtful. His surfing is seamless and butter-smooth, a mirror-like reflection of his attitude on terra firma. At the NSSA Nationals this year Alex made three finals, putting on one of the most impressive shows at the event, but in the end left without a National title to his name. “It was my last year doing the NSSA, and I’m a little bummed that I didn’t take home a national title,” said Alex, “but I’m stoked to make three finals.” If Alex showed any signs of disappointment, it wouldn’t be long lived. He would be hopping on a boat trip to Nicaragua in the following days, a move that will undoubtedly result in a few glossy spreads in the coming months. Next year, Alex leaves the nest and will begin competing at the next level, mixing media-fueled freesurf trips with the occasional ’QS contest, marking the initial ascent into what will surely be a fruitful career. At the beating heart of the brothers, beyond the sponsorships, national titles, plush photo trips and flocks of fresh-faced teenage girls with photos of the duo plastered on their walls, there is a passion—a plain and simple love of a sport that has allowed them to walk on water. In truth, they’re love is very simple. Yes, winning contests is fun, and yes, being featured on MTV’s Cribs earlier this year wasn’t half-bad either, but at the end of the day, they’re just surfers and that’s all they ever really wanted to be anyway.
Photo: Heff
Photo: Rock
Photo: Heff
Surf science
Murphy’s Law Even though you never pack it, somehow mishap always winds up in your boardbag By Beau Flemister
“One time me, Aamion Goodwin and a photographer went on this surf trip to Canada. We had to catch a ferry to the island where the surf was. But we rolled up to the ferry dock too late at night so we had to spend the night in this hick town until morning. We looked everywhere for a place to stay and couldn’t find anything, so we ended up in a bar. An older lady at the bar said we could stay at her place for the night. So we go to her place—and oh yeah, this lady was about 4’5’’ tall and her place was like a mini-house with these really low ceilings and Aamion is like 6’6’’—she shows us to our room and in it are about fifty creepy porcelain dolls. I mean, they’re all over the room, everywhere. One is even sitting in a swing, hovering over the bed I’m supposed to sleep in. We were both kind of freaking. I was just falling asleep and Aamion shoves a doll in my face and I flipped out. The whole night I was thinking that the little lady was gonna walk in with a knife or something. It was creepy.” —Fred Patacchia
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“Not too long ago I went on a surf trip with Daniel Jones and Kekoa Cazimero to Fanning Island. We had to catch a plane to an island from another island and then sail for a half a day, over night, to get to Fanning. So it’s the middle of the night, really dark—it’s a small boat too—and we wake up coughing. I run out of the cabin and go to the deck and can see black smoke billowing out of the boat. I’m thinking the boat is catching fire and we’re gonna sink. The captain and everyone else can’t seem to find out what’s wrong. We had to cut the engine and just drift until there was enough light to find the problem. By morning they figured out that the engine got so hot that a hole had burned through the exhaust pipe. The part was eventually replaced and we ended up getting insane waves. That mishap just made the trip that much more meaningful.” —Jason Shibata
“I got a million stories, but the most recent was me going to jail in Indonesia. It was Jamie O’Brien’s birthday and I was all bus‘, riding a moped back to the place. I got in an accident with a taxi driver and he was blaming it on me, so I tried to fight the taxi driver. Then the cops came and I tried to fight the cops. So then the army came and they tied me up and took me to jail. Jail there is pretty rough and Jamie wasn’t answering his phone. I actually saw a key on the floor, snagged it, and wedged myself out of the cell. But then as I was escaping, I saw a cop in front of me, so I crept back into the cell. Pretty soon I was broing out with all the boys in there, having good fun. There were even girls in there too. A day later Jamie showed up and somehow got me out without even paying. It was wild.” —Ruben Tejada
Happily unidentified.
“My most memorable travel horror story happened in Indonesia on September 11, 2001. I was eighteen and we were watching the news in a hotel room out there. On a local news channel there were people saying that it was every Muslim’s duty now to kill an American. I was pretty scared and it really just opened my eyes that there were people out there that thought this stuff. Since then, traveling has really made me more aware of who I am and the company that I keep abroad.” —Flynn Novak
Photo: Rock
It’s true that Murphy’s Law isn’t hard science, but when it comes to surf trips we’ve all felt its erroneous effects, proving the theory: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” I like to think that without a few glitches and small- to largesized mishaps, it isn’t a successful, well-rounded surf trip. It’s the lost passports and crazy taxi drivers or the shaky charter planes and girls that turned out to be guys that really give us a story to tell. No one is immune to the problems of travel, from the weekend warrior to the travel-pampered Top 44. And as with any good travel yarn, they’re best told by the reaper of consequences.
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QUALITY TIME
Outdoor Education Duane DeSoto builds community through the outreach of Na Kama Kai By Kevin Whitton Photos: Latronic
A young girl, about six years old, positions herself on her knees on a stand-up paddleboard. She steadies herself as volunteer and North Shore shaper Robin Johnston holds on to the rail to keep the board even in the calm water. She makes the move up to her feet, Robin hands her the paddle and she’s off on her own. A dozen other children join her near shore, paddling longboards, hand carved wood boards and all sorts of SUPs as volunteers coach the youngsters on technique and water safety. This is Duane DeSoto’s altruistic vision of giving back to the community and in turn, the ocean. His nonprofit is called Na- Kama Kai and his goal is to have watermen and waterwoman from communities around O‘ahu mentor kids, teaching them ocean awareness, ocean safety and a deep respect for their natural environment. He figures if he can create a responsibility within individual communities to care for the environment and each other, then that holistic way of life will pass along through the generations. “A lot of people don’t recognize the relationship between the mountain and the sea,” explains DeSoto. “Everything we do on land affects the ocean, affects the animals and how clean it is. We need to take personal responsibility for our environment that we can continue to enjoy the beauty that has been blessed us.” Duane stands strong in the middle of the event at Hale‘iwa Beach Park, clipboard in hand, making sure the kids are in the water and having fun. The kids started the morning carving a wood board under the guidance of cultural craftsman Tom Stone, put in some quality paddling time with one-on-one instruction and now it's Duane’s job to round them up and get them in the canoes for a paddle and another important life lesson. “When they’re on the boat, they get to see the land from this other, way different perspective,” says DeSoto. “A lot of children have never been on surfboards or boats, so they get a visual experience from boating, which gives them an idea of what the landscape looks like and where they are and how big the island really is.” An accomplished waterman in his own right, Duane’s Ma- kaha upbringing and close-knit ‘ohana fueled his desire to share his love and respect for the ocean. “Makaha was a lifestyle. We grew up in the ocean and everyone around us, uncles and aunties, was all watermen and waterwomen who promoted going surfing and being athletic, pushing our hardest and pushing the limits, creating who we are as people, not just la-de-da-de-daing, splashing water, but taking it to the next level and that was what made me realize we need to share that same essence, respect and fun with the community,” says a committed DeSoto. With monthly events that go directly to the communities, Duane hopes the project will plant seeds in the children that don’t swim or surf, giving them an introduction to the ocean and making them feel comfortable in the water. Above all, Duane stresses that the ocean is a beautiful resource available to all people free of cost. It is a medium to empower the youth, build self-confidence, independence and health leading an athletic lifestyle. For Duane and Na- Kama Kai, successes is fostering a relationship between children, communities and the ocean, one that will benefit generations to come as well as the natural environment.
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Ambassadors of Aloha Ezekiel Lau
Nage Melamed
Kaimana Jaquias
Keanu Asing
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News & Events
All photos: Heff
Kaulana Apo
Isaiah Moniz
On The Hunt The Rip Curl GromSearch finds talent
The term Grom Search is a bit of a no brainer. Just head down to Kewalo Basin and amping groms are swarming the lineup on a daily basis, chucking their under-100-pound frames above the lip without a second thought. So Rip Curl erected a judge’s scaffolding and invited the neighbor island groms to go up against O‘ahu’s top groms for the annual Rip Curl GromSearch. Kewalo staples Isaiah Moniz and Kaulana Apo took the Under-14 Boys and Under-12 Boys Divisions, respectively. They also won $250 in the process. That’s a new board. Isaiah narrowly lost the Under-16 Boys Division to Kylen Yamakawa in the dying minutes of the heat. Big Island shredder Keala Naihe had to spoil the fun for the O‘ahu lads by busting a backside blow-tail reverse to win the H2O Overdrive Maneuver of the Event. For the ladies, Tahitian Lanikai Maro took home the money and the win. —Kevin Whitton
Pau hana
Healthy competition The Ciotti Brothers By Noa Myers
Nainoa and Makana Ciotti are a great contemporary example of yin and yang. Makana is an all-time goof with Bobby Martinez-esque smooth, swooping shortboarding style. Nainoa has a more serious edge to him, evident in the fast, powerful cutbacks he does on his longboard. Nainoa is more prone to planing and Makana flows through life like it was a wave. But both have a laid-back approach to life and sport indomitably sunny dispositions that breathe an easygoing vibe into any situation. If you’ve ever been out to the reef between Rockpiles and Bowls, you’ve probably seen both of the Ciotti brothers laughing it up and trading waves. Nainoa and Makana have been frequent friendly faces in the famed Town lineup for years, but claim their surfing roots began to grow in Ka‘a‘awa. “The first time we went surfing, we went out on our uncle’s super old school Gerry Lopez board worth so much money. We had no idea so we just took it out of our mom’s garage and went,” said Makana. Ever since their first priceless session, the two have been hooked. Nainoa comments on their unique surfing relationship, “Since Makana rides shortboard and I longboard, we’re not too competitive with each other. So it works out good.” To which Makana adds, “Yeah, Nainoa couldn’t handle a shortboard. His love handles dig in too deep when he’s paddling.” Brotherly love at best. Besides longboarding, Nainoa paddleboards, stand-up paddles, swims and about everything else common to the waterman lifestyle, but when asked about whether or not he considers himself to be a waterman, he’ll promptly deny the title. “I feel you have to earn the title, deserve it. I would like to be considered a waterman in the future, but I guess I consider myself one in training.” His connection with the water carries over into his professional life, as he works his day job as a lifeguard at Bellows. “I’ve always had a passion for helping people, and life guarding seems like a good balance because it’s by the ocean and I get to surf.” Makana is in a training program of sorts as well. He’s studying art at the University of Hawai‘i at Ma-noa with a focus on sculpting with painting and drawing on the side. “I like to do a lot of ceramics and metal casting,” Makana says of his craft and jokes, “but I also like to do bigger-than-life sculptures of people’s heads out of Big Red bubblegum.” Makana’s artwork has appeared in Soul-Lenz in Chinatown and other UH galleries. Aside from his studies, Makana also works part-time at Leahi swim school. Sibling rivalry is all but absent with Makana and Nainoa. They even elect to travel together. On a recent jaunt to Australia the two made the best of a dire situation, lack of swell. “We went during Australia’s summer, not the peak season but the waves were still super fun. Plus it was pretty uncrowded, not at Snappers, but at Byron Bay, where we surfed with only a few other guys,” recalls Nainoa. “Winter’s just getting more nuts in Hawai‘i and it was nice to get away from the people.” “Plus we came back with great tans,” Makana chimes in with classic comedic fashion. “Nah, it almost turned into a snorkel trip at the beginning because it was so flat, but for the last half of the trip, it was four- to five-foot Hawaiian style. We wanted to extend our trip, but not even because of the surf. It was just amazing seeing how other people live their lives.”
“The first time we went surfing, we went out on our uncle’s super old school Gerry Lopez board worth so much money.”
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If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to participate in Volcom V.Co-Logical’s “Recycle Your Old Boardshorts For a Good Cause.” All you need to do is drop off any old boardshorts into the bin at any participating shop to be donated to a local charity. You will be entered to win the grand prize of being V.CoLogically outfitted for a year. Oxbow has created a new division in the U.S., Oxbow Hawaii. Oxbow has eight teamriders living in Hawai‘i including Laird Hamilton (1), Duane DeSoto (2) and Dave Kalama. Oxbow Hawaii is developing new business in Hawai‘i and has plans to have the brand in many stores statewide by early next year. Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama have been in the surf news quite a bit lately, this
Photo: Wong
Photo: Latronic
time acting as Honorary cochairs at the second annual PacSun Pipeline To A Cure benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Mickey Munoz, Jeff Clark, Sally Fitzgibbons, Gavin Beschen and Sunny Garcia (3) were also on hand. PULL-IN is expanding its fashioned-based underwear company by distributing their skivvies in Hawai‘i. “We are thrilled to bring PULL-IN to Hawai‘i where respected riders such as Matt Archbold and phenomenal surfing brothers Alex and Koa Smith have embraced our brand and done an exceptional job representing the values we stand by,” said Emmanuel Loheac, CEO of PULL-IN. The Hawaii Amateur Skimboard League (HASL) joined SaveMakena.org to host a grassroots skim contest
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at Oneloa of Makena State Park, Maui. Even though conditions were not favorable, the event ran smoothly with Keith “Party” Fowler (4) taking first place in the Advanced Division. California businessman Jay Longley Jr., founder of Rainbow Sandals, made financial and product donations to two Hawai‘i charities: the Moloka‘i Community Service Council and Na- Kama Kai. The gesture came while he was in town for the 32-mile Rainbow Sandals Moloka‘i to O‘ahu Paddleboard Race, presented by Honolua. Billed as the unofficial world championship for paddleboarders, Longley teamed up with Gerry Lopez in the stand-up paddleboard division. Australian Jamie Mitchell claimed his eighth
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consecutive title with local girl Kanesa Duncan taking the women’s division and Ekolu Kalama winning the stand-up paddle honors. Hawai‘i surfers put up a fight at the 6-star WQS Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif. and took top honors. Malia Manuel (5) came in second to Courtney Conlogue in the main event, but won the Nike 6.0 Pro Junior, with Coco Ho (6) placing fourth. In the men’s division of the Pro Junior, Kai Barger narrowly edged out Tonino Benson, who finished first and second, respectively. With so much attention being paid to junior pros, the ASP International will be instituting the world’s first ASP World Junior Tour, commencing in 2010. The proposed, three-
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event ASP World Junior Tour will begin following January’s Billabong ASP World Junior Championship (which will crown the 2009 ASP World Junior Champions). Each event will host 48-man and 18-woman fields, running formats similar to those found on the ASP Dream Tour. The Billabong ASP World Junior Championships will retain the third and final slot on the tour (crowning the ASP World Junior Champions). Each of the three events will increase the prize purses to US$75,000 for the men and US$20,000 for the women in 2010. ASP World Junior Tour events will also be encouraged to run in venues holding excellent surf, further preparing the athletes for competition at the highest levels of the sport. The Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award went for the second time in three years to Kelly Slater. Slater received his award at a special ceremony at the Home Depot Centre on the final day of the 2009 X Games from Laureus World Sports Academy members and action sports legends Tony Hawk and Robby Naish. “To be
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Photo: Heff
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recognized on an international and mainstream sports level is something special that I haven’t experienced a lot. This Laureus Award is something very different and special. To be recognized by this group of athletes is amazing and something I’m happy to carry with me throughout my lifetime. I’m very honored to win this award a second time,� said an emotional Slater. Two key NOAA weather buoys south of Hawai‘i have disappeared. Coast Guard officials believe that commercial fishing boats are hooking and towing the buoys by their moorings, releasing them suddenly, and then quickly netting the fish that congregate under them. This strategy puts tremendous strain on the moorings, causing them to wear and snap and is a federal offense. These buoys are critical for reading swell activity coming up towards Hawai‘i from the Tasman Sea and South Pacific basins.
Wipeout In volume 6 number 7, the photo of Koa Rothman on pg.57 was miscredited and was actually photographed by Jamie Ballenger.
7 N. Market Street, Wailuku // 808.249.0215 10 - 6pm M - F // 10 - 3 Sat. www.mauithing.com
ORIGINAL MAUI CLOTHING :: MEN :: WOMEN :: KIDS spaghettini
6/9/06
3:28 PM
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Open Daily from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm In the heart of Haleiwa
637-0104
photo :: ben pigao
distribution 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, Spectrum Trailers Hawaii South Shore: Billabong Waikiki, Blue Hawaii, Blue Planet, Borders, Clips, Down To Earth, Diamond Head Health Bar, 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 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 FreeSurf Magazine is available at all Jamba Juice Locations in Hawai‘i!
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: Hermosa/Manhattan Beach: Becker Surfboards, ET Surf, Spyder Surfboards, Surf Concepts Gardena: Bob's Hawaiian Style Restaurant, Cherrystone's, Tapioca Express Huntington Beach: Huntington Surf and Sport, Jack's Surfboards, Wahoo's Fish Taco Torrence: Wahoo's Fish Taco San Diego: Beachbreak Café Oceanside, Buccaneer Beach, Carlsbad Pipelines Surf Shop, Calypso, Encinitas Surfboards, Honey’s Café, Kaisen Sushi, Kealani’s Restaurant Oceanside/Encinitas, JamRoc Encinitas, Le Papagayo, Leucadia Surf Shop, Mitches Surf, Nautical Bean, Pannikan Coffee shop, Pizza Port-Solana/Carlsbad/San Clemente, Rusty Surf Shop Del Mar, Stratford Café Del Mar, SurfrideOceanside/Solana Beach, Sushi on the Rock La Costa, Swami’s Café-Oceanside Harbor, UNIV Boutique Encinitas
FreeSurf Magazine is proudly carried on Hawaiian Airlines.
Subscriptions are available online at www.freesurfmagazine.com
Essence of Aloha with Trella Trella Costa - Personal Trainer/Therapeutic Massage Therapist Lic.#3437 59-615 Kawoa Place, Hale‘iwa Hawai‘i, 96712 808 542-7362 • trellamakuakai@yahoo.com 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 ■ ■
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Kalani Vierra photos: Gibber
Waimea Valley Grill and CaterinG
Located in Waimea Valley, our grill is dedicated to bringing you farm fresh produce and local products. Our Catering Department Specializes in Private Events, Weddings, Banquets, Fundraisers, and Mixers.
To book an event with us please call 808-638-8097 or email tnaylor@waimeavalleygrill.com Waimea Valley Grill is open daily from 9-5
Sterling Silver Steak Plate! ‘Ono Beach Time Kau Kau,
SUN SAT FRI
THU WED TUE MON
STERLING SILVER STEAK PLATE SCHEDULE Kahala / Liliha / Royal Kunia Kaimuki McCully / Waipahu Aiea / Beretania Kailua / Ko’olau / McCully / Waimalu Kaneohe / Royal Kunia Ko’olau
(Serving Times: 11am - 6pm all stores Except Waimalu: 11am - 7pm)
Last Look
Black-sand beaches, evening lightning flurries and Imperial. Costa Rica combines the rawness of nature with a vibrant surf culture in this wave rich Central American country ... Pura Vida. Photo Heff/Latronic
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This photo available at FreeSurfmagazine.com
Photo: Latronic
F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M
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www.honoluasurf.com
Maui
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Whalers Village, Ka’anapali Front Street Lahaina Cannery Mall South Kihei Shops At Wailea Paia
Kona Inn Shopping Village Kings’ Shops Waikoloa
Outrigger Waikiki Hilton Hawaiian Village Pearlridge Center Aloha Tower Marketplace Waikiki Beach Walk Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Royal Hawaiian Center Poipu Shopping Village Anchor Cove
PHOTOS BY: DAMEA DORSEY AND DAHLIN