Showing posts with label Surfers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Surfers. Show all posts
I first saw Allen Sarlo surf when I was 12 years old. It was a summer day at Malibu in 1984, back when the creek used to let out up at Third Point, and the sand filtered down along the groomed cobbles, creating fast, perfect rippable, world-class waves that connected for 300 yards or more. A phenomenon — and a golden era for the famed point long steeped in rich surf history; and one that saw the El Niños of the ’80s blast so much sand down the point that Rabbit Bartholomew had claimed the ‘Bu as the “best high performance small wave point break in the world.”
By Todd Proctor
I first saw Allen Sarlo surf when I was 12 years old. It was a summer day at Malibu in 1984, back when the creek used to let out up at Third Point, and the sand filtered down along the groomed cobbles, creating fast, perfect rippable, world-class waves that connected for 300 yards or more. A phenomenon — and a golden era for the famed point long steeped in rich surf history; and one that saw the El Niños of the ’80s blast so much sand down the point that Rabbit Bartholomew had claimed the ‘Bu as the “best high performance small wave point break in the world.”
It was on one of these days, during a week long sizeable six-foot Southern Hemi swell; my sister had just dropped me off down at First Point at the gap in the Adamson Wall to check it. I remember the perfection of it all. It was like looking through a timeless portal at a lineup where for a moment life itself stood still; my young brain burned a permanent mind photo that day of the oily glassy conditions, zero wind, the smell of the salt in the air, the sun piercing from the south, and the crisp sound of sculpted lips cracking peeling green perfection as sets marched their way across towards the pier. The peaceful spirit of the ancient Chumash seemed to permeate the air.
Photo: Ben Tomson/Surfing With Ben
As I scrambled to get out there, the shadow of a huge figure came lumbering down the stairs. It looked like the Incredible Hulk, some kind of superhero, maybe even a bit werewolf; but definitely not human. My grom buddy whispered to me, “Whatever you do don’t look now, but that’s Allen Sarlo. He’s the best out here, he gets all the best waves, and he can crush your skull with one hand!”…and it was all true, except thankfully I never got my skull crushed.
Photos: Courtesy Allen Sarlo
They called Allen (and still do) the “Wave Killer” because nobody went faster and threw bigger sprays. If you got stuck behind him on a wave, the trench his bottom turns made would buck you off your board like a boat wake. Allen spent a lot of time in Hawaii early on, and was one of the first guys to charge big Backdoor in the late ’70s and early ’80s when everyone went left because the right at Pipe wasn’t yet considered an actual surfable wave. He was on both the IPS and ASP world tours and was one of the original Dogtown Z-Boys. He was also one of the first guys to give a face to big-wave surfing along with his close friend Mark Foo. It was actually at Mark Foo’s house on my first trip to the North Shore in 1990 that I first met Allen. He said, “Hey I know you — what are you doing here? Then he says, “Ahh, so you decided to leave the rat race and get some real waves huh?”
Flash forward a couple decades later, I had became a shaper in my late teens and was now in it for life. And Allen says to me one day, “Hey, come by my house — I wanna show you my garage. It’s full of every board I’ve ever had…let’s look through the different ones and I can tell you what does and doesn’t work for me. And let’s do a board.” It’s led to many boards since and a fun design process — but most important of all, a cherished friendship.
At 62, still shooting the pier, for over 40 years. Photo: Trent Stevens
So back at Allen’s house, it was like a museum. There were handshaped Al’s from the early ’80s, a multitude of boards from the now extinct Blue Hawaii, a couple Diffenderfers, Jeff Ho’s, Rodstokers, Rawsons, Con Surfboards, R.Sleighs, Zuma Jays, and the list could go on for some time as I think there was close to 200 boards stashed in the rafters, on the walls, in racks, piled up in corners; boards everywhere. He pulled out different ones and would be like, “This one has good drive, but too much nose rocker and is hard to get into waves.” Or, “This one has the perfect volume and dimensions for paddling into anything, but it’s too loose in turns”….”This one turns insane, but I can’t make it across flat sections”…”this one flies, but it’s too light when I come off the bottom it loses speed”…
So we looked around at what aspects of the various designs had worked through the years, and which aspects needed to be updated. Much the same process when working with anyone I’ve never built a board for prior. We establish a baseline and work from there: what dims and volume paddles best, what kind of rocker suits their wave and their particular style and approach to that wave, and a plan shape that matches their build/body type and body mechanics. In Allen’s case, there has been a full rotator cuff replacement and a full knee replacement. Eventually every surfer has an injury/recovery story, so it’s always important to take those things into consideration when putting together a one-off custom design. Hull contours, rail shape, fin placement also follow suit, playing major roles.
Our baseline started with the Monstachief design. A board I had already been doing for a few years to fill a gap; a need for bigger guys and power surfers to have an alternative shortboard design made appropriate to their build so they didn’t have to resort to funshapes or longboards if they didn’t want to.
I knew a lot of surfers from the ’80s and ’90s that were rippers, and in that 200-250+ lbs range. A lot of them had to quit surfing for many years when they started families. And when they came back to it many years later, the moves were still in there, but the body didn’t necessarily follow the way they remembered. So the Monstachief came to be. Not just a resized big version of a chippy shortboard, but all the appropriate geometry and design built from the ground up to cater to those big guys who still had the grit, but needed the right equipment to get them where they wanted to go. So as to give larger-framed surfers a platform that would use their stature as an advantage rather than a disadvantage; to create fun for a cross-section of the tribe that was getting overlooked.
Like each surfer I work with, Allen’s boards are designed and tuned specifically for him. Allen continues to this day to be the King of the Point through healthy living, surfing, kiteboarding or foiling every day. He runs a successful business, and operates off the motto “work to surf”. He takes an active role with the Mauli Ola foundation. His wife’s a sweetheart and both his grown children are mellow, kind people that shred. In his own words Allen says, “There is almost no better feeling than sharing the love of surfing with friends and family. Surfing keeps us young. We found the fountain of youth surfing. Thank you for the magic boards Todd, much appreciated. I’m surfing better than ever on your boards.”
As a tribe we must remember the past, know our people, design the future, and honor the elders. This is a board design that seeks to do just that. – Todd
Proctor Surf
I first saw Allen Sarlo surf when I was 12 years old. It was a summer day at Malibu in 1984, back when the creek used to let out up at Third Point, and the sand filtered down along the groomed cobbles, creating fast, perfect rippable, world-class waves that connected for 300 yards or more. A phenomenon — and a golden era for the famed point long steeped in rich surf history; and one that saw the El Niños of the ’80s blast so much sand down the point that Rabbit Bartholomew had claimed the ‘Bu as the “best high performance small wave point break in the world.”
It was on one of these days, during a week long sizeable six-foot Southern Hemi swell; my sister had just dropped me off down at First Point at the gap in the Adamson Wall to check it. I remember the perfection of it all. It was like looking through a timeless portal at a lineup where for a moment life itself stood still; my young brain burned a permanent mind photo that day of the oily glassy conditions, zero wind, the smell of the salt in the air, the sun piercing from the south, and the crisp sound of sculpted lips cracking peeling green perfection as sets marched their way across towards the pier. The peaceful spirit of the ancient Chumash seemed to permeate the air.
As I scrambled to get out there, the shadow of a huge figure came lumbering down the stairs. It looked like the Incredible Hulk, some kind of superhero, maybe even a bit werewolf; but definitely not human. My grom buddy whispered to me, “Whatever you do don’t look now, but that’s Allen Sarlo. He’s the best out here, he gets all the best waves, and he can crush your skull with one hand!”…and it was all true, except thankfully I never got my skull crushed.
They called Allen (and still do) the “Wave Killer” because nobody went faster and threw bigger sprays. If you got stuck behind him on a wave, the trench his bottom turns made would buck you off your board like a boat wake. Allen spent a lot of time in Hawaii early on, and was one of the first guys to charge big Backdoor in the late ’70s and early ’80s when everyone went left because the right at Pipe wasn’t yet considered an actual surfable wave. He was on both the IPS and ASP world tours and was one of the original Dogtown Z-Boys. He was also one of the first guys to give a face to big-wave surfing along with his close friend Mark Foo. It was actually at Mark Foo’s house on my first trip to the North Shore in 1990 that I first met Allen. He said, “Hey I know you — what are you doing here? Then he says, “Ahh, so you decided to leave the rat race and get some real waves huh?”
Flash forward a couple decades later, I had became a shaper in my late teens and was now in it for life. And Allen says to me one day, “Hey, come by my house — I wanna show you my garage. It’s full of every board I’ve ever had…let’s look through the different ones and I can tell you what does and doesn’t work for me. And let’s do a board.” It’s led to many boards since and a fun design process — but most important of all, a cherished friendship.
So back at Allen’s house, it was like a museum. There were handshaped Al’s from the early ’80s, a multitude of boards from the now extinct Blue Hawaii, a couple Diffenderfers, Jeff Ho’s, Rodstokers, Rawsons, Con Surfboards, R.Sleighs, Zuma Jays, and the list could go on for some time as I think there was close to 200 boards stashed in the rafters, on the walls, in racks, piled up in corners; boards everywhere. He pulled out different ones and would be like, “This one has good drive, but too much nose rocker and is hard to get into waves.” Or, “This one has the perfect volume and dimensions for paddling into anything, but it’s too loose in turns”….”This one turns insane, but I can’t make it across flat sections”…”this one flies, but it’s too light when I come off the bottom it loses speed”…
So we looked around at what aspects of the various designs had worked through the years, and which aspects needed to be updated. Much the same process when working with anyone I’ve never built a board for prior. We establish a baseline and work from there: what dims and volume paddles best, what kind of rocker suits their wave and their particular style and approach to that wave, and a plan shape that matches their build/body type and body mechanics. In Allen’s case, there has been a full rotator cuff replacement and a full knee replacement. Eventually every surfer has an injury/recovery story, so it’s always important to take those things into consideration when putting together a one-off custom design. Hull contours, rail shape, fin placement also follow suit, playing major roles.
Our baseline started with the Monstachief design. A board I had already been doing for a few years to fill a gap; a need for bigger guys and power surfers to have an alternative shortboard design made appropriate to their build so they didn’t have to resort to funshapes or longboards if they didn’t want to.
I knew a lot of surfers from the ’80s and ’90s that were rippers, and in that 200-250+ lbs range. A lot of them had to quit surfing for many years when they started families. And when they came back to it many years later, the moves were still in there, but the body didn’t necessarily follow the way they remembered. So the Monstachief came to be. Not just a resized big version of a chippy shortboard, but all the appropriate geometry and design built from the ground up to cater to those big guys who still had the grit, but needed the right equipment to get them where they wanted to go. So as to give larger-framed surfers a platform that would use their stature as an advantage rather than a disadvantage; to create fun for a cross-section of the tribe that was getting overlooked.
Like each surfer I work with, Allen’s boards are designed and tuned specifically for him. Allen continues to this day to be the King of the Point through healthy living, surfing, kiteboarding or foiling every day. He runs a successful business, and operates off the motto “work to surf”. He takes an active role with the Mauli Ola foundation. His wife’s a sweetheart and both his grown children are mellow, kind people that shred. In his own words Allen says, “There is almost no better feeling than sharing the love of surfing with friends and family. Surfing keeps us young. We found the fountain of youth surfing. Thank you for the magic boards Todd, much appreciated. I’m surfing better than ever on your boards.”
As a tribe we must remember the past, know our people, design the future, and honor the elders. This is a board design that seeks to do just that. – Todd
Tosh Tudor surfing at Cardiff Reef, Malibu, Lowers, and Newport Beach, Spring, Summer and Fall 2019 in this video by NobodySurf
"I met Tosh when he was 5 years old and he was a very shy boy back then. I saw Tosh’s break through over the last year. Something changed in him after his first trip to the North Shore. Now, Noseriding and Tuberinding are his things." - Tatsuo Takei
Giovanni Douresseau is featured in an Episode of WSL Studios' Transformed web series.
At the age of 12, Giovanni Douresseau’s life consisted of the eight blocks of guns, gangs and violence surrounding his home in South Central, Los Angeles. After being exposed to surfing during the youth summer program Youth Mentoring, he fell in love with the sport and met a mentor who helped him completely move past his rough upbringing. Ten years later, Giovanni is committed to sharing the life-altering gift of surfing that was given to him when he needed it most.
“Surfing changed my life…this program changed my life. I was the fat kid: depressed; no motivation; living in a neighborhood full of gangs and headed nowhere. Then Youth Mentoring found me, gave me my mentor and invited me to surf with them. I finally felt like I belonged somewhere – like I mattered. I lost 120 pounds and found myself! Now I’m a surfer and a scholar athlete! I’m in college and so happy with where my life is going. Not only that, but hundreds of other youth can experience what I did… Will you help us?” - Giovanni Douresseau
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.
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
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.
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.
"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's 2 Facebook Pages: Glen Kennedy Custom Shapes and Kennedy Surf Shop. And Glen's Instagram is @kennedysurfshop
Glen Kennedy Paddle Out
Glen Kennedy Celebration of Life
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.
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
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)
Social Buttons