Taifu Surf Japan

Here is a video I am sure many of you have seen, guys surfing some gnarly taifu surf in Japan, these shots were taken from down near Miyazaki I believe.
I have thrown a few pictures I took from another break further north from that swell, below the video. Enjoy them, because the local government here in Sendai is planning on closing down this beach to make more room for shipping containers, and this great break, home to so many surfers, will be lost forever.

A $10,000 kickflip! Can it be done?

To date, no one has ever documented a cleanly landed kickflip on a surfboard. Volcom is giving away $10,000 to the first person that can land a "proper" kickflip while surfing! By proper we mean an "above the lip" kickflip where first you launch an air, use your front foot to flip the board, and then land on it and ride out cleanly. No backwash, no fingerflips, no grabs, no laybacks. Just a proper kickflip. We're going to be strict on these following guidelines. The rules are all listed here, so get out there and put this trick in the history books. Good luck!Rules:1. Your entry must be on video from the start of the trick through the ride out. No photos allowed.2. This contest is open to everyone. The contest begins today November 21st, 2007, and will run until there's a winner.3. The kickflip must be a real air "above the lip" - No backwash, No chop hops, or anything in the flats or below the lip of the wave.4. All waves must be self caught - You must paddle into the wave. This means NO tow-ats, step-offs, jetskis, boats, dinghys, winches, canoes, oars, helicopters, dolphins or assistance of any kind.5. No grabs of any kind. Not before, not after, not during.6. You must completely "ride out" of the kickflip. That means if you land on the back of the wave and fail to continue surfing the wave - it's not a make!7. No heelflips. Or else we'd have called it the Heelflip-Off.8. No shoes. Who surfs in shoes anyway? Regular "made for surfing" booties are acceptable.9. You must be riding a surfboard with at least one fin. No boogie boards, wakeboards, wakeskates, skimboards, kiteboards, trays etc.

How to Enter:Click this link to download your entry formEntry form must be printed out and sent with footage to:

Volcom's Kickflip-Off1740 Monrovia AveCosta Mesa, CA 92627

Check out some footage of Ozzie Wright's near-makes by clicking over to Youtube.com/kickflipoff Make sure to send in your own footage of your attempts and close calls. We will post the attempts on the youtube kickflip-off page so all can see.

*All kickflip entries are subject to verification and review by Volcom. No video tampering please. Let's make this legit!

A nice swell this week in North Japan

Here is a pic of my buddy Alexei scoring a nice wave! I had to work and missed this swell I may need therapy to recover!!!

The air temp dropped to 5c (41F) today wont be long now before them ice cream headache surfs are here OUCH! oh wait, that's right I am going to Bali hehe

A quick little inside section cutty, setting up for the sandy hollow cruncher that we all know and love here in Sendai!

Photo by Yoshi

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One reason why Laird is a GOD!

I mean, just look at this picture and try to fathom what the hell it must take to scare this guy, he is standing on a board that i no way designed to ride the tube, especially not the death cylinder that is Chopes! But what fries my brain about this pic is how far out on that heaving lip he is and the dude isnt even looking!!

Big shout out to Tim McKenna for this shot it is a personal favorite.

If you still need some proof that Laird Hamilton is the bigest hellman of all time, just look at the next few shots!

Another SUP shot and yet again Laird is charging at Chopes !

Huge Left at Jaws, No comment needed...INSANE!

Teahupoo Holloween 2007 that is a thick damn lip!

And of coarse, THAT SHOT FROM CHOPES!!! I mean guys have riden bigger since, but the lip on this one still gives me chills. We have all seen this wave a thousand times over, but hell just look at it, it's like a car crash, you just can't look away!

Surfers Break Chinese Law and a Surfing World Record

China's tidal bore, known as the Silver Dragon, is the greatest on the planet with 8.9 tidal range max. After 1988's debatable success to ride the bore (UK Stuart Matthews rode the bore for 11 secs in the whitewater), a team of French, Brazilian and Italian riders managed to ride several waves at different locations on the Qiantang river, about two hours from Shanghai.

Following expedition leader Antony 'Yep' Colas first scouting river trip on a jetski, Eduardo Bag (Brazil) on a longboard and Patrick Audoy (France) on a stand-up board, managed to ride the bore for 1h10, on a distance assessed at 17,1 K.
There are about 80 rivers in the world producing a tidal bore like the Severn Bore in England (first ridden in 1955), the Mascaret in France (Garonne, Dodogne), Pororoca in Brazil (Amazon basin), Lupar Benak in Malaysia but none gets more dramatic than the Chinese Guanchao. It's a tremendous phenomenon, observed and studied by scientists, poets, spectators for more than 2,000 years. Part of the Qiantang river is bordered by a fish-scale wall originally 200km long, some river version of the China Great Wall. Because of a 100km wide perfect funnel-shaped estuary, the bore can break as long as 120 km, an equivalent of 6h. Because the river is so wide and particularly shallow, the bore breaks as a continuous wall of whitewater, until it hits deeper parts where amazing peeling waves can be ridden on the shallow edges.


Whatever the tidal range is, there is always a wave rolling somewhere along the estuary, which makes it the most consistent waves in China and maybe in the world. Even Hawaii and Indonesia get flat days! On October, 14, Antony Colas and jetski pilot Xavier Leroy did a first river reconnaissance trip and after a first 3min ride, the old 800cc jet broke down, putting an abrupt end to several months of preparation work. After a week of land trips, 6 surfers jumped in again on October, 24th and brazilian Eduardo Bag and french Patrick Audoy disappeared in the haze. They stopped their amazing ride at the bridge, 1h10 min later or the equivalent of 17,1 km.
It's legally forbidden to take any activity in the river during the bore, especially after 12 people were killed last August 2nd watching the bore at night near Hangzhou. In the last 20 years, the bore has taken about 100 lives, victims being mostly unaware spectators getting caught on the banks, not able to swim. The law got reinforced and it's no surprise that the police eventually caught the surfers. Following a cover article by Wang Xinke in the Hangzhou Youth Times stating "Foreigners break the law and a surfing world record", situation changed when Chinese Authorities started to smell the economical potential of creating a possible surfing show on the river. Law has not changed yet but when surfers got wet again, many helped them to catch up with the bore hitching rides along the riverbanks!

The world surfing record standing up on a surfboard set by Sergio Laus was officially accepted by Guinness World Records as a distance of 10.1km (33 minutes 15 seconds) set on the Araguari Pororoca on 24th June 2005 while Picuruta Salazar had on mid-April 2003 an unofficial 12 km length ride (about 37min). An all Brazilian affair! Beyond an unofficial record, the main point here is that surfers have been changing Chinese Authorities perception of the recreational use of the river during the bore. If any surfing demonstration should be done for the next Olympics Games in China 2008, there it should happen!

Hot surfing, Hot girls and a World Title!

The worlds best surfers ripping, A ton of hot Brazillian girls in Bikinis and a new world champ!

This video is a must see!

Enjoy all!

Fanning wins the world title

A big congrats is in order to Mick Fanning after clinching the 2007 World title in Brazil today!

The news came through while Fanning was already in the line up waiting for his heat against Parko to start, Mick showed his elation by taking off on a closeout wave with both hands in the air! Fanning went on to win the heat against Parko, even scoring a little cover up!

Taj the last remaining threat to Mick's title was taken down by fellow Aussie surfer Tom Whitaker, needing an 8.10 to keep his title hopes alive.

Kelly Slater lost in the 4th round to another Aussie surfer Kai Otten who was on fire the whole event. Kelly seemed to be waiting for the perfect setup to really explode on, kicking out of several waves, while Kai powered his way through the heat with some impressive surfing.

For me I was really hoping to see Taj pull out a miracle and win the title at Pipe, but you have to hand it to Fanning, this year he has never lost a round one heat, had only one result worse than a 3rd (at trestles where an on fire Dane Reynolds smoked him, despite Fanning posting a 15+ score out of a possible 20). Fanning's consistency, drive and determination all accumulated in his first ever world title. On a touching note, he has been chasing this title since his teen years as a promise he made to his late brother. Good on ya Mick, you deserve it!

Kelly ever the good sports rep, came down and congratulated Fanning, handed him the cup and filled it with champs, so I guess that will mean that Eugene not Fanning will be surfing the final at Brazil!

Oh yeah and just to make it a little more fun, so tht no-one could claim they gave him his title, Fanning went on to win the event in Brazil, check out the crazy pic below, with crowds like tht it is remicient of the days of the OP pro in Huntington.
Feel free to post a comment and share the joy! Aussie Aussie Aussie!!! Oi Oi Oi!!!!

See the Video here

Aussie surfing champ takes on British Airways

By Jennifer Hill in London
November 06, 2007 11:28am
Article from: Reuters

TOP Australian surfer Mick Fanning has backed a bid by British surfers to overturn a British Airways ban on surfboards.
Delegates from the British Surfing Association (BSA) will hand a petition of 8000 signatures to the carrier's London headquarters today - the day the ban is due to come into force.Fanning, the Australian professional ranked No.1 in the world, is among those who have signed the petition, while a group on the social networking website Facebook has attracted 10,000 opponents of the ban. British Airways (BA) announced the ban a fortnight ago, saying surfboards were too cumbersome to check in. Other items banned from flights from today include windsurfing boards, hang-gliders, polevaults, javelins and canoes. The airline will continue to allow passengers to travel with other sporting items, including skis, snowboards, cycles, golf clubs and diving equipment. Karen Walton, national director of the BSA, said the group was optimistic its action would be successful.

"News about the ban has spread though the global surf community by word-of-mouth, through the internet and through the international media," she said. "Without a doubt, the reaction has been one of disbelief, shock and anger. "It is essential that BA realises just how strongly they are alienating the global surf industry and reverses this ban and it's critical that other airlines understand that this is not an example they can consider following." Asked whether the airline would stick to its guns, a BA spokeswoman said yesterday: "This is the new policy as of tomorrow."She said BA was one of the few airlines to carry a wide range of sporting goods free of charge, but had decided not to accept certain larger items following a review of its hold baggage policy. "It's not a case of trying to penalise surfers," she said.
"We had to take a tough decision."
The airline was working with freight forwarders to find alternative means for customers to transport surfboards and other banned sporting items.

OK so my take on this move by British Airways, are they mad???? Just stop and think about the average surfer, we spend at least 70% of our waking hours dreaming of not only riding the perfect wave, but also doing it in some far away exotic tropical locale, and on top of that we want to take our mates along too. We are a low maintenance group, essentially too stoked to be flying off to ride perfect barrels to give a rats ass about the lousy food, cramped seating, slow service or the impossibly boring in flight entertainment.What airline in their right mind would give up customers like us?

Learn How to Surf video part 1

Hi all came accross these 12 videos on learning to surf, hosted by Trent Munro and Phil Macca.
If you are thinking of getting into surfing take a minute and check this video out. Learn the basics, learn to be safe and then get out there and rip.
This is the first video, just click the menu button on the YouTube window to see some more of these lessons.

SURF VIDEO SALSIPUEDES BAJA JAN 07'

This was a cool trip, we had a great time, got bombarded super hard by the Santa Ana winds, and the waves weren't all that we had hoped for, but surfing isn't just about the waves. It's about time spent with good mates enjoying the marvel that is the ocean! Here is a video we made from our little trip, Enjoy!

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Note if any of the artists that have songs featured on this little home video feel we have infringed their copyright, then just let us know and we will pull the video down.

cheers and yes I know I misspelled Barrel

Soundtrack credits:

"Tomorrow People" Ziggy Marley

"Rodeo Clowns" Jack Johnson

"Good People" Jack Johnson

"Dani Califonia" Red Hot Chili Peppers

Feelin' the Chill!

It was a cold and wet December day, when my feet touched the sand at Sendai Shinko. The sand was blanketed white with fresh snow, the sky grey, the waves perfect, and the line up empty. It should have been a perfect setup, the kind of day a surfer dreams of, but I could barely muster up the enthusiasm to strap on my leash. That December day was last year, it’s fresh in my mind now as the first snows are starting to fall on the mountains around Sendai. Oh well, here we go again.
Being an Australian, growing up in Queensland, I have never had to think about cold. Cold water surfing prior to Japan was wearing a 3mm full suit in winter for the early session for comfort rather than necessity.To say I loath the cold would be an understatement, but there is something to be said for it, and that’s what this article is about.
Anybody can keep stoked on surfing in the tropics, it’s easy. You wake up in the morning in your boardies, scratch your self grab a drink and head to the beach to check the swell. If it’s good you run in paddle out and surf until you get sick of it. If it’s flat, you feel bummed, but figure a swim will probably help you shake of the sleep and get the day underway, like I said, easy. Surfing in a snow covered winter is a whole other story. Your alarm rings, you wake up, it’s dark, and your face is cold. You pull the blanket over your head and tell yourself it’s just a bad dream, eventually one of your buddies who has just gone through the same nightmare, calls you up and tells you to get you ass out of bed.The nightmare continues, you get your wetty out of the bathtub, which is still wet, but now icy cold and stuff it into a bag, fill up a tank with steaming hot water pull on three to four layers of clothes and head out the door to scrape the ice and snow off of the car; it’s still dark by the way.
Once at the beach, the real challenge begins, standing on either ice or snow, with winds pouring off of the snow capped mountains around 50km away, you have to somehow get off you three to four layers and put on your icy cold wet wetty, boots, gloves and hood. Then walk through ankle to knee deep snow down to the shore, and begin the paddle out.

Unlike paddling in summer paddling in winter is like trying to swim while wrapped in a blanket, with oven mitts on. All this isn’t too bad compared to the joys of taking a duck dive under a 2 degree Celsius wall of water, which brings an instant ice cream headache.
While sitting in the line off shore wind blows against your wet hair, if you are like me and cannot stand the claustrophobic feel of a hood while you wait for waves, I only pull my hood up when it hurts to leave it down.The 5mm wet suit feels like an iron suit, with the boots and gloves on I feel like G.I Surfer, my body locked into a permanent posture rigid all movement forced, but then it happens, then one event which seems to make all the misery disappear in an instant, the peak approaches. As you paddle for the wave, icy water bounces off the nose of your board and stings your face and eyes, almost blind you feel for the moment when you know you've got the wave, be it a head high wave or double over the rush is the same, rather than the fear of a pounding, which is usually measured by the size and force of the wave, in these conditions it's the cold that rattles you, any wipeout is going to suck. One such wipeout held me down deep for two waves, I climbed up to my board trying to keep conscious and proceeded to throw up. Your feet hit the deck and you're off, cold gone, though you feel as weak as a kitten and a turn or two can leave you out of breath, but the stoke is the same. Due to cold and fatigue a winter surf usually is under one hour, that when the joints stop bending and the feet are numb, you stumble out of the water and brave the wind on the walk back to the car, once there you begin to strip off the layers of rubber, daunting task as your extremities are totally numb, one time my hands were so numb that as I pulled off my glove my wedding ring came off and I didn't feel it, winter surfing nearly cost me my marriage. Back in the car the heater blasting, toes completely numb, you begin driving home smiling ear to ear, you've made it, nature at it's worst and you were up to the challenge. You truly are a surf warrior!

Just for fun check this video of a guy surfing this mad wave in Alaska!

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Baby Pink dolphin!

Hey I know this isn't really surf related but really how often do we get to see a rare pink dolphin! How long till Disney release the feature film about this babe dolphin and his grumpy old grey turtle friend searching the ocean for the magical kingdom of the un-natural hued sea creatures? Anyway enjoy the pics they are worth a peek, and will have a few new surf pics up in the next few days, working on a neat little article right now, with the onset of winter time to dust off the 5mm and get ready for the brain freeze.