Friday, October 30, 2009

Harley Ingelby is the Oxbow WLT Champion; Kai Sallas wins in the Maldives 2009

Harley Ingelby is the Oxbow WLT Champion; Kai Sallas wins in the Maldives 2009!!!
OXBOW WLT final - MALDIVES

Pasta Point – Chaaya Island
Thursday 29th October 2009

HARLEY INGLEBY IS THE OXBOW WORLD LONGBOARD TOUR CHAMPION – KAI SALLAS WINS IN THE MALDIVES

A hot Indian Ocean wind reached deep into blue eyes to keep them wide open as the top eight competitors focused on the quarterfinals today at Pasta Point. Eduardo Bage opened the show on uneven faces, with smooth chords and tinkling runs to the nose. Hawaiian Kai Sallas outfunked the bigger walls with strident high register turns, playing a tactical, patient heat, savouring intense moves, and advancing to the semi finals. When Oxbow’s Ben Skinner met Ned Snow, the Hawaiian opened with two huge scores, displaying clear and eloquent power turns. Ben responded with his trademark total commitment, never holding back, and racing a full hang ten in the sweet spot of the curl, suspending time, then setting loose on a series of rapid-fire hits. But he did not find the second set wave he needed to unleash, and was left with an excellent 5th place finish.

If Harley Ingleby could knock out 2007 Oxbow World Champion Phil Rajzman, he would claim a long-deserved, popular World Title. The two consummate professionals paddled out, focused and calm for a crucial thirty minutes. Harley improvised fluidly across the first wave, with tumbling notes at railroad pace. Then Phil found a thick wall, offering a new vocabulary of driving, piercing carves. The outcome was an 8.0, so Harley wrapped back, running onto the tip, then planting on the tail to score a 7.25. In the dying minutes Phil needed a 6.0, and took off on a smaller set with priority. He did not get the score he needed and all of a sudden, Australian Harley Ingleby was the 2009 Oxbow World Longboard Champion. Harley paddled in beaming like never before. He was handed his flag and carried with pride across the walkway by fellow Australians Josh Constable, Jared Neal and Bryce Young.

“This is the best day of my life,” said the overwhelmed Champion, a tear in his eye, after finally achieving his childhood dream. “Before I arrived in the Maldives after winning in Japan, all my mates back home were saying ‘don’t choke out there’. So I just dealt with things heat-by-heat, tried not to think about results, and surfed at my best. I’m so happy. It’s done now, so the rest of the event is just a bonus.”

Outback the entertainment continued, as an all-French heat unravelled between Antoine Delpero and Remi Arauzo. They both played patterns around the wave, recreating traditional style, and mixing it with the light-board revolution. This is what modern longboarding is all about. One style shouldn’t compromise another. Styles should mix. That’s the postmodern moment – and contemporary longboarding is a postmodern artform. Antoine flew into the semi finals.

Both Kai Sallas and Ned Snow showed great stamina in semi final one, keeping up their level of intensity with 8 point rides. There seemed to be no gaps between their moves, no apparent in-breath, just an outpouring of flowing noserides and turns. And it was Kai who clinched a slot in the final. Semi final two matched natural stylists Harley and Antoine. Both displayed footwork and noseriding, weighting and unweighting the board to create trim, all put together so quickly that the outward appearance is co-ordination. Actually, the movement of the feet offers a weaving of many points of balance. And the nose ride is the blue note, squashed and performed with soul, oozing quality and feeling, and signalling ‘style’.

Harley mixed feathering fives with outlandishly vertical re-entries and bagged an 8.90 wave score. Antoine stood at the tip, spine arched, head thrown, singing an anthem, dropped down, let the lip tap him on the shoulder out of curiosity, and made radical accents on deep sections for a 7.75. Up above, fleecy clouds thickened to the consistency of milkshake, darkened, dampened and gathered as thunderheads. A heavy tropical downpour let loose. As the steam and rain passed the waves turned glassy, and Harley emerged as the winner.

Following a short break, Harley paddled back out into the now shimmering lineup with Kai Sallas for the grand final. This was irresistible stuff. Watching it felt like you had just seen the secret, the mystery of surfing. The waves peeled perfectly. Kai and Harley surfed on an edge, working against the grain, milking every possible ounce of speed to set up for a blast, before ringing out. Some musicians play so much from the heart that their music hits you like a bullet. If it hits you like a sledgehammer, something is wrong, because then the music dulls or knocks you senseless. You want music, and surfing, to be killer, to take the breath away, so that you can be reborn in its presence. If you could can intensity in surfing, this would be the top brand. But this was also a display of ‘soul’ surfing - a devotional outpouring, a passion for longboarding. Kai Sallas won in the Maldives with a 7.90 and 7.75, and Harley is the new Oxbow World Champion.

By Sam Bleakley

http://www.oxbowpro.com/us/maldives/page-141-harley+ingelby+is+the+oxbow+wlt+champion%3B+kai+sallas+wins+in+the+maldives.html?pageCat=news

Friday, October 23, 2009

Surf Report for Southern California: FRIDAY 10-23-2009

Surf Report 10.23.09
SURF: 3-4 ft. + - waist to shoulder high occasionally 6 ft. and fair-good conditions. WNW swell holds as old SW swell fades!
A good size WNW swell builds in on Friday for exposed breaks, before fading over the weekend. SW swell will back down over the next couple days.

Kevin at Surfline.com
http://www.surfline.com/surfline/forecasts4/forecast.cfm?alias=socal

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Surf Report Wednesday 10.21.09

WEDNESDAY – Fun, clean surf was showing today off a combo of holding SW swell and increased WNW wind/groundswell mix. Many breaks picked up 3-4’ waves, while top breaks hit head high to slightly overhead sets.


Fun size swell combo continues on Thursday, with a building trend of long period NW swell for the afternoon. Look for larger waves out of the WNW on Friday. Conditions remain clean in the morning through the end of the week with light wind.
 
SURF: 2-4 ft. - knee to shoulder high occasionally 5 ft. and fair-good conditions.
 
Kevin with your North Orange County Surf Forecast
http://www.surfline.com/
http://www.surfline.com/surfline/forecasts4/forecast.cfm?alias=socal

MAUI SURFER ATTACKED BY 12-FOOT TIGER SHARK

MAUI SURFER ATTACKED BY 12-FOOT TIGER SHARK 100 stitches later, Scott Henrich vows to surf again

By: Mike Cianciulli (surfline.com)


"Survival."


That was the dominant thought in Scott Henrich's mind when an estimated 12-foot tiger shark clamped onto his right quadricep. Henrich was surfing at Kalama Bowls, an outer reef near Kihei, Maui, on Monday when most surfers' worst nightmare became his reality.
"At first I thought, 'how could this happen to me?' But then I instantly switched into survival mode," Henrich told Surfline while laid up with 100 stitches in his leg. "I first thought to get him off of me, then get to shore, and then stop the bleeding."


Henrich paddled out to Kalama Bowls (a spot he's been surfing for 13 years) just after dawn on Monday and was joined by a lone wave rider on a sea kayak. After the first wave of a set passed through, Henrich pondered taking the second one when it happened.

"I never heard it coming," he recalled. "I just saw the mouth open and then it clamped on my leg before I could even react. I hit it twice on the head and he let go. Fortunately, part of his lower jaw got my board."

The sea kayaker tried to tow Henrich in, but survival instinct forced him to catch a wave on his belly. And because of the early hour, the Kalama Beach Park was still closed so Henrich had to walk 250 yards to the main road before he flagged down a motorist to call 911.

"I never heard it coming. I just saw the mouth open and then it clamped on my leg before I could even react."
-- Scott Henrich

"I've done triathlons, ran marathons, even had a traumatic bike wreck, but I've never felt any pain like that walk after being bit," Henrich remembered.


Emergency crews responded immediately and rushed him to the hospital for treatment. He received 100 stitches and suffered tendon damage in his ankle. He's waiting on a follow up appointment before he knows how long he'll be out of the water.

"Of course, I'll surf again," Henrich laughed in good spirits. "If anyone can get a hold of Billy Hamilton, tell him I'm mounting my attacked board on my wall and I want a replacement."

By: Mike Cianciulli (surfline.com)
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/maui-surfer-attacked-by-12-foot-tiger-shark_31501/

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Surf Report for Southern California: TUESDAY 10-20-2009

Surf Report for Southern California: TUESDAY 10-20-2009
SURF: 2-3 ft - knee to waist high and fair conditions. FAIR-GOOD SURF: 2-4 ft. - knee to shoulder high and fair-good conditions. FAIR-GOOD SURF: 3-4 ft. - waist to chest high and fair-good conditions. To see five days of forecast data, become a premium subscriber. To see five days of forecast data, become a premium subscriber.

Look for an old WNW to fade as a new WNW fills in late; new SW groundswell builds, should be biggest south of HB !!

Surfline.com

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Thursday Surf Report 10.15.09

I surfer Pipes this morning and it was FUN!! Waves are a bit Shifty as the Tide goes out. Try to find a spot that is exposed to a WNW and that can take a Low Tide! If should glass up this afternoon and get a bit better as a NEW South approaches!! GO SURF!! then come back and tell us how GOOD it was!

Also, check out the Water Conditions today - http://www.surfreportsocal.com/index-1.html
Mission Beach looks like their haveing issues!

Thursday Surf Report 10.15.09

THURSDAY - BIG Thursday! There is a solid WNW swell hitting SoCal today! We are seeing some fun and clean morning conditions. Keep an eye on the Tides today, this morning was high and it really shifted the peaks! The WNW swell will start to fade later this afternoon. Look for a new South swell filling in for tomorrow!! Waves are 5-6' shoulder-head high with some occasional over head sets!!. Conditions are fair-good.


Hurricane Report:

10/14/2009 Patricia is now a remnant LOW offshore from southern Baja. Watching a new and large area of disturbed weather offshore from Central America.
Hurricanetrak

Surf Forcast for SoCal: West swell tops out on Thursday with some good size surf across the better exposed breaks of the region before backing down on Friday and into the weekend. Meanwhile, a new and decent pulse of South groundswell will mix in and provide some crossed up peaks for the beachbreaks. Overall, plenty of waves on tap for the next few days. Keep checking the Swell Forcast for updates every 4 hours PST!
http://www.surfline.com/

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

SurfReport - Tuesday 10-13-09

TUESDAY - Today we are seeing what is left of a WNW swell. We are also seeing a weak push from a S/SW swell mixing with a small building S windswell later today. Waves are 2-3' in the knee-waist high range with an occasional waist high set. Conditions are poor+.


Hurricane Report:


10/12/2009 TS Patricia is 260 miles south of the Baja tip and on a northward track toward Cabo.
Hurricanetrak

Surf Forcast for SoCal: The surf picks up a notch on Tuesday as small WNW swell will be strongest and mix with minor S/SW swell, although you’ll need to watch out for the southerly wind. Much larger surf builds later Wednesday and Thursday. Keep checking the Swell Forcast for updates every 4 hours PST!

www.surfline.com

Saturday, October 10, 2009

WHITE SHARK BREACHES IN LA - Eight- to ten-foot shark launches off Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach — On October 3, 2009 Randy Wright of Horizon's West Surf Shop, Santa Monica, was kayaking 320 yards off Sunset Beach. It was 9:00 AM and he had been on the water 1.5 hours. He was using a Wilderness Tarpon Kayak, 10 feet in length, as a anchored stable platform, and a Canon 40d camera with a 24-105 mm lens inside an SPL Waterhousing. Sea conditions were flat with a measured water depth of 27 feet and 5 – 8 feet of visibility. There was a mild offshore breeze with air and water temperatures estimated at 70 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Several Dolphins were observed in the area in addition to schools of baitfish.



Wright reported the following; “Doing volunteer field research for the SRC, I paddled my kayak out in the same area where Brian Moore, Gerry Wallfesh, Kim Welsh and many others have seen shark, believed to be GWS, breaching. My intent was to photograph the breaching shark for research purposes. I anchored about 50 feet farther out from the buoy. I did not chum nor throw anything in the water. At 8.47 AM, I heard a large swooshing noise just east of my position in the direction of the Bel Air Bay Club. I grabbed my camera and turned to try and capture what I was vaguely seeing. What appeared to be a large animal splashing into the water about 60 feet away from me. Since I did not see it initially, I only caught a glimpse of it as it re-entered the water, noticing a lot of white on it body, but I could not tell what it was. Now I knew something was out there, but I did not

believe it to be a Dolphin, since I noticed no Dolphins surface and breathe in my vicinity. Keeping my camera ready, level, pre-focused, and my finger on the shutter trigger, I continuously scanned different sections of the water. At 8:56 AM, looking towards the point, I noticed 2 guys on SUP's paddling past Chris Rozsa, who was halibut fishing in his small boat. Still looking towards the point area, at 9:00 AM exactly, I noticed some movement towards my left and quickly turned the camera and fired off 4 shots of something, I wasn't sure, airborne and then splashing. As I was not originally looking in the same exact direction, I did not see what it was, it happened so fast, but I assumed this was a shark, since I did not see any dolphins in the area surface and breathe afterwards. A local resident, Blake paddled up to me on a SUP and we conversed about what I thought I had photographed. Deciding to try and capture a photo of one of these animals with the land as a back ground, I pulled anchor and paddled 75 feet farther, dropped anchor and waited. At exactly 10:00 AM I heard another splash on my starboard side, towards the Bel Air Bay Club, but missed the animal breach, but shot the remnants of the splash. I did not see any other breaching by the time I left at 11:23 AM arriving back at Horizon's West Surf Shop at noon. Two friends, Carlos Pires and Paige Heatherington watched me unload my camera from the SPL Waterhousing and download and go over the photo's I shot that morning over the 4 hour period that I spent observing. Our jaws literally dropped when image #73, 74, 75, 76 appeared, for his was the legendary breaching shark in mid-air! This was what I saw and luckily captured.” Randy has been, and continues to be, a valued SRC supporter and field observer. Based on dorsal coloration, the gray and white pattern on the pelvic fin, shape and color of the caudal fin, location and shapes of the dorsal and pectoral fins, snout and eye, the pictured animal is a White Shark, with an estimated length of 8 – 10 feet. From May 17, 2009, to today's observation, there have been more than 20 reports forwarded to the SRC of a shark breaching at Sunset Beach. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 
 
The following reports for 2009 have been provided as a public service. They are intended to inform our visitors of current shark activities along the Pacific Coast of North America. To review Pacific Coast Shark News for 2003 click here, for 2004 click here, for 2005 click here, for 2006 news click here, for 2007 news click here, and for 2008 news click here.
 
http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/pacific_coast_shark_news.htm
 
For pics go to - http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/sequence-of-the-week-white-shark-breaches-in-la_31125/1/

Friday, October 9, 2009

Surf Report for Southern California: FRIDAY 10-09-2009

Surf Report for Southern California: FRIDAY - Today we are seeing what's left of a small South swell. Waves are in the 2-3' Knee-Waist high range with standout spots are seeing some larger sets up to Chest high. Winds are calm this morning with fair conditions.




Hurricane Report:

10/09/2009 Tropical wave moves away from Mexico.


Surf Forcast for SoCal: Small S swell continues Friday, easing through the day, with even smaller surf for the weekend. The long range is looking promising. Watch for colder water temps this Week! Keep checking the Swell Forcast for updates every 4 hours PST!



www.surfline.com