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Red Bull Illume Photography Contest



Red Bull Illume submissions now open!

The day has finally come. Professional and amateur photographers from around the globe can now submit their mind-blowing images to the greatest action and adventure sports photography contest in the world – Red Bull Illume.



Red Bull Illume will once again showcase the most outstanding and creative images, while illuminating the passion, lifestyle and culture behind the people that shoot them.

Entrants have until March 31, 2016 to register and submit their shots on redbullillume.com for a chance to earn great prizes, priceless exposure and be part of the worldwide Red Bull Illume Exhibit Tour.


Photographers can enter as many as five images in each of the 11 categories, including the all-new mobile category. There's no limit to the range of inspirational shots that can be entered, whether they're action, lifestyle or sequence shots. Head over to the categories page for more details .

The 2016 edition of the contest has some incredible prizes in store for all the winners.Prizes from Sony and Red Bull Illume’s other esteemed partners will be announced on shortly.

Mark March 31, 2016 on your calendars – that’s when submissions officially close. Visit Red Bull Illume for the Rules and FAQs for more details.


Venice Surf-A-Thon Info

"Wax em Up! 22 years in a row!"


"How we do it $20.00 bucks gets you a limited edition one of a kind Venice Surf-A-Thon Tshirt, entry into the contest and to the super duper good time awards party. For Beach entry $25.00 If you dont have $ to enter Surf-A-Thon will sponsor you but be prepared to rip it up! Got a feeling this will be the monster year. All you lifeguards and watermen. We would be appreciated for water patrol. All proceeds donated to MLD school in Mindanao to help a few other kids far away get a very basic education. Send in an entry form with the heats you want to surf and check made out to Surf-A-Thon LLC. Thanx all and see you there!" - Ger-I


Venice Pier - Thanksgiving Day 2015








These are just some of the photos taken by Steve Christensen, there are many more. Visit the 2015-11 Venice Beach Surfing Gallery on his website to see more. Prints and hi-res digital downloads of all the photos are available.



Upcoming Event: RVCA Store Grand Opening Party



The RVCA store is having an opening party tonight from 6-10pm. Come on down to Main st. and say what's up! Photo art by Keegan Gibbs & Lyon Herron, giveaways, drinks and music... see you there!


Inductions For The 2015 Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame



Jeff Ho will be inducted into the Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame.



This year’s International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame inductions, along with the Longboard Collectors Club annual swap, will take place Dec. 5 at Doheny State Park.

It’s a great event that I always try to make it to. It’s one of those “see all your old friends and make new ones too,” sorta deals.

I just received this year’s inductees list from my pal Mike, a.k.a. “Mickey Ratt” Ester, who puts the Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame event together each year with Bob “the Greek” Bolen.

We have both the East and West Coasts represented as well as Australia. The inductees are selected each year by the previous year’s inductees, kind of the ultimate surfboard version of a jury of your peers.

Starting off the list is a former Huntington Beach surfboard shaper, now living in Ventura – our very own Steve Walden. Steve built his first board in 1961 and by the early 1970’s was spoken of in the same category as the top shapers on the planet.

One of the few 60’s surfboard builders to survive even to this day in a very difficult business, Steve not only got by but also thrived. He has become one of the biggest and most respected surfboard builders in the world. His wildly successful “Magic” model is at the forefront of best sellers and has been for a long time. Good to see Steve getting some love from the Hall of Fame.

Next up is Santa Monica surf and skateboard legend Jeff Ho. Jeff was a part of the “Dogtown and Z Boys” skateboard crew that radicalized that sport – well documented in a movie of the same name. He’s known for his innovative surfboard designs as well as his skills in the water and on concrete.

Another Southern California boy getting the nod is the late Rick Stoner. Rick started building boards with his pal Bing Copeland and eventually opened his own business under the name Rick Surfboards in Hermosa Beach. Both Rick and Bing were students of the great Dale Velzy himself.

One more California boy on this year’s list is Oceanside’s Gary Linden. He’s known for his skills in big surf, even today in his 60’s, and for his amazing hand-made balsawood surfboards. In the age of shaping machines, where people do very little of the real shaping of boards anymore, Gary is one of the few who can still cut out a blank and do the whole job with his hands.

The last entry from California is a master of the craft from Encinitas, the one and only Tony Channin. He’s known as the manufacturer of some of the highest quality surfboards in the world, top of line shapes and beautiful fiberglass work. From the early days of Channin Diffenderfer surfboards, with the renowned shaper Mike Diffenderfer, to evolving into his own super star, Tony has been one of the main men in the business for many decades. Great guy.

From the East Coast is the long-time surfing and shaping legend Pete Dooley from Florida and Natural Art Surfboards. Natural Art has been at the top of Eastern-built surfing equipment since the early 1970’s and Pete is an icon of the region. Also inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame in 2004, Pete remains at the top of his craft.

And rounding out the group is this year’s thunder from down under, Pat Morgan. Pat hangs his power plainer in the chilly yet extremely surf-fertile Australian state of Victoria. It’s a place with cold and rugged surfing conditions and dedicated and innovative surfing industry creators. And also the home of Brian Singer and Claw Warbrick, who brought us Rip Curl Wetsuits. Pat is not as well know here in the U.S. as some of our other inductees but is a huge hero in the land of Oz.

If any of you are anywhere near the O.C. on that day, I strongly recommend you head down to Doheny Beach and be a part of this really cool event. I might even see ya there myself.



Story: CORKY CARROLL
Photo: DARNELL RENEE

Night Sesh Outdoor Surf Movie This Friday.



This Friday night at 7pm, join ZJ Boarding House for a very special presentation of the Hurley// Nixon John John Florence movie View From A Blue Moon across the street on the lawn of the California Heritage Museum. All attendees can get a free raffle ticket from Nixon and Hurley gear..



ZJ Boarding House
2619 Main St. Santa Monica, CA
(310) • 392 • 5646
Store Hours:
Mon - Sat 10am - 7pm
Sun 10am - 6pm

Billabong SurfAid Cup 2015



For a third year in a row, the team from Firewire have won the Billabong SurfAid Cup. The event is held at the iconic Malibu Beach in Malibu California, with 12 teams raising an extraordinary $160,000 for humanitarian organization SurfAid.

This is the second year that Dr. Dave’s team has won the SurfAid Cup fundraising trophy. The team of Conrad Carr, Gus Roxburgh, Debbie Frank, and SurfAid founder, Dr. Dave Jenkins raised an amazing $34,650.

Since its inception in 2012, this event has now raised more than $400,000 for SurfAid.

All funds raised contribute to SurfAid’s mother and child programs in remote areas of Indonesia in Nias, Mentawai islands, Sumbawa and Sumba. “The funds raised by the Billabong SurfAid Cup in Malibu, the ongoing support of MSA, and the community of Malibu saves lives in Indonesia. SurfAid works in places where hardly anyone but surfers go – but where there are high rates of infant and maternal mortality. Days like today show that surfers can make a real difference and give back to the places they love” says Andrew Judge, SurfAid’s CEO.

This year, Billabong came on board as the event’s presenting sponsor.

"We at Billabong are thrilled to offer our ongoing support to this longstanding and important partnership with SurfAid. Their incredible work has already helped to improve health and lower mortality rates in Nias and surrounding areas. Billabong is excited and proud to join globally in the support of SurfAid." says Cathey Curtis, VP of Global Marketing, Billabong Womens.

First Point at Malibu treated the surfers to near ideal conditions with light winds and pumping, glassy 4 to 5 foot waves. A five-man tag team format, the SurfAid Cup is part of the MSA contest and all the teams pick a pro surfer or legend to join their fundraising team.

The judges were impressed with the level of surfing by all the competitors – including an amazing team of under 15 groms from Malibu. The team Latigo Groms, consisting of Niko Didden, Diego Didden, Charlie Hoberman, Henno Hopp picked pro surfer Matt McCabe and scored some incredible waves. The opportunity to give back by supporting SurfAid coupled with surfing an empty Malibu is what drives most of these competitors.

The team from Firewire took out the final with a score of 91.70, followed in second with team Captain Mikke Pierson with a score of 80.47. The team Malaria Sucks narrowly edged out the SurfAiders team with a score of 69.90 to take third. Fifth place finishers Malaria Free Mentawai and the sixth place team from Billabong rounded out the exciting finals.

The winning Firewire team consisted of Mike Thomas, Taylor Jensen, Noah Erikson, Chuy Reyna, and pro rider Mike McCabe.

The other placings were:

1st Place – Firewire
2nd Place – Captain Mikke Pierson
3rd Place – Malaria Sucks
4th Place – SurfAiders
5th Place – Malaria Free Mentawai
6th Place – Billabong
7th Place – Malcolm Hates Malaria
8th Place – Saving Lives Every Day
9th Place – Latigo Groms
10th Place – Dr. Dave’s Team
11th Place – Indoteak Design
12th Place – Tad & Tad

You can still support the teams here: https://www.classy.org/surfaidcupmalibu2015

Supporting sponsors for the 2015 SurfAid Cup in Malibu were Malibu Village, Dukes at Malibu, Kona Brewing and Grom Social.

Waking Venice

Upcoming Event: Venice Penguin Swim

Venice Penguin Swim Club invites the public to meet at Breakwater, at the end of Windward, every January 1st and greet the New Year with a Big Splash! Sign up starts at 11 am on the beach. No entry charge to participate. The first man and woman to complete a 500-yard swim around a buoy and back will be crowned the penguin prince and princess.

There's no fee to participate in this really fun event. Registration begins 11am at the beach, swim starts at noon. A 400 yard challenge course and a 100 yard novice "Dip". Snacks and hot drinks provided. Volunteers needed to help with set up and registration. Contact the office 310 390-5700 or email SCAQ@SWIM.net if you are interested in helping. http://www.swim.net/scaq.cfm



CLICK HERE for photos from the previous Penguin Swims

Venice Pier - Sunday 11-15-2015 Pt 1



Here's some shots from the north side of the Venice Pier taken by Steve Christensen.













These are just some of the photos taken by Steve Christensen, there are many more. Visit the 2015-11 Venice Beach Surfing Gallery on his website to see more. Prints and hi-res digital downloads of all the photos are available.


Venice Pier - Sunday 11-15-2015 Pt 2



Here's even more shots from the Venice Pier, this set is by Six12 Media













These are just some of the photos taken by Six12 Media on this day, there are many more. Visit the Venice Pier - Sunday 11-15-2015 Gallery to see them all. Prints and hi-res digital downloads of all the photos are available.


TBT: Venice Surfing Mid November Swell



Throwback to the swell we got last November.

Ocean Park - Saturday 10-31-2015

Photos By Six12 Media .

Some Halloween Day surf shots by Six12 Media.











There are several more photos from this day in the complete gallery: Ocean Park - Saturday 10-31-2015 Photo Gallery