Jennifer Smith (California, USA), 23, won the Roxy Jam in Biarritz today to claim the second ASP Women’s World Longboard title of her brilliant career after defeating fellow finalist and outsider Coline Menard (Reunion Island, FRA), 21, in the final exchange of the 2009 edition. Smith, who dominated the final bout from the beginning until the end, confirmed her stellar Semifinal run where she managed to score a 9.25 point ride, the highest wave score of the event, defeating Menard confidently.
“To win a second world title is just unbelievable,†Smith said. “That heat against Chelsea (Williams)… I was ready to bow out in the semis and I had no idea I was going to get that wave and this score down. I was feeling pretty confident after that and when once I made the final I was definitely looking for the second title, for sure.â€Â … Details
Tom Curren (USA) claimed victory in the first round of the highly anticipated Clash of the Icons against fellow surfing legend Mark Occhilupo (AUS) at the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay this morning.
Sent out into clean one metre waves at Supertubes at 7.15 am, Curren started with two short rides before Occhilupo posted the first meaningful ride of the encounter – 6.50 out of 10 – for a series of trademark backhand carves. Curren waited patiently for the best waves and was rewarded with one that peeled the entire length of the point enabling the renowned stylist to rack up a 7.0… Details
Hurley has just made the unprecedented announcement that first place in the upcoming Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star U.S. Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach will now be US$100,000, the biggest prize purse in professional surfing’s history.
“Huntington Beach is ground zero for competitive surfing in mainland America, and on the 50th anniversary of major events at the Pier, we’re excited and honored to help bring surfing back to center stage at the U.S. Open,†Evan Slater, Hurley Digital Marketing Manager, said. “This includes attracting the world’s best surfers and making it the significant event it deserves to be.â€
The event, which runs at the historic Huntington Beach Pier from July 20 – 26, 2009, has attracted … Details
Maybe it’s the hardwood floors. Or the wood-framed photographs of surf images from around the world, blown up large, stretched and framed in driftwood, hung neatly for display.
Maybe it’s the low-tempo surf videos that sometimes play in the corner, or maybe it’s Rob Gilley himself – intelligent, calm Rob Gilley in his button-down shirt and bare feet, the kind of guy who reminds you what’s good about surfing.
Whatever it is, the Pacific Surf Gallery in Cardiff is seriously peaceful, exuding a kind of refined beach ease that makes a surfer want to stay a bit.
Ostensibly, the gallery is a small rectangular retail space, wedged between a Starbucks and a gym, a place that Gilley started in 2002 with his wife, then sold in 2005, then bought back, redesigned and reopened last month, selling fine, arresting surf photographs and paintings.
More than that, though, the gallery’s iteration will see…Â Details