The Gift of His
Life
In Loving Memory of Andy Irons
Free in Hawai‘i
December V7#12 • FREESURFMAGAZINE.COM
Andy Irons Photo: Bielmann / A Frame
TIMMY CURRAN / PHOTO GLASER
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Positive impact. Dustin Barca wears Fuel Cell™ Pound for pound he’s one of the most engaging characters you’ll find in the sport of surfing. Sure, he’s got a reputation as a tough character, but that’s because he spends a lot of time in the ring practicing a rigorous regimen of boxing and mixed martial arts. On the inside, though, Dustin Barca is really a good vibes guy, always wearing a big smile and spreading some upbeat energy to the
people around him. And why shouldn’t he? He’s fortunate enough to hail from the Garden Island of Kauai, the closest thing to paradise left on Earth. Here at Oakley, we share Dustin’s appreciation for life. We know we’ve got it good, and we’re always looking to extend the positive impact we have on our sports and athletes through our relentless pursuit of exceptional performance.
Contents V7#12 December 2010
38 Aperture
A first-hand photographic account from the epicenter of surfing’s graceland. Take a breath and get ready for the action, because it’s high season in Hawaii and you’ve got a free pass to the peak moments.
54 The Upsetters
They may not receive the praise and fame that they TOC Features: deserve, but year in and year out a select group of North Shore workhorses manage to send shivers down the spines of the World Tour. In this collection, we showcase a TK: The Upsetters: They may not receivehandful the of upsetters sure to make the elite tremble in their praise and fame that they deserve, but year in and year outsinglets this winter.
a select group of North Shore workhorses manageSion to send Milosky It’s not the thought shivers down the spines of the World Tour. In thisofcollection, being crushed by 30-foot waves that keep Milosky awake at night—it’s the thought we showcase a handful of upsetters sure to makeSionthe elite of missing out on them. Ready to risk it all tremble in their singlets this winter. in the pursuit of catching the biggest waves
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ever paddled into, Jeff Mull profiles one of surfing’s hardest charging and soft-spoken 30-foot waves hellmen in this FREESURF exclusive.
TK: It’s not the thought of being crushed by that keep Sion Milosky awake at night—it’s the thought Andy The of missing out on them. Ready to risk it all in theRemembering pursuit world’s best pay tribute to a fallen friend. of catching the biggest waves ever paddled into, Jeff Mull profiles one of surfing’s hardest charging and soft-spoken hellmen in this FREESURF exclusive.
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TK: Aperture: A first-hand photographic account from the epicenter of surfing’s graceland. Take a breath and get ready for the action, because it’s high season in Hawaii and you’ve got a free pass to the peak moments.
Struntz / A-Frame
TK: Aperture: Alt: You don’t gain a reputation for rushing without taking some lumps in the process. For every barrel that made you scream, someone went over the falls. In this themed edition of Aperture, we’re trading in the highs for the lows and paying homage to the wipeout.
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Contents V7#12 December 2010
12 Free Parking Slater goes toe-to-toe with Pipeline. 20 Masthead W e made a magazine while you went surfing. Are we bitter? Not a chance. Well, maybe a little. 24 Ed Note J eff Mull recalls his first session with Andy Irons. 26 Howzit Ever seen a Rainbow Cam? Check out the newest addition to our photographic arsenal. 28 Inside Section Indonesia gets hit by another tsunami, Donavon talks us through his latest album, Town takes on Country, and the youngest surfer to ever win a contest. Expires Jan 31, 2011
Expires Jan 31, 2011
84 News and Events C onditions get crazy at the HIC Sunset Pro, Kelly wins 10, and Duane DeSoto becomes your new world longboarding champion. 90 F reePlugs Rabbit Kekai turns 90.
V7#12 December
Andy Irons, elevated. Photo: Brian Bielmann
Editorial Publisher Mike Latronic Editor Jeff Mull Photo Editor Tony Heff Art Director Richard Hutter Contributing Design Tiarra Twiggs
Free Thinkers Lantana Hoke
Staff Photographers Eric Baeseman, Bernie Baker, Tony Heff, Mike Latronic, 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
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Editor’s note
A Man At His Best
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Baeseman
I was 14 the first time I ever surfed with Andy. It’s a memory I’ll never forget. As tight-knit of a community as you could fathom, growing up on the North Shore of Kaua‘i, you can’t sneeze without everyone knowing about it. Despite the cozy atmosphere that has come to embody the Garden Island, for some reason or another, I didn’t have the opportunity to see Andy surf first-hand until I was a teenager. As winters on Kaua‘i tend to dictate, it was pissing rain as I made the crossing over the slushy river that led to the crowded point. Covered in a thin film of brackish river water, when I emerged from the river, I put my head down and lumbered up the beach, unaware of what fate had in store for me. From time to time, I would silence my teeth chattering by looking up towards the lineup and scoping out the conditions. From the distance, much too far to make out a face, I saw an unmistakable figure slip down the line and proceed to decimate a feathering lip with the kind of power and style that could only belong to one man. I instantly knew it was Andy Irons. With the thought of surfing with Andy warming my frozen body, my lumbering pace quickened until I began trotting towards the lineup, grinning at the prospect of seeing Kaua‘i’s favorite son in his favorite element. By the time I made my way up the point, I could spot Andy sitting way outside of the scrum, waiting for one of the infamous bowls that christened this hidden locale. At this point, I wasn’t even really concerned with surfing myself, but rather studying a master amid his element. Trying not to stare, I intensely studied Andy. How he sat on his board. How he paddled. How he duck-dived. It seemed like ages passed until he finally caught a wave. As he dropped down the face, his body taking on that undeniable AI style, I (along with a half-dozen other groms) marveled as he pulled in, got the barrel of the day, and cut through the wave like a butcher through an open carcass, hunks of lip and spray flying every few seconds. It was pure professionalism. The seamless way Andy ripped that wave, his characteristic mix of unbridled aggression spilling over with every turn, will forever be etched into my memory. That was his last wave of the session. And although I’d see him out in the lineup dozens of more times and he’d always manage to leave me in disbelief, I’ll never shake the memory of Andy on that one wave so many years ago. We’ll all remember Andy in different ways. Some of us will cherish our personal memories of him as a family member. Others will remember him for being the only person able to go toe-to-toe with Slater. And others will see him as the giving figure that put on the most anticipated surf contest on Kaua‘i. But for me, it’s the thought of Andy at home doing what he did best that I’ll always remember. A man at his best. An inspiration. —Jeff Mull
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1. W ith the likes of Noah Beschen in the lineup, you can rest assured that the family name will live on for years. Trust us. 2. The Rainbow Cam, shooting soon at a location near you. 3. Maui Boys in full effect. Hank Gaskell, Billy Kemper and Dege O’Connell, ready to do some damage on the North Shore. 4. Love Hodel, cradling the future. 5. As if bodyboarding wasn’t subjected to enough jokes as it was, this guy comes along. 6. Charlie Carroll and Brian Pacheco always stand their ground. 7. It’s early season and there’s plenty of swell on tap—what’s not to smile about? 8. Alana Blanchard and Coco Ho, adding perfection to a sea of already stellar conditions.
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inside section
Flows and Beats Talking Story with Donavon Frankenreiter Interview by Lantana Hoke
Abrams
Donavon Frankenreiter has melded a successful surfing career with an equally fruitful music career. With the release of his new album, "Glow", Donavon set us wise to what role surfing has played in his music, what bands offer the most inspiration, and what we can expect from his latest record.
Freesurf: Having come from the surfing world, was it a difficult transition to the music industry and the music–business lifestyle?
Fs: Is there anyone you want to collaborate with? DF: The Black Keys, Wilco, Bob Dylan, and Tom Petty.
Donavon Frankenreiter: It’s definitely two different worlds, but I’ve been lucky enough to start my own label, Liquid Tambourine Records, and release my music that way, which has been a totally different feeling and has given me a little bit more freedom and control. Fs: Your first album had a folk-like vibe and you’ve continued to create music with a positive, buoyant sound. Will there be any surprises or new directions on your new album, “Glow”?
Fs: Who are your major inspirations, music-wise and surf-wise? DF: Musically, definitely Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Bob Marley, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix. Surf-wise, Tom Curren, Occy, and Kelly Slater, and of course the most influential surfer and my all–time favorite is Andy Irons. Fs: Would you say surfing or music is your more creative outlet?
DF: I think that positive feeling I always have shines through on this record, but sonically, this record is like nothing I’ve ever done before. Mark Weinberg, the producer, really helped me take the original acoustic demos and reshape them into completely different songs—different textures, different keyboard sounds, lots of echo and delay on the electric guitars. I’m really, really happy with how it turned out. Fs: In the past, you’ve collaborated with artists like Ben Harper and G. Love. How has collaboration inspired you? DF: Collaboration is such a great catalyst for creativity. On this record, like I said, I worked with Mark Weinberg. I showed up at his house to do a co-writing session and within 30 minutes we’d written the second song on the album, “Keeping Me Away From You.” Mark went, “Wow, that was quick!” and I asked “does that usually happen?” I asked him to produce the record, we recorded it over three days at Pulse Studios in LA, and I’m incredibly happy with how it turned out. It’s completely different than any record I’ve released.
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DF: Both. I’m addicted to both and they are both beautiful outlets. Fs: You recently released “Revisited” where you put a Hawaiian spin on your first album. In what ways has living in Hawaii influenced your music? DF: The Hawaiian instruments inspired me—I kept hearing them on the island everywhere I went and they were just so beautiful. Every time I was away from home and I heard a slack-key guitar, ukulele, or lap–steel guitar, it reminded me of home. I knew I wanted to incorporate them into my music, so I thought it’d be fun to revisit these songs I did seven years ago and put a Hawaiian twist on them to reflect my new home and my new love for the Hawaiian sound. Those instruments even made it onto some of the songs on “Glow”, too! Fs: How does the surf culture influence your music? DF: It influences everything I do, in a way. It’s my life and everything that I have learned or obtained has been through surfing and it’s culture.
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Town Scalps Country in the Red Bull Rivals at Sandy Beach Like so many of Hawai‘i’s great rivalries, the battle began with an intense game of jan-ken-pon. Sides had been chosen and both teams stood on neutral ground as Town’s frontman Jun Jo and North Shore patriot Jamie O’Brien traded paper for scissors to decide the first heat of this year’s Red Bull Rivals at Sandy Beach. On the surface, the relationships between O‘ahu’s North Shore and Town-based surfers may seem cordial, but there remains the slightest of undercurrents that beg the question: Who surfs better? Both sides of the islands have wielded an arsenal of surfing’s heavy hitters in the past, but how would they stack up against each other? One good idea for a contest and a few gallons of Red Bull later and we found ourselves at Sandy Beach for the Red Bull Rivals watching surfers from the islands opposing poles completely eviscerate a peak. Stacked with a pantheon of Hawai‘i’s most talented surfers, both sides were ripping throughout the event and things were in a dead tie by the 12th matchup. With just two heats left, Town narrowly edged out Country for the victory in front of a swelling crowd. So what do you get for winning one of these things? The opposing team’s quiver and a whole mess of bragging rights. But as has become tradition, the boards were donated to the Surfrider Foundation for charity. The bragging rights, well, they kept those for themselves.
inside section
Tragedy Strikes the Mentawai Islands In late October, a tsunami spawned by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia, wiping whole villages from the earth and killing hundreds of people. Situated in the midst of the tsunami’s path stood the famed break Macaronis, an area commonly crowded with surf charter boats. On this day, fate unfolded in a tragic fashion as two boats, the Midas and Freedom, became unanchored by the tsunami and crashed into one another, resulting in a subsequent explosion and fire to one of the boats. Fortunately, all of the members on both ships survived but walked away with one of the most harrowing tales of their lives. According to Rick Hallett, an Australian who has captained the Midas since 2009, the crew narrowly escaped with their lives. “It was night time around about 10 pm,” said Hallett, “and a two to three meter wall of white water came into the bay and there was another boat anchored out the side of us...the wave picked that boat up and brought it towards us and ran straight into us and our boat exploded, caught on fire, we had a fireball on the back deck that went through the saloon within seconds.” According to Hallett, the group of surfers had been relaxing on the back deck when the tsunami hit and sent the Freedom hurling towards the Midas. “I ordered everyone up to the top deck to get as high as possible, then the boat exploded and we had to abandon ship…we threw whatever we could that floated— surfboards, fenders—then we jumped into the water.” Hallett went on to state that some of the people on board his boat were swept 200 meters inland by the tsunami and stayed in trees until they were rescued by a crew from another boat. In the days following the tsunami, local surfrelated nonprofits were dispatched to the scene to provide help. What they found was beyond words as whole villages and camps that lined the crown jewel of the Mentawai surfing experience were flattened to a mix of rubble and the odd, still-standing tree. SurfAid International, a nonprofit with a rich history in helping Indonesians in need, was appointed to take a lead role in helping the stricken area. “We’re a locally based NGO with commitment to, and extensive knowledge of, the Mentawai. We have worked here for 10 years and this is our fifth major emergency response,” said SurfAid CEO Andrew Judge. “SurfAid is rapidly expanding its operations to provide the essential assessment information so that the necessary responses can be targeted to the areas in greatest need. We have also delivered shelter, building, hygiene and kitchen materials to thousands of people and those deliveries are continuing.” To see how you can help, go to SurfAid.org. F R E E S U R FMA G A ZIN E.CO M HR
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inside section
Stuff We Like DAKINE
Chill at the beach with DAKINE’s Coast Cooler pack. Keep your favorite drinks cool in the insulated bottom compartment and stash your dry items in the upper section. A plush fleecelined pocket protects your sunglasses from the rest of your gear. $55.00.
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Check out the basket weave New Orleans Hat available at all Honolua Locations MSRP $30.00.
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Billabong and one of Hawaii’s favorite musicians team up with this limited edition line of tees. Check out Billabong.com for more info.
Anarchy Eyewear
All that glitters is not gold. Anarchy’s new Black Rush Indie is just what the doctor ordered. Price: MSRP $50.00 anarchyeyewear.com or 800-426-6396.
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Vans Triple Crown of Surfing
Rip through the Holidays in style with Vans’ Triple Crown of Surfing surf sider ($40) and Thresher sandal ($20), featuring graphics from Hawaii’s own iconic artist and surfer Chris Lundy.
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inside section
C
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Never Too Early To Start
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At nearly nine months pregnant, Crystal Dzigas is a sight to be seen as she slips across a clean shoulder-high wave at Queens. It’s not her effortless grace in the lineup that sets her apart, but rather the fact that she’s nine months pregnant. Baby or not, you can’t stop Crystal from getting in the water. As a standout longboarder and wife to the hard-charging Aussie Anthony Walsh, it’s going to take more than a swollen belly to keep Crystal from getting wet. Now paddling on her knees and keeping a keen eye on all loose boards, Crystal may not be able to put on the marathon sessions of day’s past, but still contends that getting in the water keeps not only her relaxed and healthy, but also her unborn son.
photo: foster
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“I think it puts him to sleep. I don’t feel him as much when I’m out surfing,” says Crystal.
“Watermans sunscreen is the best in or out of the water. It keeps me protected every day.”
TYLER NEWTON Made in the U.S.A
If having parents as talented as Crystal Dzigas and Anthony Walsh doesn’t make for a great surfing pedigree, the latest addition to the couple already has something that many of his counterparts don’t—an event win. Well, sort of. At the start of her preganancy, Crystal claimed the Noosa Festival of Surfing in Oz, a feat that makes Anthony smile.
“He’s already won a contest.” CJ HOBGOOD, MARK HEALEY, KALANI DAVID, LIAM MCNAMARA, MATT ARCHBOLD
Update: Crystal is now the proud mother of Damien Akoni Walsh!
a p e r t u r e
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Whether it’s 20-foot Maverick’s or 4-foot Backdoor, LA County’s Alex Gray epitomizes just how well versed the modern surfer has become.
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A mainstay on the North Shore for decades, Benji Weatherly actually lived in the Volcom House before it was the Volcom House. Here’s Benji, looking quite at home at Backdoor.
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Baeseman
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Seq. Heff
One of the most dynamic prodigies on the North Shore, Mason Ho has stepped out of the shadows of his family name and is building his own reputation built on the backbone of whips like this.
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Rock
If he’s throwing turns like this while pushing 40, there’s a good chance we may very well see Slater claiming his 20th world title a decade from now.
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GIVE THE GIFT OF...
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M O A N A
C E N T E R
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Baeseman
Never one to flinch, Shane Dorian has furthered the definition of what’s possible in the sport as much as any surfer in history.
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Shane Beschen, laying familiar tracks.
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Baeseman
Daniel Jones, caressing the feathers of a wing at Rocky Point.
Brian Pacheco, taking a quick dip on the West Side.
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Baeseman
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The world may know Kohl Christensen as a soft-spoken but hard-charging farmer, but his talent in the water goes well beyond Waimea and the outer reefs alone.
The
Upsetters his is not a story for the famed and touted. For every Kelly Slater, Dane Reynolds, and Mick Fanning that found warmth swimming in the pools of success, there remains a battalion of surfers earning their way into the limelight. They may not be at the tip of the tongue of the surfing world, but they are there. Sitting deeper. Taking off later. They are the unsung masses of the North Shore and every winter they manage to amaze us, even if they don’t always walk away with the win or the cover shot. In this feature, we pay homage to the backbone of professional surfing. We are forgoing the elite in favor of thick-shouldered and steely eyed hopefuls that keep the upper echelon in check. These are The Upsetters.
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C h a r l i e
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I first met Charlie Boy back in 1991 when my dad used to take me surfing at Makaha. When you’re a grom, Makaha is the best kind of wave to surf—it has just the right amount of slope to it to where it feels like you’re really going vertical and it’s got a little barrel section. More or less, Makaha is a dream wave for menehunes. Lucky for Charlie, Makaha is where he honed his skills. A natural-footed powerhouse, Charlie epitomizes the Hawaiian surfer: big turns, big barrels, and a big heart. You can hear his jolly chuckle from miles away and it’s impossible not to find yourself cracking up at one of his stories. For seven years, Charlie also supported a young crop of West Side hopefuls to achieve their goals in surfing. Ever respectful, Charlie always gives credit back to Uncle Buffalo and the Keaulana family, Sunny Garcia, Brian Pacheco, and the Queen of Makaha, Rell Sunn, for believing in him and giving him his chance to also become an ambassador of Hawaii. “Uncle Buff taught me that respect is stronger than fear and I have never forgotten that,” says Charile. “Aunty Rell proved to me that unconditional love conquers all, Sunny Garcia and Brian Pacheco guided me and showed me how it’s done.” From 2 feet to 20, Charlie has proven himself comfortable in any condition that the ocean throws at him and you can be sure to see Charlie standing tall in front of the world’s best surfers at Backdoor or Pipeline on any bombing swell. Charlie would like to thank his sponsors Affliction, In4mation, Ronin, and 3rd Stone Surfboards along with his beautiful family Jen and Makaialii for their support! —Jason Shibata
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M a m a l a
Finding Kealii Mamala on the North Shore isn’t a difficult task. Simply wait for the buoys to hit the red, look to the horizon, and chances are you’ll see Kealii en route to conquer waves that make even the most seasoned chargers weak in the knees. The equivalent of a surfing bull-rider, there is not much that this ocean can produce that Kealii and fellow tow partner Garrett McNamara won’t fearlessly attempt to conquer. Always a standout on the North Shore, Kealii’s name reached the mainstream media years ago when he and Garrett McNamara stunned the world by towing into a wave produced by a falling glacier in Alaska. The
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YouTube video of their coldwater exploits went viral and has been viewed by more than a million people. Couple that with a string of other big-wave accolades bearing his name and it’s easy to see why we hold Kealii in such high regard. The man is straight-up fearless. Although his career has been highlighted in waves of consequence, Kealii has proven that he can hold his own when conditions drop below life-threatening levels. Whether it’s full-rail carves at V-land or pulling in at Pipe on an SUP, people can’t help but take notice of Kealii when he hits the water.
Riddleberger
K a e a l i i
K a h e a
H a r t
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Heff
As true of a North Shore staple as anyone, Kahea Hart has been a driving force in the Hawaiian surf scene for more than a decade. Whether it was as a young grom pushing the limits at Rockies and Off the Wall, as a standout pro traveling the world, or in his latest incarnation as the personal trainer to a handful of the most promising juniors in the state, no story of the North Shore and its handful of die-hards is complete without mention of Kahea. While many of his peers have taken a backseat to fitness as they’ve grown older, Kahea continues to push his limits in the gym and reap the benefits in the water. Conditioned like a world-class athlete, Kahea holds the physique of a surfer half his age. With a contagious passion for fitness, Kahea’s knowledge of training has taken root among a number of budding young pros. Just take a look at his clients: Coco Ho, the Hawaii Junior Surf Team, and Gavin Gillette represent only a few of the standouts that have tasted the success of Kahea’s intense training sessions. In the water, Kahea continues to be one of the more dominant surfers on the North Shore. With a lethal fronthand gouge that leaves the ocean trembling, Kahea is undoubtedly one of the more powerful surfers that has mastered the mix of finesse and might. Whether it be through the surfers he trains or his own breed of power and style in the lineup, Kahea’s mark on the North Shore will continue to be felt.
K o h l
C h r i s t e n s e n
Baeseman
Kohl Christensen has the face of a weary combat veteran. His eyes are dark and his brow furrowed. After five minutes of talking to Kohl, you’re left with the overwhelming feeling that there’s not a lot out there that unnerves the contractor–turned– farmer–turned–charger. His words are coarse but broken with a friendly smile. Boiled down to the marrow, Kohl Christensen will push himself over the wall on waves that would leave the most fearless of hellmen scratching for the horizon. And for that, we’re fans of Kohl and his diehard brand of surfing. At last year’s Eddie event, Kohl set himself apart with a mix of jaw-dropping freefalls and last-minute heroics that left the crowd gasping in disbelief time and again. With his invite to The Eddie and remarkable performance there, Kohl has already accomplished what most watermen dream of. “It’s such an honor to be recognized for something you have put so much time and energy into,” says Kohl. “So to be invited to The Eddie is the biggest honor a big–wave surfer can receive outside of the respect from his peers.” Ask any of the standout big-wave surfers in Hawaii for a short list of chargers, and you’ll be sure to see Kohl’s name pop up more than once. With a full-time job as a contractor who specializes in off-the-grid homes, Kohl may very well be the most underground charger on this list. But a 9-to-5 isn’t going to slow him down when the buoys bounce.
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M i k e
D o dd
Heff
Off the Wall is no place for the timid. With its shifting peaks and stubbled reef known for tearing flesh clean from the body, it takes a special breed of surfer to eye down the wave when it stands tall. At the forefront of that intrepid crew is the Big Island’s Mike Dodd. As in-step and in-tune with the rhythms of Off the Wall as one could be, you’d be hard-pressed to find another man so at ease and graceful at this vicious peak as Mr. Dodd. Haling from Hilo, Mike continues to make his Big Island brethren proud when rumors of his prowess travel back home. Now mixing his time between a growing family, the demands of a contracting job, and promising swell reports, Mike’s reputation on the North Shore as one of the most underground-yet-supremely talented surfers continues to grow with every heaver he threads. “My relationship with Off the Wall is like an acquired love. I’ve been surfing it for so long I feel like I know just what every lump in the face and set on the horizon means. It’s a wave that you have to work at, like a real relationship, but if you put in the time, Off the Wall can be really rewarding.” Although he has no plans on cracking into the World Tour any time soon, you can expect Mike to continue pushing the envelope in surf that makes us nervous this winter.
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G a v i n
G i l l e t t e
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Heff
Originally calling the wave-sodden coastlines of the Garden Island home, Gavin Gillette has built himself a reputation as one of the most dynamic young surfers on the North Shore. At only 24 years old, with a style that mixes the nonchalance of Curren with the progression and tweaks of Dusty Payne, Gavin has continued to impress us year in and year out. Whether it’s heaving bombs at Off the Wall or stylishly pulling the lip from the face at V-land, Gavin remains a standout no matter the conditions. On a competitive level, Gavin his proved his mettle on more than one occasion. But it was his performance last year at the Billabong Pipe Masters where he put a merciful end to Joel Parkinson’s title hopes that truly gave Gavin a reputation as a deadly dark horse. With the pressure mounting, Gavin dropped a 9-point tube with all of the charisma and effortlessness of a man without a care in the world. A surfer that can handle pressure like that is one no World Tour surfer will want to draw when the circus sets up shop on the North Shore. If you’re given the opportunity to talk to Gavin on the bike path or out in the lineup, you’ll find a surfer that’s completely comfortable in his own skin and ready to trade shakas at the drop of a hat. As the World Tour sets its sights on the North Shore and the photogs arrive in droves, you can expect Gavin to continue claiming scalps over the elite this winter—all with a smile, of course. n
Heather Brown Surf Art from the North Shore of Oahu Heatherbrownart.com
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Heff
Story By Jeff Mull
F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M
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n a Wednesday afternoon in late September, Sion Milosky sits in a small blue foldout beach chair in front of an empty lot that overlooks Rocky Point. It’s a blustery afternoon, the kind of day that reminds you that summer is quickly fading and a sharper, more dramatic season is inching itself closer. Winter. Just hours earlier, Sion put the final touches on what he hopes will be the last gate he builds for the season. The tools of his trade—his welding gloves, torch, and face shield—will be retired for the time being. From this point on, he tells me, he’s done with building gates. Because right now, his focus is tuned to one thing—paddling into the biggest waves ever ridden. “I build gates,” he says as he pulls back on a half-empty sweating bottle of Corona. His hands, gnarled and thick like the roots of an oak tree, tell the story of a man who has spent his fair share of time laboring. “I like building gates. It’s been a good job to me. But I think today that was the last day I’ll be building gates for the next few months. Hopefully until winter’s over at least.” He takes another sip of his beer, the glass looking meek in his mighty hands, readjusts himself in his chair, and begins telling me just how a one-time-professionallongboarder-turned-welder became one of the most fiercely respected big-wave surfers on the North Shore.
Baeseman
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“I used to be a longboarder,” he tells me. “I grew up on Kauai and surfed on everything, but actually got picked up by Town & Country as a longboarder when I was younger. I wasn’t really expecting to do it, but I did the whole longboard tour for a few years and actually had some decent results. I finished the season in the top three a few years and was pretty stoked. But then one day it just sort of ended. I lost my contract with Town & Country and just picked up my life and went to work.” With a past professional career behind him, Sion remained just as passionate about surfing as ever, but like anyone else under the conditions, assumed that his days in the jersey, whether it was as a longboarder or in another Continued on page 70 F RE E SU R F M A G A Z I NE . C O M
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Seq. Latronic
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”Wellness you can feel!” With the Antioxidant Superfruit from Hawai‘i Team Rider & Big Wave Charger, Sion Milosky www.KonaRed.com Photo by: Hank Foto
Latronic
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capacity, were behind him. To support himself, Sion picked a trade. “I’ve always been the type of person that likes to tinker with machines. See what makes them work. I don’t know, it just sort of came naturally to me,” he says, very matter of factly. “I’ve just always been really good at fixing things.” One think led to another, and the next chapter in Sion’s life found him with a welder’s torch in his hand. He was content with his latest
that no one will soon forget, between hundreds of emails and phone calls telling of big-wave heroics, there was a single photo that left my jaw on the floor. It was unequivocally one of the biggest waves I’d ever seen, and as I downloaded the image to my desktop, I did a double-take. Shot from the water, the wave on the horizon seemed to rise to nosebleed proportions. I’ve always despised trying to judge wave size, but this colossal peak had
Sion went from being a well-respected insider on the North Shore to a notable name in the big-wave surf scene almost overnight. incarnation. Happy. He was still surfing and surfing well, but this was his new life. But it wouldn’t be for long. There was still a nagging in his side. There was something that was pushing him. •
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Last winter, amid the craziness of a season
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to be pushing 30 feet. At the wave’s crest, precariously situated below the lip, stood a man. It was Sion Milosky and he was on what had to have been the wave of the winter. “When I had the opportunity to move over to the North Shore with my family a few years ago, I was pretty excited. I mean, I could do my job over here and everything. Plus I was able to surf Pipe and all the other waves over here with
a lot of my friends. From there, it just sort of progressed,” he tells me. “I started wanting to push it more. I was surfing Pipe a lot and some of the other Outer Reefs over here and was really starting to feel good.” At that moment, I ask him about The Wave. The one that had been circulating around the Internet. The one that projected him into instant notoriety. “Yeah, that was a swell I’ll never forget. I surfed that spot three times for that swell. It was during the Eddie and everyone went to Waimea but me and a few friends paddled out to some of the Outer Reefs and scored,” he recalls. “Everyone was saying that I blew it and I should have been at Waimea until they saw the photos and heard the stories from that one day. “We pretty much had it to ourselves the first day, and by the second or third day, it started to fill up. But we definitely got our share of waves. By the third day, Shane [Dorian] and a bunch of the boys were out and I was sort of just hanging back and watching, letting them have at it a bit. I’d caught enough out there and just wanted to share it at that point.” As it turns out, Sion’s exploratory mission to Oahu’s Outer Reefs on that fateful Eddie swell had a huge impact on his career. He went
Ells
from being a well-respected insider on the North Shore to a notable name in the big-wave surf scene almost overnight. Although he’d been a worldclass longboarder and Pipe charger in the past, it was his daring bravado during that particular swell that helped set the foundation of his future career. So much so that one of the images from that swell was said to be a major contender for Billabong’s XXL Big-Wave Awards. Hearing the news, Sion’s ears perked. But as fate would have it, the powers that be didn’t grant Sion the win, despite it being one of the biggest waves ever paddled into. “Yeah, I guess they said that I had to make it to the bottom of the wave and ride out for it to count. I made the drop and sort of sputtered and fell coming off the bottom. The whole thing was kind of weird to me.
“There’s some times where you’ll be paddling into a really solid one and your brain is telling you not to do it, but something else just takes over. You keep paddling. You just go for it.” The rules to the event and all. But whatever. I’m okay with it now. But you know what, for a while there, I would lay in bed at night and think about that wave and what if I would have technically rode out of it. It’s okay. There will be other swells.” Fortunately, Sion is right. There will be other swells. Lots of them. And when they arrive, he’ll be prepared. So what does it take to mentally and physically prepare yourself to surf such waves of consequence? “There has to be moments when you’re out in the middle of the
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ocean in 25-foot-plus surf where you have to question what you’re doing when a set comes your way,” I ask him. “Yeah, there are moments where you get nervous,” he tells me. “There’s some times where you’ll be paddling into a really solid one and your brain is telling you not to do it, but something else just takes over. You keep paddling. You just go for it.” Commitment. That “something else” that Sion is talking about is pure, unfiltered committment . And it’s something that Sion clearly has in spades. As our conversation continues, the topic turns from paddling into the biggest waves possible to one of Sion’s other loves—Pipeline. “It’s just a special wave to a lot of people. Pipeline definitely lures you in. It’s crowded and it can be hard to get waves, but when you get one out there…it’s just hard to explain. It’s something special and you want to keep coming back for more,” Sion says. As Sion alluded, Pipeline’s appeal is far-reaching and impossible to deny. Horrendously crowded, horrifically dangerous, but so tempting. To ride in from the Second Reef, pull in, and be spewed out onto the shoulder is the kind of moment that we all dream about. But for Sion and a motley crew of Pipe enthusiasts, it’s a reality. This is what they live for. Taming the biggest, meanest, most deadly bull in surfing. •
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Whether you’re paddling into waves that could kill you or pulling into drainers over reefs that are aching to puncture your body, the brand of surfing that Sion yearns for is not done alone. Far too dangerous to not have someone watching your back, Sion knows that when the buoys strain or Second Reef feathers that his safety is in good hands because of the close friends he surfs with.
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“It’s almost like a brotherhood. When you’re surfing waves like that, you have to have someone you can totally trust watching your back. Someone that really knows what they’re doing,” he tells me. “Things can get really bad really quick, but it’s good to know that you have someone that you can literally trust with your life looking out for you.” Exploring this notion further, Sion and I liken the kind of faith you put in the people you surf with to firemen and combat soldiers—jobs that are just too dangerous to do alone. “It’s something that most of the people in this world won’t experience… knowing that if things get bad, someone else has your back instantly. That they’re gonna be there to help. And you’re gonna do the same for them. It’s really like a brotherhood.” From there, I ask Sion if he could have ever imagined himself being where he is today. A one-time longboarder turned big-wave hero. He smiles, chuckles a bit, and says no. Not in a million years. “I’ve always been really happy. Whether I was surfing or working, but no, if you would have told me that I would be doing what I’m doing now, I would have never believed you.” With a career on the upswing, Sion recently signed with Volcom and has his sights set on pushing the envelope even further. “Now that I’ve got some more help, I’m planning on going even harder now,” he says. After quickly sifting through his list of accomplishments over the past few years—becoming a Pipeline connoisseur and a big-wave hellmen that has yet to let fear get the best of him—I ask him how much further can he possible push it? “I want to catch the biggest wave ever,” he calmly replies. There’s a damn fine chance he’ll do it. n
The World’s Best Pay Tribute To A Departed Friend When Andy Irons unexpectedly passed away, the surf world mourned his loss as one. We’re all still coming to grips with this tragedy, but we hope the words from his counterparts will do Andy more justice than we ever could. The following tributes were collected online in the days following Andy’s death. We’ll miss you, Andy. 78
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“I’ve never lost someone this close. I’ve never felt like this. I’m empty, I’m numb and nothing makes sense. I love you Andy.” —Coco Ho
Latronic
“I’ve lost not only a competitor and friend, but most importantly a brother. Andy Irons, you will be in my heart for eternity! R.I.P A.I.” —Mick Fanning
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Tostee / ASP
ASP
“Andy was like an older brother to me. He was one of the reasons for me taking the route to professional surfing. November 2, 2010 will be a memory that will never be forgotten. He is no longer here, there are only memories of him. Andy is and will always be known as a surfing legend, I know him as a husband, brother, son, father, and friend. I love you and may your legacy live on. I’m here for your family and I will never forget what you have done for me.” —Roy Powers
Tostee / ASP
“Andy was an absolutely gifted individual. I’m lucky to have known him and had the times we had together. I feel blessed that we worked through the differences we had and I was able to learn what I’m made of because of Andy. We enjoyed many quiet times together with our girls in the last year and I got to know a happy, funny, innocent kid who was happy to live every second with the people he loved. I’m so sad. My thoughts are with Bruce and Lyndie and their parents and all of his many friends around the world. It’s a huge and far too premature loss for all of us. He was the most intense competitor I’ve ever known and one of the most sensitive people. He had so much life left in him and it hurts to think about. We look forward to his memory living on with our memories of him and his child on the way. There are a lot of uncles awaiting his arrival. I really miss Andy. He had a really good heart.”—Kelly Slater
nixonnow.com
“As a surfer Andy had that mad dog in him. He wasn’t afraid of anything and wore his heart on both his sleeves. He was the most emotional surfer I’ve ever seen. He had that unbelievable aggression in his surfing, and he became one of the best. I idolized him. If Andy put his mind to it there was nothing he couldn’t do on a wave, and over the years I’ve seen him do some of the most incredible things on the most incredible waves. He and Kelly, between them, have owned surfing for the past 10 years.” —Joel Parkinson
Tostee / ASP
Baeseman
“Andy you will be deeply missed by everyone. A true champion. My prayers go out to the Irons family.” —Bede Durbidge
“I’m absolutely in pieces about Andy Irons’ death. You’ll be missed my friend.”—Ian Walsh “A.I. you were a champion, mate! I was privileged to have known you.” —Luke Munro “Andy set the path for us. He was everything for us.” —Alex and Koa Smith
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“A.I. gave us everything we have and showed us the dream we wanted to be a part of.” —Dylan Goodale
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The Big 10
Slater Further Secures His Legacy Forty-five World Tour wins, nine world titles, and the prestige of being one of the most dominant athletes in history—Kelly Slater’s list of accolades reaches beyond anything anyone could have ever expected when a handsome kid from Florida first made his appearance more than 20 years ago. Despite holding nearly every record in the sport, there was something about Kelly possessing a big, round number of world titles that seemed so compelling. For us, the general public, Kelly needed 10 titles for his career to be complete. With baited breath we waited for Kelly to claim his destiny. We watched the webcast and gasped aloud with every heat he won, we placed office bets on whether or not his title would come down to Hawaii, we religiously followed the blogosphere for inside information. We were Slater crazy. After securing a comfortable world title lead over number-two ranked Jordy Smith at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, we all knew Slater was standing at the cusp of the inevitable. As the World Tour moved into the Rip Curl Search at Puerto Rico, it soon became strategically possible for Slater to mark his tenth world title. Fate became reality when Kelly smoked Adriano De Souza in the quarterfinals. He had finally done it. In what had to have been the most dramatic week in the history of the sport, Slater’s win proved to be bittersweet as it came in on the heels of the news that longtime rival and friend Andy Irons had tragically passed away. The surf world grieved a lost
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and celebrated a milestone together. “I don’t know, it just happened,” Slater said of his win over De Souza. “If you look at the heat, Adriano passed one up and let me have it and that was a good wave and that was pretty much it a few minutes into the heat. I just want to send my condolences to Irons family. It’s been a week of extremes for me. If it wasn’t for Andy Irons there is no way I’d be here in this position right now. I don’t really know what else to say, I’m a little overwhelmed right now. I want to dedicate this to Andy and to my family.” Slater went on to recap the trials and tribulations that led to the title. “I had the third at Teahupoo and Jordy got the 17th. At the time I really wanted to win that event and pull into the lead, but having Andy Irons win that contest was really special,” Slater said. “I surfed a last heat with him this year and to get past everybody at Trestles, I know the level is pretty much going through the roof every year. The stuff that Dane and Jordy pull off at every event, everyone is trying to catch on and their strike rate is so high, their consistency is so high. When I got into the lead after Trestles, I didn’t really feel that confident going into France. It was a wave-catching contest at first, but then it got big and I thought ‘this is my zone, this is where I do well and this is what I love.’ The points all started coming together just right for me. To get past Jordy Smith in the final in Portugal, I knew something special was happening.”
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Duane DeSoto Claims Oxbow World Longboarding Championship at Makaha
After 17 years spent on the World Longboard Tour, Makaha’s favorite son, Duane DeSoto, stood on the winner’s podium at the Oxbow World Longboarding Championships as the season’s overall victor. If the taste of that accomplishment wasn’t sweet enough on its own, the win just so happened to occur at his homebreak in front of his closest family and friends at Makaha. Throughout the event, DeSoto continuously stood at the head of the pack of the world’s most prestigious longboarders with his characteristic mix of classic style, modern progression, and his keen sense of the Makaha lineup. Although the competition proved fierce, DeSoto continuously posted some the event’s highest heat scores and took a mesmerizing five heat wins. On the road to the final, DeSoto cut through an arsenal of Hawaiian surfing legends as both Bonga Perkins and Rusty Keauluna put on blistering performances to find themselves in the quarterfinals. Despite both Perkins and Keaulana displaying the exact forms of surfing that have made them the legends that they are today, their efforts were not enough as Perkins would fall to DeSoto and Keaulana would falter to Frenchman Antoine Delpero. “I wish I could have given that guy more of a challenge,” Perkins said. “I sat too far out. I didn’t want to sit too far in. I had good heats leading up to that one, so I can’t complain. Duane is my good friend. I’m not bummed at him, just bummed I didn’t give him a run for his money. I wanted to go wave-for-wave, that way you know you got beat by a better surfer, not by yourself. In the final, DeSoto faced off against a very worthy Antoine Delpero from France amid the 4-foot Makaha walls. Although Delpero looked extremely lethal throughout the event and into the final, it was clear that this was DeSoto’s cat to bag from the opening heat horn.
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“I did my very best and I’m happy with my result,” Delpero said. “I enjoyed Makaha. Being out there with only one other guy and looking at the beautiful mountains and having great waves, it was a great event for me.” “This feels insane,” DeSoto said. “I’ve been trying for so many years and I’m 33 and I finally got a title. I started doing these when I was 16. I’m just so incredibly happy to be here and it couldn’t get any better. It’s right here at Makaha beach, where I grew up my whole life with my family. To have my beautiful family here behind me, I don’t even know. I don’t know when it’s going to kick in. Today was all time Makaha. Everything just lined up beautifully. “I knew if I didn’t do my best surfing, there was no final for me. It really made me turn the throttle on. Then I had Antoine Delpero, as consistent as he is, in the Final, I knew I had to turn it on again, but I just took it heat by heat. I didn’t want to focus my energy on the future or the past. The clock never went so slow in that Final once I took the lead.” Proudly looking on, past world champion and Makaha mainstay Rusty Keaulana beamed pride for DeSoto. “I’ve got three titles and I’m so proud of Duane for winning this,” Keaulana said. “I’ve tried to win this event at Makaha before, but no excuses about me, I’m just happy for Duane right now.”
Results
Oxbow ASP World Longboard Championships
1. Duane DeSoto 14.97 2. Antoine Delpero 13.53
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Maui’s Billy Kemper Wins HIC Sunset Pro
Under gray skies and an unruly sea, the competitive season on the North Shore officially kicked off with the newly minted four-star HIC Pro at Sunset Beach. Regarded as an event for Hawaii’s working-class surfers, this year’s contest also seeded the winner a place in this year’s Triple Crown. In the past, the event has been the frontrunner of the season, a signal to the world that the North Shore is officially open for business. From the outset of the event, the ocean hurled upon itself with 15-foot sets turning the lineup into a stew of surfers, rogue sets, and adrenaline. Pouring down rain and gusty winds, the event felt more like a gut-check than the typical Hawaiian sun-soaked conditions we’ve become accustomed to in the past. Paying the conditions no mind, the surfers that donned jerseys for the event were there to do business—8 foot and perfect or 20 foot and deadly, a winner was going to be crowned. Forever a proving ground the wide-open lineup at Sunset has tested the mettle of surfers for generations and has never been an easy wave to tame. A quick glance through the names of past champions reads like a list of surfing greats. To be blunt, a win at this event is a feather in the cap to all competitive surfers. As the event marched through the heats, one by one, it became clear that this year’s contest would mark a changing of the guard as a new breed of young finalist emerged for the finals. Kauai’s Alex Smith, Maui’s Billy Kemper, Oahu’s Keanu Asing and Australia’s Jack Perry made their presence felt and introduced Sunset to a new breed of surfers, one that’s as comfortable doing airs at a peaky beach break as they are laying down the rail on at Sunset’s West Bowl. Although the congregation of finalists made the most of the trying surf, the event proved to be somewhat lackluster without a single surfer breaking a double-digit score—a fact that speaks volume of the conditions. In the end, amid the scattered sets, Maui’s Billy Kemper would put the two highest-scoring waves together
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to take the win. His first-place showing at Sunset not only earned him $12,000, but also the ASP Hawaii Regional title. “Hands down, this is the biggest win of my career,” said Kemper, who has become synonymous with tackling some of the most severe surf Maui’s reefs have on offer. Prior to the opening horn, the news of Andy Irons’ death filtered through the North Shore, unraveling the nerves of even the strongest characters. Andy’s passing hit Kemper especially hard, but the young standout from the Valley Isle still managed to put his best foot forward. It should also be noted that Kemper lost a brother, famed surfer Eric Diaz, in the late 1990s. “I wasn’t even thinking about winning today, or the ASP Hawaii title. I had a really weird feeling this morning when I woke up, my mind was on Andy and my brother. I want to dedicate this to Andy and my brother, Eric Diaz, who died in 1998 and was one of Andy’s good friends. “I moved over here to Sunset when I was eight years old to watch my brother when he was a pro, competing out here at Sunset with Andy. I’m speechless to be here now, winning, today. This past year surfing Jaws I got voted into the XXL awards which was my highlight up to now, but this takes over.”
Results Hic Sunset Pro
1. Billy Kemper 2. Jack Perry 3. Keanu Asing 4. Alex Smith
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Rabbit Kekai, 90 years young.
After a week’s worth of highs and lows, high-octane turns and stylish noserides, the 2010 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games in Peru came to a climactic finish today at the 3-foot rights at Señoritas. With 31 teams competing at this year’s games, the sleepy surfside village was transformed into surfing’s version of Olympic City with as many languages being spoken as there were waves on tap for the event. Throughout the week, flags were raised and anticipations swelled as the dream of taking a home a team gold took root in the minds of every surfer in the event. Remarkably, the over gold medal didn’t have to travel very far as the Peruvians took the overall win in a heartfelt moment. The Australians would come in second and the South Africans third. Original beachboy and all-around surfing legend Rabbit Kekai recently turned 90 years old. Having been a witness to the century that brought surfing to the world, Kekai is a surfing legend in the truest sense of the word. So what’s the key to Rabbit’s longevity? “My heart doesn’t age, it’s still young.” Shooting HD video has never been easier. Intimate angles and hands-free shooting are the norm with the Contour HD camera, from land to the water. The Contour HD camera shoots up to 1080p full-frame HD video and can capture in either 30 or 60 fps for that ultra-smooth slowmotion shot. There are a multitude of video settings and at only 4.3 ounces the camera’s very small and light With a hands-frees shooting model, the camera can be mounted to everything from handlebars, car windshield, flat surface, goggle strap, and yes even your surfboard. The Contour HD is available now at WRV and other locations. Keep an eye out for the new Contour GPS camera. Vans is dropping an app for those of you who can’t make it to the Triple Crown in person that enables you to view heats live on your iPhone or iPad. The app, “Vans Live” will keep you up to speed on the Triple Crown Title race—just don’t fire it up while you’re driving. Vans also debuts a daily pre-event morning show, “The Call,” airing each day at 7:45 am and offering live web coverage of the series including latest news, highlights and happenings. Viewers can watch the “The Call” through “Vans Live” app or at VansTripleCrownOfSurfing.com
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last look
Laurie Towner, heading for greener pastures.
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