freedom surf series

Surf Ride 100K Pro-Am Running April 3 and 11th in OC and SD

REGISTRATION IS OPEN for stops #2 and #3 of the Surf Ride $100,000 Pro-Am Surf Series Presented by Vans.

Over $25,000 in CASH and prizes await the winners.

Stop two will take place Saturday, April 3rd at Brookhurst Street in Huntington Beach-

The following Sunday, April 11th, Mission Beach will host stop three.
Event number one of the Surf Ride Pro-Am Series featured amazing surfing by the likes of Pro winner Chris Waring-who, along with Timmy Reyes, Jesse Merle-Jones and Micah Byrne battled it out in a final that could best be described as “electric”. Waring, who’s been on a competitive roll in 2010, walked with a cool $5,000 for an afternoons worth of work that was just a short drive from his Huntington Beach home.

“The vision for the surf series has revolved around providing an exceptional contest designed for both pros and family division competitors while benefiting a great local cause. Watching the groms interact and compete along side some of their surfing mentors was not only unique, it undoubtedly raised the level of their surfing- which will further equip them as they prepare for their own competitive careers.” Contest Director Chris Williams.

What’s on tap:

Huge Cash prizes for Pro winners- $5,000 -1st place, $1,700-2nd, etc. (NEW! Additional cash added, down to equal ninth)Thousands in Surf Ride Store Credit for Family Division winners- $850 Juniors, $750 Boys, $500 Women, etc. ASP trained Judges, Real time Scoring, 20 minute heats, Huge welcome packs for competitors, Family BBQ provided by Vans.
Partial proceeds raised presented to the Camp Pendleton Kids After School Surf Club provided for youth living on base.$20,000 up for grabs at the Season Championships in May.

ON-LINE REGISTRATION OPEN- visit: Freedom.Surfride.com to sign up and get all the details.

Video & photos checkout: http://vimeo.com/9663181

The Surf Ride $100,000 Pro-Am is brought to you by Vans, Dakine, XS Energy, Dragon Optics, Watermans Applied Science, Bubble Gum Wax and Billabong Camps.

Going Vertical The Movie

Reviewed by: Margaret Pomeranz

GOING VERTICAL

is a documentary about the rivalry between the United States and Australia over who was the first to develop the revolution in surfing created by the design of the short board.
Standing in Australia’s corner is BOB MCTAVISH, an endearing larrikin who surfed up and down the eastern coast of Australia before stowing away on a ship bound for that mecca of surfing – Sunset Beach in Hawaii…
Waving the American flag is DICK BREWER, resident of Hawaii, who is quite a bit less charming than McTavish and way more arrogant. But it was McTavish that was driven to master the waves, not just surfing a straight line for the beach, but going vertical up the face of the wave, changing the style of surfing forever…
There is spectacular and funny archival material in this documentary, directed by David Bradbury, and produced by Robert Raymond and narrated by Simon Baker. It is so interesting delving into the history of surfing in this country and discovering the impact that surfers like McTavish and Nat Young had on the world surfing scene.
That summer of love in 1967 was a turning point for surfers everywhere. It’s interesting also to see the impact that the 1959 film GIDGET had on surfing much to the disgust of tried and true surfers.
It’s a film full of characters, and it’s great to see surf filmmaker Paul Witzig featured. I had a ball with this film, it made me quite nostalgic for the good old days.

Sara Ferber caught up with Austin Ware for a quick Q and A, here is what went down.

SF: Hometown:

AW: Solana Beach

SF: Favorite Surfer:

AW: After watching the “one track mind” vid, Andy Irons

SF: Favorite board:

AW: The board that makes me the most money!

SF: Which one is that?

AW: by Matt Biolos

SF: Dimensions:

AW: 6’1″ x 18 1/2 x 2 3/8

SF: Favorite local spot:

AW: All the reefs in North County

SF: Favorite contest conditions:

AW: When I’m challenged.

SF: When are you most challenged in contests?

Surf conditions or competitors

SF: Are there any competitors that make you cringe that you hope

you don’t have in heats?

AW: Yes but I’m not going to name them.

SF: Travels:

AW: It was a long year but I have 3 gold cards on 3 different airlines now.

SF: Favorite surf spot:

AW: Hawaii

SF: Future goals besides surfing?

AW: Educating myself more, coaching and I want to buy property in San Diego

SF: Who do you coach?

AW: Whoever wants my advice on surfing?

SF: Inspiration:

AW: Movies, groms, ripping, boards, friends, and parents.

SF:  Who do you think are some of the best up and coming groms out there right now?

AW: JD and Matt Lewis, Brent Riley, Eric Snortum, Ryan Burch and the Suhadolnik bros. There are a lot of talents coming up in SD right now.

SF: How long have you been surfing?

AW: 14 years

SF: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES?:

AW: online classes, golf, coaching, webcast watching

SF: Heroes:

AW: Dad

SF: Why?

AW: For education on living life

SF: Tell me something people don’t know about you:

AW: If I you told then people would know

SF: Favorite surf trip:

AW: Surf, eat & sleep times 3

SF: Where was it?

AW: Latest epic one was El Salvador.

SF: How did you get started surfing?

AW: My dad.

SF: Do you work?

AW: out

SF: What’s on your ipod?

AW: What isn’t on my ipod!

SF: FAVORITE FOOD?

AW: Right now burritos

SF: What wave is your favorite in HAW?

AW: Haleiwa and sunset this year

SF: DESCRIBE YOUR MOST MEMORABLE SURF TRIP:

AW: this year the most memorable trip was Scotland, because it was new and it was the most wetsuits stuff I have ever used.

Mc Air

SF: Hometown:

EM: Born in La Jolla, brought up Poway and now I live in Cardiff.

SF: Favorite surfer:

EM: Kelly Slater.

SF: Why?

EM: Because he surfs so good and he’s accomplished so much amongst so many distractions.

SF: Favorite board:

EM: Quiver…5’11…18 and 3/4

SF: Favorite local spot:

EM: Seaside

SF: Favorite contest conditions:

EM: A wave where you can get a barrels, do a turn and get an air.

SF: Travels:

EM: Mex, Costa Rica, Hawaii, South America, Europe, Central America.

SF: Favorite surf spot:

EM: Costa Rica.

SF: Where in Costa Rica?

EM: I don’t want anyone to know my spot but it’s on the Guanacasta Coast.

SF: Future goals besides surfing:

EM: Starting my own freestyle surf tour.

SF: Really? When did u think about that?

EM: I’ve been thinking about it for years.

SF: Who are you going to do that with?

EM: Jeff Simonson [Oceanside videographer]

SF: Inspiration?

EM: The young guns, Pro skater Lincoln Ueda and anyone who rides a board and flies high.

SF: How long have you been surfing?

EM: All my life.

SF:  Since how old?

EM: 2yrs old.

SF: What are some of your hobbies?

EM: Skateboarding, snowboarding, riding my dirt bike and my motorcycle.

SF: Heroes?

EM: Curren, Slater, Buttons and Sean Palmer

SF: Why them?

EM: Because they’ve been there and done that.

SF: Tell me something people don’t know about you?

EM: I just got 3 surfboards stolen and when I find out whoever did it they are going get beat to a pulp.

SF: Favorite surf trip?

EM: Hawaii, 1989

SF: What happened then?

EM: I surfed Honulua Bay perfectly.

SF: How did you get started surfing?

EM: My father… I was chasing him into the ocean.

SF: Do you work?

EM: Every day…I ride my board or motorcycle

SF: A job?

EM: I once had a job at round table pizza when I was in high school.

SF: Have you had any jobs since then?

EM: No…sometimes I give surf lessons

SF: What’s on your iPod that you keep playing?

EM: Slightly Stoopid

SF: What are some of your pet peeves?

EM: Slow drivers on the road, people who won’t get out of the way when your surfing and crooked cops.

SF: What’s coming up for you in the near future?

EM: Well, I’m going to Costa Rica, Cabo San Lucas and Hawaii

SF: Favorite food?

EM: tacos

SF: Favorite wave?

EM: Pipeline.

SF: How do you stand out?

EM: My big ears.

SF: Describe your most memorable surf trip:

EM: Costa Rica with my parents.

SF: Your first good barrel?

EM: Honalua bay trip in ‘89.

SF: Describe your first air?

EM: I found a Nestor surfboard in a trash can in Solana Beach and I paddled it out and that’s when I did my 1^st air.

SF: What was it?

EM: It was a frontside air.

SF: When was your 1^st biggest air?

EM: In Portugal, 1995…I was 6 ft. up…my brother said it was the biggest air they ever saw.

SF: What are your favorite airs to do?

EM: Passion pop’s and frontside 360’s

SF: Any airs your trying to do that your not landing yet?

EM: Frontside flips

SF: What do you like best, barrel, turn or air?

EM: I like 2 do them all in one wave but if I have to pick one, an air.

SF: What feels best, barrel turn or air?

EM: Barrel.

SF: First surf video:

EM: Getting Lucky by Brad Anderson.

SF: Most recent surf video?

EM: The Division: Simple Math by Jeff Simonson.

SF: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

EM: In 5 years I plan on doing the same things I do now surfing, snowboarding, skating half pipes, riding bikes and motor cycles and continuing to catch air! Hopefully by then I will have started my own freestyle surf tour.

SF: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

EM:  In 10 years I will be running my freestyle surf tour, Built my house in Mexico , have started my own action sports company and of course surfing and catching air on my different boards

SF: Thank you’s?

EM: I just want to thank my parents for getting me into surfing, SRH, Osiris, OG, Quiver, Kicker car stereo, gravity skateboards, FCS, Gorilla Grip, Chronic Smoothie and Strictly Boarding

SF: Anything else you want to say?

EM: If u want it, you gotta go out and get it!

Surf Hut

710 Seacoast Dr. Ste D
(between Palm Ave & Dahlia Ave)
Imperial Beach, CA 91932
(619) 575-7873

Surf Hut is a solid surf shop down in IB. They have everything you could need and also have that core vibe that you dont get when you walk into a place like Surf Ride or Sun Diego. Feel free to leave comments about Surf Hut below.

Below is an interview with Doug Silva, Doug currently lives in Hawaii but grew up on Solana Beach where he made a name for himself in pro surfing.  The photos below are from a trip he made to El Salvador to coach some upcoming groms and to demonstrate to the kids how to do some man size turns with grace.

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How old were you when you turned pro?

I was 18. I finished a 4 year stint at Torrey Pines High School with many amateur and professional accolades. I grew up in Solana Beach right there on those unstable bluffs in between Cherry Hills and Pillbox. North County was the last frontier. Unspoiled beaches and incredible landscapes..There was a plethora of talent though the magazines in that day were very focused on the orange county area and their crop of peeps. It sort of bred a rebellion of sorts for us guys in North County…The only one who broke through was Rob Machado. Initially because he was a goody too shoes and in retrospect it was his remarkable talent and his genuine demeanor.

What spots did you surf around SD?

Seaside in da house…… I enjoyed the reefs in La Jolla and of course Swamis. I had a good friend who I believe still is the Billabong rep and we would frequent Baja Malibu early in the mornings. Blacks is incredible as well.

Who was the guy you looked up to back then?

Todd Martin, John Glomb, Jeff Hodges. Todd aka gluefoot has a lot of energy. He had infectious passion.. John Glomb is just a great guy and I believe is the first person to do an ariel three sixty. We rode many double wing Nectar pin tail twin fins back in the day and Glomb rode them well.. Hodges was the man. He had a Neptunias candor and speed to burn.

What was pro surfing like?

It sucked! It still sucks! At least the guys and girls are making a great living from it now though the system needs to be completely revamped.

How hard was it to break into pro surfing?

It was almost imperative to win a professional event as an amateur to really breakthrough.. Amateur contests, us and world championship titles were very important back in the day.. It is not prevalent at all now.

Who were your sponsors?

I was sponsored by Quiksilver clothing and Piping Hot wetsuits and a company in Japan called California Image.

What amature contests did you do?

Honestly, every single one you can image…I was a very successful and decorated amateur.. I think I have more U.S. titles than Kelly.. Between David Eggers and I we pretty much swept everyone and everything in sight..

What was concidered inovative?

A nice cutback into a 360 reverse off the white wash..I know it sounds like an oxymoron ( 360 reverse ) consider it innovative and Todd Martin was the best at it!

What school did you go to?

were you on the surf team, who was on the team with you? At that time Torrey Pines did not have much a surf team. I would win the contest and San Dieguito would beat our ass.. It was strange though it was consistent.

What was parting like?

Too hard and too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What are you up to these days Mr. Silva?

I am living in Hawaii now for the past two decades..After a whirlwind professional career and international jet set party life and a number or bad decisions I have finally over the last few years been able to give back to the king of sports. I train and teach many levels of surfing. Very rewarding and satisfying.. As well I have been blessed at 40 to retain a very high level of surfing. Call me or go to dougsilva.com for rates and weekly blogs. Aloha……..

Dougs last beer in El Salvador

check out Doug Silvas website at- tickettobettersurfing.com

group photo surf camp

SURF CAMPS 2010

Spring is here and Summer is just around the corner. It will be here before we know it! Surf camps will be in full force come this July and go through till September. Although there is no shortage of surf camps, not all of them are the same. Some are for youngsters that want to learn while some are for kids that want to advance their level of surfing. Some of the camps are like day cares that give some instruction and I think i could go on for a while more about all the different ones out there.

One thing for sure is that they all offer something positive for kids and people wanting to sink their teeth into the whole surfing culture. Below is a list of the top 10 Surf Camps you can find this summer in the San Diego Area. Be sure to research the camp you are interested in signing up for

1. Surf Sessions
2. Aqua Adventures
3. Surf Diva
4. Pacific Surf
5. Paskowitz surf camp
6. Aloha Surfer Girls
7. Menehune Surf
8. Leucadia Surf School
9. Ocean Experience
10. Eli Howard Surf School

Bag Of Tricks- Damien Hobgood from toby ogden on Vimeo.

Damien Hobgood Bag of tricks