“I Feel Like I’m Back” Andy Irons and the Billabong Pro pg 38
Free in Hawai‘i
October V7#10 • FREESURFMAGAZINE.COM
Andy Irons Photo: Pat Stacy / A-Frame
*He’sHealey: that good. Turn page 46Dangerous to see why Man in Surfing pg 56 • The Killing Season: Recollections of a North Shore Winter pg 64 Mark ThetoMost
analogclothing. co m
Free Parking Long live Tahiti. Heiarii Williams, finding a bit of poise amid a Teahupoo maelstrom.
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F R E E S U R F MAG A ZIN E.CO M
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Vans Triple Crown of Surfing
Contents V7#10 October 2010
38 South Pacific Sojourn
Highs and lows abound at Teahupoo for our embedded lensmen at the Billabong Pro Tahiti.
56 The Most Dangerous Man in Surfing Beau Flemister investigates the inner workings of surfing’s most fearless man with his profile on Mark Healey.
64 The Killing Season
ASP / Kirstin
For more than five decades, tales of heroics and hair-raising sessions from the North Shore have become a staple for surfers the world over. We take a look back at some of last year’s peak moments .
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w w w.localmotionhawaii.com
OAHU // Ala Moana Center • Waikiki • Koko Marina • Windward Mall • Pearlridge • Waikele MAUI // Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center • Kukui Mall • Lahaina BIG ISLAND // Queen‘s MarketPlace
Carol Oliva
Contents V7#10 October 2010
10 F ree Parking Heiarii Williams finds himself in the belly of a Tahitian beast. 18 M asthead If you're into reading phone books, you're gonna love this page. Plus we go behind the cover. 20 E d Note “Winning is overrated.� Wise words from someone accustomed to losing. 22 Howzit Tahitian outtakes abound as Mike Latronic takes you inside the channel of the Billabong Pro Tahiti. 24 Inside Section Flynn Novak flips out and wins $50,000; Kekoa Bacalso tells us how he's giving up plate lunches and beers in hopes of rejoining the tour; Malia Manuel thinks now is the best time in history to be a female surfer; Pipe as big as you've ever seen it; Mike Coots shoots Kamalei Alexander; and we highlight some random stuff from our office.
Expires Nov 31, 2010
Expires Nov 31, 2010
82 News and Events The World Tour goes complete ape-s--t at the Hurley Pro Trestles. And guess who comes out smelling like a rose? Kelly Slater, that's who. 88 FreePlugs Rip Curl goes viral with some of the best online clips we've seen in a while with their Tip to Tip series, Donavon drops a new album, and Canada gets hot.
V7#10 October
Andy Irons, Tahiti Photo: Pat Stacy “It took me about three seconds to know this should be our cover.” —Tony Heff
Editorial Publisher Mike Latronic Editor Jeff Mull Photo Editor Tony Heff Art Director Richard Hutter
Free Thinkers Beau Flemister, Katherin Hsia, Tyler Rock, Evan Valiere
Staff Photographers Eric Baeseman, Bernie Baker, Tony Heff, Mike Latronic, Rima Rackauskas, Tyler Rock
Contributing Photographers Nathan Adams, Eric Aeder, Kirk Lee Aeder, Jamie Ballenger, Brian Bielmann, John Bilderback, Holt Blanchard, Tom Carey, Vince Cavataio, Mike Coots, Kanoa Dahlin, Hilton Dawe, Patrick Devault, Willi Edwards, Grant Ellis, Brandon Ells, Paul Fischer, Isaac Frazer, Pete Frieden, Ryan Gamma, Jeff Hall, Noah Hamilton, John Helper, Rick Hurst, Ehitu Keeling, Kin Kimoto, Ric Larsen, Bruno Lemos, Mana, Mike McGinnis, Ikaika Michaels, Justin Morizono, Allen Mozo, Dave Nelson, Carol Oliva, Manny Pangilinan, Pake Solomon, Epes Sargent, Bobby Schutz, Pat Stacy, Vince Street, Spencer Suitt, Bill Taylor, Steve Thrailkill, JP VanSwae, Jimmy Wilson
Sales Director of Sales and Marketing Sean Wingate Advertising Executive Shaun Lopez Advertising Executive Chris Latronic 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. A product of Manulele, Inc. 2010
Editor’s note
A Time to Lose
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“Loss is a fiercer, more uncompromising teacher, coldhearted and clear-eyed in its understanding that life is more dilemma than game, and more trial than free pass… Though I learned some things from the games we won that year, I learned much, much more from loss.” —Pat Conroy Baeseman
There are still nights where I lay awake in my bed and cringe. It seems that no matter how much time has passed, I still can’t shake the feelings of failure from a season that has since long passed. For more than a decade, sometimes when I’m in the lineup alone and it is quiet, or I’m at a coffee shop proofing a story in near solitude, my mind will wander back and unearth something I can’t forget. Something I hate. My losing season. As a junior in high school, I made a vow to enter each of the dozen or so NSSA and HASA contests slated for that season on Kaua‘i. I’d had a few mixed results surfing in a couple of random events, but this would be the year I dutifully did them all, laid everything in the water, and with a little luck, hopefully I would come out on top a few times. In hindsight, I may have fallen victim to a bit of chest-thumping and foolhardy optimism, because the reality of the ensuing nine months was nothing short of depressing. Beginning in September, event after event, soggy jersey after soggy jersey, the horn would sound and my heart would race. I’d opt for sets, connect my turns, sprint paddle till I puked, and fifteen minutes later, a cold and unflinching voice would announce my loss. Again. I was a victim of Roy Powers, Danny Fuller, and a number of other guys that could have qualified had the stars aligned properly. But I didn’t quit, however bad it was to drive an hour and surf for 15 minutes, I made a promise to complete the season and give it my all. And I intended to keep that promise. I’d strategize, stretch, run mock heats, and repeat the mantra Three To The Beach in my sleep. But still, I lost. I went a whole season without making a heat. It was a cold and honest time. But still, I learned lessons that I will never forget from that experience; losing was painful, but I was better for it. In one of my favorite books, My Losing Season, the author, Pat Conroy, recounts his time playing college basketball and the monumental effect his eight and 25 season played on his character. I first read the book a few years after my own losing season and there was a passage in the prologue that resonates with me still today. “Winning is wonderful in every aspect, but the darker music of loss resonates on deeper, richer planes…winning makes you think you’ll always think you’ll get the girl, land the job, deposit the million-dollar check, win the promotion, and you grow accustomed to a life of answered prayers. “Loss is a fiercer, more uncompromising teacher, coldhearted and clear-eyed in its understanding that life is more dilemma than game, and more trial than free pass…Though I learned some things from the games we won that year, I learned much, much more from loss.” We’ve all lost at some point. No one escapes its sting. Just take a look at the World Tour. In one sweeping lop of the sword, the ASP cut 12 surfers from their hallowed ranks, some just rookies who’s dance with the prettiest girl in town lasted a mere five heats. In their postheat interviews at Teahupoo, you could see the pain reflecting in their eyes, the emotion cracking through in their voice. For some, this will undoubtedly be the end of their careers, the warm comfort of a short career spent shooting photos taking precedent over the world of the traveling tour. These aren’t the stories I’m interested in. What I want to see, what humanity aches for, is the person that will take his beatings and show up the next day, ready to give it his all, win or lose.
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Latronic Latronic
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ASP / Kirstin
Latronic
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ASP / Kirsten
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1. The view from the channel never looked so good. 2. Look into this man’s eyes and tell us he’s not hunting for 10. 3. Everybody needs a co-pilot. Some just happen to be cuter than others. 4. Believe it or not, Fred fought this fish for four-and-ahalf hours before finally reeling it in. 5. Von Zipper’s GT, relishing in a rainbow… too bad it’s not a double. 6. The best of France and Polynesia rolled into a single pretty face. 7. Eli Olsen strikes fear into the hearts of other groms. 8. Tahitian channel or Rocky Point, the shaka remains omnipresent.
xx
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Joel Centeio
REEF HAWAIIAN PRO CHAMPION Photo: McGinnis
ROUND PIN This design is a solid and proven performer in the typical hollow reef break surf found throughout Hawaii. Its adaptability to go from small to medium to large surf, makes it a favorite of Joel Centeio; whether it’s head-high Off The Wall, or winning the Reef Hawaiian Pro in macking Haleiwa. The classic Round Pin tail design holds it’s line on fast and steep waves, transitions smoothly from rail to rail, yet has enough width in the tail to keep it loose for high performance moves.
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inside section
The $50,000 Air
Flynn Novak Cashes in on the Kustom Airstrike On the North Shore, Flynn’s prowess in the lineup is undisputed. Year in and year out, the lanky blonde has been slotting himself at Pipe and reshaping the way we view what’s possible in the lineup, but don’t you dare pigeon hole him as just a Pipe guy. Want some proof? Flynn just won the pinnacle of aerial surfing contest, the Kustom Airstrike Event. We rang him up following the win to find out what a $50,000 air feels like. FReeSurf: So how did you find out that you’d won the event? Flynn Novak: I actually just landed on Oahu coming from Bali and I was driving home when the phone rang. It was someone from the event and they were saying that they needed to ask me a few questions and wanted to get a couple of quotes for the site. I was pretty beat after traveling all day from Indo and then they said, “hold on for a second…someone wants to talk to you.” And that’s when Dusty [Payne] got on the phone and told me that I won. It was just the biggest feeling of relief. So stoked. I didn’t even know what to say. FS: Yeah, I heard that you went down to Indo with your last bit of money for the event at Padang that never ran. That’s some pretty ideal timing coming home from a trip on your last dime and walking straight into $50,000. FN: Yeah, totally. Even though the event never ran, I can’t think of a better place to be than Bali. I think it was seriously the most productive trip I’ve ever been on. I got a cover from Waves and a couple of big interviews so I was already pretty stoked on the trip. And then to come home to this, it just feels really good. I’ve always kind of felt like things will sort of work out in the end. I’ve been trying so hard and spent my last bit of money and then this happened. So stoked. FS: Do you know how you’re gonna spend the $50,000? FN: Ha, not really, no. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I guess I’ll have to give it some thought. But right now, I don’t have the money, so I’m not too worried about it. But actually, one of my friends has a birthday coming up and I’ll probably make that night pretty fun. I’m not gonna spend a lot of it there, but just make it a fun night. FS: Do you think winning this event takes some of the label off you as just a Pipe guy? FN: Totally. I mean, I’m considered a Pipe guy, but I’m a lot more than that and I think this showed it. Look at all of the “air guys” I just beat.
FN: I hope it works out. I feel like it should. By winning this thing, I think it gets my name out there a bit more going into winter and it should get me some good coverage. So if I’m a company, I’d think I’d be a good person to add to your team right about now. I’m not looking for any killer deals or anything, but I’m a workhorse and I’ll get the job done.
If seeing Andy win at Teahupoo didn’t stir any emotion, check yourself to ensure that you still have a soul // Is it us
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Heff
FS: We know you’ve been on the hunt for a sponsor for a while now, how do you think winning this event will play into that?
inside section
“I’ll Be Back”
Heff
Kekoa Bacalso Plans for His Second Act
As we chronicled in our last issue [September, 2010] the World Tour implemented a brutal cut to the back of its roster after the Billabong Pro Tahiti, slicing the top 45 to the top 32 with a few alternates mixed into the event. On that post-Teahupoo chopping block was the much beloved World Tour sophomore, Kekoa Bacalso. In the day’s following the mid-season cut, we got in touch with Bam to get his take on the new rules, and how, exactly he plans on coming back next year FREESURF: You’re still a young competitor with a big future ahead of you. You had a great run last year and took home Rookie of the Year honors and a lot of admiration from the boys on tour. Looking back, can you talk about how that felt to come out of the gates swinging for the fences and to be rewarded so well? Kekoa Bacalso: Last year I had a really good start to the year. I just focused on having fun and enjoying the tour. I’ve busted ass for four years on the WQS and was getting smoked. But I was riding high at all the World Tour events and the waves were pumping at most of the venues last year. The waves at Bells were my highlight for 2009 for sure. I never thought in a million years that the waves would be that good for the Bells event. FS: Unfortunately, this year wasn’t as smooth as last year. For a lot of the guys on tour, yourself included, the mid-season cut was a tough pill to swallow. Can you describe your feelings on the cut off? KB: The mid-season cut off was a tough blow to the ego. I was pretty bummed about falling off tour midway through the year and I’m sure the other guys did, too. You probably expect me to say the mid-season cut off can go to hell…so yeah, “It can go to hell.” I guess it puts a huge new spin on tour and now guys are looking for good results from the getgo. We’re always looking to do our best but crunch time would usually be during the European leg and now crunch time starts at the first event with the first heat. I’d imagine from a spectator’s standpoint it’s exciting to have the mid-year cut off. There’s always something to look forward to, like who’s going to buckle when they need a result and who’s going to rise to the occasion? Personally, I think they should have the mid-season cut off after a
big-wave event, like Todos or something nuts. That’ll be exciting for everyone to see the guys on tour go balls to the wall. Teahupoo is nuts, but it hasn’t been over 3 feet during the contest for the past couple of years. FS: I know a lot of people say that your surfing is tailor made for the World Tour. Do you believe you still belong on tour? KB: Of course I feel like I belong on tour. It’s my life and it’s still going to be for a long time. I’ve had some bad breaks in heats this year and made some mistakes in heats, but I’ll keep my head up and keep pushing on to requalify. I especially want to requalify ’cause Hawaiians on tour are a minority. Our little rock in the middle of the Pacific has to represent. This is where surfing started. FS: Sort of following up on the last question, are you gonna make another big push to get back on? KB: Yeah I’m going to make another big push to get on tour. It was definitely a reality check and I don’t want it to happen again. I’ve dropped the beer bottles and the plate lunches. Getting my head straight, training to kick some ass. I’LL BE BACK. FS: If you were the head of the ASP, what changes would you make? KB: If I were the head of the ASP I’d get Mercedes Benz to sponsor the tour. And wouldn’t let Kekoa Bacalso fall off tour. FS: If a rookie asked for some advice on the tour, what would you say to him? KB: My advice on tour would be surf like your free surfing and have fun. Cause the Dream Tour sometimes isn’t as dreamy as you think. FS: Do you think that most of the surfers on tour truly understand the new rules set in place this year? KB: The new rules on tour are pretty vague. I’m still trying to figure it all out. I don’t know, I think if your getting the results and smoking guys you really don’t need to understand the new rules.
or is Log Cabins the sketchiest wave on the North Shore? // Bet on Slater for 10 this year // Your trunks shouldn’t fall
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inside section
An Open Canvas A waterman, a humble man and a determined man, Hilton Alves’ dreamscape art has been steadily gaining traction in the art crowd over the course of the last few years. Although his talent with a brush is evident, what sets Hilton apart is his consistency in giving back to Hawaii’s local communities through his youth outreach program free murals. An avid athlete, Hilton’s drive comes from the ocean, which he says is constantly teaching him patience. “I never give up. Whatever I do, I never give up. I pay attention to everything around me: the water, the light, the sand, and then I think about how to paint it. If I don’t do a good job, I just keep trying ’till I get it right.” He turns to waves like Pipeline and Jaws for inspiration, converting their natural beauty and perfection onto canvas. Born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Hilton grew up on the beach working for his father’s kiosk and in various shops. In 2000, after seeing his doodles at the local tattoo shop, a friend gave him some oil paints. From that moment forward, an artist was born and Hilton hung his first completed piece on the wall at the surf shop where he worked, and to his surprise people continuously asked him how much the picture was. The painting was strictly for decoration but Hilton found that people would not stop asking to buy it. “One day a guy came in and told me I should do these paintings for a living so I said to myself, if in 10 years I don’t make any money or get anything from my art I will learn another job.” But 10 years later the fruits born from his brush have lent him a successful career as an artist, allowing him fulfill his dream of settling in Hawaii and playing in her fabled waters. Nearly a decade ago, the siren’s song of Hawaii called to Hilton and he began making the trek from South America to Oahu to compete in SUP competitions in the early 2000s, eventually finding himself crashing
at the Rothman house on the North Shore with Uncle Eddie, Makua and Kala. Wanting badly to integrate and not speaking any English, Hilton took his language lessons hanging out with “the boys” and quickly caught on to local talk. Eddie was the first person to contract him to paint in Hawaii. “I had no money, Eddie handed me $600 and said ‘paint something for me, no pressure, anything you want’ I was like ‘whoa’ and had to think about doing something he would like,” recalls Hilton. “But when I finally finished the piece, he was so happy. He was the first one here to believe in my art.” In 2004 Hilton painted his first mural at Waialua High School, inspiring his social project Surf Art Kids, designed to expose youth to environmental awareness and respect for the ocean through art. The Waialua mural uses his background of Waimea Bay to showcase the underwater creatures painted by the students. Hilton continues his mission to provide activities teaching painting, airbrush, and drawing techniques to children around the island as well as community art projects and exhibitions. “The project was developed because I wanted to broaden my horizons as a marine artist. No one taught me how to paint so I thought it would be good, this way I could spread my gift and put a little art and fun in the life of others.” Hilton now lives happily with his wife Jessica, a teacher, on the North Shore and has recently completed his latest mural at Kahuku School. He looks forward to competing in more SUP contests and is currently looking for a board sponsor. He continually challenges himself to paint bigger murals and says we can expect some colossal projects in his future. “You can take a picture of 10-foot Pipeline, but I can paint a 100foot Pipe wave, something you can’t see in real life. That’s why I love art, there’s no limit.” —Siri Masterson
below your knee, and for that matter, nor should they ride more than two inches above your knee // Read up on Tom Blake
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TMC tos: Ph o
KIVA
KIMO
Photo: D. Faellas
Maui
Whalers Village, Ka’anapali Front Street Lahaina Cannery Mall South Kihei Shops At Wailea
Big Island
Kona Inn Shopping Village Kings’ Shops Waikoloa
Oahu
Outrigger Waikiki Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Walk Sheraton Princess Kaiulani
Kauai
Poipu Shopping Village Anchor Cove
shoots
f.8 1/60 iso 400
p h o t o:
Mike coots
"Kamalei Alexander got a new SUP from Al and we rushed down to the beach for an evening photo session. I didn't have a water housing setup so I threw my 70-200mm in a Pelican case with a towel and paddled the Softtop out to the channel. I dried my hands, hooked up the flash, and fired away on a few rides. It was getting dark really quick, and on his last wave I snapped this." —Mike Coots
// Just cause it works for Dane Reynolds doesn’t mean it will work for you // Tell your shaper the truth, your surfing
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inside section
The
New
Top
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The biggest story from the Billabong Pro Tahiti wasn’t Andy Irons’ dramatic win or Kelly Slater’s leglocked 10-point barrel, but rather the implementation of the new ASP One World Ranking system. At the beginning of the 2010 season, the ASP announced that they would cut 12 surfers from the World Tour at the season’s halfway mark, the Billabong Pro Tahiti. At Teahupoo, heat by heat, wave by wave, surfers held their breath as those on the bubble fought tooth and nail to remain on tour. Some survived. Some faltered. At times, it was excruciating to watch the likes of World Tour stalwarts slip away from the lifestyle that they had grown accustomed to. But by event’s end, the 12 surfers on the back end of the tour had been cut, relegated back to the newly minted Men’s Star and Prime Series, giving rise to the new Top 34 (32 surfers and two wildcards at each event). A trimmed World Tour wasn’t the only change that the ASP brought about after Teahupoo. With the implementation of the PRIME Series, surfers who had fallen of the tour after Teahupoo are potentially able to requalify for the World Tour at the midway mark of next year as the back 10 surfers from the 34 are replaced. The ASP has also added a fourth round of non-elimination competition where the winner goes straight to the quarters. We know it’s a lot, but by the end of the day, it means more time in the water for the best surfers. And we’re sure that’s a good thing.
Ace Buchan
Adriano De souza
Andy Irons
adam melling
ben dunn
bede durbidge
bobby martinez
brett simpson
blake thornton
chris davidson
cj hobgood
drew courtney
damien hobgood
dean morrison
dusty payne
dane reynolds
dan ross
fred patacchia
jadson andre
jeremy flores
joel parkinson
jordy smith
jay thompson
kekoa bacalso
kai otton
*kieren perrow
kelly slater
luke monro
luke stedman
michel bourez
mick campbell
mick fanning
marco polo
matt wilkinson
neco padaratz
nate yeomans
owen wright
pat gudauskas
roy powers
taj burrow
tanner gudauskas
taylor knox
travis logie
tiago pires
*tom whitaker
*gabe kling
will thank you // With a few exceptions, hip-hop and surfing do not mix well // Where have all the cowbys gone?
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inside section
Stuff We Like
Balanced Meal
Steel-cut organic Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon
Acai Primo Bowl topped with organic granola, fresh bananas, coconut, almonds, honey & blueberries
Heart Healthy*
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3 g of soluble fiber from whole oats daily in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of Jamba Apple Cinamon Oatmeal has 2 g from whole oats.
I’m at Rockies in the blaring sun. I get an idea for a film. I grab my Livescribe Echo Smartpen and journal to sketch a rough storyboard. I add a voice recording, guitar chords, and some random words to capture the mood for the opening scene. It’s like a whole computer is at the tip of your hands. Whether you’re a journalist trying to nail an interview or working on notes for a film, this pen produces in spades. With 800 hours of audio/written notes and 60 applications that range from a translator, to piano, stopwatch, counter, and metronome, I’m feeling more creative and crafty just holding it.
Two new bowls! Bottom line, the Deuce watch feels good on. I’m not sure if it is because it is embedded with negative ions, or simply the way it is designed to fit. I can’t even feel the watch on my wrist, but whenever I need to know what time it is, the bright colored watch is there to give me the essentials.
Lava Bowl & Pomegranate Bowl jambahawaii.com facebook.com/jambahawaii t witter.com/jambahawaii
Do you ever find yourself turning around at your computer to see if anyone is as blown away by the new song you’re sampling, only to find yourself all alone? Skullyboom is like having a little wailing sidekick by your side. (Like having a pet and speaker system all in a retractable chord that plugs into your headphone jack). We like.
Ruddy / A-Frame
inside section
Spotlight: Malia Manuel Kauai’s Next Big Thing Chimes In
FREESURF: Do you feel that women’s surfing is where it should be? Malia Manuel: Yes. I also think it’s great to be a pro female surfer these days. Our sponsors support us unbelievably well! Prize money is increasing and Nike 6.0 is even making an all-girls’ surf movie called Leave A Message. Just on Kauai alone we have Bethany [Hamilton] and Alana [Blanchard] who I think already own homes before they turned 20! It’s incredible. FS: How would you say that your generation of surfers is different than that of the ones above you? MM: I think what’s different about my generation and the generation above me is that we have parents who surf and/or are involved more in the industry. We might have started surfing at an earlier age, too. Maybe that gives an advantage at progressing at younger age. FS: And following on that line, how would you say that the generation behind you are different than that of yours?
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MM: The next generation coming up seems to have taken things even more seriously. It’s like instead of going out for a surf with their friends, they go out to train. So many of them have coaches and have been taught more effectively about contests. I’m sure they’ll be a challenge in the near future. FS: What’s the best song to have stuck in your head during a session? MM: “Lights & Music” by Cut Copy. FS: What’s your favorite meal? MM: I like making myself veggie, avocado wraps. FS: Dane or Jordy? MM: What girl doesn’t love Dane? However, I’d side with Jordy. FS: Board shorts or a bikini? MM: Board shorts when I was under the age of 15, and bikinis now that I’m over the age of 15.
Surf Art from the North Shore of Oahu
HeatherBrownArt.com
F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M
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P
ERTURE
Ode to Ta Tahiti. Her scent lures us to her foreign shores with the promise of heroics, drama, and intensity. There is no other location on Earth that can spur such fearful thoughts to a surfer than Teahupoo. Say her name in any surf camp the world over and you’ll see men flinch. Still yet, year in and year out, we come to Tahiti to dance with the devil, see what we’re made of, and push the envelope even farther. But what happens when Tahiti takes off her menacing glare and cracks a warm smile? Well, believe it or not, she gets pretty playful from time to time. And that’s exactly what we found from Lady Tahiti this year as we embarked to southern Polynesia for the Billabong Pro. It was a kinder, gentler side of Teahupoo that we’re not quite accustomed to, but it’s hard
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hit i
to complain about head-high perfection only a short skiff ride away. With that in mind, we’re paying homage to one of the most esteemed, world-class waves in whatever form she takes. Big or small. Deadly or playful. Whether she has us muttering Hail Mary’s or drooling from the shoulder, we just can’t get enough of Tahiti. This is our photographic ode to our southern sister.
Latronic
Unidentified, deftly slotted at Teahupoo.
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Latronic
It's surfing like this that justifies all of the hype surrounding Dane Reynolds. Here's the golden boy, making it look way too easy.
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Though it wasn't the harrowing Teahupoo we've been fiending for, Jermey Flores found something to write about while in Tahiti.
Latronic
Latronic
At times, Teahupoo became as much of a platform for progressive surfing as it was for barrels. A dangerous dilemma if you draw Jadson Andre (pictured here) in a heat.
All photos: Latronic
Bird’s eye view.
XXX
Pint-sized perfection.
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Bird of a different feather.
Far from deadly, for this swell Tahiti looked—dare we say it—fun.
South Pacific splendor.
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October
28
–
November
H A W A I I
10,
2010
WATCH IT LIVE ww w. Va ns. com/ H IC P r o
Latronic
Jordy Smith, backside superman.
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Latronic
Nate Yeomans finds a slice of solitude.
XXX
Tahitian grom goes above and beyond.
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Latronic
Eli Olsen gets a gentle introduction to Tahiti.
Latronic
Matt Wilkinson and his Tahitian whip.
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Andy Irons, en route to redemption.
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ASP / Robbo ASP / Robbo
AI and his emotional victory lap through the channel.
ASP / Kirstin
The man, the myth, the legend. Kelly Slater straight-legs a west bowl at Teahupoo.
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Mark Hea The Most
Dangerous
Man in Surfing By Beau Flemister
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Stacy / A-Frame
aley
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Heff
Did you think that Mark Healey got to where he's at without training? Think again.
I
t’s tough to do interviews with ultra-humble people. You have to tug and strain the words and stories out of them. And even after that, there’s still so much you know they haven’t let out. It’s not even that
they’re the kind of people that are introverts or just plain quiet, but simply, they let their actions do the talking and have more to prove to themselves than to anyone else watching or listening to their feats. Such is the case with big-wave explorer/freediving extraordinaire Mark Healey.
I
’ve met him to talk on the side of Kam Hwy at a food stand across from Shark’s Cove. I arrive a little late and he’s nearly scarfed down his entire fish and rice bowl. We’re surrounded by a few tourist couples who probably have no idea they’re in the company of a man who regularly puts himself in death-defying situations. A guy, who even in an increasingly competitive and growing pool of fearless, Hawaii-raised chargers, manages to blaze trails and carve out a reputation in the world of surfing as one of the modern-day greats. I could tell you about his childhood, about being born and raised on the North Shore. But an image that I can remember seeing in a surf mag
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years ago pretty much sums him up as a scrawny blonde kid dropping in backside on his heels on a 20 footer at Waimea, arms outstretched, the definition of “committed.” He was about 14 years old in the shot. And then more versions of these shots were printed in following mags every year after—some of him in macking Pipeline tubes, basically all coverage of the young Mark in heavy, large surf. Not that his past wasn’t illustrious and chock full of adventures, but the Now, it seems, is even more interesting. Whether you begin with surfing or diving, throughout Mark’s life, they’ve always been interchangeably important. As he says, “These days I can do a dive trip for a month and not touch a surfboard once. Or vice versa.”
But we begin with surfing. And as far as big-wave surfing is concerned, 28-year-old Mark Healey is more of a traditionalist than you’d think. He explains his mixed feelings on tow surfing. “It’s by far the greatest challenge in surfing—paddling into giant waves. And it kinda seemed like the whole big-wave surfing thing got Hollywooded out. Everybody had the whole shock and awe of tow surfing, and towing is great under the right circumstances, but I’m glad that it came back around to the basis of big wave surfing—which is paddling in. That’s the most challenging thing and takes the most skill. What you see is what you get; you can’t fake it, and that’s why I love it. What irritated me about the whole movement, was that paddle-in big-wave surfing was kinda shunned with the progression of the sport. Don’t get me wrong; I tow in, and I respect how the first guys started it in order to ride big waves in a new, more aggressive way. But when it comes down to it, paddling in is still the most intense part of the sport, that somehow, since like the ’50s hasn’t really progressed. But now, I think that we’re trying to do that, and that’s my goal in surfing which is to do big-wave surfing some justice, you know?” I nod in agreement with him, as if I
will be spent.” With all the equipment he must travel with, I cringe at the thought of his excess baggage fees. But out of curiosity I ask anyways. “At the end of the year, I’ve thought about adding up, but...I
DJ Struntz
understand what he’s talking about with that last line. But no, I don’t know. I’m frightened to think what that exactly means coming from a guy like Mark Healey. “I’m trying to take a serious stab at this big-wave surfing tour that they have this year. Finding big waves is the priority for me, so when I go to these events, that’s their motive too, which is great because then I feel like I’m not missing anything at home.” Not that Mark cares about being away from home for too long, though. In his ongoing quest to surf and discover the biggest rideable waves on the planet, he logs in a lot of travel miles. “Yeah we just found two waves that have never been surfed before in Chile. And I’ve officially exhausted my Quiksilver travel budget, about five months into the year. It’s a good thing Quiksilver has an emergency hotline open at all hours; I really abuse that one.” He laughs. “It’s definitely not cheap searching for big waves.” Again, I laugh politely and nod in affirmative as if I understand what “searching the world for big waves” is about. He goes on, “I’ve been home five days now, which is the longest I’ve been home in five months. It’s like you’re waking up on a different couch or airport floor or bed in a different country every week; you never know where you are. And you get these finite travel budgets from sponsors, and what you spend it on—whether tickets or fees—doesn’t matter, the only sure thing is that it
don’t even wanna look at it because it’ll make me sick.” I pose a figure: $2, or, $3,000? He sighs, “I’d say $6,000 a year in excess fees, maybe more.”
In true waterman form, Mark is as fearless a hundred feet below the surface as he is riding upon it, fifty feet above. But again, you have to prod him to get the real details of his exploits out. He’s won countless spearfishing tournaments in his life, can hunt in depths of 150 feet, just qualified for the Hawaii team to compete in the upcoming Inter-Pacific championships in New Zealand, can hold his breath for more than five minutes. He lets a few of these details slip out, along with some talk of encounters with tiger sharks. Wait, what? You spearfish around tiger sharks? I ask him for more. “Every winter, November, December, beginning of January, they’re out there. The Tigers. They’re always sneaking up on ya…and they are sneaky. They’ll follow you and you won’t even know it, and you’ll turn around and have a 12 footer right up in your face.” I ask him if he’s ever had to shoot one. “Nah. I don’t want to shoot a shark. I’ll punch ’em, or kick ’em real hard or jab them with the butt of my gun to get them away, but never have to shoot them.” I’m a little speechless after hearing he punches tiger sharks. “But don’t get me wrong; if it were me or them, I’d definitely plug ’em. Usually you just poke em with the tip of your gun, you know, just a good one in the nose or the side, and they get startled, but I have had some really big ones that don’t seem to care if you poke them. Some fat
Baeseman
Mark Healey's commute to work is more dangerous and gratifying than yours.
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The status of being a legit big-wave surfer doesn’t come without a price. Healey, paying dearly.
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15 footers.” This time I’m not nodding, but more shaking my head in utter disbelief. I ask him if he’s ever seen any great whites. “Yeah, actually I dove with Great White sharks off Mexico for about eight days last year, and was spearfishing around them too.” Wait, like on purpose? I ask. “Yeah, it was something I’d always wanted to do, you know?” The nonchalance of his answers is nearly comedic if it weren’t so damn genuine. He answers questions about life and death the same way one would talk about a sitcom they saw last night. I bring the conversation back to surfing. I ask him if he’s ever almost died before. “Yeah, sure. I mean I almost died at Jaws, back in ’01. Biggest wave I’ve ever been on to this day, and uh, I zigged when I should’ve zagged. It was late in the day, I was really tired, and the lip basically landed on my heels. I got blown up, broke my ear drum, and I was completely disorientated and couldn’t find the surface. I got my tow vest ripped off- which I somehow caught and held on to and that helped me pop up. I got a few sips of air, but ended up taking three or four more really, really big waves on the head. That’s definitely the closest I ever come to dying while surfing.” I lighten the mood a little and ask Mark
Latronic
The nonchalance of his answers is nearly comedic if it weren't so damn genuine. He answers questions about life and death the same way one would talk about a sitcom they saw last night. about his peers. Who does he travel with or consider his competition. “I have a lot of best friends,” he laughs, “and you now how you know they’re your best friends is after about two weeks, you wanna kill ’em. Greg Long, Twiggy, Jamie Sterling, Wassel, Nate Fletcher, I travel to surf big waves with all of them a lot.” I ask him about Jamie Sterling, he being another O’ahu-raised young charger coming up along the same lines as Mark did. “I think I was more his wing-man than us just being peers. I mean, when we were younger
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he always just seemed to be one step ahead. Always there—first big day at Waimea, or first big day at Pipe—he was always there. He was always hungry, he was always on it. Lucky I had him! Or I might’ve been on my own for the most part. There weren’t a lotta guys our age that were into it like we were.” What separates Mark Healey from the rest of his peers isn’t just his effortlessly humble demeanor or perpetual get-up-and-go-on-the-fly lifestyle. It’s not even that he’s transcended the celebrity of surfing media and delved into worldwide infamy, being featured in mags such as Outdoor and Men’s Journal. What truly sets Mark on another plane in all aspects of his personal or public accomplishments is his connection to the sea. As he simply says, “It always come down to what’s going on in the ocean.” I ask him about the definition of a “waterman”—if he feels that’s what he is and why. “Yeah, I mean, the ocean pretty much dictates what I’m doing with my life. In everyway. Nearly every minute of my
What truly sets Mark on another plane in all aspects of his personal or public accomplishments is his connection to the sea. As he simply says, “It always come down to what’s going on in the ocean.” life is dependent or tentative on the ocean.” And as extreme and obsessive as that may be, I think of how any surfer can relate to that sentiment in some way. We all might not stay out on dives on average of six hours at a time, or hop a flight to Mavericks from Hawaii the night a swell hits. We all might not be a quarter of the waterman Mark Healey is, but at least we have that same infatuated relationship with the sea. Right? We shake hands and say goodbye, but no “I’ll see ya in the water.” We both know I don’t surf the same places that he would ever want to, nor occupy the same parts of the water far below the surface that he’s comfortably kicking tiger sharks in. Just a simple “thanks man, I’ll see you around.” n
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Heff
No matter how many barrels you’ll get over the course of a lifetime, it never gets old. Here's Healey, caught up in the moment.
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Looking kcaB Opening Day 9/25/09 The first big swell of the season strikes early and guys are dealing with Second Reef Pipe in September. Sion Milosky, Pipe. Photo: Heff
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Andy’s Back 10/25/09 A.I. shows up and blows up in a memorable session at fickle Backdoor. Photo: Heff
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And the Hits Keep Coming  The swell train continues through October and November, providing some memorable conditions from Haleiwa to Sunset. Reef McIntosh, Pipe. Photo: Latronic
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The Swell of a Decade  12/7/09  Outer reefs light up and 19-year-old Billy Kemper nabs the ride of his life at Peahi. The same swell provides epic conditions for the Eddie and the Pipe Masters. Photo: Epes
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Wild Wild Waimea 12/7/09 Â Shane Dorian and a handful of death-defying hellman put on a show at maxing Waimea Bay. Photo: Latronic
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Eddie’s Back 12/8/09 The Quiksilver Eddie Aikau Invitational goes big for the first time in five years. Although he didn't take the win, Kelly Slater proved that he's a force in all conditions. Photo: Latronic
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Parko Falls 12/12/09 Joel Parkinson may have won the Vans Triple Crown, but not before losing the World Title race to his best friend Mick Fanning.
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Down to Pipe 12/12/09
Kelly Bets on a Board 12/15/09
Mick Fanning wins the World Tour title race in dramatic fashion at the final event, the Billabong Pipe Masters.
Kelly’s double-down on the “magic slipper” in last year’s Pipemasters final where the heat failed to produce a decent barrel. Taj Burrow’s arcs would prove deadly and he would win in the lackluster conditions. Photos: Heff
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Landon Who? 1/28/10 The Volcom Pipe pro gets four days of amazing Pipe and Backdoor where 13-year-old Landon McNamara puts himself on the map and nearly gives his mother a heart attack. Photo: Latronic
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Groundhog Days
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Winter runs into spring and the North Shore sees 10- to 12-foot waves in late March, concluding a six-month season of historical proportions. Mike Latronic, Sunset. Photo: Bruno Lemos
news & events
Elevated
The Ascent of Kelly Slater and the Hurley Pro at Trestles
Hurley
Slater, forever at the front.
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ASP / Rowland
How’s this compare to your homebreak?
ASP / Kirstin
You’d be smiling too if you just won $105,000.
Quintessential Fanning.
“... because getting burned sucks.”
KALANI DAVID Made in the U.S.A
MARK HEALEY, MATT ARCHBOLD, CJ HOBGOOD, JAMIE MITCHELL, LIAM MCNAMARA
Slater makes me feel better. Gives me hope. At 38, he’s never looked sharper, most intense, more powerful. And at Lowers, affront an army of humble cobbles and a world of fans, Slater sifted through the new World Tour format and surfers with the greatest of ease to claim the Hurley Pro at Trestles title and move into the number-one position in the rankings. This makes me feel better. Around the surf world, Hurley’s been known to throw ragers. Classy ones. No keg-stands, please. And this year, on the heals of what had to have been the most posh surf contest ever at the US Open, Hurley did it again and continued to usher professional surfing into a new dawn with another top-shelf, high-def event. “Every year, we strive to make the sport of surfing better,” said Hurley VP of Sports Marketing, Pat O’Connell. “And the Hurley Pro is the perfect venue to achieve that. From the world’s best surfers to the fans on the beach to the online audience, we’re looking to elevate the experience across the board.” Clearly. We’ve mentioned Slater, we’ve mentioned the event, but we have yet
ASP / Kirstin
photo: bishow
Taj Burrow, blurring lines.
ASP / Rowland
news & events
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to tackle the rest of the tour. After shedding 12 surfers from the back end of the tour after Teahupoo (turn to page 32 for more on this) the World Tour was looking lean and lofty. And proving that if you can’t punt, you don’t belong on Tour, everyone rose to the occasion and found their fins dancing with the air. As was to be expected, Dane Reynolds threw down the maneuver of the event with a 9-point slob reverse that literally had the FREESURF edit team screaming at our monitors. Perhaps one of the more impressive surfers of the event, Owen Wright’s backhand snaps re-wrote the standard of vertical surfing. Time and again, Owen went well past vert, utilizing his tall, powerful frame to throw buckets from Lowers to Church. But at the end of the event, there was no escaping Kelly. He was everywhere. He was dispatching Jordy, getting barreled at Lowers (apparently you can do that there) and putting a hurt on Bede Durbidge in the final. He was omnipresent and well on his way to 10 titles. But judging by the looks of his performance at Lowers, it could be 15 if he wanted it.
ASP / Rowland
up paddle boarding.”
Free Plugs We’re stoked to report that Donavon Frankenreiter recently released his latest album entitled “Glow.” If you’re a Donavon fan (and really with a mustache like that, how can you not like the guy) you’re gonna be tapping your toe through the floor when you throw this in your iTunes. Our friends over at O’Neill are sharpening their axes and donning their slickers in preparation for the Cold Water Classic Canada event. Definitely one of the most unique and, dare we say it, freezing events in the world, good things are bound to happen when the first waves of neoprene clad surfers hit the water in Tofino. Keep an eye out for a write-up in our November issue. Look to local boy Peter Devries to repeat the win.
Peter Devries
Tip to Tip
If you’ve ever wanted to fall off the face of the earth and explore every nook and cranny in Indo but couldn’t, cause of, you know, family and mortgages and other adult stuff, don’t fret. All you need is an Internet connection and some imagination and you could be there right next to the rest of the Rip Curl team in their Tip to Tip adventures. A whole mess of high-def videos are online and definitely worth your time. In non-shortboard news, we’ve been following the Castles Cup event presented by Soljah and Primo for a while and were bummed to see that they couldn’t get the waves needed to run the event. If you’re unfamiliar with the comp, take a host of Hawaii’s best watermen, throw them in an outrigger at 8-foot plus (Hawaiian size) surf, and let em have it. That’s pretty much it. But no worries, just case the swells never manifested this year, there’s always next year. As if there was any doubt in your mind about the globalized state of surfing, apparently, even Thailand is hitting the lineups and checking the buoys now as we got wind that Quiksilver is hosting an event along their picture-esque shores. We caught a quick glimpse at the photos and it actually looks pretty fun. As fate would have it, Mark Healey (remember him, he was profiled a few pages back?) signed on to Waterman’s sunscreen. Judging by the names alone, it seems like the perfect pairing. We caught this little gem across the industry wire. Everyone’s favorite South African sensation Jordy Smith signed on with Oakley’s global surf team. “I’m excited to join the Oakely team. I’ve always been a big fan of the brand and I’m happy to be a part of this fun, creative team. Could this guy be on a harder tear right now? Now he’s just got to win that world title. Proof that Volcom approaches everything with a hint of creativity and inspiration, last month, Volcom set out to collect 10,000 pairs of wearable jeans to donate to the homeless for our 2010 Give Jeans a Chance campaign. For more info, drag your mouse to Volcom.com/ givejeansachance.
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Free Plugs
Red Hot Chili Peppers So we know that surfing is all the rage in Hollywood. Wherever your take on celebrity surfing stands, you’ve got to give props to people—a regular Joe or a celebrity—who raises money for charity. And is there a better charity to shred for than the Surfrider Foundation? We think not. Recently, celebs likes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Christina Applegate, and others raised nearly $30,000 for the organization at the 5th Annual Celebrity Expression Session at Surfrider Beach in Malibu. Kudos celebs. If you think that Taj Burrow surfs half as good as we do, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the sleds under his feet. Yep, Taj rides Firewires, and maybe you should too. If you’re not a convert, consider this release from Firewire that came across our desk: “Firewire recently debuted its Custom Board Design (CBD). Using a system developed by ShapeLogic, a technology partner with Siemens PLM Software and Anark, the application allows users to tweak stock Firewire surfboards to suit their custom dimensions and place their order over the web. Despite the number of custom boards ordered and built, the process The Finest Tobacco Accessories:
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“Recently, celebs likes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Christina Applegate, and others raised nearly $30,000 for the organization at the 5th Annual Celebrity Expression Session at Surfrider Beach in
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Malibu. Kudos celebs.” is still fairly rudimentary with multiple opportunities for human error. CBD digitizes the whole process, and adds checks and balances that allow users to tweak a design while still maintaining its overall design integrity and resultant performance. “To be perfectly candid, it’s not custom as in ‘order whatever you want’, said Firewire CEO Mark Price, “but for the vast majority of surfers looking for a proven design with a few adjustments to suit their specific needs, CBD delivers.” Julian Wilson’s latest film, Scratching the Surface, made its debut to our sunny Hawaiian shores at Lulus in Waikiki recently. Drinks were flowing like water we raged in to the wee hours of the night. The soundtrack was epic and from what we remember, Julian was ripping pretty darn hard. Back on the East Coast, surf films are dropping in New York like it’s going out of style for the New York Surf Film Fest. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it to the Big Apple for the event, but they’re premiering every good surf flick from the past year. Damn it sounds like a good time. The surf film festival New York and surfing, what’s not to like?
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last look
Unidentified, right where he wants to be.
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Baeseman
Next Issue: Hawaii like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never seen it.
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