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!