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Showing posts with label Surfers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Surfers. Show all posts


The Malibu-based production company Planet Grande and the City of #Malibu invite all residents to attend a free community screening of the documentary film “Johnny Strange: Born To Fly,” Thursday, October 24, 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM at Malibu City Hall.

The 80-minute film documents Johnny Strange, who grew up in Malibu and became an international extreme sports athlete, known for mountain climbing, big wave surfing and extreme skydiving until he was tragically killed in a skydiving accident. The film was directed by Eamon Harrington and John Watkin and produced by Veronica Brady, all Malibu residents.

Johnny Strange rose to fame as the youngest person to climb the tallest mountain in each continent, including Mt. Everest when he was just 17 years old. When he discovered BASE jumping (skydiving from buildings, antennae, spans and earth) and wingsuit flying, he found his life’s true passion. Taken from hundreds of hours of Johnny’s personal video archive, and featuring intimate insights from family members, friends and Johnny himself, the film traces his journey from the world’s highest mountains to one of the world’s most dangerous sports, and the dramatic turn of events leading up to his final jump.

The screening will be followed by a question and answer session. The event is free to attend, but an RSVP is required. To RSVP or for more information, visit Born To Fly Documentary Screening or email Kriesgo@malibucity.org.



River Covey at Oceanside, Malibu, and Lower Trestles, California in 2019.


Devon Howard and Saxon Wilson spotted outside LA on a dull, cloudy California Morning



Malibu's LaLanne Surf just put out this video of these two surfing Topanga.

"There are a hand full of surfers that know the feeling of the Gemini surfboard created by shaper Jeff Alexander in the mid 90's. Shaper and Malibu local Jon LaLanne started making the board 10 years ago in an effort to revive the design that Surfer magazine snubbed and never rode the board.Kelly Slater held the board for hours at the 2003 surfer poll awards. Tomo created his Vader off the Gemini and shapers like Stretch , Mickey Munoz, Dane Hantz from Vulcan and Scott Anderson were inspired by the design..." - LaLanne Surf


Neil Messmer surfing Malibu
Filmed by Laura Hoffman // @saltwatersoulutions


Taro Watanabe of the Malibu advanced to the Junior Mens QS Semifinal's of the 2019 VANS US Open of Surfing after placing second in Quarterfinal Heat 4 earlier this week at Huntington Beach Pier. On Saturday, he will compete in the Heat 2 of the Semifinals, and if he advances, he will be in the finals later that afternoon.



This is a double overhead deep in the barrel of an interview! In early July 2019, CJ Nelson sits down with Longboardarian to discuss longboard surfing. Longboardarian focused on his memories and anecdotes of his beginnings in surfing and longboarding but also talked about surf competition politics and controversies regarding The Surf Relik Tour which he is a contributor too. He did not shy away from answering any questions.

Topics discussed on this episode but not limited to were:
His beginnings
Longboarding When It Wasn't "Cool"
The Surf Relik Tour
Thunderbolt Technology
LB Competition Criteria
Rapid Fire Q&A and the Shoutout segment.

Longboardarian- Our mission is to cover the longboarding community/culture worldwide with a focus in California.

Appreciation to The Longboardarian Podcast Sponsors:

Leashless Brewing

Ventura Surf Shop

FinJak
Use code tupi20 for 20% discount on a FinJak!


Come support the legend Glen Kennedy, who passed away earlier this month at either the Paddle Out at Surfrider or Celebration Service (details below).

The following is from the Facebook Event Page :

Join us in celebrating the amazing life of Legendary Glen Kennedy. We will be eating, drinking and telling tales of all the classic times.

Storytelling: We would love for people to share stories about Glen. The Event Center has 3 projector screens and a PA system. If you would like to share a story and photo(s), we will start at 3pm for the first session, and 7pm for the second. Please sign up to speak and / or to send photos email: glenkennedymemorial@gmail.com

Attending: Since we expect more guests than the event center can hold at once, we will have 2 gathering times: From 2-5pm and from 6-9pm. Please RSVP on the Facebook Event below which gathering you will come to and how many people.

We also need people to carpool or use a rideshare service, as parking is limited to 100 spaces. Food and beverages will be provided, but feel free to bring your drink of choice.


Click Here for stories on Glen Kennedy

"Sadly, Glen Kennedy, long time surfer/shaper passed away 2 days ago. He was fishing with his grandkids and had a heart attack. Another of the good guys gone."

Glen Kennedy, a San Fernando valley surfboard shaper, was a fixture in Malibu and the valley. Kennedy Surf Shop opened in 1972 and since then, Glen has hand-shaped a wide range of surfboards, including classic longboards, mid range surfboards and high-performance shortboards.

According to his son, Lee, Kennedy suffered a massive stroke while sailing between L.A. and Ensenada.

"Glen Kennedy, if you surfed Malibu and had any ties to the valley, you knew Glen Kennedy. A legend, a neighbor, a mentor, a man of many adventures, the nicest person you would ever meet." - Joe Balint

"Glen was a great man, he took me in, gave me one of my favorite jobs and taught me to shape my own board. So many great memories; night surfing Bu on full moons, Friday night fish fries at the shop, drinks at Pickwick’s... I will never forget you Glen." - Tom Bugg

"We will miss our friend Glen Kennedy. A legend in the surf industry, amazing surfer/shaper/businessman and great guy, whose surf shop in the west end of the San Fernando valley has been in the same location for as long as I can remember. I’m sure Glen’s son will continue his legacy as Glen will now be Surfing the Ranch for eternity! Love you" - OnIt Pro


Glen on the left.



Glen Kennedy Surf Rodeo 2014







Glen's 2 Facebook Pages: Glen Kennedy Custom Shapes and Kennedy Surf Shop. And Glen's Instagram is @kennedysurfshop

UDPATED PADDLE OUT INFO:
Glen Kennedy Paddle Out
Glen Kennedy Celebration of Life


Click Here for stories on Glen Kennedy


Devon Howard at Malibu, Rincon, and Lowers, 2018 ~ 2019. Filmed by his good friend Tatsuo Takei

"Longboard and the Midlength Master. Devon knows how to put it all together nicely in the water. “Calm and Corrected,” that’s the words I think of for Devon. We’ve been friends for 20 years and have really good time each session - whether we scored good waves or not."


Malibu's Shane Borland will be competing in the Stab High contest at that Waco wave pool in Texas this Saturday. Watch the contest online for a fee, or watch for free at the viewing party at at Jacks Surfboards Santa Monica shop, scroll down for the details.

SHANE BORLAND
20, Malibu, CA
Stance: regular | Specialties: skate-inspired punts
Another skater in Stab High? Yeah, there’s something to that. The consistency of a skate ramp lends itself to a repetition of maneuvers and, as a result, rapid skill growth. Surfing lacked this unique benefit until places like Waco popped up, providing an on-demand, cookie-cutter air section. We’ll see if Shane’s skate background helps him in the pool.




There's a viewing party at Jacks Surfboards Santa Monica shop!
So you don't have to pay to watch, go there, free food and swag.



WHAT: Vans x Stab High Viewing party
WHEN: Saturday, June 28th begins at
WHERE: Watch the contest at Jacks Surfboards Santa Monica shop!

Come watch Stab High streaming live, while enjoying FREE pizza & merchandise for those who attend.

A surfing contest mostly in the air returns deep-fried in the heart of Texas lies the world’s premier Airwave at BSR Cable Park. Pleased to announce that we're taking another dip in the pool for our second annual Stab High Surfing Contest. A quick recap: In 2018, we enlisted 16 of the world’s best aerial surfers. We invited them to Waco, Texas, stuck them on a man-made wave and politely asked they spread their wings. What we found that, without the slightest whiff of hyperbole, the air section at BSR is the best in the world. our competitors thrived in the pool, most never having stepped foot in Waco, Texas. Boy did they fly! We’re doing it all over again on Saturday, June 29th.

Jacks Surfboards
2012 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310)450-6569
Store Hours: Mon-Sun: 10am-8pm




Life Rolls On Founder Jesse Billauer just won the US Adaptive Surfing Championships in Oceanside. He will go on represent Team USA in the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championships later this year. Check out the quick video montage of the event below:



Jesse Billauer joins Walker in the Locker Room. You may not have heard Jesse's story before but once you do, you'll be inspired.

Jesse is a world-class surfer that had his life changed in an instant when he broke his neck and severed his spinal cord while surfing. Jesse talks about how surfing took him all over the world and still does to this day. The guys talk about Jesse's accident and how he found a passion for helping others that allowed him to keep moving forward. Walker asks about Jesse's world championship in adaptive surfing and work as a motivation speaker.



And finally, Jesse talks about the organization he started Life Rolls On and how he is helping people through surfing and skating and how people can get involved in upcoming events.

What Is It About Surfing That Pulled Jesse In | 2:52
Surfing Takes Jesse Around The World | 4:24
Jesse Talks About The Injury That Changed His Life | 6:10
How Jesse Moved Forward After The Accident | 11:45
Finding A Way To Help Others | 15:28
Becoming A World Champion | 16:43
How People Can Be A Part Of Life Rolls On | 22:19


A new video of older footage from Allen Sarlo.


Luke Stedman is the embodiment of a lifelong waterman, possessing a classic surf style that’s all his own. He began surfing and competing at an early age, qualifying for the WCT by 22 and spending a number of years on tour. After retiring from competition, Luke moved to Venice, CA and founded his own clothing brand, Insted We Smile - IWS . He continues to surf, travel, and create all over the world.



Cheap thrills, no frills. The Southern California Blue Collar Special.

A traditional surf film brought to you by Doubles.

Filmed between County Line and South San Diego from August 2018 to February 2019. Starring, in order of appearance: Joel Tudor, Yuta Sezutsu, Devon Howard, Barrett Miller, Lucas Dirkse, John Haffey, Grant Noble, Saxon Wilson, WiIlliam Hennessy, Tosh Tudor, Zack Flores, and Judah Tudor.

Filmed and edited by:
Andrew Burr

Additional filming by:
Ryan Cannon
Johno Ross
Ryan Donahue

Bel Air Bay Club Jetty, 1939.

In the late 1930s, Santa Monica teenager Don James roamed the California coastline with a band of friends and their 90-pound wooden surfboards. They slept in lifeguard huts and lived off of abalone scooped from the ocean, and avocados and oranges pilfered from nearby farms. They did it all in the name of surfing, which had recently landed in their home state.

James had seen Tom Blake’s surf photographs in National Geographic, and at the age of 16, he began taking his own with his dad’s Kodak Brownie—the first camera marketed and accessible to non-professionals. The black-and-white photos he made in the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s show his friends riding waves in tandem and replenishing themselves after a long day in the water by catching lobsters, strumming on ukuleles, and lounging under palms.

He became one of the first to chronicle the culture developing around surfing as it spread south from Malibu to Santa Monica and San Onofre. By the 1960s, when the sport broke into the mainstream, James remained one of its most celebrated documentarians. Surfer Magazine tapped James and younger photographers like Ron Stoner to shoot the exploding California surf community. He updated his craft as the technology changed, too, eventually capturing teeming surf contests and crowded beaches in color.

Ralph Kiewit, Jack Quigg, Dick Reed and Roger Bohning, Malibu 1939.

During the post Gidget era his talents appeared in commercials and on posters, Don James has been described as "The Premier Photographer of Surfing".

Don's beloved best-seller book is finally back in print, Surfing San Onofre to Point Dume: 1936-1942 , tells the story of the heady and innocent years of Santa Monica's nascent surf scene just prior to America's entry into World War II. Beautifully designed, this intimate, album-sized collection of photographs, printed in rich duotones and evocative color, captures the optimism and experimentation, the styles, the flirtatiousness and the freedoms taken--all from an insider's point of view. They were made by the young Don James, a teenager who documented the scene with his father's old Kodak folding camera when he wasn't up on a longboard himself. Out in the surf, down on the sand, aboard somebody's boat, dancing around a campfire, back-flipping off the lifeguard stand, collecting lobster, drinking at the bar and generally wearing as little as possible, here are the regulars of the southern California beach scene, un-self-conscious and perpetually glamorous, alongside loving portraits of the beach and the ocean themselves.

"It was a balmy Sunday and the news about the Japanese attack upon Pearl Harbor was coming in over the radio. We were paying $60 a month for rent, which was split three ways, and life was good. Suddenly everything had changed. We all knew we were going off to war." For the half-decade preceding World War II, photographer Don James and his cronies lived in the balmy Eden of the southern California coastline, surfing from San Onofre north to Point Dume. "Surfing is life all the rest is details," someone once philosophized. In Don James's six-year diary of life in paradise, surfing is indeed life, but the beauty is in the details. James's sun-drenched remembrance of a paradise lost introduces us to a cast of golden children that Bruce Weber might well envy, and leaves us with at least one mystery: What ever became of Jack Power? According to Surfing San Onofre to Point Dume , "One day he walked down the beach and was never seen nor heard of again." Where did Jack Power go? Into the sunset, no doubt. Where the details hide.
Imagine surfing a perfect blue wave on a 90-pound redwood longboard, off a deserted beach of sparkling white sand. Surfing San Onofre to Point Dume takes us back to the halcyon days of pre-war California, when the earliest American surfers were busy inventing beach culture. Meet these tussle-haired free spirits who camped on the deserted beaches of Southern California, had lobster bakes and luaus with local Hollywood girls, and surfed at a time when nobody knew what surfing was. The beautiful and nostalgic photographs that surfer Don James took of himself and his friends capture the lost Eden of the California surf dream in all its glory and innocence.





Story by Laylan Connelly.

Mike Doyle, a regular on the Malibu surf scene during the ’50s.



Mike Doyle, a waterman known for his big-wave prowess — one of the original “hot doggers” — died in his sleep early Tuesday morning, April 30. He was 78.

Doyle, who had been battling ALS, was a champion, inventor, boardmaker — an icon in the sport of surfing. Born in 1941, he grew up in Lawndale and caught his first wave at the Manhattan Beach Pier at age 13. He would soon become a pivotal figure in the South Bay and Malibu surf culture.

He spent his later years as an artist in Mexico, at San Jose del Cabo, where he died.

“It is a beautiful day here in San Jose, the waves are perfect and we know Mike is in Heaven with a smile on his face, surfing an endless wave,” an announcement on the Doyle Surfboards Facebook page reads, noting he was with his wife, Annie, when he passed.

Doyle, who was inducted into the Surfer’s Hall of Fame in Hermosa Beach in 2013, noted then that his “biggest memory was winning the Hermosa Beach annual surf festival contest and winning the tandem event and getting married – all in the same day.”

Competitively, Doyle was among the world’s best in the ’50s and ’60s, earning numerous surf championships, including the Duke Kahanamoku title and the West Coast Surfboard Championship.

He’s also a member of the Surfers’ Hall of Fame and Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, inducted to both in 2003, and the International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2009.

Doyle’s life as a surfer started in 1954, while he watched South Bay icons Dale Velzy, Bob Hogans and Greg Noll ride waves at the Manhattan Beach Pier, according to an article in the Daily Breeze. He worked as an apprentice to Velzy and Noll building balsa boards in 1959. He was also a Manhattan Beach lifeguard in 1960 and 1961.

According to the Surfing Heritage and Cultural Center in San Clemente, Doyle famously sold Kathy Kohner, aka “Gidget,” her first surfboard in 1956 and then worked as a stunt double in “Gidget” in 1959.

Boogie board inventor Tom Morey remembers seeing Doyle as a regular on the Malibu surf scene during the ’50s.

“When I first met him, he was already an accomplished rider in the South Bay area,” Morey, who lives in San Clemente, said recently.

He recalled Doyle’s big smile under a floppy hat his mother made — a popular character with a big stature and unique style in the surf.

“If there’s a show, Doyle’s in it … he’s one of the original hot-doggers,” said Morey, referring to a surfer’s showboating style on the waves.

The two surfers had something in common – a passion for invention.

Doyle, while working in Encinitas, used the boogie board material for the first soft-top board ever made, in 1970, the same boards that countless beginners use in waves today.

He also helped to create surf wax and a single ski, the Monoski, the seed for what would become the modern-day snowboard.

“To sum up Doyle in some kind of words, here’s a really fabulous guy, a real icon and definitely a champion,” Morey said. “I don’t know how many surf contests he’s won, but quite a few. And how many giant waves he’s ridden, but a lot. And how many innovations he’s had in the surfing world … revolutionizing, with his pals, the soft board is his deal and surf wax is a big deal.”

Doyle wasn’t in it for the riches, and in his book Morning Glass wrote about how people over the years would say “how rich I would be if only I’d had the good sense to invest in this or that project.”

“But I don’t look at it that way. Most people have to choose between money and freedom, and I made my choice a long time ago,” he wrote in an excerpt of the book published in the San Diego Reader.

He wrote that his heart still leaped when he saw a car full of surfers going down the highway with a rack of surfboards.



“Probably no man alive has gone on more surf adventures than I have, yet I still haven’t had enough,” wrote Doyle, who moved to Mexico in the ’80s to be an artist and to run a surf school. “If the conditions are right, I’ll walk away from anything to spend a day in the water with my friends.”

The surf is only good at certain times, and if you’re a serious surfer, you’ve designed your life around it, he noted.

“You have to make the time to be there when the surf is good.”
A paddle out held on Tuesday … at Surfrider Beach .. for Randy Nauert … a Malibu original. Nauert was never as famous as Dick Dale … but he followed a similar career ark. The teenaged surfer from the Palos Verdes Peninsula started making music in the surf wave of the early 1960s. His group was called The Challengers. Originally known as The Bel-Airs, they were one of the earliest “surf bands,” initially playing school dances and small clubs around Hermosa Beach. Words from 991KBU
Photos from Sandy Sandbakken


A paddle out held on Tuesday , April 16th … at Surfrider Beach .. for Randy Nauert … a Malibu original. Nauert was never as famous as Dick Dale … but he followed a similar career ark.

The teenaged surfer from the Palos Verdes Peninsula started making music in the surf wave of the early 1960s.

His group was called The Challengers.

Originally known as The Bel-Airs, they were one of the earliest “surf bands,” initially playing school dances and small clubs around Hermosa Beach.

In January 1963 they released “Surfbeat” …. it became a massive hit and helped put the surf rock genre on the map.

Nauert moved to Malibu … his T V show Wave Watch was a staple on malibu public access television for 104 episodes.

Nauert lived in Encinal Canyon … he was a familiar sight in his Arson Watch van around Malibu.

His compound burned in the Woolsey Fire … he suffered a heart attack while clearing land two months after the fire.

At the paddle out … his longtime friend and TV show associate Peter Townsend said it was the fire.

“I would think that those fires had an effect on Randy. Because t was his nature to help everybody. And every time you would see a photo on Facebook, he loved his Facebook, there would see a photo of him helping somebody. You know Randy was in his 70s now. And he was up there clearing properties, and friggin’ treating them as if he was a teenager. And I’m sure that didn’t help him when he finally has a heart attack.”

Randy Nauert was eulogized by his longtime friend … John Mazza.

“He really was the spirit of Malibu.”



Randy's band still has their music on Amazon:



A 5 minute micro-documentary on acclaimed surfboard maker and Venice Beach local, Guy Okazaki. A behind-the-scenes look at how he creates his hand-crafted surfboard designs, something he has been mastering in Venice Beach for more than 30 years.