Fsmv8 3 by Freesurf Magazine

* Zeke Lau and Keanu Asing take over the mag

Special Guest Editor Issue*

YOUTHANIZED T h e R e v o l u t i o n S ta rts H e r e

Free in Hawai‘i

surfing 2.0

Drowning in perfection

Molding Champions

A new day dawns for professional surfers as the Internet evens the playing field. Trust us, this changes everything.

Unrivaled degrees of the world’s most ferocious wave take hold at the Volcom Pipeline Pro. You’ve never seen Pipe quite like this.

Rainos Hayes and Dave Riddle open up about coaching Hawaii's best young surfers

november V8#3 • FREESURFMAGAZINE.COM

John Florence Photo: Brandon Ells

anal ogcl ot hi ng. com

Free Parking

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

Latronic

With the surfing masses still focused on the North Shore and the crowds nearing capacity, getting a bit of open shoulder to yourself isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always the easiest of tasks. Needless to say, at times tempers can flair. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Haa Aikau, blowing off some steam.

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

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Contents Xx

V8#3 March 2011

Aperture

Drowning in perfection

Surfing 2.0

Elements converge to form a sea of perfection in this exclusive photo gallery.

Unrivaled degrees of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most ferocious wave take hold at the Volcom Pipeline Pro. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never seen Pipe quite like this.

Heff

A new day dawns for professional surfers as the Internet evens the playing field. Trust us, this changes everything.

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

Maui

Whalers Village, Kaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;anapali Front Street Lahaina Cannery Mall South Kihei Shops At Wailea

Big Island

Kona Inn Shopping Village Kingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Shops Waikoloa

Oahu

Outrigger Waikiki Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Walk

Kauai

Poipu Shopping Village Anchor Cove

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Contents V8#3 March 2011

10. Free Parking Haa Aikau, grabs a moment to himself to blow off some steam. 22. Ed Note “Yeah, I think we made the magazine about 20 times better.” —Zeke Lau on his role as this month’s guest editor. 24. Howzit A snapshot of the good life. 26. P laylist What’s in Your iPod? Zeke Lau and Keanu Asing drop their favorite tracks. 30. S tomping Grounds A look inside the youth of Honolulu’s famed Kewalo Basin. 54. S potlight Josh Moniz chimes in on being part of a surfing dynasty. Turns out it’s not quite as easy as you would think. Expires April 31, 2011

Expires April 31, 2011

56. T he Wire Shane Dorian shows us his philanthropic side as he holds his annual Keiki Classic Event; Bethany Hamilton hits the silver screen with her Hollywood feature film, Soul Surfer, and Mark Visser tows into Jaws…at night. 60. Closeout Makai McNamara, gunning for sunlight.

V8#3 March

John John Florence Photo: Ells

Editorial Publisher Mike Latronic Editor Jeff Mull Photo Editor Tony Heff Art Director Richard Hutter Editorial and Marketing Intern Gianna Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brienh

Free Thinkers

Clark Carroll, Daniel Ikaika Ito, Ryan Kelly, Albee Layer

Staff Photographers Eric Baeseman, Brandon Ells, Tony Heff, Mike Latronic, Tyler Rock

Contributing Photographers

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Nathan Adams, Eric Aeder, Kirk Lee Aeder, Jamie Ballenger, Brian Bielmann, John Bilderback, Tom Carey, Vince Cavataio, Mike Coots, Kanoa Dahlin, Hilton Dawe, Patrick Devault, Willi Edwards, Grant Ellis, Brandon Ells, Paul Fisher, 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 Hawaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;i. You can also pick up FREESURF on the mainland at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores and select newsstands. Ask for it by name at your local surf shop! Subscribe at freesurfmagazine.com Other than â&#x20AC;&#x153;Free Postageâ&#x20AC;? 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, Haleâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;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 donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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. 2011

Editor’s note

Heff

Latronic

guest editor issue

Behind the Making of the Guest Editor Issue On a Thursday afternoon in a nondescript strip mall in Kalihi, two of Hawaii’s brightest young surfers, Zeke Lau and Keanu Asing, sat down with me for coffee. A few days earlier, with the promise of free vanilla lattes and possibly a scone, I lured the duo into a meeting. Once seated, lattes and scone in hand, I broke the real reason I brought them here. “So…seeing that you guys are kinda hot shit with your gold medals, national titles, and hundreds of friends on Facebook and all, we thought it would be rad if you two acted as guest editors for our next issue,” I blurted out. “What do you think?” “Uhm, yeah, sounds cool. What do we have to do?” asked Keanu, not even close to realizing what he had just agreed to. “Well, you know, a little of this, a little of that, tell us what’s cool, who to interview, you know…make us look epic,” I casually added, fogging over the fact that I would be hounding them for loads of content on a daily basis for the next month. “Sure, we’ll do it.” And with that, I had the duo locked in hook, line, and sinker. We’d given them free reign to come up with our editorial agenda, pick the photos, and tweak the layout and they immediately began bouncing ideas off of one another. Believe it or not, if both Keanu and Zeke ever want to try another

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

Our guest editors make their mark.

career, they wouldn’t be remiss to look into the magazine business. “We’ve got to do something on Josh Moniz,” they exclaimed. “Yeah, and something on Dave Riddle, too.” “Well, if we’re doing Dave, we need to do something on Rainos Hayes. We gotta do something on Rainos.” An hour-and-a-half later, two more lattes deep, we had a legitimate magazine taking form. Features were penciled in, interview candidates were jotted down, and photo requests were diligently taken. Fast-forward about three weeks, add in a few late nights, and a few hundred emails, texts, and phone calls between the three of us and voila: FREESURF’s Guest Editor issue was produced. “It’s a lot more work than I thought it would be, but it was actually really fun. I’m super stoked on the cover shot,” said Zeke about his tenure as an editor. “But it was kinda more work than you let on.” Keanu, on the other hand, got to experience the joys of working remotely as he crossed the globe chasing contests. All in all, through the rushed deadlines and pressures that invariably arise from building a magazine, the two were proud of the product we produced. “It was super fun learning about how the magazine works,” said Zeke, “and I think Keanu and I made it 20 times better!”—Jeff Mull

www.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

sections

From the beach to the barrel, parking lot to the lineup, we’re perpetually on the watch as FREESURF carries on the tradition of bringing you the best of Hawaii’s most genuine moments. Keep your eyes out for us, cause we’re keeping our lense on you.

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

Latronic

Baeseman

Latronic

Kirsten / ASP

1. There’s something to be said when a photographer and surfer team up for that perfect moment. Here’s Imaikalani DeVault and our own esteemed lensmen, Eric Baeseman, going for the post-photo high-5. 2. With this year’s winter producing some of the most pristine Pipe conditions on memory, it’s almost always all eyes on the lineup. 3. Kaimana Jaquias, all hands on board. 4. John Florence, hitting his stride. 5. Enough to make you smile —Leila Hurst. 6. Keanu Asing, getting a knee up on his competitors. 7. “I think it’s off shore.” —Dege O'Connell. 8. Birds-eye view.

Heff

Rock

Latronic

/ ca u g ht i n the act

Baeseman

howzit

sections

S unds

inspiration

Zeke’s Top 10

Dave Riddle Volcom Team Manager Mentor to Ezekiel Lau

FS: When one of your surfers is faced with a really highpressure situation, what kind of advice would you give them? DR: I’ll talk to them before the heat and tell them just how much confidence that I have in them; tell them that we can do this. I’ll tell them that they didn’t get to this point without being capable. Usually, it’s the first heat that’s the hardest, after that, I’ve found that people start getting rid of the nerves. But basically, it’s just a lot of reinforcement. FS: What are some ways you try and mold young surfers? DR: I try and instill the fact that they should always have a Plan B and education is the foundation for that. Being

Shaper for zeke lau

5 minutes with Jeff Bushman The search for the magic board has proved to be the Holy Grail of surfing—something that always seems to be just out of reach for the masses. Lucky for us, we found North Shore shaping legend Jeff Bushman, a man as in-tune with his craft as any. Having cut more than 30,000 boards and working as the premier shaper for our guest editor, Zeke Lau, we thought it wise to sit down with the legend and try and learn a few things. Freesurf: What inspired you to start shaping? Jeff Bushman: I shaped my first board in the mid-1970s. I’d

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

“Never Been” Heff

Freesurf: What would you say is one of the more difficult parts about your job? Dave Riddle: For me, and I think a lot of the other team managers would agree to this, but it’s the logistics of getting everyone everywhere. It’s almost like you’re a travel agent trying to get everyone to and from an event. That part can be a little bit grueling. The other thing is trying to make sure everyone stays in school and is keeping up good grades and being responsible people.

Pl li as yt

able to be more than just a surfer is really important in life. It’s great to have big dreams and reach for those dreams, but we can’t all be Coco Ho, Dusty Payne, or Zeke Lau. It’s important to learn other skills. FS: As a role model, what are some of the ways you try to set an example? DR: I like to get in the water with the kids as much as possible and show them that at the very basis of what we do, we still have to be stoked on surfing. Without that, when it starts being work and stops being fun, it stops being right. FS: If you had to offer some advice to today’s young surfers, what would it be? DR: With the economy being as tough as it is, I’d like to go back to what I said about having a Plan B. Reach for the stars, but be prepared to have something else going as well. done a lot of carpentry, shaping was kind of an extension of using tools. I was fascinated by shapers and wanted to see if I could make my own board and in 1982 it became a business. FS: Does the process of shaping surfboards reflect who you are in any way? JB: I think its part of being a craftsman, trying to do something the best that you can, always improving, and always changing. The whole process is an evolution about making better boards. FS: What is your favorite thing about shaping a board? JB: The satisfaction when somebody picks up a board and I get to feel their positive energy and their happiness and they are always stoked. The best days I have is when someone calls and says “Oh thanks that board was magic, I just had the best session.” FS: What is the most challenging thing about shaping? JB: Most of my business is custom so I’m working with different people all the time, trying to adapt what I know and apply it to their needs, and always keep it very creative. The ocean is amazing because it is such a powerful force, with guys surfing and the abilities changing and with the level going up you always have to keep trying to move ahead. FS: What inspires you? JB: I have been very fortunate to have a lot of great riders on my boards. Ross-Clarke Jones was my big-wave rider and he won The Eddie on my board. Flynn Novak just won $50,000 for the best air for the year on one of my boards. I think what inspires me is to be able to produce what they need at that level. It pushes me to not only look at what they are doing now but where they want to go with that; it pushes me to be a better shaper. —Gianna O’Brien

Wiz Khalifa “On my Level” Wiz Khalifa Featuring Too $hort “The Statement” Wiz Khalifa “Mezmorized” Wiz Khalifa “Chewy Whiz” Wiz Khalifa “Pedal to the Medal” Wiz Khalifa “Still Blazin” Wiz Khalifa “Taylor Made” The Game featuring Wiz Khalifa “Ferrari Lifestyle” The Game Featuring Fabolous “Soo Woo” The Game and Lil Wayne

KELIA MONIZ

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sections Inspiration

Rainos Hayes

S unds

Billabong Team Manager/Mentor to Keanu Asing

Heff

Freesurf: What was your life like before see how important it is, and also how rewarding it can be, to achieve a goal you became a team manager? with someone. Rainos Hayes: Well, I grew up on the North Shore pretty much in the same place that FS: What’s your favorite thing about I live now, kind of by Sunset Beach. I was mentoring young surfers? a pro for a while and rode for Quiksilver RH: I like seeing the excitement in from about 15 to 25 years old and had a young people. Everything is new, they’re limited amount of success. At that time, I not jaded. It’s great. I also really like to was riding for a Japanese board company see people not only develop as winning and I really wanted to work with a local athletes, but as a good humans, too. It’s one. So I got a job at HIC and sort of important to bring something positive to became their team guy. And that’s pretty the table in life. much how it all got started. FS: And what are some of the more FS: Looking back, do you think that difficult parts about your job? you could have benefited from having RH: The logistics. Definitely the logistics of moving entire teams through airports a coach? RH: I never had a coach growing up, and getting somewhere on time and but I would have really benefitted from healthy. That’s the most difficult part one for sure. Being a coach now, I can for sure.

5 minutes with Shaper for Keanu Asing

WT: For me, the most difficult thing about shaping a board is to duplicate what was done before. We’re using the machine which helps a lot, but that being said, sometimes it just doesn’t come out the same. FS: So if you could relate shaping a surfboard to anything else what would you compare it to? WT: Cooking. You need a little bit of this and a little bit of that to make that perfect dish.

FS: Does the process of shaping surfboards reflect who you are in any way? WT: I would say that I’m a perfectionist and shaping surfboards is never perfect…so it can make you go a little bit crazy.

FS: How would you say shaping boards influence how you feel about surfing? WT: Fundamentally, shaping surfboards gives me the stoke to surf and to learn more about surfboards.

FS: What would you say your favorite thing is about shaping a board? WT: I’d have to say my favorite thing is to see a surfer stoked on one of our boards. That and also testing the designs is always pretty fun.

FS: After shaping thousands of boards do you still get a special feeling when you complete each one? WT: Yeah, for sure. It gives me a sense of satisfaction when each board is done, just hoping it will make someone happy.

FS: And what would you say is the most challenging part of shaping a board? F R E E S U R FMA G A ZIN E.CO M

“The Show Goes On” Lupe Fiasco “Made Men” Rick Ross featuring Drake “Veterans Day” Rick Ross featuring Lil Wayne and Birdman

“All of The Lights” Kanye West featuring Rihanna

Latronic

FS: What inspired you to start shaping? WT: Kerry, my younger brother, actually inspired me. He shaped the first board and I thought it looked really fun. We’ve always really liked working with our hands and it was just fun to do.

Top 10

“Aston Martin Music” Rick Ross featuring Drake and Chrisette Michele

Wade Tokoro

FreeSurf: When did you shape your first board? Wade Tokoro: I pretty much started shaping in 1985.

Keanu’s

Pl li as yt

“Grown Man” Gucci Mane featuring Estelle “Dog Days Are Over” Florence and the Machine “Waiting on Yesterday” Sean Roxs “Exit Row” Wiz Khalifa “YM Salute” Lil Wayne and Young Money

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sections Stomping grounds

Kewalos Town’s Talent Pool

As ground zero for Honolulu’s most adept young surfers, over the past decade Kewalo Basin has transformed itself from a seedy hangout and into the training grounds for a new generation. Gone are days of Dog the Bounty Hunter patrolling the parking lot and in his wake are a slew of parents and team managers. With both Zeke Lau and Keanu Asing crediting Kewalos as their stomping grounds, our guest eds thought it wise of us to introduce you to some of Kewalo’s finest young men.

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

Kaz Sano / NovusSwell

Left to right: Gen Asano, Travis Tominaga, Kylen Yamakawa, Keenan Seguancia, Josh Moniz, Cole Yamakawa, Keanu Asing, Derek Wong, Kaito Kino (in the shade behind Zeke), Ezekiel Lau, Kapu Ping

Kiron Jabour, dialing four-fun-fun.

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Baeseman

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

Heff

Kauaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kaimana Jaquias, intercepting more than just radio waves.

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

Baeseman

Latronic

Matt Meola, displaying an unnaturally natural tweak in signature fashion.

Keala Naihe, big hack on the Big Island.

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

Kaoli Kahokuloa, standing tall and enjoying the fruits of his labor.

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

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Tanner Hendrickson, somewhere over the rainbow.

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Isaiah Moniz, up for grabs.

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

Baeseman

Latronic

No, you probably couldn’t beat her in a heat. Malia Manuel, redefining standards.

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

Heff

For most of the winter, New York’s Balaram Stack is stuffed inside a 5/4/3 battling frostbite and throaty East Coast tubes. When he finally arrives on the North Shore and sheds his winter coat, he can’t help but leap for joy.

Seth Moniz, simply jaw-dropping.

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

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

Kamio

Landon McNamara, frighteningly comfortable in an uncomfortable spot.

Drowning in

Perfection Gasping

for

air

The

Volcom

Pipe

Pro

To see video of the Volcom Pipe Pro, simply download the QR reader for your smart phone and scan this barcode. Heff

John Florence, on the double.

Kinsan

Second Win Of The Season

Continued on page 44

John Florence Does It Again

he North Shore found serenity between 3:30 and sundown on a January afternoon. Although Pipe and Off the Wall had been in fine form for the past few days of the Volcom Pipe Pro, what transcended that afternoon was nothing short of spectacular. Perched up the beach over looking the venue with a battalion of the most talented surfers in the world bobbing in the lineup, one mind-numbing perfect barrel after another marched across the reef at Pipe. The routine was simple in its perfection: Stand up. Pull in. Get spat out. Repeat. Perfect scores abounded and everyone gathered on the beach knew that they were witnessing nature at its finest. Looking out towards the crystal sea, you almost need to pinch yourself the surf had grown so pristine. So vivid. In the final

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

Drowning in e

Carey

A few hundred yards west of Backdoor, and it’s raining perfection at Off the Wall. You literally can’t look up without seeing

Heff

Carey

someone deftly shacked. Clockwise from top: Pipe puts her best face forward for the Volcom Pipe Pro; San Clemente’s Chris Ward was the only non-Hawaiian in the final but still proved to be a formidable threat; Dean Morrison ducking for cover; Freddy P. right at home; JOB, vertically challenged.

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

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Continued from page 42

stood a pantheon of Pipe specialists. John Florence, Jamie O’Brien, Chris Ward, and Aamion Goodwin were all donning jerseys, with each surfer having proven himself more than capable of carrying a win at the event. Jamie’s reputation out at Pipe was never in question and would have been a betting man’s favorite. Aamion Goodwin, with all of his tenure built around big, throaty barrels could also have found himself on the podium. And for Chris Ward, the only non-Hawaiian in the final, well, it’s safe to say that his reputation for pulling out the unexpected preceeds him. And then there was John. On the heels from a recent win at Da Hui’s Backdoor Shootout, John Florence was clearly on a roll. Over the course of the winter, the boy turned man had become the talk of the surf industry. This is John’s year. The man is on a roll. In the opening barrage of the final, Florence casually dips into an 8-point ride and then nonchalantly racks up a 9. Jamie—who’s been fighting off a horrific cold—counters with his own vanishing act and drops a midrange 8. A few hundred yards west of Backdoor, and it’s raining perfection at Off the Wall. You literally can’t look up without seeing someone deftly shacked. Back toward Pipe and the clock is ticking down with Florence still holding down the lead. The ocean slows its cadence for the first time all afternoon and the final horn blows. John Florence wins the Volcom Pipe Pro. “This feeling never gets old,” said an elated Florence after his win. Just a few weeks prior, John John had scalped a win at the Backdoor Shootout. “After winning the Shootout and now this…it’s just everything I could ever imagine. It’s hard to describe, but it just feels amazing, you know. Best ever. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this.” f

Carey

surfin I

n a dimly lit room surrounded by sputtering lights, USB cables, discarded cans of Red Bull, and a mountain of hope, the next great surfer will make his debut to the world. There will be no champagne baths or victory speeches or post-heat interviews trumpeting his arrival.

To be sure, you will not know his name nor will you recognize

his face when he enters the spotlight. But make no mistake: he is out there ready to be reborn to the surfing masses. And just how he does it will revolutionize surfing forever.

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

With the rise of a bevy of user-generated online avenues to promote surfers, a new portal to the upper echelon has opened for the underpromoted and unsung among us. Forget national titles, chasing the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;QS, or circumnavigating the globe hunting for spreads in magazines. The new path to success requires a copy of Final Cut, a dedicated f i l m e r, an Internet connection, and loads of raw talent. Granted, this brave new world approach to professional surfing may seem far-fetched and completely unlikely to many of you, but hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the kicker: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already happening. In 2007 Billabong broke theoretical ground on the Internet with their Freewave Challenge. The event allowed users to

ng 2.0

Latronic

Dane Reynolds and his blog, MarineLayerProductions.com, both work symbiotically to further our enjoyment of surfing.

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

upload their best clip to the contest’s website with winners being plucked from various categories in what Billabong deemed a “virtual surf contest.” Despite the fundamental brilliance of the format, the event included a few glitches and never fully gained the steam needed to proclaim the venture a legitimate success story. That being said, what the Freewave Challenge did to usher surfing into a new web-based realm should not be taken lightly. Having laid valuable tracks for the current trip we’re embarking upon, the Freewave Challenge set the wheels in motion. Despite not being wholly embraced by the masses, surfing’s next evolution would not have been possible without this event. After all, the Wright Brothers’ initial aircraft didn’t need to pull 3Gs, it only needed to get off the ground. Fast-forward to 2008 and the surfing populace bore witness to yet another online media platform open to the general public. Enter the Kustom AirStrike, the Aussie footwear company’s annual event that awards the most inspired and innovative punt of the year $50,000. From the outset, with a truckload of cash acting as the lure, the online contest proved to be the next vehicle that would usher surfing to a new, more democratic dimension. According to Kustom, the premise for their event was straightforward in nature. “In short, our mission was, and still is, to produce surfing so inspired and revolutionary that it changes the face of surfing as we know it.” Boiled down to the marrow, in its simplest form, the foundation was rudimentary in evening its playing field: Anyone can enter, best air wins. Perhaps unwittingly, with Kustom’s sights honed more toward progression than supplying a venue for the masses, the event opened the proverbial floodgates for what was to come. Despite all of the past winners (up until 2010) being well-endorsed pros, there was the odd entry from an unknown that blew our collective minds. Yes, Dion Agius, Julian Wilson, and Dusty Payne had all claimed the $50,000 prize purse in the past, but it was the stratospheric frontside slob by Joe Anonymous at T-Street that planted a new seed in surfing. Could an unsponsored, unknown surfer that missed the bus to a professional career actually win this thing? Well, sort of.

lynn Novak doesn’t feel the need to sugarcoat most things. Not to say that the lanky goofyfoot is brash—the truth is far from it as the man is as polite, cordial, and well-spoken as anyone—but Flynn takes a certain pride in his reputation for calling a spade a spade. Growing up on the North Shore, Flynn was no stranger to publicity and built himself a name for rushing Pipeline and punting colossal airs. But as fate would have it and as his career progressed, for one reason or another, Flynn didn’t gain the same amount of exposure in the media as some of his peers. Each winter he was holding his own in the lineup, getting the heaviest waves on the North Shore and stomping some of the most committed rotations at Rocky Point, but his photos routinely wound up on the editing room

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cover

floor and Flynn felt his career waning. That was about to change. Years later, with what should be considered valuable real estate stickerless on his board, Flynn looked back on the dark hours of his career. “I knew that I was as talented as most guys, but for some reason, I just wasn’t getting photos run in the magazines. I didn’t have any sponsors and I kinda thought that my career as a pro was sort of fizzling out,” reflected Flynn. “You really can’t make it too far by paying for everything out of your own pocket, but I wasn’t really ready to give in yet.” When Flynn became aware of Kustom’s Airstrike, his interest was immediate and unquentable. “I’ve always wanted to enter some of these online contests to help promote

“…you will not know his name nor will you recognize his face when he enters the spotlight. But make no mistake: he is out there ready to be reborn to the surfing masses. And just how he does it will revolutionize surfing forever.”

Kirsten / ASP

surfing 2.0

A Frame / JW

Clockwise from center: Sterling Spencer’s own online endeavor, PinchMySalt. tv, combines the Floridian’s humor with his flair in the lineup; Bethany Hamilton may have a full-length feature film set to debut this year, but that hasn’t inhibited her from entering the blogosphere with BethanyHamilton.com; With his fellow brother Alex and filmer, Dune Newhouse, the trio from Kauai bring their brand of progression to the world through their Vimeo account; Think Julian Wilson isn’t tied into his online presence?

Schutz

Heff

final?

myself and I knew that I had a good chance of winning one, but the only problem was that I didn’t have someone to film me. When it came to the Kustom event, I thought I could win that thing, but just needed someone to film me. And just like everyone else, filmers need money for what they do and that wasn’t something that I could really spare. So I had to find a way to compensate someone to come shoot me. I’d try and hook people up with clothes, sunglasses, boards, whatever I had to get them to capture that clip I needed for the AirStrike.” On September 15, Flynn Novak received a call that brought a smile to his face, added $50,000 to his bank account, and gave new hope to his career. His entry for his FlynStone Flip had edged out the competition. In an interview F RE E SU R F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

Baeseman

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surfing 2.0 conducted after learning of his win, Flynn said, “By winning this thing, I think it gets my name out there a bit more and it should get me some good coverage.” No truer words could have been spoken. In the ensuing months, with a newly gained pop in his gait, Flynn’s career entered a second phase. He was on the cover of Waves magazine and found himself not only plastered across glossy pages, but spread across the Internet as well. Having benefitted from an online platform in the past, when Flynn got word that Taylor Steele was working on an endeavor essentially rooted in usergenerated content, he jumped all over it. Except this time, with an avalanche of hype surrounding Taylor Steele’s latest project, Flynn and his bluecollar counterparts would be facing off with not only the world’s top pros, but an entire world of surfers looking for a breakout moment. Dubbed “Innersection,” Steele’s online venture offered up $100,000 purse to the overall winner and would draw surfers from all walks. Broken up into five categories with five winners selected from each segment, the event quickly became the talk of the industry. Anyone could enter with sponsors and contest results bearing no weight on picking a winner. The best surfing would seize the day. As the contest progressed, top-shelf surfers like Cory Lopez dueled off

Forget national titles, chasing the ’QS, or circumnavigating the globe hunting for spreads in magazines. The new path to success requires a copy of Final Cut, a dedicated filmer, an Internet connection, and loads of raw talent.

Perhaps the most prolific online poster, Josh Kerr’s site, Kerr-azy.com, drops a steady stream of the most progressive clips on the web.

with relative unknowns like Maui’s Matt Meola. Surprisingly, with an alarming amount of regularity, some of the more obscure surfer’s sections became frontrunners in the contest. Although many of the day’s most esteemed World Tour competitors found themselves with winning parts, the likes of Maui’s Matt Meola, New Zealand’s Luke Cederman, Uruguay’s Marco Giorgi, and Canada’s Peter Devries all found themselves featured in the film. Although each of the aforementioned finalists can’t quite be regarded as complete unknowns, Innersection proved to be the catapult these aspiring pros needed to move into the mainstream. “If it wasn’t for the Internet and things like Innersection, I don’t think I’d have a career in professional surfing. I’d been doing it for so long without really too many results that I was ready to F RE E SU R F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

give up and get a regular job,” said Matt Meola. “This sort of gave me another shot at it.” Although Nathan Myers, the frontman for Innersection, argued that the notion of a completely unknown surfer breaking onto the scene through a platform like Innersection is unlikely, it’s hard to deny that Matt Meola’s career would be where it is today without such platforms paving the way.

“If it wasn’t for the Internet and things like Innersection, I don’t think I’d have a career in professional surfing. I’d been doing it for so long without really too many results that I was ready to give up and get a regular job,” said Matt Meola. “This sort of gave me another shot at it.” “Yes, this is a great way for lesser known freesurfers to get noticed and compete with the Big Shots, but if you look at the end result of Innersection’s first year, the guys who made it were already recognized—at least locally—and probably would have gone on to do big things regardless,” said Myers. “It’s a nice idea, but I don’t think there are too many surfers of that

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caliber surfing in total obscurity out there.” Although Myers is correct in his assertion that none of the winners were completely anonymous, for the most part, you’d be hard-pressed to find a major surf fan who could identify Luke Cederman in a lineup. And with that in mind, I’d be willing to venture that 90 percent of our readers had never heard of Marco Giorgi before Innersection. All of this gives rise to the notion that the Internet has evened surfer’s playing field; if you have any doubts, ask Matt Meola.

ith the establishment of new online vehicles making it easier than ever for a relatively unknown surfer to transition from his local break to the mainstream, how do the already-established pros keep pace? Simply put, they blog. Constantly. Name a major league surf star that doesn’t have a completely vested interest in their online prescence. Whether it be through their blogs, Twitter, or Facebook, the likes of everyone from Dane Reynolds and his much heralded MarineLayerProductions.com or Josh Kerr with Kerrazy Kronicles, top-tier sessions are broadcast to fans the world over online before most wetsuits and trunks have had the chance to dry. A-grade clips are not saved for future productions. Through routers and wireless connections they march into our offices and living rooms. In essence, it’s marketing at its finest and purest form. “After what we’ve seen in the last year or so, I’m really going to encourage all of my guys to step

surfing 2.

Ells

Not only an extremely adept surfer, Alex Smith plays both sides of the equation and cuts a lot of his own videos online.

up their presence online. Make videos, interact with your fans, just get out there,” said Billabong and Hawaii World Team Coach Rainos Hayes. “I’ve sort of seen this brewing for a while and it seems like last year, with Innersection and all of that, was the first time it really boiled over. And for the next generation, those guys that are still young teenagers, it’s going to be even more important.” Take a look at Ian Gentil. Two years ago, the Maui boy, with all of his natural talent in the air and on rail, was but yet another grom filling the ranks on the outer islands. Yes, team managers were aware that this kid could surf, but it wasn’t until a video of Gentil tearing the living hell out of Indo went viral that he completely exploded onto the scene. Today, Ian has since signed with Nike and Billabong and is one of the most touted surfers coming out of Hawaii—a feat that was built upon a single mind-numbing video infiltrating the Internet. Things have changed in surfing. With the rise of new online platforms, there exists a new opportunity for surfers left by the wayside to break out onto the world scene. Whether it be through the Kustom Airstrike, Innersection, or Surfline’s Wave of the Winter, there now exists more than one route to take to surf stardom. Couple that with the rise of every high-level pro continuously feeding sashimi-quality content to his/her fans every day and you’re looking at a new age in surfing. The Internet has finally changed surfing forever. And for that, we should be thankful. Just remember that you read here, in print, first. f

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sections Spotlight with Josh Moniz

Coming from one of Hawaii’s great surfing dynasties, Josh Moniz was an instant pick for our guest editors when it came time to pick a candidate for our Spotlight section. In this installment, Zeke sat down with the young upstart to get him talking on sibling rivalries, words of advice, and what inspires him.

Zeke Lau: Would you say that you’re a competitive person?

ZL: So what kind of things would you say inspire you? JM: Well, I’d have to say that my friends inspire me the most. ZL: Coming out of a family of four brothers and one sister, who would

Latronic

Josh Moniz: Yeah, pretty much when you grow up with three other brothers, they’re always trying to beat you, so you sort of have to be. you say you relate to the most? JM: I’d say that I probably relate to my brother Micah the most. ZL: Would you say you and Seth have a little rivalry being so close in age and always competing against each other?

JM: Yeah, I guess we do, but to be honest we don’t really think of it as a rivalry so much. ZL: How would you describe your relationship with your Dad? JM: Yeah, my relationship with my dad is good. He pushes me on a training program with my uncle and brother. But for the most part, he wants to make sure I’m having fun.

Ehitu

the wire

As a community gathered to support the next wave of a generation of young surfers, droves of Hawaii’s youth gathered in abundance on the Big Island for the alwaysanticipated Shane Dorian Keiki Classic. More than a decade and a half in the making, the 16th annual Shane Dorian Keiki Classic took place on the Big Island with a fun-filled expression session including Benji Weatherley, Kamalei Alexander, CJ Kanuha, R o y P o w e r s , To r r e y Meister, Sean Moody, Freddy P., Keala Naihe, Damien Fahrenfort, and Ian Walsh. More than just a surf contest, the event raised food for charity and illuminated the philanthropic character of its originator, Shane Dorian. The hard-earned kudos was awarded to Kaunaloa Ng who took the win in the menehune final, but the spotlight was shared with 7-year-old finalist Brodie Sale, who like Dorian, seems to take a no-fear approach in the water.

CMY

photo: bishow

Kauai: Bethany Hamilton’s Soul Surfer

Millions of fans, thousands of waves, hundreds of hurdles, and one lifechanging shark attack. Soul Surfer, the story of Bethany Hamilton, has been heard time and again, but now it’s Hollywood’s turn. To be sure, there’s something about a visual re-enactment of her attack that will give you goose bumps. Her inspirational story is about to hit the big screens on April 8. To see the trailer for the film, check out FreeSurfMagazine.com.

“Hands down this is the best stuff out there. The sunscreen is insane”

CJ Hobgood Made in the U.S.A

MARK HEALEY, PANCHO SULLIVAN, MATT ARCHBOLD, KALANI DAVID, TYLER NEWTON

Maui: Mark Visser Takes on Jaws at Night

You might think that Australia’s Mark Visser either has a few screws loose or is suffering from some sort untamed insomnia, but recently the big-wave hellman took to towing into Jaws—at night. Make no mistake; any big-wave rider will tell you that Jaws is one of the most ferocious surf spots in the world, but to surf it at night is some next-level stuff to say the least. The nighttime tow will appear in his upcoming life documentary, 9 Lives.

Ehitu

Big Island: Shane Dorian’s Keiki Classic

Surf with a smile

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closeout see you next issue

Coming next issue We profile this year’s man of the winter. Who’s it going to be? We’d tell ya, but he doensn’t even know yet.

Makai McNamara, gunning for the shoulder.

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McNamara

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