Surfing News
ESPN X Games Surfing Competition Held at Puerto Escondido July 3-6 for a Third Consecutive Year
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 11 June, 2007 : - - Los Angeles, Ca -- The surfing competition of ESPN’s X Games will be held for a third consecutive year in Puerto Escondido. Famous for the big powerful waves of Zicatela Beach, the Men’s, Women’s and Local’s competitions are scheduled for July 3-6 at the “Mexican Pipeline.”
This year’s competition will feature two new events, Women’s Surfing and the “USA vs. the World” format replacing the “East Coast vs. West Coast” format in years past. The majority of X Games 13 will be held August 2-5, in Los Angeles.
For the first time, the Men and Women Surfing competitions will be streamed LIVE with real-time scoring and chat on expn.com July 3-6 starting at 8 a.m. ET. Replay capabilities, event highlights on-demand post-event, coverage will also be available. The Surfing Men’s Final will broadcast on ABC Sat., Aug. 5 at 4 p.m. ET and the Surfing Women’s Final will be televised at 9:30 p.m. ET.
“We're very excited to add an incredible women's field this year, and the change to 'USA vs. the World' is going to be electric,” said X Games General Manager Chris Stiepock. “The X Games prides itself on providing the best action sports athletes with the most challenging courses to allow them to display their athleticism and progression, and the 'Mexican Pipeline' at Puerto Escondido does just that."
National Surfing League founder Brad Gerlach said, “It's exciting to change the format and bring the leading surf stars -- men and women -- from around the world to the X Games.”
The invited surfers include U.S. Men’s Rob Machado and Jamie O’Brien, U.S. Women’s Rochelle Ballard and Megan Abubo, World Team Men’s Julian Wilson and Mick Campbell, and World Team Women’s Sofia Mulanovich and Stephanie Gilmore. Former World Champion Lisa Anderson will lead the USA Women’s team and seven-time World Champion Layne Beachly will coach the World team.
X Games added Surfing to the lineup of sports in 2003 with a discipline called The Game™. Developed by pro surfer Brad Gerlach, The Game™ places surfers into opposing teams – USA vs. The World at the X Games – competing for an overall highest score and the team victory. The sport of Surfing is the only sport in which the athletes are selected by each team’s coach, not by a committee.
Puerto Escondido is a traditional Mexican fishing village located 180 miles south of the city of Oaxaca and 70 miles west of Huatulco Bay in an area known as the Emerald Coast for its brilliant jade-green waters. It has long been known as one of the world’s heaviest places to surf.
The area’s wave season is from May through October, making July an optimal time for the X Games to hold its Surfing competition. Its reputation as the ”Mexican Pipeline” derives from the fast hollow waves that break in shallow water allowing surfers to pull in to giant tubes.
ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will provide 14 hours of live programming August 2-5 as well as X Games 13 coverage on ESPN International, EXPN.com, ESPN Classic, ESPN360.com, SportsCenter and ESPN2’s X Center. X Games 13 will be televised on ESPN International to more than 120 countries and territories in Canada, the Pacific Rim, Middle East, Africa, Orbit and Israel.
About ESPN'S X Games Franchise
ESPN, The Worldwide Leader in Action Sports, first developed its X Games franchise in 1995. Part of ESPN Original Entertainment, X Games, Winter X Games and All Access are just some of the original action sports programming currently shown on ESPN and ESPN2.
In addition to the two U.S.-based events, ESPN has held X Games competitions and demonstration events around the world including Dubai, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, Korea, Malaysia, China and Spain. The global franchise has also expanded its reach to EXPN.com, the definitive site for action sports fans, and to consumer products such as X Games bikes, protective gear, skateboards and DVDs.
SURFING shifts into neutral with second annual Green Issue
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starting with the October Issue, SURFING Magazine will purchase carbon offsets to minimize the impact of their business.
The Second Annual Green Issue, which hits newsstands and surf shops on August 21, 2007, will be the first in a yearlong commitment by the world’s most progressive surf magazine to diminish their carbon footprint.
“The first Green Issue focused on global warming and what that will mean for surfers,” says Evan Slater, renowned big-wave surfer and Editor of SURFING Magazine. “This year, in addition to expanding our coverage of ocean-awareness-related issues, we wanted to make the magazine itself more accountable.”
Working with Carbonfund.org, the leading non-profit climate change solution provider in the United States, Surfing Magazine will purchase carbon offsets in the form of mangrove reforestation projects in India. Mangroves are important habitat for fish and act to filter ocean pollution. By calculating the CO2 emissions produced by the production, distribution and printing of the magazine, Surfing will be able to neutralize its carbon footprint through reforestation.
Carbonfund.org supports renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects globally that reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the threat of climate change. Carbonfund.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The celebrated best-selling issue will feature coverage from the Third Annual International Surfing Day, a global event benefiting Surfrider Foundation. This year’s issue will focus on ocean water quality, an issue close to every surfer’s heart. Additionally, The Green Issue will coincide with launch of “The Green Room,” an online eco-resource for surfers on SURFINGmagazine.com.
“We have an obligation to protect the resources that give us so much joy,” says SURFING Magazine Publisher Ross Garrett. “Offsets aren’t the whole answer, but they might buy us some time. Overall, through this issue and International Surfing Day, we’re focused on generating awareness and action with surfers across the globe.”
To further the green movement, SURFING is offering its advertising partners special advertising units and incentives for advertising that promotes their green initiatives.
For more information on SURFING Magazine’s Green Issue or International Surfing Day, please contact Lauren Orshansky at lauren.orshansky@primedia.com or log on to SURFINGmagazine.com.
About the SURFING Magazine
Founded in 1964, SURFING Magazine is the global leader in coverage of progressive surfing. SURFING is the official magazine of the National Scholastic Surfing Association and the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. The magazine’s unique properties include International Surfing Day, Shaper of the Year, Art of Surfing, Heat, Surfing TV, and Surfing’s Annual Swimsuit Issue. SURFING publishes 12 issues per year, and publishes daily on SurfingMagazine.com.
Thousands of surfers enjoying the winter surf season are expected to converge on Durban just after the solstice to check out the hottest new surf movies at the Wavescapes Surf Film Festival, the only event of its kind in South Africa.
Wavescapes again teams up with the Durban International Film Festival (June 20 to July 1) to present a five-day feast of films that climax with a unique outdoor event at the Bay of Plenty lawns on June 29. The outdoor event, part of the opening of the Durban Beach Festival, features surfing films on a giant screen, prize giveaways and music by Farryl Purkiss, Oreka TX from Spain, and a demonstration of chinlone, the national sport of Myanmar.
Wavescapes 2007 will show wave riding in its myriad forms, from haunting visual eulogies about waves to gritty documentaries about suburban surf gangs; from surf exploration in exquisite lands to fascinating profiles of the world's best surf spots.
Movies making the festival a visual "Endless Winter" will be Bra Boys, Pipeline Masters, Sipping Jetstreams, Chasing Dora, Glass Love, Absolute Mexico, My Eyes Won't Dry and Shades of Bali.
Directed and narrated by Russell Crowe, Bra Boys documents the gritty side of surfing, and tells the tale of a surf gang from the south side of Sydney in Australia. The tightly made feature documentary Pipeline Masters stars South African Shaun Tomson and the tube-riding skills that made him an indelible part of the event's illustrious history. Pipeline Masters was directed by Stacy Peralta, who made the smash hits Riding Giants and Dog Town and Z-Boys.
Chasing Dora follows a trip to Jeffreys Bay in search of the psyche of the legendary and controversial Mickey Dora, while Sipping Jetstreams - a stunning visual travelogue made by Taylor Steele - is bound to make waves.
Wavescapes festival director Steve Pike said Sipping Jetstreams was one of his favourite new films. "It is the quintessential surf exploration movie made with razor-edged direction, stunning visuals and excellent editing."
"Another must-see is Absolute Mexico. Never mind the beautiful scenery, luxurious foliage, barren cliffs and airbrushed blue corduroy. Watching the raw power of these barrels, including one dredging monster that lasts a ridiculous 30 seconds, must be like downing a shot of 80 proof Mezcal!"
The Wavescapes Surf Film Festival (www.wavescapes.co.za) will run from 25 to 28 June at the KwaSuka Theatre, with the Durban Beach Festival finale at the Bay of Plenty Lawns on the evening of Friday, 29 June.
The Durban International Film Festival runs from 20 June to 1 July at a variety of theatres and venues across Durban. The full programme is available on www.cca.ukzn.ac.za or contact Centre for Creative Arts on 031 260 2506 or 031 260 1704 for further information.
ENDS
Media enquiries to
Sharlene Versfeld
Versfeld and Associates
Telephone: 031 201 1650
sharlene@versfeld.co.za
The 6th annual Clean Water Classic surfing contest has just wrapped up at Westport, Washington. This event was a benefit for the Pacific Northwest chapters of the Surfrider Foundation. The 2007 Clean Water Classic was presented by Global Surf Industries (GSI), the worldwide leading surfboard distribution company. The event drew more than 100 competitors and also drew many first time surfers to the beach as well. "It's great to see so many people surfing for the first time- it's just perfect!" said Mark Kelly, the President of Global Surf Industries.
Mark continued ""The surfing community of the Pacific Northwest should be very proud of itself. The quality of the surfing I saw on the weekend was sensational. The local guys can hold their head up high on the performance side of things. This was my first trip to the region, and having travelled extensively throughout the world I have to say that the "Aloha spirit" was alive and well in Westport. The surfing culture here is pure and the joy of surfing that I witnessed really fits with our company mantra - Life is better when you surf!" GSI brought several well known surfers to participate in the event, including Bonga Perkins (who is currently on the cover of Longboard magazine) and Steve Walden, a successful surfboard shaper/ manufacturer from Ventura, CA.
The event started with a GSI sponsored surfboard dealer heat on Friday, which drew three man teams from six surf shops. The three man teams surfed three boards (a shortboard, a fish, and a longboard). The shop winner was awarded a $2500 shop credit, which drew spirited competition to start off the surfing weekend. Steepwater Surf (Westport, WA) was the eventual winner of the GSI shop challenge.
On Saturday June 2nd, the first heats started at 8:00 AM at the jetty in Westhaven State Park, Washington. The event concluded at 3 PM on Sunday, June 3rd. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, 50 heats were run with most being 15 minute heats. Six competitors per heat was the norm on Saturday, with the semi finals and finals on Sunday drawing between two and four competitors per heat. The weather was calm and foggy at times, with nicely shaped waves in the two to six foot range.
On Saturday night, GSI and Quiksilver combined forces to provide an extraordinary surf theme party which attracted over 450 people. The party turnout packed the Westport Convention Center, and featured a Quiksilver raffle, the donation of boards by Mark Kelly from GSI, and several surf movies and movie previews. One of the movies previewed was Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer which will be released by Fox on June 15, 2007. In this movie, the lead character rides a silver surfboard. The Clean Water Classic was selected by Fox to feature a very limited edition silver surfboard similar to the one used by the movie character. On Sunday, this board was given to the winner of the Master's Shortboard division (Matt Loughren). Matt is the well known owner of a local surf shop in Westport, and the crowd roared appreciatively as Matt stepped up to claim his one of a kind prize.
Other major sponsors who made the 2007 Clean Water Classic a great success include Rebel Boards, Awesome Surf Videos, Vitamin Water, One Ball Jay, Cleanline Surf, Sex Wax, XCel, Perfect Wave, Hammersurf, and Biofoam Boards.
2007 Clean Water Classic division winners included:
Pro/Am Shortboard Division (shortboards are less than seven foot four inches):
1st = Noah Cohen (Tofino, BC) . Noah also won the Best Wave and Shortboard Highest Scored Wave. Noah received $500 for his win.
2nd = Steve Martin (Westport, WA). Steve received $150 for his win.
3rd = Bastien Lanusse (Tofino, BC). Bastien received $100 for his win.
Master's Shortboard (40 + years of age):
1st = Matt Loughren (Westport, WA)
2nd = Andrew Drake (Seattle, WA)
3rd = Gary Smither (Coos Bay, OR)
Women's Shortboard:
1st = Leah Oke (Port Renfrew, BC). Leah won $150 for her win.
2nd = Rachel Ward (Seaside, OR)
3rd = Katt Dunn
Men's Longboard (longboards are more than nine feet long):
1st = J.P. Canis
2nd = Steve Martin (Westport, WA)
3rd = Andy Cordeiro
Master's Longboard:
1st = Perry Abedor (Dana Point, CA) Perry also won the Longboard Highest Scored Wave.
2nd = Andrew Drake (Seattle, WA)
3rd = Gary Smither (Coos Bay, OR)
Women's Longboard
1st = Rachel Ward (Seaside, OR)
2nd = Yvonne Mendel (Tofino, BC)
3rd = Hannah Nicholls (Depoe Bay, OR)
Junior's Division (between 12- 17 years old):
1st = CC Unger-Mayor (Tofino, BC)
2nd = Kye Peladeau (Tofino, BC)
3rd = Janek Peladeau (Tofino, BC)
Surf Kayak High Performance:
1st = Gary Korb (Port Angeles, WA)
2nd = Jameson Riser (Seattle, WA)
3rd = Kate Howell (Corvallis, OR)
Surf Kayak Novice/ Intermediate:
1st = Joe Dietrich
2nd = Jeff Daniels
With two world champions recently gracing the shorelines of Western Australia this year, both Kelly Slater and Layne Beachley have left the public of the Oz west coast wanting to see more of the champions of the sport.
While Slater was off sampling some of the waves down the South West corner of the state during the Margaret River Pro, it was Layne Beachley who stole the hearts of women from all ages at the inaugural Women’s Surf Spree.
The two day event provided a range of opportunities for women of all ages to meet this amazing female Australian athlete and to experience the pure joy of the sport of surfing. It was a huge success with Beachley winning the hearts and minds of all who particpated and were involved.
Beachley gave a talk which was not only inspirational, but also amazing as she touched on the ups and downs of her carreer, growing up in a male dominated sport, how she got started in surfing, and how she has become the most successful female surfer in the world...
Beachley also mixed it with them on the water and the beach on Friday running an intermediate course giving advanced girls tips and advice side by side in the water with the 7x World Champ. On Saturday Layne ran a number of one hour female beginners coaching sessions that took place at Trigg Beach assisted with professional instructors from Surfing WA.
Beachleys rise to fame and her world record of 7 world titles started early. By the age of 20 Beachley trained day and night which thrust her into the limelight of the professional tour. Pushing herself beyond her bodys limit Beachley was hit by two devestating bouts of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 1993 and 1996.
CFS nearly ended her carreer with the physical, mental, and emotional challenge, but she beat depression to stay focused on her ultimate goal and that was to be World Champion.
Layne's competitive streak charges just as hard on land as in the water. In addition to her surfing and business commitments, in 2003 Layne created the Aim for the Stars Foundation to support and promote the academic, sporting, community and cultural dreams of young women.
Not one to take it easy, Layne continues to lead the way in women's surfing as she pushes for an unbelievable seventh World Title. With a lust for personal and professional happiness, Layne Beachley lives her belief that there are no limits to achieving goals and great success.
After such a great reception the first time around, The Women’s Surf Spree organised by Surfing WA will now be an annual event on the WA surfing calendar. Women will be encouraged to learn to surf, and / or participate in surfing competitions to improve their surfing technique to increase WA’s pool of female surfing talent. This is one event that women should not miss next year.
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