The Surf Blog Spot

The Mavericks big wave surf contest is on for this Saturday. There will be 24 big wave surfers all competing for a $150,000 prize purse. If you can’t make it to the live contest you can watch it on the big screen at AT&T Park.

Watch the contest LIVE:  www.maverickssurf.com

Or check out the surf contest and get your tickets to the ballpark  

Joel Parkinson (AUS) has won 3 out of the last 5 ASP world tour surfing contests. The next scheduled ASP tour stop is the Hurley Pro Trestles. The 6th ASP event takes place September 13-19, 2009.

PAST EVENT CHAMPIONS:

2008: Kelly Slater (USA)
2007: Kelly Slater (USA)
2006: Bede Durbidge (AUS)
2005: Kelly Slater (USA)
2004: Joel Parkinson (AUS)
2003: Richie Lovett (AUS)
2002: Luke Egan (AUS)
2001: Not held
2000: Andy Irons (HAW)

Current 2009 ASP standings

The Billabong Pro Teahupoo -Tahiti started May 9 and the contest will end on May 20, 2009.  This is event 3 of 10 on the ASP world surfing tour.  The Teahupoo event has completed the first 14 heats of Round 1, but is on hold for right now.  The contest officials have called for lay days this week due to weak swell and poor surfing conditions.

Watch for these exciting Round 2 heats:

Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Heiarii Williams (PYF)
Heat 13: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Aritz Aranburu (EUK)

Other notables to watch in the 2009 Billabong Pro Teahupoo – Tahiti:

Former three-time ASP World Champion Andy Irons (HAW), 30, and Von Zipper Trials Winner Heiarii Williams (PYF) as wild-cards in the 2009 Billabong Pro Tahiti.

Watch the contest live and catch up on all the Billabong Pro Tahiti news

Congratulations Joel Parkinson!!

Parko gets it done at the 2009 Quiksilver Pro presented by LG Mobile. The local Cooly kid wins and starts off the ASP world surfing tour in 1st place. He will also take home a nice $12,000 paycheck.

This was his first event win since 2006 and he did it in true Aussie style. I watched the semi-final and final LIVE online and saw Joel tear it up. After winning the final heat, he was carried up the beach with a nice, cold Corona in his hand. It only took a few lay days and a few shifts in contest location, but Joel ended up posting two 10-point rides on the final day of competition. That’s all it took to beat out Mick Fanning (Semi-final) and Adriano de Souza (Final). Joel Parkinson put up a 10-point ride in his semi-final and one more in the final against Brazilian, Adriano de Souza.

The last 3 winners of this event have gone onto win the ASP world surfing title. Will Joel Parkinson win his world title this year??

See photos from this years event

A local 22 year-old Aussie beats the 9-time world surfing champ at the 2009 Quiksilver Pro…..

Read more!!!

No swell, no waves.

One more day off of surfing at the 2009 Quiksilver Pro – Gold Coast, Australia.

Check in for live updates

Another day and another lay day for the 2009 Quiksilver Pro -Gold Coast, Australia.

The contest organizers will make another call Tuesday at 6am local Australian time.

Watch surfing highlights from the first day of the 2009 Quiksilver Pro – Gold Coast, Australia.

Check out Kelly Slater riding a 5′4″ rounded nose surfboard that he shaped→ Go to Round 1, Heat# 8. Slater is insane! I have a 5′6″ fish surfboard (about 3″ thick and lime green) from the 1980’s and I think that thing is hard to ride. But Slater is Slater for a reason. That’s why he has 9 world titles. What else does he have to prove?

The event was called off Sunday due to strong onshore winds and smaller swell. The contest directors will make a call Monday morning (Local Snapper Rocks time).

LIVE surfing contest webcast

The first event of the 2009 ASP World Surfing Tour kicks off this week on the Gold Coast of Australia. The 2008 ASP awards ceremony will also go down this Thursday in Coolangatta, Australia. This event will precede the first 2009 ASP surfing tour event. The Quiksilver Pro presented by LG main event runs from February 27 – March 11.

Kelly Slater (age 37) will be back this year contending for his 10th world title. He already has a record 9 ASP world titles and this year he could make it an even 10. Kelly Slater is the youngest (age 20) and the oldest (age 36) surfer to win a world surfing title. That is a pretty amazing achievement!

Does anybody think Slater will make it a Slate(n)r this year??

The second 2009 ASP event, the Rip Curl Pro, will take place at Bells Beach April 7 – 18.

Here are some notable surfer awards at the 2009 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast awards ceremony.

Awards Recipient List:

2008 ASP World Champion: Kelly Slater (USA)
2008 ASP Women’s World Champion: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)

2008 ASP World Tour Runner-Up: Bede Durbidge (AUS)
2008 ASP Women’s World Tour Runner-Up: Silvana Lima (BRA)

2008 ASP World Tour Rookie of the Year: Dane Reynolds (USA)
2008 ASP Women’s World Tour Rookie of the Year: Nicola Atherton (AUS)

2008 ASP World Longboard Champion: Bonga Perkins (HAW)
2008 ASP Women’s World Longboard Champion: Joy Monahan (HAW)

2008 ASP WQS No. 1: Nathaniel Curran (USA)
2008 ASP WQS Women’s No. 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)

2009 ASP World Tour surfing schedule

Dailystoke.com is offering a cool surfing sweepstakes this Holiday season.  The contest runs until 11:59 pm PST on December 23, 2008.

Enter for your chance to win cool surfing stuff!!

Official contest rules are available here

Wow!  The California Coastal Commission, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association), and the MBNMS (Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary)  finally made their decision this past week.  They made a decision that will likely disappoint a lot of surfers and a lot of people involved in the surfing industry.  Personal Water Craft (or PWC) use is now restricted in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.  This means PWC surfing for Ghost Tree and Moss Landing are off limits.  The ban will take place in early 2009 in all areas of the sanctuary, with the exception of 4 pre-existing zones near boat harbors, as well as a seasonal fifth zone designated specifically for tow-in surfing at Mavericks.  Read more…

I think this ban will only keep out the honest weekend warriors, but will not keep out the pro tow-in surfer teams.  I found the current punishment for violating the ban pretty interesting.  The current penalty for PWCs breaking the MBNMS law is only $500 for first-time offenders and a higher amount for repeat offenders.  This is just pocket change for any pro-surfer or any other surfer making the cover of SURFER Mag or Surfing Mag.  Think about it……$500 fine vs. +$50,000 for making the SURFER mag cover, XXL biggest wave competition check, potential sponsorship.  I think the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages of paying a fine for your shot at an epic Ghost Tree swell.

Ghost Tree is located off of Pescadero Point along the famous Pebble Beach 17-mile drive.  Pebble Beach is located on the western side of the Monterey Bay Peninsula.

Ghost Tree Monterey Bay Peninsula

More information:

http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/jointplan/

http://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2007/8/F4c-8-2007.pdf

Congrats to the Aussie, Bede Durbidge, for winning the 2008 Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro in Brazil.  This was Bede’s 3rd career ASP event win and moves into 2nd place in the 2008 ASP World Tour standings.

There is only one more stop on the 2008 ASP World Tour.  The next and last stop this year will conclude at the world famous Banzai Pipeline, Oahu-Hawaii.  The Billabong Pipeline Masters will go down December 8-20, 2008.  Bede Durbidge will be rolling into the North Shore with tons of confidence.  Not only did he just win at the 2008 Hang Loose Pro, but he will be defending his 2007 Billabong Pipeline Masters victory at this years final tour stop.  Look for Bede to lock up his ASP second place finish this year by winning at Pipe.

Top 10 2008 ASP World Tour Surfers After The Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro:
1. Kelly Slater (USA) 8042
2. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 6780
3. Taj Burrow (AUS) 6324
4. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 6180
5. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 5860
6. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 5748
7. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 5370
8. Mick Fanning (AUS) 5310
9. Bobby Martinez (USA) 5282
10. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 5214

Research the globe, Reserve your surf spot, and Submit your favorite surf spot.  Simple enough, right?  Start up your Internet and go searching.

It really is that simple.  Go research a “secret surf spot” somewhere on Google Earth and mark it as the next “Teahupoo”.  I highly suggest participating in this awesome contest.  Take some time this week or next month, or even in December to cast your vote.

Official Google Earth Challenge 3

How to enter: Get your entries in by December 31, 2008

Official Rules

Kelly Slater has already won the 2008 ASP World Surfing Tour Title, but there are still 2 surfing events left on the surfing world tour.  The race for the top 10 ASP World Tour rankings is still up for grabs.  There are 6 Australians in top 10 contention.  Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, and Bede Durbidge are battling it out for the top 3 spots after 2008 title holder, Kelly Slater.  There is only 1 Brazilian (Adriano de Souza) in the top 10 rankings and look for him to step up his sufing in the next contest.  Adriano will be surfing in his “backyard.”

The next ASP Tour surf stop takes place at the Hang Loose Pro in Santa Catarina, Brazil.  Adriano de Souza’s home turf is Brazil and he is from Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Sao Paulo is two states above Santa Catarina and both states offer a long coastline of surf spots.  Adriano is “Brazil’s Favorite Son” and he has gained significant recognition on this years ASP World Tour.  He has already earned $101,000 on the 2008 ASP tour, compared to Kelly Slater’s tour earnings of $185,100.  One of Adriano’s fellow Brazilians, Bruno Santos, won the 2008 Billabong Pro Teahupoo, Tahiti.  Bruno Santos won the event as a wildcard and had to surf his way through the Von Zipper Trials.  He eventually made it into the main draw of the 2008 Billabong Pro Tahiti and defeated local Tahitian, Manoa Drollet.

I have not been to Brazil yet, but if anybody has surfed this area or visited this area, please comment on this blog and talk about your experiences.  Thanks!

Look for Adriano de Souza to make some surfing noise on the ASP World Tour stop #10.

The Hang Loose Pro Santa Catarina, Brazil takes place October 28 – November 5, 2008.

CJ Hobgood beat fellow surfer Joel Parkinson at the 2008 Billabong Pro Mundaka, Spain.  This was stop number 9 on the 11 event ASP Tour.  Who will make it to the top 10? Second place? Third place? 

There are 3 Australian surfers battling it out for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place in the overall ASP Tour standings.  The next 2 events will be fun ones to watch.  Next up is the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro in Santa-Catarina, Brazil.  Then the whole 2008 ASP season concludes at the Billabong Pipeline Masters and the Banzai Pipeline, Oahu-Hawaii.  Pipeline is where second and third place could be decided.

 Billabong Pro Mundaka Final Results:
Final: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 18.50 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.83

Billabong Pro Mundaka Semifinal Heat Results:
Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.80 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.50
Heat 2: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 14.66 def. Luke Stedman (AUS) 6.70

ASP World Tour Top 10 after Stop No. 9 of 11 – Billabong Pro Mundaka
Kelly Slater (USA) 8042 points
Taj Burrow (AUS) 6324 points
Joel Parkinson (AUS) 6180 points
Bede Durbidge (AUS) 5990 points
Adriano de Souza (BRA) 5748 points
C.J. Hobgood (USA) 5760 points
Adrian Buchan (AUS) 5730 points
Mick Fanning (AUS) 5310 points
Bobby Martinez (USA) 5282 points
Luke Stedman (AUS) 4696 points

Kelly Slater Wins Number 9

Slater only needed a ninth place finish to wrap up the 2008 ASP surfing season.  Kelly Slater has done it again.  Or should I say, he has done it 9 times again.  Slater won his 9th ASP World Surfing Title at the Billabong Pro Mundaka, Spain.  That is better than Lance Armstrong. He only needed to advance past round 3 of competition and that he did.  He ended up beating local Basque surfer Eneko Acero with a combined score of 14.96 vs. 10.00.  Then Tom Whitaker (AUS) knocked Kelly Slater (USA) out of the Billabong Pro Mundaka contest with a perfect 10 and an 8.00 during Heat #4 of Round 4.  In 2006, Slater won his 8th world title at this same surf spot.  There are only 2 ASP surfing events left in the 2008 season.  Who will come in second? Third?

The event could finish Saturday with the quarterfinals already decided.

Round 4 Billabong Pro Mundaka Results:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 17.27 def. Mick Campbell (AUS) 16.43
Heat 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.00 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 13.73
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.50 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 5.83
Heat 4: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 18.00 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 12.43
Heat 5: Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.84 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 11.17
Heat 6: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 15.50 def. Mikael Picon (FRA) 9.50
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.94 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 8.80
Heat 8: Luke Stedman (AUS) 15.00 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 8.63

Upcoming Billabong Pro Mundaka Quarterfinal Heat Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Heat 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Tom Whitaker (AUS)
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 4: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)

Kelly Slater will surf against Basque wildcard Eneko Acero in Heat 8.  The contest officials will likely start the contest at 8:30am (local Mundaka time) tomorrow morning.  If Slater wins he will clinch his 9th ASP World Titl.  Contest officials also expect to run overlapping heats again.  With only a certian amount of surfable waves during the contest waiting period, the officials need to complete as many heats as possible.  Thursday had the most heats ever surfed in one day of an ASP surfing event.  Slater and Acero will paddle out an hour and 20-minutes after competition starts Friday.

The contest is LIVE on www.billabongpro.com

The 2008 Billabong Pro Mundaka, Spain has started.  The first contest rounds were surfed this morning in 2 foot A-frame peaks.  Not the normal firing left-handed barrels that Mundaka spits out on a solid swell.  Too bad the surfers had to wake up to such fickle waves.  Hopefully, the forecasted swell fills in Thursday and pumps out some better scoring waves.  Watching 3 and 4 point scores on waves aren’t as fun as watching 8’s or 9’s!

Watch out for the 4 Euskadi (Basque for the Basque region of Spain) surfers in this years event.  There are a total of 8 non-tour surfers competing because 5 full-time ASP World Tour surfers could not make the event.  The 8 non-tour surfers are comprised of 5 replacement surfers and 3 event wildcards.

Watch the surf contest live www.billabongpro.com/mundaka08