Outdoors FanHouse http://outdoors.fanhouse.com Outdoors FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Outdoors FanHouse http://outdoors.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Joel Parkinson Wins Quiksilver Pro Behind Perfect 10http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/11/joel-parkinson-wins-quiksilver-pro-behind-perfect-10/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/11/joel-parkinson-wins-quiksilver-pro-behind-perfect-10/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/11/joel-parkinson-wins-quiksilver-pro-behind-perfect-10/#commentsFiled under:

Joel Parkinson kicked off the 2009 World Tour in grand style Wednesday by dominating the semifinals and finals on his way to a season-opening victory. Parkinson scored two perfect 10s, one in the semis against Mick Fanning and the other in the finals against Brazil's Adriano de Souza. Parkinson scored a total 18.83 to de Souza's 11.30 in the final.

In the Semis, Parkinson faced off against former world champ Mick Fanning, who put up a strong combined score of 17.66. However, Parkinson's perfect 10 along with a 9.93 sealed the victory for the Aussie. In the other semi, de Souza had a solid 14.84 against Taj Burrow, who couldn't find his rhythm, managing only a 5.34.

The location for the final was Kirra instead of the primary venue of Snapper Rocks or the back-ups Duranbah Beach and Coolangatta Beach. All three were utilized in action yesterday leading up to the Semis.

For the 27-year-old Parkinson, the win was his second at the Gold Coast and gives him the early lead in the World Tour rankings. The next stop will be Bells Beach in Australia for the Rip Curl Pro starting April 7.

For more about the contest, check out the official site at www.quiksilverpro.com.au/

Joel Parkinson Wins Quiksilver Pro Behind Perfect 10 originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>joel parkinsonGregWed, 11 Mar 2009 10:46:00 EST Kelly Slater Ousted in Quiksilver Pro Round Threehttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/08/kelly-slater-ousted-in-quiksilver-pro-round-three/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/08/kelly-slater-ousted-in-quiksilver-pro-round-three/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/08/kelly-slater-ousted-in-quiksilver-pro-round-three/#commentsFiled under:


Kelly Slater's quest for a tenth world championship is already looking a little tougher after Slater was knocked out of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast in the third round Sunday. Twenty-year-old wildcard Julian Wilson defeated the 9x world champ, 15.33 to 13.84, thanks to his second-to-last wave score of 8.50. Slater's best score was a 7.67.

Slater is notoriously elusive when it comes to talking about his plans for the season, but after starting the '08 season with a win at the Gold Coast, it was no surprise to see him follow that contest up with another appearance (and win). No word yet from Slater on his status for the second event of the season, the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach.

Slater's upset was the only real story of the day, which saw former world champ Mick Fanning advance, along with Joel Parkinson, CJ Hobgood, Damien Hobgood and Jeremy Flores.

Eight heats of round three remain to be run with three days left in the contest period.

For more about the contest, visit the official site.

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 16.50 def. Dustin Barca (HAW) 6.50
Heat 2: Jihad Khodr (BRA) 18.26 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 16.30
Heat 3: Chris Davidson (AUS) 13.67 def. Dayyan Neve (AUS) 8.27
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.50 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 14.50
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.10 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 14.50
Heat 6: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.83 def. Nic Muscroft (AUS) 11.07
Heat 7: Damien Hobgood (AUS) 14.34 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 9.00
Heat 8: Julian Wilson (AUS) 15.33 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 13.84

REMAINING QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 9: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 10: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Heat 11: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Greg Emslie (ZAF)
Heat 12: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 13: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Drew Courtney (AUS)
Heat 14: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Roy Powers (HAW0
Heat 15: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Tim Boal (FRA)
Heat 16: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. David Weare (ZAF)

Kelly Slater Ousted in Quiksilver Pro Round Three originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>cj hobgooddamien hobgoodjeremy floresjoel parkinsonjulian wilsonkelly slatermick fanningGregSun, 08 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST Stephanie Gilmore Wins Roxy Prohttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/08/stephanie-gilmore-wins-roxy-pro/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/08/stephanie-gilmore-wins-roxy-pro/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/03/08/stephanie-gilmore-wins-roxy-pro/#commentsFiled under:


Stephanie Gilmore has kicked off her 2009 campaign for a third-straight world championship in good form, winning the season's first contest, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Sunday.

Gilmore had hardly any competition in the contest, with her closest heat being in the quarterfinals against Chelsea Hedges. After that she dispatched rookie Paige Hareb in the semis (16.33 to 12.16) and then faced Melanie Bartels in the finals, where a first wave of 9.57 helped seal the contest as she won 16.07 to 12.50.

More about the contest at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast's official site.

Stephanie Gilmore Wins Roxy Pro originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>chelsea hedgespaige harebstephanie gilmoreGregSun, 08 Mar 2009 10:15:00 EST Huge Shark Caught at Teahupoohttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/02/27/huge-shark-caught-at-teahupoo/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/02/27/huge-shark-caught-at-teahupoo/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/02/27/huge-shark-caught-at-teahupoo/#commentsFiled under:



The monstrous shark seen above was recently pulled from the break at Teahupoo, the legendary surf spot in Tahiti. Two fisherman who were out trying to catch starfish (!) reeled in the already-dead shark, which weighed in at 1.3 tons.

From GrindTV:
Last Thursday, two local brothers, Didier and Grard Parker, had been catching the Crown of Thorn starfish with fish nets, ridding the reef of the invasive species. As they pulled up one of their nets it became obvious there was something tangled in it bigger than a starfish, at first they thought it was a swordfish, but to their surprise it was a massive tiger shark. The shark had already drowned and was no threat.
In a weird way, it only makes sense that a shark this big would live in the surf at Teahupoo; raw power begetting raw power and all that. The waves at "Chopu" are nothing short of breathtaking. The Tahitian break isn't incredibly tall, but the surf there is thick, powerful and perfectly glassy. Honestly, even just watching it on TV without anyone surfing it is a wonder to behold, so it's no surprise that Billabong holds one of the WCT's marquee events there every year.

The 2009 Billabong Pro Teahupoo is scheduled to take place from May 9-20. Here's to hoping the surfers have the guts to hit the break after seeing what lurks below.

DYST V3 test

    LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers watches as Mo Williams #2 takes a shoe to the face by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a steal in the closing seconds of the first half at The Quicken Loans Arena on February 8, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. (David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images)

    David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images

    Brazil's Diogo (L) vies for the ball with Paraguay's Hernan Perez during their U-20 South American Championship football match in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela on February 8, 2009.(Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images )

    Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images

    A Dalmatian looks at its handler as a judge goes to touch the dog during the first day of the 2009 Westminster Dog Show in New York February 9, 2009.(Lucas Jackson, Reuters)

    Lucas Jackson, Reuters

    Denver Nuggets forward Chris Anderson touches his head during a time out in the first half of their NBA basketball game with the New Jersey Nets in East Rutherford, New Jersey February 7, 2009. (Ray Stubblebine, Reuters)

    Ray Stubblebine, Reuters

    Margarita Marbler, of Austria, skis to a bronze medal finish the ladies moguls freestyle FIS World Cupskiing qualification at Cypress mountain in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. (Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP)

    Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP

    West Virginia guard Darryl Bryant (25) is fouled by Providence guard Jeff Xavier (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Morgantown, W.Va. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. West Virginia won 86-59. (Don Wright, AP)

    Don Wright, AP

    Missouri's DeMarre Carroll, top, celebrates the Tigers' 62-60 win over Kansas in Columbia, Missouri, Monday, February 9, 2009. (Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT)

    Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT

    David Clarkson #23 of the New Jersey Devils fights Erik Reitz #4 of the New York Rangers during their game on February 9, 2009 at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey (Al Bello, Getty Images)

    Al Bello, Getty Images

    Driver Patrick Sheltra (60) begins to spin coming out of the fourth turn during the ARCA 200 auto race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.

    Darryl Graham, AP

    Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives serves the ball, in this multiple exposure, to Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic during their Fed Cup tennis match in Brno February 7, 2009.

    Petr Josek, Reuters

Huge Shark Caught at Teahupoo originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Randy KimFri, 27 Feb 2009 14:37:00 EST Tony Hawk, Shaun White Top Forbes' List of Richest Action Sports Athleteshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/02/20/tony-hawk-shaun-white-top-forbes-list-of-richest-action-sports/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/02/20/tony-hawk-shaun-white-top-forbes-list-of-richest-action-sports/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/02/20/tony-hawk-shaun-white-top-forbes-list-of-richest-action-sports/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Well known for its interesting series of "most wealthy" lists for sports, Forbes recently stepped outside of the traditional sports world and released its rankings of the top 10 highest-paid action sports athletes for 2008.

The names at the top of the list -- Tony Hawk, Shaun White (right) -- aren't all that surprising, but the earnings (Hawk alone apparently made $12 million in 2008) are nothing to sneeze at, even compared to wages earned by well-known professional athletes.

Forbes' full list, including each athlete's 2008 earnings, can be found after the jump:

Forbes' Top 10 Highest-Paid Action Sports Stars
1. Tony Hawk, $12 million (skateboarding)
2. Shaun White, $9 million (skateboarding/snowboarding)
3. Ryan Sheckler, $5 million (skateboarding)
4. Travis Pastrana, $3 million (freestyle motocross/rally)
4. Kelly Slater, $3 million (surfing)
6. Laird Hamilton, $2.5 million (surfing)
7. Paul Rodriguez, $2 million (skateboarding)
8. Danny Kass, $1 million (snowboarding)
8. Dave Mirra, $1 million (BMX)
8. Travis Rice, $1 million (snowboarding)

Upon first impression, a few things stand out to me with this list. First, Paul "P-Rod" Rodriguez placing so high is a bit surprising. Despite having a signature shoe with Nike SB, and a famous comedian ("A Million to Juan", anyone?) for a father, he would seem to be a bit of an outsider to your average sports fan. But then I suppose winning $100,000 in the Maloof Money Cup alone (yes, those Maloofs) and grabbing a leading role in an indie film shouldn't be overlooked when it comes to breaking bank. Although I do find it curious that P-Rod is on here, yet Plan B owner (the board company P-Rod rides for) and highly-regarded pro skater, Danny Way, is not.

Secondly, I'm surprised that pro skater Rob Dyrdek isn't on this list. His MTV reality series, "Rob and Big", took off in 2008, and was extremely well received among skateboarders and the general viewing public alike. Don't be surprised if Dyrdek makes it onto the list in '09, as MTV is promoting the fun out of his new show, "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory".

But most importantly, it's great to see just one "motor sport" athlete on this list (Pastrana). To a purist such as yours truly, true action sports heroes don't rely on throttles and machinery to succeed. It should be all about guts, skill and gravity; nothing more.

Tony Hawk, Shaun White Top Forbes' List of Richest Action Sports Athletes originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>shaun whiteShaunWhitetony hawkTonyHawkRandy KimFri, 20 Feb 2009 16:45:00 EST 'That's It, That's All' Dominates at X-Dance Film Festivalhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/01/25/thats-it-thats-all-dominates-at-x-dance-film-festival/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/01/25/thats-it-thats-all-dominates-at-x-dance-film-festival/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/01/25/thats-it-thats-all-dominates-at-x-dance-film-festival/#commentsFiled under: ,



There was no Shaun White, no Tanner Hall. Some say a torch has been passed. This year's star at the X-Dance action sports film festival was Travis Rice, who, with Curt Morgan of Brainfarm Entertainment, dominated the awards with the existential snowboarding film, "That's It, That's All," which won the Best Film award, while Morgan won Best Director and Rice took the Athlete of the Year trophy.

The most charming winner was Dave Mossop, who won Best Documentary for "Between the Lines," which is a backcountry educational film. Mossop was stunned when his film was announced. He stood up, put his hands over his mouth, then over his eyes, then proceeded in obvious shock to the stage. He told the room, "I'm in the company of giants," saying that his heart was pounding so hard, it was echoing in his head.

"Chasing Waves" won Best Original Score, Clay Marzan won Best Biography for Just Add Water," Dave Arnold won the Best Emerging Filmmaker category for "Chasing Waves."

X-Dance was five days of action sports film screenings, with over 200 entries ranging from extreme motocross to female surfers. Though officially a part of the Sundance Film Festival, it couldn't be further away in product, money or attitude. The athletes and film makers work as a team on shoestring budgets, risking their lives and credit status to create a film which will never see the inside of a movie house, but may be downloaded by millions of fans.

X-Dance organizer Brian Wimmer reminded the crowd that these film makers and athletes don't have millions, don't have business models and scores of employees. Jeff Pakosta and Jeff Castelluccio are typical of the action sports film scene. The two relaxed, happy and confident filmakers created "Tougher Than Iron," about Austria's Erzberg Rodeo, an extreme motocross race. Out of 1,500 athletes who started, only 30 finished. The film was nominated for the Best Documentary category. Pakosta, 40, said, "This film took about 8 months. We expected to be nominated, we kind of had a feeling, because this film is really good. The Erzberg Rodeo, 30 finished out of 1,500 entries. We makes films on extreme motocross races. These really extreme races take place all over the world. I make a living doing this. It's a fun living."

The look this year among the participants was oldschool flannel shirt grunge, a far cry from the designer duds parading along Park City's Main Street, 40 miles and a world away. In what seems to be a sad and repetitive annual tragedy, the announcement was made that another action sports icon has been paralyzed by a spinal injury. Cinematographer Riley Poor was injured January 10 in West Dover, Vermont. But unlike last year's casualty, Billy Poole, he lived.

Get more about X-Dance at the official site.

'That's It, That's All' Dominates at X-Dance Film Festival originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Wina SturgeonSun, 25 Jan 2009 11:08:00 EST Surf City's Surf Museum Safe ... For Nowhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/01/23/surf-citys-surf-museum-safe-for-now/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/01/23/surf-citys-surf-museum-safe-for-now/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2009/01/23/surf-citys-surf-museum-safe-for-now/#commentsFiled under:

Santa Cruz may or may not be "surf city" to you (for some, Huntington Beach owns the distinction) but it still holds a special place in surfing's history.

Like many other cities around the country, Santa Cruz is having some financial issues (to the tune of a $7 million deficit) and last December the city council voted to close several of the city's public institutions, including the Natural History Museum and the Surfing Museum that opened more than 20 years ago.

The surfing community didn't like the sound of that and rallied around the museum. Its budget is only $20K a year (to pay two part-time employees) and by raising $10K, the museum would stay open through the end of the fiscal year (June 31).

The move was successful and almost all of the money has been raised, promting the city council to put on hold (for now) the plan to close all of the other services also until at least the end of the fiscal year.

So if you want to visit the museum (admission is free, after all) try and plan your trip for the next five months... Read more about the situation here.

Surf City's Surf Museum Safe ... For Now originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregFri, 23 Jan 2009 16:51:00 EST Julian Wilson Skips 2009 WQS for Irons Filmhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/julian-wilson-skips-2009-wqs-for-irons-film/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/julian-wilson-skips-2009-wqs-for-irons-film/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/julian-wilson-skips-2009-wqs-for-irons-film/#commentsFiled under:

Life-changing opportunities that come around in our lifetimes are far and few between. That's why Julian Wilson is making the bold and daring move to skip next year's WQS. But this is no shot in the dark. Julian was given the opportunity to star in a film with none other than the Irons brothers (who will also produce the film). We're not talking about chopped liver here, we're talking filet mignon. Surfing with two living legends while getting paid for something that will forever live in surfing movie history, why not?

The 20-year-old Aussie will hit some of the best spots in the world during filming and he may do some competitions here and there, thanks to wild cards that may be available through his sponsor Quiksilver. Wilson finished ranked 247th on the WQS in '08.

Check out more about Wilson's decision at TheDaily.com.

Julian Wilson Skips 2009 WQS for Irons Film originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>MikeTue, 30 Dec 2008 11:40:00 EST It's Official: Women's World Tour Surfers Announcedhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/its-official-womens-world-tour-surfers-announced/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/its-official-womens-world-tour-surfers-announced/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/its-official-womens-world-tour-surfers-announced/#commentsFiled under:

Several days after the conclusion of the Women's ASP World Tour season in Maui the roster for the 2009 Tour has been finalized. While the surfers on tour will include 11 year's worth of titles, there are also five rookies joining the vets - all teenagers.

Sally Fitzgibbons, 18, made history earlier this year by becoming the fastest surfer ever to qualify for the world tour in a season. She will be joined by Brazil's Bruna Schmitz, Kiwi Paige Hareb, Hawaiian Alana Blanchard (all 18) and Coco Ho, 17.

Aussies will dominate the tour, with Fitzgibbons and current world champ, Stephanie Gilmore leading eight of their compatriots.

Seven-time world champ Layne Beachley remains on the tour, though she previously announced her retirement. The move allows her to still compete at some events, although she will not participate in all events (there are eight total events).

The new season kicks off on Feb. 28, 2009 with the Roxy Pro Gold Coast.

Here are the 2009 World Tour Surfers:

1 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2 - Silvana Lima (BRA)
3 - Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
4 - Layne Beachley (AUS)
5 - Amee Donohoe (AUS)
6 - Samantha Cornish (AUS)
7 - Melanie Bartels (HAW)
8 - Rebecca Woods (AUS)
9 - Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
10 - Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
11 - Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
12 - Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
13 - Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
14 - Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
15 - Paige Hareb (NZL)
16 - Alana Blanchard (HAW)
17 - Coco Ho (HAW)

It's Official: Women's World Tour Surfers Announced originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregWed, 24 Dec 2008 19:32:00 EST Gerry Lopez Interview In LA Timeshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/gerry-lopez-interview-in-la-times/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/gerry-lopez-interview-in-la-times/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/gerry-lopez-interview-in-la-times/#commentsFiled under:

One of the O.G.'s of surfing Gerry Lopez has a pretty in-depth interview in the Los Angeles Times. Now 60 years old, you might recognize Gerry for a number of reasons. In the '70s, Lopez was widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, tube rider in the world by winning the Pipeline Masters two years in a row. Or you might recognize him for his innovations in surfboard designs. Lopez created the simple but eye-catching Lightning Bolt jag that every surfer in the 70s wanted.

But not me. I don't recognize him for those things. I don't even surf. I recognize Lopez for his groundbreaking film role as "Subotai" in one of my favorite films of all time, Conan the Barbarian starring California's Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger. That film really showed the ruggedness that can only be portrayed by an extreme sports athlete. He is by far the best thing about that film other than Conan himself.

FYI, Gerry has also appeared in other films such as "Big Wednesday," "North Shore" and "Riding Giants."

Check out the interview over at the LA TIMES.

Gerry Lopez Interview In LA Times originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>MikeWed, 24 Dec 2008 18:35:00 EST Kelly Slater Wins Pipeline Masters; Parko Takes Triple Crownhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/13/kelly-slater-wins-pipeline-masters-parko-takes-triple-crown/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/13/kelly-slater-wins-pipeline-masters-parko-takes-triple-crown/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/13/kelly-slater-wins-pipeline-masters-parko-takes-triple-crown/#commentsFiled under:

Kelly Slater capped off an amazing season Friday by winning the Billabong Pipeline Masters contest in Hawaii for a record sixth time. Slater, who clinched a record ninth ASP World Tour title earlier this year, won a total of six out the tour's 11 events in 2008.

Slater was unbeatable in the heats leading up to the final, scoring a combined 19.00, 18.63 and 19.40 (out of 20.00). In his final against Chris Ward waves were sparse, and Slater took the contest with a 14.00 to Ward's 7.23.

"It was disappointing that the waves didn't really turn on for us in the final," Slater said. "That's what we are here for, to put on a show for people - at least give them some big wipeouts or something."

More exciting was Slater's semifinal against Timmy Reyes, when Slater came from behind with minutes left in the head to score a perfect 10.00 and a 9.00.

While Ward's second-place finish assured him of a spot on the 2009 World Tour, he came up short in the final rankings for the Vans Triple Crown honor. Joel "Parko" Parkinson, who scored a history-making perfect 20.00 earlier in the contest, ended up taking the Triple Crown thanks to his performance over the three season-ending Hawaiian contests.

The 2008 ASP World Tour surfing season is now complete and will resume next year on Feb. 28 when the holding period of the Quiksilver Pro commences.

Read more about the contest on the ASP website.

Kelly Slater Wins Pipeline Masters; Parko Takes Triple Crown originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregSat, 13 Dec 2008 10:20:00 EST The 2009 ASP World Tour is Sethttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/13/the-2009-asp-world-tour-is-set/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/13/the-2009-asp-world-tour-is-set/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/13/the-2009-asp-world-tour-is-set/#commentsFiled under:


The 2009 ASP World Tour roster has been decided with the conclusion of the 2008 season. After the Billabong Pipeline Masters, the top 27 surfers from the current world tour earn a spot in 2009, along with the 15 top-ranked World Qualifying Series (WQS) surfers (who didn't otherwise qualify) and three wildcards chosen by the ASP.

There are few surprises, since most of the list was decided after the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing earlier this month.Surfers will get more than two months off before kicking off the 2009 season on Feb. 28 with the Quiksilver Pro in Australia.

For more about the rankings, check out the ASP website.

1. Kelly Slater (USA)
2. Bede Durbidge (AUS)
3. Taj Burrow (AUS)
4. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
5. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
6. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
7. Adriano de Souza (BRA)
8. Mick Fanning (AUS)
9. Bobby Martinez (USA)
10. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
11. Luke Stedman (AUS)
12. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
13. Andy Irons (HAW)
14. Chris Ward (USA)
15. Kai Otton (AUS)
16. Tim Reyes (USA)
17. Tom Whitaker (AUS)
18. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
19. Dayyan Neve (AUS)
20. Bruce Irons (HAW)*
21. Mikael Picon (FRA)
22. Dane Reynolds (USA)
23. Taylor Knox (USA)
24. Damien Hobgood (USA)
25. Heitor Alves (BRA)
26. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
27. Ben Dunn (AUS)
28. Nathaniel Curran (USA)
29. Chris Davidson (AUS)
30. Michel Bourez (PYF)
31. Gabe Kling (USA)
32. Jihad Khodr (BRA)
33. David Weare (ZAF)
34. Josh Kerr (AUS)
35. Nic Muscroft (AUS)
36. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW)
37. Greg Emslie (ZAF)
38. Tim Boal (FRA)
39. Dustin Barca (HAW)
40. Tiago Pires (PRT)
41. Phillip MacDonald (AUS)
42. Drew Courtney (AUS)
43. Dean Morrison (AUS)**
44. Aritz Aranburu (EUK)**
45. Marlon Lipke (DEU)**

* Irons has previously stated that he is retiring from full-time competition after the 2008 season.
** Wildcard chosen by ASP & Surfer's Union.

The 2009 ASP World Tour is Set originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregSat, 13 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST Joel Parkinson Makes History at the Billabong Pipeline Mastershttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/11/joel-parkinson-makes-history-at-the-billabong-pipeline-masters/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/11/joel-parkinson-makes-history-at-the-billabong-pipeline-masters/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/11/joel-parkinson-makes-history-at-the-billabong-pipeline-masters/#commentsFiled under:

Joel Parkinson accomplished something on Wednesday that only one other surfer in history has done: score a perfect 20.00. Parkinson notched two perfect 10.00 waves in his third-round heat at the Billabong Pipeline Masters, matching a feat only Kelly Slater previously had done. Slater scored his perfect 20.00 in the finals of the 2005 Tahiti contest.

"I never thought I would get two perfect 10s," Parkinson said. "Kelly did it in unreal fashion, mine was a just in a third round heat, but it's at Pipe and it's definitely something that when I grow old, I'll think, 'I did something in my career my name's next to Kelly's on that one.'"

Parkinson also moved one step closer to winning the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing honor following the defeat of front-runner Dusty Payne (who was beaten by Parkinson's 20.00) and second-place CJ Hobgood."I have to start thinking more about the Triple Crown now. I have to forget about those 10s and start surfing heats from now on and not get too ahead of myself," he said.

Also eliminated from the Pipeline Masters Wednesday were Bruce Irons, Taj Burow, Mick Fanning, Daniel Wills, Dean Morrison, Pancho Sullivan and Ben Dunn. Irons, Wills and Sullivan have previously announced their retirement from full-time competition in 2009, while Morrison is expected to apply for a wildcard to make the tour in 2009.

One day of competition is left to finish the Billabong Pipeline Masters and action is expected to resume on Friday due to poor weather. For more about the event, visit the official site. Full round three results follow.

Billabong Pipeline Masters Round 3 Results:

Heat 1: Marcus Hickman (HAW) 14.56 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.83
Heat 2: Luke Stedman (AUS) 7.34 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 5.50
Heat 3: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 20.00 def. Dusty Payne (USA) 15.16
Heat 4: Tim Reyes (USA) 14.83 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 10.56
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.77 def. Ezra Sitt (HAW) 7.90
Heat 6: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 14.83 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 10.50
Heat 7: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 11.50 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 6.60
Heat 8: Jamie O'Brien (HAW) 16.50 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.86
Heat 9: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 18.26 def. Daniel Wills (AUS) 17.94
Heat 10: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.83 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 12.16
Heat 11: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 16.24 def. Bruce Irons (HAW) 16.10
Heat 12: Kamalei Alexander (HAW) 12.56 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 9.00
Heat 13: Chris Ward (USA) 17.27 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 13.83
Heat 14: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.93 def. Shane Dorian (HAW) 12.63
Heat 15: Evan Valiere (HAW) 18.13 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 16.60
Heat 16: Andy Irons (HAW) 14.37 def. Dean Morrison (AUS) 13.17

Joel Parkinson Makes History at the Billabong Pipeline Masters originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregThu, 11 Dec 2008 08:35:00 EST Pipeline Masters Kicks Off; World Tour Spots Up For Grabshttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/10/pipeline-masters-kicks-off-world-tour-spots-up-for-grabs/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/10/pipeline-masters-kicks-off-world-tour-spots-up-for-grabs/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/10/pipeline-masters-kicks-off-world-tour-spots-up-for-grabs/#commentsFiled under:

Kelly Slater may have clinched his record ninth world title earlier this season but there are still three spots open on the ASP World Tour roster for 2009. The season-ending Billabong Pipeline Masters will decide who will get those slots, and Chris Ward made his statement in round two Tuesday, scoring a high heat total of 19.90 out of 20.00. Ward is currently ranked 24th on the tour and the cut-off for the 2009 Tour is the top 27.

Current world tour surfers who were eliminated today from the 2009 tour roster were Daniel Ross, Royden Bryson, Ricky Basnett, Jay Thompson, Rodrigo Dornelles, Luke Munro, Mick Campbell, Roy Powers and Leonardo Neves.

Action on round two is expected to continue on Wednesday and can be watched via a live webcast on the official Triple Crown of Surfing website.

Pipeline Masters Kicks Off; World Tour Spots Up For Grabs originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregWed, 10 Dec 2008 08:07:00 EST No Water Needed: 'Land Paddling' Takes Offhttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/no-water-needed-land-paddling-takes-off/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/no-water-needed-land-paddling-takes-off/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/no-water-needed-land-paddling-takes-off/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Here's a question: If the paddle you use is made for the asphalt, and not the water, is it really a paddle at all?

Yes, says Steve McBride, owner of Kahuna Creations, a board and paddle maker out of Ogden, Utah, whose Kahuna Big Stick is getting mad attention in the extreme-sports cross-over space.

Kind of like the paddles stand up surfers use to paddle through the ocean waves, the Big Stick is a "land paddle," designed to help long board skateboarders propel themselves down the asphalt.

While the Big Stick's shaft looks like any other hand-crafted paddle, its business end has a round, carbon-rubber tip that let's you "paddle" down the road. Different models retail for between $90 and $150.

A skater and long-time board rider, McBride says his goal was to take the grating motion -- and fatigue -- out of riding a long board over big distances.

"One thing that always bugged me about riding a skateboard is if you're kicking for a long time, it's kind of jarring, and it gets rough on the body," McBride says. "We starting thinking about stand-up paddling, and whether you could do it on land."

Turns out you can. And in a big way, too.

Kahuna Creation's Web site is full of some great land paddling tales, including the recent trek of Scott Raynor and Stephan Reinhardt, two soulful skaters who "paddled" from Oregon to Virginia on their skateboards, using the Big Stick along the way.

"When you're paddling with it, it kinda feels like you're in the water," Reinhardt says on the site. "It's just really calming." He also said the paddle helped the pair get up the Rockies, while acting as a brake when they came down the other side.

Check out this video of the pair on their paddle trek.

McBride says the trek attested to the Big Stick's durability, whose tip lasted all the way across the country.

Old-school surf pro Buttons Kaluhiokalani, pictured above, has taken to land paddling, too. Like stand up paddling on a surf board, he says it helps him get a great, upper body work out.

And while UFC fighter Kendall Grove is also featured using the Big Stick on the company's Web site, the most famous land paddler yet may be actor Matthew McConaughey.

Hollywood's "It" guy for anything outdoorsy and cool, McConaughey was recently caught by Splash News paddling his long board and Big Stick through the streets of Malibu, his dog at his side.

With winter putting a chill in a lot of paddlers' bones, and keeping many off the water, "land paddling" might be just the thing you need to feed your jones, and keep your upper body in shape during the colder months.

No Water Needed: 'Land Paddling' Takes Off originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Joe BousquinTue, 09 Dec 2008 18:44:00 EST C.J. Hobgood Wins O'Neill World Cup of Surfinghttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/05/c-j-hobgood-wins-oneill-world-cup-of-surfing/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/05/c-j-hobgood-wins-oneill-world-cup-of-surfing/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/05/c-j-hobgood-wins-oneill-world-cup-of-surfing/#commentsFiled under:

C.J. Hobgood took advantage of nice conditions to pull out a win at the O'Neill World Cup at Sunset Beach, HI, edging Tom Whitaker in a four-man final.

Hobgood scored a combined 15.00 in the final, led by his final wave score of 8.50. Whitaker scored a combined 12.67. Jordy Smith, who received the contest's only perfect 10 Thursday in the round of 32, also made it to the final but was fourth with only a 2.86 combined score. Smith had a run of bad luck in the final including a broken board and injury to his leg.

Surfers had huge waves for most of the final, with 20-30 wave face heights.

"It's perfect size and really clean. There was probably one or two sets a heat that were too big," Hobgood said after the contest. "Just some macking nuts waves out there."

The World Cup is the second leg of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. Dusty Payne leads the rankings for the mini-tour, followed by CJ Hobgood and Joel Parkinson. All three will be competing at the Billabong Pipeline Masters which has a holding period starting Dec. 8.

For more about the contest, visit the Triple Crown website.

C.J. Hobgood Wins O'Neill World Cup of Surfing originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>c.j. hobgoodC.j.HobgoodGregFri, 05 Dec 2008 14:40:00 EST Stephanie Gilmore Wins Roxy Pro; Clinches Second World Titlehttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/02/stephanie-gilmore-wins-roxy-pro-clinches-second-world-title/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/02/stephanie-gilmore-wins-roxy-pro-clinches-second-world-title/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/02/stephanie-gilmore-wins-roxy-pro-clinches-second-world-title/#commentsFiled under:

Aussie Stephanie Gilmore made it two world titles in a row Monday after winning the Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach, Hawaii. Gilmore clinched the title after her closest pursuers for the title, Sofia Mulanovich and Layne Beachley, failed to make the four-person final. Even with one final event left in the season, Gilmore's title is wrapped up thanks to her four wins.

"I had no idea this was going to happen today when I woke up this morning," Gilmore said after the final. "Sofia (Mulanovich) went down and then Layne (Beachley) went down and I found myself in the Final with a chance to clinch it. It feels unbelievable."

Gilmore edged Brazil's Silvana Lima in the final, along with fellow Aussie's Jessi Miley-Dyer and Nicola Atherton. Lima held the lead up until the last moments of the heat, when Gilmore found a strong wave to score a combined total of 15.83 to Lima's 14.16.

The season and Vans Triple Crown ends next week at the the Billabong Pro Maui at Honolua Bay. While the world title may be decided, there are still surfers fighting for a spot on the 2009 tour. For more about the event, check out the Triple Crown of Surfing official site.

Stephanie Gilmore Wins Roxy Pro; Clinches Second World Title originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregTue, 02 Dec 2008 10:08:00 EST Men's World Tour Picture Getting Clearer in Hawaiihttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/02/mens-world-tour-picture-getting-clearer-in-hawaii/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/02/mens-world-tour-picture-getting-clearer-in-hawaii/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/02/mens-world-tour-picture-getting-clearer-in-hawaii/#commentsFiled under:

The O'Neill World Cup of Surfing is down to the final 64 and as every heat moves forward, the hopes and dreams of many World Qualifying Series (WQS) surfers to make the 2009 ASP World Tour are being dashed.

In the last round of action, more than a dozen surfers were eliminated from the world tour hunt, including Brett Simpson, Heitor Alves, Shaun Cansdell and Nathan Yeomans.

Still fighting or a spot on the '09 World Tour are Shaun Gossman, Patrick Gudauskas, Phillip MacDonald, Yadin Nicol and Sunny Garcia. The top 15 ranked surfers on the WQS rankings (not already qualified through the World Tour rankings) will get a slot on the '09 world tour.

While Garcia needs to place high in the contest to qualify for the tour, his comeback after being jailed on tax evasion charges last year is nothing less than remarkable.

Action on the World Cup of Surfing may continue on Tuesday depending on conditions.


Men's World Tour Picture Getting Clearer in Hawaii originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregTue, 02 Dec 2008 08:13:00 EST Quarterfinals Set For Roxy Prohttp://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/29/quarterfinals-set-for-roxy-pro/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/29/quarterfinals-set-for-roxy-pro/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/29/quarterfinals-set-for-roxy-pro/#commentsFiled under:



The Roxy Pro, the eighth event in the women's ASP World Tour, finally went off on Friday at Sunset Beach on the North Shore after several days of waiting and Hawaii's Melanie Bartels took full advantage. Bartels had the day's top scoring heat, garnering 18.40 out of 20.00 in her first-round match.

Only four surfers were eliminated in today's action: Amee Donohoe, Karina Petroni, Jacqueline Silva and Rosanne Hodge.

Still competing are 16 surfers, including Sofia Mulanovich and Stephanie Gilmore, who are vying for the 2008 world title.

Action is expected to resume on Saturday and can be viewed live on the official site.

Quarterfinals Set For Roxy Pro originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregSat, 29 Nov 2008 22:49:00 EST Michel Bourez Wins Reef Hawaiian Pro http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/23/michel-bourez-wins-reef-hawaiian-pro/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/23/michel-bourez-wins-reef-hawaiian-pro/http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/11/23/michel-bourez-wins-reef-hawaiian-pro/#commentsFiled under:

Tahitian Michel Bourez has won the Reef Hawaiian Pro in Haleiwa, Hawaii, defeating Brazil's Jihad Khodr, Kekoa Bacalso and Dusty Payne (both of Hawaii) in a four man final. Bourez earned $15,000 for his win but more importantly earned a spot in the 2009 ASP World Tour thanks to the finish, along with second-place Khodr.

"It means a lot to just (qualify for) the World Tour," Bourez said after the win."I've been dreaming about this my whole life since I started to surf. I've been watching all the best surfers, like Kelly (Slater) and (Rob) Machado, all those guys. And, right now I can surf with them. It's a good opportunity for me and all the Tahitian surfers. I'm stoked for Tahiti."

The day started with difficult, rainy conditions, and the event was close to being called off. When the rain cleared up most heats featured nice barrels and several high-scoring waves. Even so, there were some difficult heats, including in the semis, when Aussies Nic Muscroft, Joel Parkinson and Bede Durbidge were knocked out.

In addition to Bourez and Knodr, other WQS surfers have basically locked their position on the 2009 ASP World Tour including Nathaniel Curran, Chris Davidson, Gabe Kling, Josh Kerr, Kekoa Bacalso, Nic Muscroft, Tim Boal, Tiago Pires and Dustin Barca.

Read more about the Triple Crown at the official website.

Michel Bourez Wins Reef Hawaiian Pro originally appeared on Outdoors FanHouse on Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GregSun, 23 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST