Trav el
Volume 10 Number 9
W i d e
MADE
+ Scholastic Surfing + Makua Rothman + Stories of Summer in Hawaii
Surfer: Dylan Goodale Photo: Ryan Chachi Craig
Free Parking
For surfers on Oahu, there are two good reasons to point your compass south during summer. Honolulu International Airport, and south swells. Honolulu’s Zeke Lau did his fair share of traveling recently, but knows nothing beats finding a fun ramp close to home. Photo: Tony Heff
HAWAII'S OCEAN SPORTS HEADQUARTERS
Ryan Chachi Craig
S IN CE 1 9 6 5
Cover Story Dylan Goodale Surf Travel Professional Becoming a well-versed surf traveler is a lifelong journey and far from an easy road. It takes being dedicated in mind, body, spirit and pocketbook. Completing a successful surf trip can be physically draining and fantastically rejuvenating. But with a name like Dylan Goodale, surf travel adventure is the name of the game, and this athlete has been playing for years. Posted up in California to maximize personal surf exposure, young Kauai child Dylan Goodale has been on a mission to catch great surf, and this summer was chock full of opportunities. After catching a great swell a year prior in mainland Mexico, good friend Michael Dunphy informed Dylan and Luke Davis that another great summer swell was marching directly for that same spot. Tickets were booked immediately and in no time (but not really) and after not much sleep (really), the boys were staring at a right-hand point break with beautiful summer harvest, a crisp 4-5 foot wave machine.
“THIS IS HOW YOU GET THERE, FIND THE OCEAN AT SURF N SEA” 62-595 KAM. HWY. HALEIWA HI 96712 637-SURF | SURFNSEA.COM
Fortunately, the hazards of Mexico’s cement-like sand didn’t stop Dylan from attempting massive airs and nailing this month’s cover of Freesurf Magazine. Congrats Dylan, we can’t wait to see what happens on your next surf trip. And for all you aspiring surf travelers: Know before you go! Be safe, be smart, and no break your stick. Bumbai you bodysurf. - Chris Latronic
Table of Contents
Model: Allegra Aeder Photo: Erik Aeder
Features
24
Makua’s Music
28
Travel Wide
46
Aperture
60
Surf Art
68
Community
Departments
66-437 Kamehameha Hwy • next to post office • behind HE>i • 808-389-3709
6
Free Parking
62 Grom Report
8
Cover Story
65 She Rips
14
Editor’s Note
77 Industry Notes
16
News & Events
78 Last Look
26
Shoots
Ryan Chachi Craig
™
Editorial Publisher: Mike Latronic Managing Editor: Lauren Rolland Editor -at- Large : Chris Latronic Multimedia Director : Tyler Rock Photo Editor : Tony Heff Art Director : John Weaver Staff Photographers : Tony Heff, Tyler Rock, Mike Latronic, Chris Latronic, Sean Reilly Free Thinker: Tiffany Hervey Social Media: Sean Reilly Office Manager: Amy Withrow Contributing Photographers Erik Aeder, Richy Arosemena, Eric Baeseman (Outbluffum.com), Paulo Barcellos, Brian Bielmann, John Bilderback, Kyle Burnett, Ryan Craig, Quincy Dein, Brooke Dombroski, DoomaPhoto, Paul Fisher, Ryan T. Foley, Pete Frieden, Taylor Ivison, Bryce Johnson, Ha'a Keaulana, Ehitu Keeling, Jason Kenworthy, Kin Kimoto, Laserwolf, Bruno Lemos, ManaPhoto, Tim McKenna, Dave “Nelly” Nelson, Zak Noyle, Jim Russi, Keoki Saguibo, Epes Sargent, Jason Shibata, Batel Shimi, Scott Soens, Spencer Suitt, Heath Thompson, Bill Taylor, Wyatt Tillotson, Patrick Vieira, Jessica Wertheim, Peter Joli Wilson Sales Advertising Executives : Shaun Lopez, Maile Botelho, Nate Cloud Business Coordinator : Cora Sanchez Advertising Inquiries Manuele Inc. info@freesurfmagazine.com 808-638-7395 www.freesurfmagazine.com FREESURF MAGAZINE is distributed at all Jamba Juice locations, most fine surf shops and select specialty stores throughout Hawai‘i. You can also pick up FREESURF on the mainland at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores and select newsstands. Ask for it by name at your local
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Editor’s Note
I moved to Kauai at the age of seventeen; fresh out of high school and eager to be anywhere but home. I worked, surfed and survived for three years on the south side, taking note of every struggle encountered, hoping it would one day help build a better person. But as a teenager just trying to ‘play house’ in an adult world, that hometown left behind with such haste started to sound good again. Home-cooked dinners, waking up to a familiar window view, smells that trigger memories of youth… it all suddenly felt missed. It’s safe to say Kauai delivered experiences that have turned the me of yesterday into the me of today. But after a decent chunk of growing up, the family and friends I left behind started to take on more weight, more meaning. Home suddenly became where I wanted to be. Home isn’t necessarily the place you were born. It isn’t even necessarily the town where your family lives. Home is the place where you feel most comfortable, surrounded by the people who know you belong with them. This issue highlights a handful of Hawaii’s surfers who ventured away from home in search of something life-changing (or at the very least something surfable). And while the adventure was sweet, there’s nothing sweeter than returning to your place of comfort and exhaling the “it feels good to be home” sigh of relief. Our surf artist of the month also solidifies the notion that home is where the heart is. Growing up in Florida, this talented woman now calls the Big Island her habitat for surfing and painting. And Oahu homeboy Makua Rothman shares with us some insider sentiments on his local style music. Freesurf also hopped over to Kauai to support the 2nd Annual Live Like Sion Gromfest, and were met with a genuine display of family, friends and what it means to live and love in Hawaii. We dwell where we feel most relaxed and welcomed. Whether that translates to the ocean, family and friends, a lifestyle or a community, it’s always good to get back to that place of balance. But as I found out, it’s good to get away from home sometimes too, because only then can the appreciation become clear. - Lauren Rolland Managing Editor
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You could not have scripted a better story for Adrian Buchan when the young Aussie surfed to victory over 11-time ASP World Champion and four-time Billabong Pro winner Kelly Slater at the 2013 Billabong Pro Tahiti. Event No. 6 of 10 on the 2013 ASP WCT saw solid 4-6 foot waves at Teahupo’o. This famed South Pacific reef pass turned on throughout the event with the world’s best surfers clocking in high-performance barrels round after round. After a nail biter quarter final with an in-form John Florence, Ace went on to defeat Mick Fanning in the semi final. Of note, Florence started that earlier quarter final match up with a ten point score, yet was still unable to take over Buchan with two scores in the 9 point range. The young Australian was on a tear during the final day of competition, posting excellent scores through his five heats throughout the day. Buchan
ASP
Kirstin / ASP
Billabong Pro Tahiti
opened the final with more 9-point rides, stabbing deep forehand barrels. Although Slater fought back with some strong surfing in the last half of the match, the Aussie was not to be outdone. Buchan’s win in Tahiti marks the second of his eight-year career amongst the world’s elite (his first in France over Slater in 2008) and the Central Coast goofy-footer rocketed from 18th to 10th on the 2013 ASP WCT rankings. BILLABONG PRO TAHITI FINAL RESULTS: 1 – Adrian Buchan (AUS) 18.94 2 – Kelly Slater (USA) 17.90
Kirstin / ASP
Kirstin / ASP
News & Events
Heff
Mana
Heff
Heff
News & Events Live Like Sion GromFest Rain clouds made way for sunshine the morning of August 10th for the 2nd Annual Live Like Sion GromFest on Kauai. Held at PK’s on the south side, the event celebrated the honor (and birthday) of Sion Milosky, beloved waterman, surfer, husband and father. The grassy area was filled with pop-up tents, beach towels and surfboards, as friends and ohana gathered to enjoy the weather and waves of Hawaii and remember the spirit of Sion. The surf contest focused primarily on the keiki, with age divisions ranging from ‘push-ins’ to 12 and Under. The special ‘pili’ (intertwined) division was back for the second year, which allowed a 12 and Under surfer and an adult to surf in separate heats and use their top two scores to create a total team score. This innovative division was designed with Sion in mind, and helped to relive his love for enjoying the ocean with friends and family. Sion always believed in putting family first, and this event is a true reminder of the legacy he’s left behind. An even bigger success than last year, this 2nd annual Gromfest
boasted raffle tickets with awesome prizes such as Kauai helicopter tours, ziplining, kayak adventures, restaurant certificates, jewelry, skateboards, and more. In the Freesurf ohana, Maile Botelho’s daughter Kahea Botelho ended up winning the Grom of the Day award for her help throughout the day and for her overall good attitude. Kahea was awarded a brand new 4’11” surfboard, shaped by Scovel Surfboards Kauai. The lively awards ceremony was held at Poipu Beach Park, with food and fun continuing until sunset. T-shirts, hats and stickers were sold throughout the event, with proceeds going back to the Live Like Sion Foundation to help local charities on Kauai. This free event is designed first and foremost to honor and
celebrate Sion, and secondly to help promote the underrated surfing keiki of Kauai. Contest Director Milo Murguia speaks about the mission behind the contest, saying he and Suzi Milosky agreed to aim toward this group of kids. “They don’t really get a platform to start on because if they enter a contest and end up losing, it costs a lot of money for the parents and deters the kid. Let’s have this contest for the kids that don’t always make the finals, the kids that don’t ever do contests.” While Milo says a good part of the event is the surf competition, the larger picture is all the friends and
ohana coming together to spend a day living like Sion. “You can see how influential he was on so many people, we’re basically trying to shed a light on what his life was really about,” explains Milo. “His family came first and surfing was also important, but he somehow found a balance in life between the two and incorporated them together.”
Jason Reposar
News & Events
Mick Curley
News & Events
Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang
Rowland / ASP
For the first time in history, the Rip Curl Cup was webcast live to the world, a great way to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of this prestigious Indonesian surf event. Three of Hawaii’s top surfers received an invite to Padang Padang including Kekoa Bacalso, Jamie O’Brien and first time invitee Mark Healey. 16 international surfers and 16 Indonesian surfers came together for the ultimate tuberiding contest, with Mega Semadhi (IND) taking home the cup.
Carissa Moore Wins US Open
VANS US OPEN OF SURFING WOMEN’S FINAL RESULT
Congratulations to 2013 Vans US Open of Surfing champions Carissa Moore and Alejo Muniz! The final day was held in a front of a maximum capacity crowd at Huntington Beach Pier in 2-3 foot surf. With her win, Carissa moves ahead of Tyler Wright in the race for the 2013 Women’s World Title. “It’s such an honor to win this event in front of this big crowd. I feel amazing!” exclaims Carissa. Congratulations on your accomplishment and keep it up!
1 - Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.00 2 - Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.27 VANS US OPEN OF SURFING WOMEN’S SEMIFINALS RESULTS SF 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 16.07 def. Tyler Wright (AUS) 11.33 SF 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.70 def. Pauline Ado (FRA) 10.23
Riddel
Ezekiel Lau & Moana Jones Win HIC Pro Juniors Congrats to Zeke Lau and Moana Jones, 1st place winners of the 2013 HIC Pro Juniors at Duke’s OceanFest in Waikiki. Zeke took home $2,000 along with valuable ASP points and bragging rights, while Moana received a $1,000 check and equal bragging rights. “It was a challenging day, I knew I had to get good waves”, said Zeke after the win. “I had fun, took out a fun board and just made it happen.” Queen’s provided challenging 1-2 foot waves for the HIC Pro Juniors on August 19th, testing the competitors’ high performance skills. The womens final was tough, with small waves and long lulls. Moana got her waves in the last eight minutes- two rights that she tore up with backside hacks. Both Zeke and Moana are stoked on their wins and enjoyed the days’ events in conjunction with Duke’s OceanFest. The Junior Mens Final saw second place and $900 go to Roy Carvalho, who displayed solid surfing all day in the small waves. Ej Mitsui took third and we saw Maui’s Imaikalani Devault take home fourth. Bailey Nagy held onto second place and $400 for the Junior Womens Final, Meah Collins took third and $250, with Maluhia Kinimaka finishing in fourth place with $150.
Malia Manuel Wins 6-Star Ford Supergirl Pro Kauai surfer Malia Manuel has won the ASP 6-Star Ford Supergirl Pro over fellow ASP WCT campaigner Paige Hareb (NZL), in peaky 3-to-5 foot waves in Oceanside, California. Manuel led the Ford Supergirl Pro throughout the event’s entirety, owning the top scores of each round while progressing to the Final. The Hawaiian’s dominance would continue while securing the major victory, belting a 9.57 and 7.67 for powerful combinations on both her forehand and backhand to earn her first victory of the 2013 this season. “The past couple of days, I really had motivation coming off of a tough result at the US Open,” Manuel said. “I wanted to do well there. It’s good to be in California, it’s like a second home to me. I wanted to get in rhythm and just finally have that push for a good result.”
Honolulu Surf Film Festival “It was another great festival, and we can’t wait to do it all over again!” says Honolulu Museum film curator Abbie Algar. With good attendance throughout the entire event, nearly 1,600 visitors came to the Honolulu Museum to watch surf films as part of the Surf Film Festival throughout the month of August. Closing night ended in fine fashion with a reception that included live music, pupus, wine and beer. “We had a great mix of people come out. From the current generation of surfers like Gavin Sutherland, to the old school legends like Peter Cole and Kimo Hollinger,” continues Abbie. The closing night party also showcased Bud Browne’s vintage classic “Gun Ho” on the big screen, and a full house of surfers and surf film enthusiasts.
Courtesy: Agenda
News & Events
Agenda Trade Show
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The buzz of creativity and industry was felt in full form at this year’s Agenda Show in California’s Long Beach. With over 600 brands and booth exhibitors, there’s no question that enthusiasm and optimism was running high for our beloved surf industry. Catering to mostly surfwear and apparel, Agenda still possessed the cool and undersold quality that made it an attractive grassroots place to show your stuff.
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2013 Na Pali Race Results The Na Pali Race – an elite paddleboard race for standup paddlers, traditional paddleboarders, OC1 (outrigger canoe) and OC2- joined with the annual Na Pali Challenge canoe event for OC6-man canoe teams this past August for a mammoth weekend for paddle sports on Kauai. “I am very excited to have these events run simultaneously this year,” said Evan Valiere, Na Pali Race event organizer. Kaeo Abbey took home the champion title and $1,650 after putting in a commanding performance to finish in 2 hours 15 minutes, almost 10 minutes clear of runner-up Andrew Logreco. Kauai’s Mariko Strickland had a much closer finish in the women’s race, finishing 4 minutes ahead of Rachel Bruntsch. This 4th annual event had paddlers travel 17 miles down the Na Pali coast from Haena Beach to Polihale, with Kauai’s rugged coastline as the breathtaking backdrop.
6th Annual Breath of Life Golf Tournament Fundraiser
Shanon Delaney
Hosted by Sunny Garcia, the 6th Annual Breath of Life Golf Tournament Fundraiser took place at Monarch Beach in Dana Point, CA in late July. This golf outing is put on by the Mauli Ola Foundation, which began as a group of surfers who banded together to introduce surfing as a natural treatment to people with cystic fibrosis. Learn more about the foundation @ mauliola.org
Molokai-2-Oahu Race, Presented by Kona Longboard Island Lager The 17th annual Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships happened this summer, presenting some challenges that really pushed the limits of this ocean sport. In the men’s standup paddleboard (SUP) division, 20-year-old Kai Lenny and 18-yearold Connor Baxter, both from Maui, took a southerly line, which appeared to be the quickest route for most of the race. Australian Travis Grant, 30, and Scott Gamble, 37, from Oahu took a more direct approach along the Rhumb line that earned the two experienced paddlers first and second place finishes respectively. Grant completed his journey in a time of 4 hours, 50 minutes, 17 seconds.
Zak Noyle
Music
Makua Rothman Roots Rock Aloha
By Chris Latronic Born Makuakai Aaron Rothman, the 29 year-old North Shore Oahu-grown Hawaiian has been an icon in the islands since birth. Fathered by living legend Eddie Rothman, co-founder of “Da Hui” surf brand, Makua was always pushed to do things bigger and better, especially when it came to surfing. Makua began riding waves at the early age of two, but because he was physically a larger kid growing up, bigger and more powerful waves fell in his favor. The fearless youngster quickly became recognized in surf media for his mature determination in heavy barreling conditions and domination of Sunset, Pipeline and V-land.
Naturally transitioning to tow-in surfing, at age thirteen Makua began big wave training with family friend (accomplished big wave surfer and tow-in pioneer) Darrick Doerner. The training led the way to a Billabong XXL Big Wave Challenge Award in one of the grandest spectacles of big wave tow-in surfing history, taming a 66-foot wave worth $66,000 and enshrining Makua Rothman as a household name. It’s been a decade since that mammoth wave, but Makua’s hunger for a ride of that frightening sort has never ceased. But this time he’s entered into a different lineup altogether… the world of music. Makua’s music interest started young, when as a kid he liked to sing. Chorus class with Mrs. Shumway at Sunset Beach Elementary was one of the first muses that guided him to fall in
love with music. His grandmother, Angie Grace Costa was an entertainer at the old Kodak hula show, as well as a performer in the prestigious Merrie Monarch Hula festival. Angie is also the woman responsible for putting the ukulele in young Makua’s hands, teaching him his first songs like “Surf” and “Opihi Man.” “Dad pushed me to play all the time,” remembers Makua. After surf sessions in town at Ala Moana Bowls, his father would take him to music practice, where Makua would play Hawaiian songs with Uncle Iz (Israel Kamakawiwaole). Another muse came from his relation to the distinguished Cha and Tihati Thompson of Tihati Productions, the family who helped pioneer hula dinner shows in Hawaii. But with surfing at his forefront, Makua’s talent for music wasn’t publicized until just a few years ago.
Although his music career just recently took off, Makua’s music has been swiftly picking up speed. The newly marketed EP album, released December 2012, was titled after the white cement road of Makua’s childhood, Makanale Road. This Sunset beach local uses his vocals and ukulele, accompanied by a talented band of young friends, to belt out songs blending pop reggae vibes with the good island feeling of Hawaiian music. Away from his busy schedule of rock shows and surf comps, Makua was gracious enough to take some time out for Freesurf, updating us on his musical progression: What kind of music did you listen to when you were young?
continued on page 72
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Stories of Summer
By Lauren Rolland Our editorial team at Freesurf deliberated for months over a travel issue this year, wondering if we should go down the classic route and highlight an array of amazing worldly surf locations, or, keep it local and make a ‘travel in your own backyard’ type of issue. Both are enticing topics. One offers a barrage of beautiful images from exotic destinations, and if you flip through last year’s issue we featured a few lesser-tromped surf spots like India, Tonga and Peru. The other (the latter) offers a picturesque collage of home, familiar faces on familiar breaks, garnished with interesting facts about Hawaii’s archipelago. We liked both ideas. I guess you could say our travel feature this September is a mix of the two. We caught up with a handful of Hawaii’s top surfers, all born and bred of the islands. They left home for different reasons, some for contests and mastery, others for documentation and ‘work’. But all ventured along one main vein of thought- a surf pilgrimage. Every highlight in these next pages shows some of Hawaii’s best athletes conquering some of the world’s best waves. And behind every good photo is an even better sensationalized story. Not only did we want to know what our boys did this summer, but we also wanted to know the experience behind it all. Who did they travel with? How did they choose their destination? What was most memorable? The usual stuff that interests us. Blend that with some absorbing and useless facts about each location and you’ve got yourself some excellent reading material. At least we hope so. Enjoy the trip around the world; hopefully it inspires you to plan your next adventure either to somewhere foreign or someplace familiar.
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Shane Dorian French Polynesia Photos: Brent Bielmann
Shane Dorian ventured to French Polynesia this summer in search of pumping surf, ono food and immersion in a culture of people that he simply loves. Traveling with a group of friends including fellow pro surfer and world tripper Alex Gray, Shane was on a mission to surf a wave that he had been vying to add to his belt notch for a long time. While he mentioned that French Polynesia is similar to Hawaii in the sense that the filters and scenery are the same, making it feel like home, he leaves his heart back on the Big Island with his family every time he travels. Average water temperature: 79째 F Flight time from HI: approx. 6 hours Best season for surf: fall (March to June), with consistent swell through October Legal drinking age: 18 Useless fact: Tahitian black pearls are indigenous only in the Tuomotu Islands of French Polynesia.
Mason Ho Australia Photos: Corey Wilson
North Shore’s Mason Ho traveled Down Under to the wave happy coastline of Western Australia. Choosing this destination for a surfing event, Mason mentioned that Australia is his favorite place in the world besides Hawaii. “It’s also one of the best places to film for surf,” he adds, and with such quality and variety along nearly 7,500 miles of coastline, we can imagine the waves performed on cue. Mason traveled with Rory Pringle, his sister Coco, his dad Michael, Kolohe Andino and his pop’s uncle Dino. The 25 year-old says the only difference between surfing in Hawaii and surfing in Australia is that it’s definitely colder. Yes, Hawaii’s 78-degree water temperature is something to be missed when traveling abroad to cooler ocean climates. “My favorite moment of my trip was when I got to surf The Box with just Kolohe and I out, with one of my best friends Rory Pringle filming from in the water.” Nothing makes for an incredible surf trip like this type of uncrowded session, especially at the undisputed surf capitol of Western Australia, otherwise known as Margaret River. Average water temperature: 64°F Flight time from HI: approx. 12 hours Best time for surf: winter and spring Useless fact: Australia is home to the longest coral reef in the world, The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches for 1,250 miles.
Travel Wide
Dylan Goodale Mainland Mexico Photos: Ryan Chachi Craig
“Mainland Mexico is one of my favorite travel destinations and I had already been once earlier this year, so when Michael Dunphy called Luke Davis and I about the swell marching directly for the place, we booked our flights immediately. The right points that we go to are very similar to waves in Hawaii during the winter. It is hollow, powerful, and although no reef, cement-like sand can easily mess you up. Even when the wind comes on it turns into some of the most rippable waves in the world. “The best moment of our trip was pulling up to the wave the first morning it was on and wiping sleep out of our eyes to see a nonstop machine of 4-5 foot perfection. The time between then and my first wave was a blur because I have never put fins in, sunscreen on and waxed my board faster than that in my life. I always miss Kauai, but on trips like this you aren’t really thinking about it. Plus I’m young, there isn’t much happening on Kauai in the summer, and I have plenty of years to relax and enjoy home when I’m older.” Best time for surf: April-October (Northern and Southern Mainland) November-May (Central Mainland). Coastline: Mexico has over 6,000 miles of coastline with over 1,500 miles on the mainland Pacific. Average price of a beer: 20-25 pesos ($1-$2) Useless fact: Mexico and Luxembourg are the only two countries in the world that have the letter x in their name.
Jesse Merle-Jones Bali Photos: Mick Curley
“In midst of the summer doldrums, I decided to book a one-way flight to the cliché summer destination… BALI. Although it’s overdone, I know there’s still a few waves to be had, especially when the swell gets a bit bigger. I originally went to Indo with Cheyne Magnusson and Brent Beilmann. My crew changed a few times and I linked up with Flynn Novak who was staying in a beautiful country region. “My best moments in Indo are seeing the kids of Indonesia surf and enjoy life. They have such a pure joy… you can’t help but see it on their face. While having very little belongings they seem to be in the moment and living life to the fullest. “Summer in Hawaii to me, is a time to work on your small wave game and reflect on how hard you’re gonna want it in the coming winter! Going to Indo or a destination with plenty swell before winter is getting yourself in fighting shape for the winter to come. God knows how scary and humbling that first day back to Pipeline is.” Flight time from HI: approx. 12-15 hours Best season for surf: winter (June-August) for west coast breaks, with frequent mid-sized swells still pulsing through spring (September-November) Legal drinking age: 17 (when enforced) Useless fact: Bali is one of over 17,000 islands that make up Indonesia.
Koa Smith Sumatra Photos: Dane Grady
Koa traveled to Indonesia, Nicaragua and Mexico this summer. “Indonesia is one of my favorite destinations, it’s kind of like a second home. I went to Nicaragua for the ISA World Championships with the Hawaii World Junior Surf Team, it was my first time to Nicaragua and I loved it. Can’t wait to go back. Mexico is always on my radar in the summer. I spent about a month down there this year, chasing south swells and grinding some contests. There’s something about 12 cent tacos and 12 foot barrels that I can’t get enough of.” “My best day was in Indonesia. We woke up early knowing the waves were going to be firing. There was that vibe in the air where you knew it was going to be one for the books. 20 minutes later we rolled up in our car to a mile long grinding left barrel. Everyone started freaking! I jumped out of the car, grabbed my board, paddling out as fast as I could. Forgetting sunscreen and wax but I wasn’t even thinking about that. We ended up surfing for 8 hours straight with only a hand full of kooks. Every wave had two to three long barrels. After that, I was the most sunburnt and happy I’ve ever been. Average water temperature: 82°F Familiar breaks in or near Sumatra: Mentawais, G-Land (Grajagan Islands) and Nias. Useless fact: Sumatra is the fifth largest island in the world and the third largest in Indonesia.
Ezekiel Lau Mexico
Noyle
Burkard / A-Frame
Photos: Tom Carey / A-Frame
“I went to Mexico a few times this year; if you are looking for perfect point break rights, that’s where you wanna be!” Zeke traveled with Dusty Payne and a slew of Volcom photographers to work on a new Volcom project, but Mexico was no arbitrary choice. “We mostly pick destinations based on swell forecast and different waves that we know are going to be good,” says Zeke. But for this local boy, Hawaii is the lure that seems hardest to beat. “No place is like Hawaii. Hawaii is my home and that will never change. And nothing beats summer in Hawaii- warm beaches, cool breezes, and good waves. Mexico would be about 110 degrees, no breeze, but just some of the longest, perfect point break rights in the world, which you could never find here in Hawaii. I would say waking up in the morning knowing that we were going to get good waves was the best moment of the trip. Then pulling up to this perfect barreling point break right that I would only dream about when I was a kid.” Zeke misses his family and friends when he’s off traversing the world, but also adds this: “When we are getting waves like we did, it makes it a little easier!” Average temperature: warm year round Flight time from HI to Mexico City: approx. 7.5 hours Legal drinking age: 18 (if and when enforced) Useless fact: Mexico has 60 different languages.
Alex Smith Indonesia Photos: Dane Grady
“This summer I’ve been to Indonesia, Mexico, Hawaii, Nicaragua, California and Alaska. It’s been a hell of a run! I’ve been traveling with my brother Koa and LNF Filmer Dan Treanor all summer. I’ve been lucky enough to have the rest of the family join us in Nicaragua, Cabo, Cali and Alaska. It’s been such a good time traveling together. “I chose those spots because I want to surf good waves and travel to sick places while documenting it on lastnamefirst.tv. I love Indo; I think I could live there. Then Mexico, Nicaragua and Cali are all no brainers during the summer months. Alaska was just an epic family fishing trip, probably one of coolest places I’ve ever been. Alex’s highlight of his trips was “surfing a mile long barreling left on a remote Indonesian island trading barrels with my brother and friends.” But when he thinks of home, he misses the “clean air, warm ocean and the good vibes.” Average temperature: 82° Flight time from HI: approx. 14 hours Best time for surf: April-October Useless fact: Indonesia covers three time zones Another useless fact: People get paid to live in Alaska. It’s called a Permanent Fund Dividend and residents get it every year.
Daniel Jones Secret Atoll Photos: Brad Masters
“I hopped on a plane and 8 boarding passes later I was on a lone atoll in the Indian Ocean. We had quite the international assemblage, 6’4” South African grommet Matt Bromley, Western Australian ex-pat photographer Indo resident Brad Masters, Santa Barbara’s ‘mini Laird’ Michael Kew on the keyboard and second camera, Jason ‘Salsa’ Salisbury from somewhere between Sydney and the Goldie and myself from the Islands. “The best waves and conditions came the day after our photographer’s birthday. Having deep Aussie roots he drank massive amounts of beer the night before. The waves were too big to swim fisheye hung over, so he borrowed Bromley’s board and surfed the end bowl. But it was his birthday after all. “The swell hit the day we landed, and dropped off and turned onshore the day we left. Very lucky for us considering we bought our tickets two months in advance due to limited flights. On the flight back to Oahu I passed over our first major south swell. I jumped off of the plane and caught the four consecutive days of swell in Town. I was glad to have made it back in time. It’s a horrible feeling to miss waves at home.” Useless fact: An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or series of islets that encircles a lagoon either partially or completely. Molokini, between Maui and Koho‘olawe, is one of Hawaii’s atolls. Another useless fact: Most of the world’s atolls are found in the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.
Aperture
Ocean dancer, Natalia Smith. Photo: Dane Grady
Albee Layer, adding to the beauty of Hana, Maui. Photo: DJ Struntz
Dusty Payne capturing a moment for himself at home. Photo: Quincy Dein
Matt Meola clocking more flight time. Photo: DJ Struntz
Oahu is blessed with fun waves on all sides of the island. Seth Moniz knows this. Photo: Cole Yamane
Jesse Merle-Jones doesn’t sweat the small stuff, and never gets the summertime blues. Photo: Dane Grady
Josh Moniz, caught in a rare moment at Makapu’u. Photo: Cole Yamane
Surf Art
Danielle Zirkelbach By Lauren Rolland
laughs, thinking back to artistry in Florida. “It’s the most free place I’ve ever been, in the sense that you can literally paint anything and feel a little bit more welcome that people will accept it. People here are listening, everyone is still discovering. There’s still adventure in the art.” While this is true for other artists on the mainland, there seems to be something deep and spiritual about the work that’s born out of Hawaii.
and once I learned about Rell my whole entire purpose and form changed. It kind of found me.”
How would you define surf art? “It’s not about the image, it’s a lifestyle. It’s what you love. It’s a moment where you feel so inspired that you have to put it down on canvas.” For Danielle Zirkelbach, inspiration constantly surrounds her, almost as if experiences seek this woman out, looking to be explained through brush strokes and pigments. Danielle’s artwork not only reflects her own stories, but the stories of so many others that have made an impact. This talented individual paints images of waves, surfers, women and water, cultural symbols of Hawaii and so much more. With rich muted colors, curvaceous lines, and an ability to evoke a deeper message through fine art, Danielle’s talent is purposeful.
The Sunn family continued to be part of Danielle’s life and will now make a permanent mark. Danielle is recently engaged to Sam Fenwick, Big Island waterman, Hawaiian and Rell Sunn’s nephew. A big subject in her paintings, Sam is a huge inspiration and reoccurring theme that shows up in the form of a surfer and a Hawaiian presence. The style of
Originally from Florida, this surf artist veered away from a pro soccer career and into a life in Hawaii. The Big Island is now home and the place where she paints, surfs (waitresses to foot the bills), and gives ode to the natural rewards of the good life in the islands. It wasn’t until life on the Big Island began that Danielle’s art really propelled, taking on a uniqueness unlike any other. And the inspiration came almost immediately from one of Hawaii’s most loved female surfers. “Rell Sunn was the first thing I painted when I first got out here,” Danielle recalls. “I put it up on Facebook and Clark Takashima sent the picture along to Rell Sunn’s daughter. Jan saw it and asked me to do the Rell Sunn memorial poster for the contest.” Danielle’s work was featured in 2010, which was the kick-start to her career as a surf artist. “It was the first big thing I ever did with my art. And that was my defining moment where everything changed.” From there, Danielle continued to depict images of Rell, using this female surfer’s story as a way to connect to the ocean, the land and to surfing. “I feel like it was a guided thing,
this artwork is stirring, transporting viewers to a very personal place of Danielle and Sam’s life together. It seems obvious that Hawaii was meant to be the muse. I asked Danielle how surf art differs in Hawaii than from the mainland. “It’s got an incredible soul, it’s way different,” she
Perhaps it’s the accommodating lifestyle that inspires surfers to be artists and artists to be surfers. With the lure of warm waters and an abundance of raw beauty, the two lifestyles seem to go hand-in-hand. Danielle’s ultimate goal in life is to just be happy and to be a full time artist and surfer. “I’m going to show everyone that you can do whatever you set your mind to. It’s not just a Disney phrase; it’s totally true if you really think you can. I’m going to put it in my mind that I’m going to be an artist and a surfer.” Danielle is ever grateful for the love from fans and friends, and especially for the support from her sponsors San Lorenzo, Kona Boys Surf Shop and Kaenon Polarized. What’s on the horizon for this developing surf artist? This month begins the Hawaii Island Qualifying Series on the
Big Island, where you’ll find this surfer girl competing in as many contests as she can find. And keep your eyes open for Danielle’s work sprouting up around Oahu. She and San Lorenzo Bikinis have collaborated on a few ideas to inspire the bikini-wearing population of Hawaii, including shop murals and signature artwork on bikinis. Plus all of Danielle’s continued on page 64
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Makana Pang By Sean Reilly Full name: Taylan Makana Malu Mai Kalani Pang Hometown: Haleiwa, Oahu DOB: October 13, 2000 Height/Weight: 4’6, 65 lbs. Stance: Goofy Sponsors: Fox, Drift Surf, North Shore Surf Shop, Kahuku Grill, Dennis Pang Surfboards Hawaii Take a moment to tap into your long-term memory and try to remember what you were doing at 12 years old. If you were anything like the rest of us, you were probably preoccupied with algebra homework, popping pimples or scoping out prospects for your first kiss. Several years from now, Makana Pang will be able to look back and say, “Yea, when I was 12 years old, I was charging Banzai Pipeline.” And when we say Pipeline, we’re not talking about the summer time sand bar; we’re talking about solid 8-foot Pipe, and Makana has the hardware to prove it!
Earlier this year, Makana walked away with the coveted “Most Inspirational Surfer” award at the ASP Pipeline Pro Junior. The North Shore local demonstrated remarkable talent and courage while dropping into treacherous Second Reef Pipe. Bred to charge, Makana is the son of pro surfing pioneer and big wave charger Dennis Pang.
and Mahina Maeda gave it to me. It’s because I have a big head and little body.
Surfing isn’t the only trick up this grommet’s sleeve. Makana is a diving enthusiast and an academic stand out. When he’s not getting barreled out of his mind, the talented local is slaying tako (octopus) and participating in extracurricular science fairs. Excelling in just about everything he puts his mind too, look for big things in this little guys future!
What is your go-to board? 4’8 ½,15 1/8 wide, and 1 ½ thick, shaped by my dad!
Your full name is quite a mouthful, do you have any nick names? Lollipop. All the kids on the North Shore call me that. Dax McGill
Where do you go to school? I’m an 8th grader at Kahuku High and Intermediate. What is your favorite subject? My favorite subject is art. I like to draw… I draw waves a lot.
What does the rest of your quiver look like? I have a 4’11 little step up for a little bigger waves, a 5’4 for Pipe, and I have a 5’7 and a 5’8 for Sunset. What is your first memory of surfing? My dad took me out to Haleiwa pretty much everyday when I was really young. I was like one and a half or two. But I remember
doing the Menehune (North Shore Menehune Surf Contest) when I was three. What is your home break? Ehukai or Rocky Point. Where is your favorite spot? My favorite spot is Rockpiles. I like that wave. It’s a sketchy wave, a lot of rocks popping up, and it’s super shallow. It’s cool. The biggest I surfed it is probably 5 foot. Who are your favorite surfers and why? Andy Irons because he is a pretty big inspiration to everyone in the surfing world. Jamie O’Brien, he’s crazy! Does crazy stuff at Pipe all the time, super gnarly at switch stance too. Do you have any friendly rivalries? Barron Mamiya, Noah Beschen, Ryder Guest, and Kalani Rivero. It’s fun to surf with them in a free continued on page 66
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Bailey Nagy
Big Dreams
By Tiffany Hervey By Tiffany Hervey Bailey Nagy lives by a motto that will propel her to dare greatly throughout life: “If your dreams don’t scare you, then they’re not big enough.” Competing regularly in front of friends, peers and industry folks is scary enough right now as the 17-year-old looks forward and sees adulthood and the realities of her aspiration toward a professional surfing career in the near future. The long term goal of course is to go pro and travel the world competing. Recently, Nagy placed second in both Open and Explorer Women’s at NSSA Nationals 2013, eighth at the ISA World Juniors 2013, and second at the National RipCurl Gromsearch 2012 last year. “One thing that I like about competing is the satisfaction of knowing you surfed a heat well,” the regular-foot explains. “For some reason to me that’s an indescribable feeling.” Of course her least favorite element of competing is losing. “To be honest, it sucks,” she admits. “But when you lose an event it makes you stronger and makes you want to fight for that win so much harder next time.” With a graceful style, Nagy’s surf coach, Chris Gallagher, says that she knows how to become aggressive at the right times. While Nagy’s sights are set on a professional surf career, for now, her goal is simple: “I want to get better at competing, I want to be able to win, not get second anymore!”
The Kahuku High School junior’s surf hero is Pancho Sullivan (a Red Raider graduate himself). “Pancho is an amazing person,” she says. “His surfing is wonderful and all he ever wants to do is make sure that every kid on the beach has the biggest smile on their face.” “Bailey is a very talented and committed athlete,” Pancho Sullivan says. “She has really improved a lot in the past couple of years and is coming off a very close runner-up finish in the NSSA nationals. With big results from Huntington to Pipeline she pretty much has the complete, wellrounded package to take her ability to the next level.” Nagy currently lives at Sunset Beach and considers Rocky Point her home break. Born and raised in Surfside, California, Nagy’s family lived on Kauai for four years and moved to Oahu when she was 13 years old. “My dad films movies and he was always working on Oahu so we decided to move to be closer to him and surf more,” she recalls. At eight years old Nagy began surfing regularly with the persistence of her father. “My dad made me love it, we both love the ocean so much and surfing was a sport that brought us closer, which was awesome.” The regular-foot’s first contest followed close behind her learning how to surf, competing in the annual Rell Sunn Menehune contest at age nine. On land, Nagy doesn’t do any other sports but does love to run and thinks she would likely be on the track team if she didn’t surf yearround. She also loves to workout with her trainer Daniel Bachmann, so when the waves are flat Nagy can always be found at his gym. Like most teens, Nagy’s favorite things include hanging out with friends and traveling.
SCIENCE
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She Rips / Bailey Nagy continued Rock
Sean Reilly
Grom Report / Makana Pang continued
With a summer of great travels and surfs with her favorite people (dad, Kiana Fores, Tomas King, Kona Oliveira, Mahina Maeda, and her sister), Bailey Nagy looks toward graduating high school and beyond: “I just want to be known for surfing well and always spreading aloha no matter where I go in this world.”
surf, but in a heat they push me a lot.
Sullivan adds this: “Bailey has a very supportive family who surfs and travels together. She loves surfing and competing and with her commitment to being the best she can be, she has a very bright future ahead of her.” pau
Does it get intense during a competition? It’s weird. If you get a good heat and beat ‘em, you’re their worst enemy or something, but once you chill out they are super nice. We go free surfing all the time.
Surf Art / Danielle Zirkelbach continued
Where is your favorite surf travel destination? Kauai. I just like the island. It’s not crowded and full of houses like it is here, it’s more natural, nice, and green. I don’t really have a favorite spot over there. I like all the spots!
Kirk Shorte
What are you known for? Being weird and short. I’m 12 but I look like I’m 8. I’m smaller than a lot of kids in my division and my grade.
prints will be available in the Haleiwa store location soon. You can also see Danielle’s work featured on an upcoming Discovery Channel animated television series called “Alison’s Adventures”. Yet another recent accomplishment is her induction into the Ocean Artist Society, a unique ocean conservation group, where she represents the only artist and surfer on the team. And Danielle had her first solo show with Wyland, which debuted September 14th at Wyland Kona Oceanfront Gallery on the Big Island. I was left with a quote from Danielle that really cemented the outlook this artist has on life. “All wars are won in the heart and all things can be done with love.” Seeing this motto transform into a lifestyle and then embodied in artwork is compelling. It’s this attitude that helps make a difference, encouraging others to work and life out of love too. There’s a lot of fear involved in being who we want to be, but in the end, Danielle is proof that it is so worth it. pau
What are your recent accomplishments? Making it through my first year of honors and being able to do it again this year. And surfing Big Pipe last winter. Just going out is a big accomplishment for me. I got the Biggest Charger award at the Junior Pro at Pipe, I was pretty stoked on that. I won an Intova camera. What are your future goals? To make it through high school and hopefully make it on the tour. I really want to be in the Eddie and the Jaws contests. And of course the Pipe Masters! When you’re not surfing or in class, what else do you like to do? I like diving a lot. Spear fishing or cave diving or just free diving. It’s fun to me. I shoot aholehole and stuff like that with my three prong. Other than a pro surfer, what would you like to be when you grow up? I think I would try dirt biking. Whenever I get a chance to ride a little 50 or 70 it seems pretty fun. I haven’t been up to a track and I don’t have my own or anything. But my friends have some and I get to ride them sometimes, it’s pretty fun. Last words for the Freesurf audience? I would just like to thank all my sponsors and everyone that has helped me to get where I am. pau
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Community
The Conundrum of
Hawaii Scholastic Surfing By Lauren Rolland “I could not help concluding this man had the most supreme pleasure while he was driven so fast and so smoothly by the sea.” - Captain James Cook
Written accounts of surfing by Captain Cook and his crew date back as early as 1779, but even before these records, surfing was already embedded in Hawaiian art, sport and religion. Surfing was an integral part of Hawaiian culture, exposed to the rest of the world only around the beginning of the 20th century. Today, surfing is still a hardwired sport of Hawaii, yet we don’t see it on par with the other sports in the school system. Hawaii recognized surfing as an official school sport in October 2011, but it still hasn’t even come close in popularity to Hawaii’s other school sports. Not nearly as common as one might think, especially given Hawaii is the ‘birthplace of surfing’. One of the most popularized ‘hobbies’ in Hawaii, there is a history behind the sport that should give credence to its cultural roots in the state, thus making it part of all school’s athletic programs.
So where lies the problem? If it was in fact recognized in 2011, why don’t we see more surf teams in Hawaii’s schools? Freesurf spoke with a few different community members to help shed light on this topic. Lifestyle brand Chance’Em Cofounders Flynn Novak and Justin Lambert, Kamehameha School Surf Team Coach Daniel Ito and Department of Education Athletic Administrator Raymond Fujino helped explain where Hawaii stands today on scholastic surfing. To begin, surfing is not considered an athletic team in Hawaii’s schools. Any school that takes up surfing refers to it a surf club. Although it’s more semantics than anything, it makes a difference when it comes to logistics and
funding. But when a school’s surf club competes in the HSA, it is referred to as a surf team for obvious reasons. The Oahu Interscholastic Association (a.k.a the public league), and the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (a.k.a the private league) both accept surfing as a club only, since its recognition by the Department of Education (DOE) in 2011. But there is no budget for surfing that comes out of the school’s athletic departments. To give readers some background, in 2008, Hawaii’s public schools took a major hit when budget cuts directly affected the athletics department. Money that was allocated to the various sports teams decreased, “almost a 40% cut,” recalls DOE Athletic Administrator Raymond Fujino, and many assistant coaches
flipped from salary paid positions into volunteers, just to keep the teams alive. The athletic allocation for one public school for the year after these budget cuts was $12,000. And that was meant to cover every sport in the school. Today, budgets have increased only slightly to $17,000 but Fujino mentions they are still nowhere near where they used to be. Fast forward to 2011 and Governor Abercrombie announces at a press release at Queens that surfing is now officially a school sport, meaning it will be accepted as a club in any school that is interested in making it one. To avoid further cutbacks to the existing sports however, funding for surfing in public schools will come only from the private sector or from the community. Because surf teams are not factored into
actually get paid.
the athletics department budget, the clubs have to get creative with funding. Which is where a business like Chance’Em comes into play. Justin Lambert founded Chance’Em with fellow north shore surfer and friend Flynn Novak in 2010. Together they’ve created a business that fundraises money for the Waialua High School surf club/ team, with prospects looking good as well for Kahuku High. “The opportunities are endless if you just build a structure,” Novak remarks regarding the starting point for Chance’Em. What began as a promotional company for events and fundraisers has now morphed into a business that sells Chance’Em shirts, hats and stickers to help fund Waialua’s surf club. Lambert and Novak’s ultimate goal is to see these clubs/teams
implemented into every public school across the state. And when asked what the challenges were to make this a reality, both replied matter-of-factly, “money”. When speaking to both the Chance’Em founders and to Raymond Fujino, they all mentioned that it’s hard to get private investors to commit beyond a year or two. They donate money to help with initial start-up costs, but it quickly runs out. And if the money runs out, then the team suffers and ultimately cannot be supported. In order for a surf club to be established, the funding future needs to look bright and it needs to be sustained. Fujino responded that it is not a good idea to start a surf club only to have funding run out in a year or two. Especially because a lot of time and effort is needed for the legitimization of scholastic surfing. Lambert and Novak both received certification to coach surfing in schools, which was paid for out
The number of students trying out for the Kamehameha Surf Team double every year and furthermore, we’re expanding our program into middle school this year because of the tremendous response we’re getting from the kids and parents.
of pocket. “It’s not a paid job, we volunteer our own time to get certified, take lifeguard and CPR classes, go through the surf coaching classes,” recalls Lambert. And besides the coaches, all surf club members (the students) need to be certified in junior lifeguards too. While there is no cost involved in this, the time commitment for parents is huge. Surf club costs also include things like transportation to and from practices and events, the events themselves, contest entry fees, equipment, and uniforms. It doesn’t appear that the DOE, Oahu Interscholastic Association, Interscholastic League of Honolulu or any other scholastic administration is trying to keep surfing down. Rather, it may just be a timing issue that directly relates to money. With athletic departments heavily affected by the school budget cuts, it seems hard to implement anything new without forcing existing sports to take further cuts. But the other side to the issue is that surfing deserves to be an athletic sport in schools just like football, soccer or baseball. Fujino believes to even begin discussing this topic, the budgeting needs to at least get back up to where the coaches can
“Surfing requires a head coach and two assistant coaches, according to our club guidelines,” explains Fujino. Since surfing is offered to both boys and girls, the surf clubs would need 2 head coaches and 4 assistant coaches. Which in itself is a large cost, given the schools are required to pay the head coaches. Assistant coaches however have been coming in the form of volunteers lately, and one potential solution would be to have ex pros willingly volunteer their time to coach. This way, the salary going toward the coaches could be redirected into the funds for the teams. But teachers looking into a surf coaching career have been undersold for some time now. Kamehameha School Surf Coach Daniel Ito was asked about whether or not he’d seen a successful push in Hawaii scholastic surfing since 2011 and responded, “If we’re defining ‘success’ as the ability to field a 12-15 person team (three shortboard boys, three shortboard girls, three bodyboarders, three longboard boys and three longboard girls) that are junior lifeguard certified and have all the membership and contest fees paid, then I think the eight schools competing in the current HSA league are successful.” Although Kamehameha is a private school, they remain in the same category as Hawaii’s public schools; not factored into the athletic department’s budget allocation. However, Ito’s response about a solution reveals what problems Kamehameha (and other schools) are dealing with. “It’s identifying and empowering a handful of surfers, who have firsthand knowledge of the sport and attended traditional high school in Hawaii, to organize and execute a league that is formally recognized by the Hawaii High School Athletic Association.”
Community Hawaii’s surfing community might not be entirely happy with the state’s condition of school surf clubs, but at least there is some forward momentum. And the more interest generated by parents and students, the more likely it is a club will be established. There are positive influences to both school and student when a surf club is implemented into the athletic department. Depending on the school and whether or not the club is competing, surfing likely requires a minimum grade point average (usually 2.0). “Coaches are regularly checking up on the student athletes’ GPA, which is great for the kids because they are motivated to do well in school so they can be on the team,” explains Ito.
Fujino, Ito, Lambert and Novak all agree that the number one thing they wish to see improve with Hawaii scholastic surfing is that it be embraced by schools statewide, not just the handful that are lucky enough to benefit from private funding. While the timing might not be ideal for surfing in schools, it is undoubtedly a sport deserving of recognition and equal funding by school’s administration and athletic departments. “We should have surf teams in every public school to teach, nurture, and uphold a
tradition that is unique to our islands -a tradition that makes Hawaii unique to the world,” details Novak. As athletic administrator for Oahu, Fujino agrees with this, but also mentions “we need to figure out a way to sustain.” Hawaii needs to find a way to nourish the school surf teams so they are established with lasting goals in mind, instead of short term funding. Fujino says “until we are able to fully fund our existing athletic programs, it would be difficult to justify entertaining the idea of adding another sport.” We are seeing positive role models with such schools as Kamehameha, and Ito says that there has been a huge boost in student enthusiasm for school surf clubs since 2011. “The number of students trying out for the Kamehameha Surf Team double every year and furthermore, we’re expanding our program into
middle school this year because of the tremendous response we’re getting from the kids and parents.” This trend has also caught on with Waialua High, where kids are pointedly looking into enrolling just for the surf club program. If you’re interested in seeing surfing, the sport of the Hawaiian kings a part of your school, talk to your principle. Gain interest from others like you and ask your parents to become involved. It’s going to take a community to make this happen. Novak mentions, “A lot of it is just about having fun.” Surfing in schools is a positive and progressive thing, and anyone involved in a surfing club can see this. “Ultimately it’s for them to have an outlet and also be involved in a team sport in their school, give them some sort of pride,” continues Novak. “Everything else is a bonus from there.” pau
Chris Latronic
Lambert of Chance’Em says scholastic surfing helps to
provide students with structure and positive role models. “It’s something fun that you can get together and do after school, it builds camaraderie, sportsmanship and responsibility.” Novak furthers this notion by saying it keeps kids out of trouble and it keeps them in school. “They have to show up to be involved in the surf team, so it’s a win-win for everyone,” Novak explains.
Waialua Surf Team
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Music / Makua Rothman continued
What’s it feel like to play in front of a massive crowd? It feels incredible! It’s a blessing to play music if it’s for 5 or 5,000. If it wasn’t for music this world would be f-ed. How do you compare playing big shows to riding big waves? Nothing compares to whipping it under a 50-footer at Jaws. It was more like when I won the World Cup, feeling the entire beach scream and cheer for me. It feels like that. It’s an incredible feeling to hear 3,000 plus people scream for you.
Kuau Crater Boys, Braddah Iz, Tupac, Al Green, The Animals, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Led Zeppelin. Pretty much anything my family and friends had. We never had radio on the North Shore. What were some of the biggest shows that you’ve played at? In Australia I played with Mickey Avalon. I toured with Goldfinger and been throughout the US doing 13+ shows with Donavon Frankenreiter. The biggest show I played was probably with Kelly Slater in Israel, there were thousands of people. All the shows were good fun.
How would you describe your music? Good fun music. Roots Rock Aloha. Tell me about the “Andy Irons tribute song” and how you were compelled to sing this for the late surf legend? Andy Irons was my hero… When Andy won, everyone won. I just wanted to sing for my fallen friend. I see him in my dreams sometimes… keeping tabs on me from time to time.
What are your future goals for your music? Well, I got signed to a record deal with Mountain Apple Records. I’ll have a full-length album coming out along with a smallkine tour with Pepper around this September. The ultimate goal is to spread aloha around the earth. Let people know that aloha is for everybody. Touch everyone with a little bit of aloha when they listen to my music. I just love to jam and represent for Hawaii. I want to make people proud to be Hawaiian again. Represent for my people, my nation. Try my best. Take after all the great great Hawaiians that came before me. That’s all. What else is on the horizon for Makua Rothman? Life, just enjoying it. Surf when the waves are good, jam when they’re flat. Big wave tour coming up in 2014, I’m looking forward to that. Sponsors: RVCA, Oakley, Monster, Da Hui, js Surfboards, House of Marley, Koolau Ukulele’s (Wahiawa)
pau
hummus wraps, acai bowls and poke. Featured on the shorts is a picture of the Pupukea Grill truck, so be sure to stop by for lunch and a new pair of boardies next time you’re on the north shore!
Industry Notes
Garrett McNamara Honored by Portugal Navy
Winner of Twisted Board Racks Giveaway The Freesurf x Twisted Board Racks giveaway was a great success for one lucky winner. Rohan O’Rourke of Oahu’s north shore posted a photo of his jerry-rigged board rack, precariously dangling above his bed. While his photo caption was quite clever, Mr. O’Rourke sealed the deal by sneaking a Freesurf Magazine into the makeshift racks. Congratulations Rohan on winning a state-ofthe-art board rack from Twisted Board Racks! You no longer have to worry about your boards crushing you in your sleep. Rest easy my friend, Freesurf Magazine and Twisted Board Racks got you covered. Stay tuned to Freesurf’s Instagram (@ freesurfmag) and Facebook for more giveaways on the horizon!
Team Sera’s Surf Takes Home 1st The 2nd Aloha Boardshop Fish Fry surf contest took place this past July at Queens in Waikiki, with contestable waves and warm Hawaii skies. This unique, backyard-style surf contest featured 26 teams participating on fish style surfboards provided by Aloha Boardshop. Over 20 different surfboard shapers made boards that were either
quad or twin fins with funky outlines, making for a fun surf event with a laid-back atmosphere. Congratulations to Team Sera’s Surf for scoring the best waves of the day during the final and taking home 1st place!
Portugal’s navy recognized Garrett McNamara earlier this summer for riding the 78-foot wave in Portugal’s Praia do Norte, near the town of Nazare. The navy awarded the big-wave surfer its Medalha Naval de Vasco da Gama
Shaun Tomson, Clyde Aikau, Rodney Mullen, Don King, and Mike Prickett.
OC16 Celebrates Anniversary Hawaii’s main cable station is celebrating their 25th year of broadcasting this year. Home of Board Stories and Billabong Surf TV, OC16 is a place where local producers showcase their work and pride of Hawaii. Tune in to watch contest coverage, top quality action and profiles on some of the best watermen and women on the surf scene.
HIC Goes B-I-G HIC is going BIG on the Big Island! With the recent opening of an HIC store at the Parker Ranch Center in Waimea, HIC now has four locations on the Big Island. The first HIC location opened in 2011 at The Shops at Mauna Lani, near Waikaloa. Followed in 2012 with stores in Kona Commons and Hilo’s Prince Kuhio Plaza. “HIC’s rapid growth across the Big Island can be attributed to two things.” said HIC Brand Manager Mitch McEwen. “First, the enthusiastic reception by customers to HIC’s great selection of clothing and surf gear. And second, finding a great Regional Manager in Dayton De Luz. Dayton has provided the experience, motivation and confidence to maximize HIC’s potential across the Big Island.”
Pupukea Grill Sells JOB/Body Glove Surf Shorts One of Freesurf’s favorite grind spot is about to add an interesting item to their menu. Pupukea Grill will soon be selling Jamie O’Brien’s signature Body Glove surf shorts along with their tasty
in a ceremony held in Lisbon. The wave was determined to be a record by the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards and certified by Guinness World Records.
Turtle Bay Expands Talk Story Series Lineup North Shore’s Turtle Bay is launching a “Great Stories for Great Causes” series at Surfer The Bar, which will be part of their ongoing Talk Story series. 100% of ticket sales will go toward nonprofit groups. This 6-week Talk Story + Film series is happening every Wednesday night at 7:30pm and lasts from September 4th through October 9th. Cultural and industry icons in the lineup include
Hydroflex Teams Up With Pyzel Hydroflex Surfboard Technology has teamed up with Hawaii shaper Jon Pyzel and his label, Pyzel Surfboards, now building some of the most innovative/ high-performance surfboards on the market. Hydroflex now offers all current Pyzel models with Hydroflex lamination technology. Jon Pyzel is one of the industry leaders in bringing highperformance and new innovative shapes to the market. “I’m really stoked to be working with the crew at Hydroflex to explore some new ways of building our boards. I really like their ideas and being able to expand the choice of
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Recognition for Sean Yano Sean Yano was recently selected as one of Hawai‘i’s top real estate agents in Honolulu Magazine’s “Homebuyer’s Guide”. Being named on this prestigious list is an outstanding professional accomplishment. Congratulations Sean!
Electric Helps Eliminate Single Use Plastics Electric and Mizu teamed up to reduce single-use plastic water bottles. Proceeds from this project will help support Waves 4 Water and their programs abroad that help provide clean water for people in need. For Electric, incorporating sustainable practices presents an opportunity to positively impact the environment through changes in products, processes and overall mentality. To read more about our planet’s plastic problem, specifically
single use plastics, check out Freesurf’s article online at www. freesurfmagazine.com
Positive Apparel Makes Positive Impact Positive Apparel tshirt business located on Maui has just acquired another business, making them the biggest screen printing business in Maui County. Keep up the good work!
Volcom Hawaii Gives Back to the Youth of Hawaii The Volcom Hawaii Give Back Series is very unique in that Volcom has designated ALL of their Hawaii-only product - which is relatively significant – as part of their Give Back Series, with a portion of all sales going to the Boys & Girls Club Hawaii. To date (since 2010), Volcom has donated over $45,000 to the club, with plans again to donate a portion of 2013 sales to BGCH. For 2012, it was a year off for the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii since the Hawaii Only Give Back program was in honor of the Sion Gromfest and went to the Sion Milosky Memorial Fund. Volcom raised more than $58,000 for that cause.
Shark Week Month: Ulu Boi Will Surf Again! Big Island’s up and coming junior talent, Jimmy Ulualoha “Ulu Boi” Napeahi, was bitten by a presumed 8 to 10 foot shark while surfing “Dead Trees” at Pohoiki Bay on August 18th. The 16 year-old local boy suffered multiple puncture wounds and lacerations to his hips and legs, resulting in more than 180 stitches. Fortunately, no vital arteries were severed and Ulu Boi is expected to make a full recovery after 2 to 3 months of rehabilitation. Ulu Boi is a great young surfer with a big heart and truly emanates the spirit of Aloha. The Freesurf staff sends our prayers and good vibes to Ulu Boi Napeahi for a speedy recovery. We can’t wait to see you surfing again soon
Free Plug- Alpinestars New Audio Equipment For Fall, Alpinestars is launching their Sound Series collection, the integration of sound and sport. In collaboration with Aerial7, the Alpinestars Sound Series integrates advanced audio technology with apparel fashion and style. The collection includes the Soundcheck Fleece ($79) which features sound series speakers and the Tank Headphones ($100). www. alpinestars.com.
12th Annual Duke’s OceanFest From August 17th through the 19th, Waikiki beach set the stage for a nine-day event honoring the legacy of one of Hawaii’s most well-known watermen, Duke Kahanamoku. Featuring a variety of ocean sports that were close to Duke’s heart, participants competed in longboarding, paddleboard racing, swimming, tandem surfing, surf polo, beach volleyball and more. The first ever Duke’s SUP races were held this year, which included course races and relay team races. Also included was the volleyball championships and one of Duke’s favorite sports, surfboard water polo. About 1,500 athletes from all corners of the world participated in this year’s OceanFest, and the entire event was a huge success. Each day was a beautiful historic experience that helped inspire and relive the spirit of Aloha that Duke Kahanamoku shared with the world. Mo Freitas won the SUP sprints, earning himself a spot in the Ultimate SUP Showdown, where SUP Awards‘ 2012 Top Male and Female paddlers, Connor Baxter and Candice Appleby, paddled to victories. Andrea Moller and Livio Menelau also took home big wins in the highlycompetitive Hawaii Kai downwinder. Check out photos and the full
Surf with a smile
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Time to get your last kicks in the small summer fun, winter is coming up quick! Tyler Larronde, getting his. Photo: DJ Struntz
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