Holly Beck Pens North Shore Blog This Winter

Is Holly Beck the hottest (looking) girl in surfing these days? My vote is a resounding "yes!" So I was really pleased to run across a pretty detailed blog that Holly has been updating here and there during her stay on the North Shore this year.

Holly Beck's North Shore blog is at LAT34.com. Worthwhile reading...

O'Neill World Cup of Surfing Rolls On

Fun day today. A round and a half of the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing ran at Sunset Beach, and up the road at Waimea Bay this afternoon, the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave event held its annual opening ceremony.

At Sunset, Jesse Merle-Jones and Ola Eleogram kept rolling right along with heat wins, and former Triple Crown champ Myles Padaca and Californian Chris Ward looked really good as well.

Things are about to get serious, with the upper ranks of the WCT scheduled to hit the water once the event resumes. Stay tuned at TripleCrownofSurfing.com.

Dirty Little Secrets of the North Shore

Hang around the North Shore of Oahu long enough and you'll come to realize that the following is not true of this fabled stretch of coastline:

• The surf is good all the time during the winter months (it's not always good).
• The weather is always sunny and warm (it rains - sometimes a lot - and can actually feel pretty cool in the winter).
• The surf is perfectly groomed by trade winds (the winds do not generally blow directly offshore, and many times they blow too hard or from the wrong direction entirely).
• The surf on the North Shore is the best in the world (quite a few South Pacific and Indian Ocean locations have consistently better surf than the North Shore).

A few dirty little secrets of the North Shore while we wait for Sunset Beach to turn on again for the next rounds of Triple Crown competition. But despite the above four points, there's nowhere else I'd rather be.

Stay informed at TripleCrownofSurfing.com.

Tom Curren and Brian Toth Invade Russia in Rip Curl's 'Project Red'

Last night we watched Rip Curl's Project Red documentary, Tivo'd from Fuel TV. Featuring Tom Curren and Brian Toth making a first foray into Russian surf a few years back, the show is part a Rip Curl's innovative program, The Search.

Project Red is really well put-together, and following a typhoon, Curren and Toth actually manage to score some head-high rights that bear resemblance to a cold-water Kirra.

Check out a trailer for Rip Curl's Project Red on YouTube, and catch it if you can on Fuel TV.

Gabe Kling on His Way to the WCT in 2007

Ask any major league baseball player, and he'll tell you that six years in the minor leagues is a long time. But ask a guy who's been on the WQS curcuit for the same amount of time, and I'll guarantee he'll tell you it's rough going.

Gabe Kling is one of those WQS guys. His dues now paid, Kling envisions light at the end of a looooong tunnel as we enter 2007.

Read Gabe Kling's story of his journey to surfing's World Championship Tour (including slideshow and audio clips) at Surfline.com.

Lazy Days Awaiting Triple Crown Action

So it's the end of lay day number two (in a row) for the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach. Time to take a day off after a pretty good run of swell that began about 10 days ago.

No big hurry to get the contest going again, as the holding period lasts until December 6. Then the guys head for Pipe and the next battle, and the girls are off to Honolua Bay on Maui (and yes, a stay at the ultra-luxurious Ritz-Carlton resort at Kapalua).

In the meantime, get a little workout and some stretching in. The swell may turn on enough tomorrow for the action to resume. As always, check TripleCrownofSurfing.com for daily updates and the live webcast.

Scotland Surf Trip - Worth It?

If you had the chance to go on a surf trip to the far northeastern coast of Scotland, would you do it?

It's cold there. Very cold. It's cloudy more often than not. It rains frequently and sometimes in the winter it snows. You've got to want it bad some days...really bad.

Thinking you'd rather pass? See if this video clip from YouTube changes your mind.

Gift the Gift of a Malaria-Free Life This Year

Looking for a great gift for a surfer on your list this holiday season, while doing the right thing and helping to save lives? Then give the gift of SurfAid.

What is SurfAid? It's a program that began six years ago when surfer Dr. Dave Jenkins visited the Mentawai Islands and was shocked by what he found there: residents plagued with malaria and and variety of other preventable diseases. So Jenkins established SurfAid International, a non-profit organization dedicated to the alleviation of human suffering through community-based health programs.

This year, you can give the gift of SurfAid by purchasing gift packages at SurfAidInternational.org. Packages include SurfAid T-shirts with slogans like "Malaria Sucks" or "Wave of Compassion," the award winning "Wave of Compassion" and "Next Wave" Double DVD, as well as a SurfAid Gift Membership.

Interested in finding out more? Visit SurfAid International's gift purchase page.

Travis Potter: World Class Feral

When's the last time you heard a story of a guy (or group of guys) who have the feral thing down? You know, the type of person that can make a few hundred bucks a month go a really long way by forgetting about the air-conditioned resort or boat trip, and opting instead for true adventure and discovery at some of the world's best surf destinations?

Timmy Turner is one of those guys. His buddy Travis Potter is another. And Jake Howard's interview with Potter sheds a lot of light on what it means to be a world-class feral in 2006. Read it now at SurferMag.com.

Young Pups and Older Dogs Can 'Run with the Pak'

What's that you say, young pup? You wanna run with the Pak? You mean the WolfPak, those most notorious of North Shore enforcers?

Then you'd better check out the Run with the Pak trailer on YouTube now.

Battle of the North Shore Brands

Is it just me, or does it seem like every winter on the North Shore, a new, upstart brand emerges?

There are at least three North Shore-based surf brands currently battling it out to capture the imagination and hard-earned dollars (or at least the allowance) of surfers throughout the United States and worldwide.

The first - and definitely most recognizable - is Da Hui, founded by the legendary Eddie Rothman, licensed by Sunny Garcia, and featuring (among other teamriders) Eddie's son Makua.

Next, we have WolfPak, run by Kala Alexander, perhaps the most fierce of the Pipeline enforcers. This brand had a big year in 2005 but has seemed to run out of steam a bit in 2006, perhaps in favor of...

Pipeline Posse, with Braden Dias, Jamie Sterling and friends, which has been enhancing its visibility this year with a new line of tees, hats, hoodies...you name it. Also made of up Pipeline enforcers, the Posse if somewhat less notorious than WolfPak or Da Hui.

It's great to see the various ways in which entrepreneurial young surfers are making a living on the North Shore. Whether it's movies, apparel, photography or simply outsurfing the international pros that are currently visiting, the energy level among North Shore surfers is consistently high these days and there's always something positive going on.

O'Neill World Cup of Surfing - Day Two

The men have now finished their second day of competition at the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach. The swell has clearly been dropping, so what do contest organizers tend to do in dropping (but still contestable) conditions on the North Shore? That's right, they send the girls out.

WQS warrior Alex Gray from Palos Verdes managed to advance today, and pick up some valuable 'QS points. Hawaiians Miles Padaca and Sean Moody have been looking pretty good, as did Hank Gaskell, who's better known for his exploits at Pipeline.

So now the women are in the water for the Roxy Pro Hawaii and by far the biggest surprise to date has been Layne Beachley, who's as comfortable as any female pro at Sunset and yet finished third in her first round heat.

Watch the girls charge now at TripleCrownofSurfing.com.

Jesse Merle-Jones, Derek Ho Advance at O'Neill World Cup of Surfing

The first day of the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing has now been completed and Hawaii's Jesse Merle-Jones was the standout, winning two heats and posting the highest score so far in round one of the event.

I was on a flight to Los Angeles once with Jesse and all hell broke loose when a woman went to the bathroom to smoke. Jesse's comment? "Guess she just couldn't wait," or something to that effect.

Old warhorse and former world champ Derek Ho showed he still has what it takes to win a heat against strong WQS competition, while the just-turned-14 John John Florence didn't exactly set the world on fire in his trials heat, finishing last against some veteran competition (Miles Padaca, Sean Moody and Kahea Hart).

Here's a question for the pundits to mull over: will John John be the next Kelly Slater...or the next Mark Healey? Time will tell.

North Shore on November 15: The Calm Before The Swell

Just finished taking a look at Hawaii Surf Session Report #111 from Backdoor/Off the Wall. November 15 was a very interesting day on the North Shore, as a large-scale earthquake in Japan sent a tsunami scare through much of the Pacific, including the Hawaiian Islands.

In the end though, no tsunamis materialized and it was just another fun - but small - day on the North Shore, right before last week's swell arrived and we had something more serious to get excited about.

Want to see what many winter days look like on the North Shore? Then check out Hawaii Surf Session Report #111 from Backdoor/Off the Wall (featuring, among others, Dane Reynolds) at podcasts.yahoo.com.

John John Florence to Surf Today at O'Niell World Cup of Surfing

The Triple Crown's youngest competitor, 14 year-old John John Florence, is set to surf trials heat #7 at the O'Niell World Cup of Surfing today at Sunset Beach.

John John didn't surf particularly well at last week's Op Pro at Haleiwa, and when I saw him in the lineup at Backdoor on Sunday morning, he kinda looked over it. So we'll see how he does out at Sunset in about an hour.

The event is live right now at TripleCrownofSurfing.com.

O'Neill World Cup of Surfing on NOW at Sunset Beach!

It's day one of the holding period for the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach and the contest has already begun.

A couple of trials rounds has already been completed, with Kauai boy Jesse Merle-Jones winning the first heat of the day.

Conditions are not big, but it's clean and the sun is out. Tune in for the live webcast at TripleCrownofSurfing.com.

Andy Irons Has Yet Another Triple Crown in His Sights

Okay, it's just past 10:00 p.m. here on Oahu and the parties are winding down, as local hero and three-time world champ Andy Irons took the first jewel in the Triple Crown of Surfing at Haleiwa earlier this afternoon.

Irons' strong performances in no less than four heats today showed that he's not only the best of the best in Hawaiian waters, but that he has a little Hawaii Ironman in him as well.

Local boy Joel Centeio put himself within reach of qualifying for the WCT with a surprising third place finish (seems that the Op Pro always has an unusual suspect in its final each year). The next contest (and WQS season finale) is the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach, and the holding period for that one begins in just three short days, so Centeio shouldn't have to wait too long to have his WCT fate determined.

Check the TripleCrownofSurfing.com site daily for latest news and live webcasts.

Bruce Irons and the Waimea Bay Tube of Death

Was in a Quiksilver store last night and couldn't resist picking up the 2006/2007 Eddie Aikau contest t-shirt. Playing on the video screen above the Eddie merchandise was a clip of Bruce Irons' winning wave from December 2004, the culmination of which was a tube of death in the infamous Waimea shorepound.

Anyone who hasn't seen Bruce's minute-plus ride from the outside to the sand at Waimea should take a look at this clip on YouTube.

Things Get Serious at Op Pro at Haleiwa

This afternoon things finally started to get interesting at the Op Pro at Ali'i Beach Park in Haleiwa.

The boys were finally riding proper Haleiwa rights, and although conditions weren't epic by any stretch, the surf was still the best it's been all month for the traditional first jewel of the Triple Crown of Surfing.

Who advanced: Ben Bourgeois, Joel Parkinson, Luke Stedman, Bruce and Andy Irons, Mick Fanning, Roy Powers, Joel Centeio, Phil MacDonald, Fredrick Patacchia and Taj Burrow, among others.

Who's out: Makua Rothman, Pancho Sullivan, Sunny Garcia, Chris Ward, Taylor Knox, Cory Lopez, Tom Curren and Dustin Cuizon.

The macking north swell that lit up the North Shore over the weekend and into today is now on the decline. Organizers would be wise to try and finish things up at Haleiwa tomorrow. Tune in for the action at TripleCrownofSurfing.com.

Dan and Dave Do Durban

Durban, South Africa's Bay of Plenty really does have plenty to offer Dan Redman & David Weare, as confirmed by today's clip from YouTube.

If I'm not mistaken, the Bay of Plenty of one of those South African spots that has nets to keep sharks out of the lineup and surfers in it, as whiteys tend to be pretty active in that region.

Catch the Dan and Dave show in Durban at YouTube.

North Shore Awakens - Op Pro to Go Big Tomorrow

With three days now left in the holding period, organizers of the Op Pro at Haleiwa are about to see their luck turn, as the swell was on the rise all day and much of the North Shore will see 15' plus surf on Monday.

Today the contest rolled on, leaving Avalanche for knee to waist high lefts (yes, you read this correctly, lefts) at Ali'i Beach Park. It's kind of a shame that after slogging it out in mostly depressing surf all year, the WQS guys come to Hawaii and basically find the same smallish contest surf they've been dealing with all year.

WCT hopeful Pat Gudauskas from San Clemente saw his major league dreams probably end today (at least for the '07 tour), as he went down at the hands of Hawaiians Ola Eleogram and Makua Rothman.

I'm betting that Haleiwa will be showing somewhat better form for tomorrow's proceedings, which begin at 8:00 a.m. Hawaii time and can be watched live at TripleCrownofSurfing.com.

New World Professional Surfers Site Arrives on the Scene

What's that you say? You're a fan of pro surfing and you'd like to learn more about the lifestyles of your favorite ASP surfers?

Well, you are in luck, as a slick new web site called World Professional Surfers has launched, with an incredible amount of content, including blogs from Top 44 pros, Joel Parkinson's post-contest Hossegor blowout, the new Dana Brown documentary filming right now on the North Shore called High Water, and much, much more.

This site is worth a long look. Check it out NOW at WorldProSurfers.com.

Joel Parkinson Blows Up at Lani's

...so while the Op Pro was running out at Avalanche, most folks on the North Shore were taking advantage of a newly arrived swell and perfect, sunny weekend weather.

I paddled out at Laniakea and was very pleasantly surprised to see Aussie Joel Parkinson in the water. Watching Parkinson surf is a real treat: speed, style, and awe-inspring (i.e. jaw dropping) fins-free turns in powerful, head-high to overhead surf.

Wanna see Parko in action for yourself? Check out some footage at YouTube.

Mens Op Pro at Haleiwa Finally Gets Going

Okay, lots of ground to cover since my last post. The waves on the North Shore have been smallish most of the week, and for the Op Pro at Haleiwa (the first jewel of this year's Triple Crown), that meant only one thing: send out the girls.

Former women's world champ Sofia Mulanovich from Peru handled all comers earlier in the week, and with the swell finally on the rise at most spots on the North Shore, the call was made this morning to begin the men's contest.

Note that I said the swell was rising at most North Shore spots. Ali'i Beach Park at Haleiwa was the exception, picking up one to two foot dribblers.

What happened next was interesting: today's heat were held at Avalanche of all places! Now I don't claim to be much of a surf historian, but I don't think that I'm going too far out on a limb by guessing that this was the first time a major pro contest has ever been run at Avalanche.

Obviously, a lot of competitors were caught a bit off guard. Some guys were simply over it: Jayme O'Brien showed up for his heat, took fourth and went back home. The standout was Makua Rothman, who won both his heats.

The swell is still on the rise and I have to think that Monday will see Haleiwa going off...like it should be for a Triple Crown event. Tune in for the all the action and news at TripleCrownofSurfing.com.

Highlights from the 2005 Op Pro at Haleiwa

It's sooooooooo very flat on the North Shore, I went looking around for some clips of the 2005 Op Pro at Haleiwa and found a gem (as usual) on YouTube.

The best part of the clip (in this writer's humble opinion) is Sunny Garcia's outrageous double barrel on a Haleiwa macker, set to what I believe is Brazilian rap metal music.

Check out the video at YouTube.

Triple Crown Waiting Period Kicks Off

It's late afternoon on the North Shore of Oahu, and today is the first day of the waiting period for the Op Pro North Shore Makahiki Festival contest at Ali'i Beach Park in Haleiwa.

Unfortunately, the North Shore could not be more freakin' FLAT!!! Nary a ripple coming through at Haleiwa, and it looks like it could take until Wednesday to get things going.

Daily reports on the Triple Crown proceedings are available at TripleCrownofSurfing.com.

ASP World Masters Championships Set to Resume

Do fans of competitive surfing appreciate "legends" or "masters" (you know "old guy") events as much as fans of - say - golf?

If the spotty past history of the ASP World Masters Championships is any indication, then the answer is "no."

But that hasn't stopped ASP kingpin Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew and veteran Brazilian pro Flavio Padaratz from giving the concept another shot - this time with a three-year run in Brazil between 2007 and 2009.

And let's face it, guys like Shaun Tomson, Tom Carroll, Michael Ho, Tom Curren and Rabbit himself (notice I didn't mention Occy, who's over 40 and still competes on the WCT) are incredible talents, then and now.

The next ASP World Masters Championships should be a good one. For the complete story, visit TransWorldSurf.com.

Coco Ho - Like Father, Like Daughter

Just finished watching Hawaii Surf Session Report number 110 from Pupukea on Oahu's North Shore, and was struck by the ripping performance of little Coco Ho (Michael Ho's daughter; Derek Ho's neice).

Seems young Ms. Ho may give Carissa Moore a run for her money in the battle for the next (or is that the first?) women's world title holder from Hawaii.

Check out Hawaii Surf Session Report 110 from Pupukea at Podcasts.Yahoo.com.

Topanga: The Rodney Dangerfield of Malibu

The sectiony point right at Topanga and Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu certainly does not get as much respect as Third Point Malibu or certainly Rincon, but on the right day, with the right swell in the water, it can be very, very fun.

Check out today's clip from YouTube, featuring a shoulder-high (and crowded) day at Topanga, the Rodney Dangerfield of Malibu surfing.

Tuamotu Region: As Good As Tavarua?

Was talking to a guy earlier this afternoon who returned from a surf trip/family vacation to the Tahitian Tuamotu Atolls, specifically Tikehau.

After four days of absolute uncrowded (read: nobody else out) perfection, this guy is completely convinced that the remote reefs off Tikehau offer the most perfect South Pacific surf this side of Tavarua.

Think he's right? Want to find out for yourself? Here's what Waterways Travel says about the Tuamotu Atolls:

"There are very few local surfers in the Tuamotus, and no land based surf camps. You should expect that there will be many times when your group is surfing alone. In addition, it is my experience that the local surfers are some of the friendliest in the world when approached with the general respect they deserve."

For more information on surfing the Tuamotus, visit WaterwaysTravel.com.

Free 'Bounty Hunters' Surf Video Available Now

Just watched an action-packed clip from Pete Frieden's movie Bounty Hunters, all 43 minutes of which can be downloaded for free at TotalVid.com.

Here's a link to a short snippet that focuses on Pipeline and Backdoor (check out Shane Dorian's performance) at YouTube.

And here's a link to the full Bounty Hunters video at TotalVid.com.

South Beach Miami Turns on at YouTube

Think that all there is to do on Miami's South Beach are Roller Blading all-night salsa bars? No, there are waves to be found at Miami Beach (sometimes), and this video clip from YouTube is proof positive.

WCT After Brazil: Who's on the Bubble?

Okay, so Mick Fanning won the WCT contest in Brazil. Second win of the year, moved up to second in the ratings behind Kelly Slater, blah blah blah.

What's really interesting heading into the Pipeline Masters next month is who's in serious danger of falling off the WCT entirely.

Here's the list of notables:

- Pancho Sullivan (unlikely with his current #26 rating and his track record at Pipe)
- Chris Ward (probably no injury wildcard this year)
- Roy Powers (currently sitting below the WQS qualifying line; needs strong performances at 'QS Triple Crown events in home waters)
- Jake Paterson (needs to pull a rabbit out of his hat at Pipe)

The fun in Hawaii starts next week. Check out TripleCrownofSurfing.com forr coverage.

Sunset Beach Action About to Crank Up

It's now the first of November, and that means that the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing will take center stage this month.

With this in mind, top pros weigh in on Sunset Beach (and draw lines through Sunset's inside bowl) in today's clip from YouTube.