Even Pipeline chargers get bored. So Jamie Sterling for reasons unclear starts off a road trip somewhere in Texas to drive to Puerto Escondido for the Mexican Pipeline. The first two videos of the series on RedBullSurfing.com show exactly why it’s a worthless idea to fly from Hawaii to Texas just so you can then backtrack 700 miles to Arizona to drive down to Mexico. The third video installation though shows what we all dream of at Puerto. Long glassy roping barrelling waves. In fact, the waves are so good and long they don’t even look like the beach break Puerto we’ve all heard of.
Surfing Magazine announced the 2008 Follow the Light Finalists. Follow the Light Foundation, formed in the honor of the late photo legend Larry “Flame” Moore, is set to choose the third recipient of its $5,000 grant dedicated to the art of surf photography.
Here are the finalists:
Ryan Craig, Santa Cruz
Strengths: “Ryan Craig has a great usage of light. In particular, one of his photos from the Hook in Santa Cruz. He also probably has the strongest composition out of everyone.”
Todd Glaser, San Diego
Strengths: “Glaser’s strength is pure well-roundedness. He can do it all and thinks about it all on a particular trip. How am I going to capture the lifestyle, the lineups, the water shots, the mood?”
Zak Noyle, Hawaii
Strengths: “Zak had one of the strongest essays – what he would be doing with the grant money. He also has a shot of a Teahupo’o barrel – side angle and black and white – that really stood out. Intimate, up-close big-wave photography.”
Shawn Parkin, San Clemente
Strengths: “Shawn Parkin’s strengths were capturing heavily photographed waves in an all-new style. Some very unique angles of Trestles.”
Pat Ruddy, Florida
“Ruddy’s moody photography is really strong. They had the strongest ‘feel’ overall.”
Thanks to Ed Fladung and his blog Quality Peoples for pointing out the Follow the Light finalists. Ed is a great photographer, here’s Ed’s flickr photostream.
I showed up at Huntington Beach on Saturday morning to gentle offshores and pumping lined-up swell. It was double overhead on sets. Unfortunately, I had read surfline’s forecast that predicted 2-4 ft. surf so I had my fish and was a bit undergunned. The swell ended up lasting from Thursday to Tuesday, lighting up SoCal with a mix of Northwest and Southwest Swells. Here’s what it looked like from above (from Surfline):
The Southern California Surf Forecast blog posted some great shots by Toby of an Orange County beach break, here’s one from their post. The second shot is of Malibu from Surfline’s photo feature on the same swell.
Fergal Smith, 21, was two miles off the coast of Perth in Western Australia when he caught a wave. Fergal, of County Mayo, Ireland, only realised he was inches from the shark when photographer Phil Gallagher showed him the photo.
Contributors to Australia’s Surfing Life magazine awarded Fergal the “Euro surf-dude of the month” award. ASL website reads: “Just imagine being in the barrel and looking at a massive shark like you’re at the bloody aquarium or something. Hats off to you Fergal Smith, you’re our Euro surf-dude of the month.”
Photographer Phil Gallagher, 29, from Perth, said: “Great Whites are common out here but I have never seen one that near to a surfer before.” Fergal Smith said he “couldn’t help but laugh” when he saw the photograph but added that his mother Brid, 51, had “freaked out big time”. He added: “I saw a grey shape in the wave but I thought it was the reflection of a slab of rock - how wrong was I?”
Since 1876 Great White sharks have been responsible for 65 deaths and 242 recorded non-fatal attacks worldwide. Australia has had the most fatal Great White attacks in the world with 27 deaths, the most recent in 2005.
Kelly Slater won his 9th world title today, uneventfully at Mundaka (ASP Tour). He became both the youngest (22) and oldest (36) surfer to win world titles. He also compiled an impressive list of other records (5ones.com).
ASP Records Held by Kelly Slater:
Most ASP World Titles: Nine (2008, 2006, 2005, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1992)
Most ASP World Tour Victories: 39
Oldest ASP World Champion: 36-years-old (2008)
Youngest ASP World Champion: 20-year-old (1992)
Highest Heat Total: Only perfect 20 out of 20 ever earned (Tahiti – 2005)
Most Event Wins in a Season: Seven in 1996
Currently, Kelly is followed in ranking on the ASP world tour by Taj Burrow, Bede Durbidge, Adriano De Souza, Joel Parkinson, and Mick Fanning. Although the year is not finished yet, Taj, Bede, and Adriano all had impressive showings, but ultimately could not stop Kelly at the top of his game. From the first event at Snapper Rocks in Australia, which Kelly won, he rolled the competition and so far has won 5 of 8 events. Bede and Adriano showed themselves to be world title contenders and stepped up the competition in the top 10.
There’s something about the fall. On the ASP tour it’s most concentrate number of contests with the Boost Mobile Pro Trestles, Quicksilver Pro France (Hossegor), Billabong Pro Mundaka, and Hang Loose Pro Santa Catarina, Brazil all being run off in quick succession. Incredibly, Taj Burrow actually has a chance at catching Kelly Slater for the world title (assuming Kelly implodes and Taj turns it on for the last couple of events). But watching this video of Kelly at the Boost Mobile Pro makes it hard to argue that he’s not the best surfer in the world.
New Smyrna Beach, FL set a new record for most shark attacks in a year at 23. In case you don’t think that’s a lot of shark attacks, consider that in 2007 there were 74 shark attacks globally! My question is why is anyone out there surfing at all?! The Fear Beneath reports on the last attack. Although with three months left in 2008, I doubt that the sharks of New Smyrna will rest on their laurels.
OK, granted this actually happened in January of 2008, it’s still worth posting. A couple of bodyboarders decided to charge huge storm waves in Cornwall, England. Originally posted in the Daily Mail UK, the newspaper claims the waves are 50 ft. The whitewash might be 50 ft, but the waves look more like 12. Still pretty heavy for the UK. This guy either charged hard or got caught in the worst rip current of his life.
