September 2008 Archives

If you've missed any of VBS.TV's no sweat, there's plenty of time to get online and tune in. And if you dug what you saw, you can always watch it again...over and over and over and over. There are 15 episodes to immerse yourself in, so shut your bedroom door, tell your mom you're doing your homework, and don't come out to seen all of the School of Surf shows. To help you get started click on the links below:

 
Episode 8: "Stepping Up the Game" Kiki gets demoted to filmer.
Episode 9: "Graduations" Entering the real world, of surfing.
Episode 10: "The Teams to Beat" Raged out.
Episode 11: "To Cali" The Jersey boys pull the board-bags out of the crawlspace.
Episode 12: "Quarter-Finals" Ocean City meets the Pacific.
Episode 13: "Semi-Finals" San Clemente's work some heavy magic.
Episode 13.5: "Getting Over It" Catching some consolation waves.
Episode 14: "Finals Part 1" The end gets under way.

"To surf against Kelly in a final, it's like a dream come true," stated Ace Buchan prior to paddling out for the final of the Quiksilver Pro. If you were a betting man you wouldn't have put a nickel down on Ace to win. History was hardly in Ace's favor. Had Kelly won he would have clinched his 9th world title and claimed his 40th world tour victory. Instead, in relatively meager, wind-blown conditions, Ace doubled down on every card in his hand, and came up with the biggest win of his career. Hoisted on the shoulders of his mates he rode up the beach with the Aussie flag waving in his hand, and as contest announcer Jake Paterson pointed out, tears streaming down his face. "I don't what to think right now," he'd say immediately following the final, obviously still trying to comprehend what he'd just done. "Mate, it's the best feeling in the world."

This is the event that could see Kelly crowned as the 2008 world champ. As you'll read below, there were only two people left standing in his way. Today, after Round 3's conclusion, there's only one person left. Wildcard Michel Bourez was happy to play the roll of spoiler, while Kelly was happy to survive another day and get that much closer to Number 9.

Well folks, things finally returned to normal here in France (or at least as normal as they get). For the most part everybody that was supposed to win today did. Round 2 is now in the books, and it's looking like a new swell's in route for later in the week. So for now just chew on the latest news and don't forget to tune in as this sucker wraps up in what's looking like some pretty good conditions.

It was a hit and miss day for the Red Bull Crew today at the Quiksilver Pro France. While 9 out of the top 10 surfers on tour failed to advance out of Round 1, there were some bright points, most notably Red Bull Rising up-and-comer Michel Bourez knocking out Joel Parkinson in Round 2. Also worthy of note was both Ben Dunn's win which carried him straight into Round 3. And besides Bourez, fellow Rising standout and Quiksilver Pro Trials winner Tim Boal gave it his all against Kelly Slater in Round 2, but came up just short. Unfortunately Mick Fanning and Andy Irons have both been eliminated from the event. Other than that, we're just going to have to wait until tomorrow to see how the rest of the boys do, but until then, here's a few highlights.

It's live, it's rolling, and if you haven't been paying attention we're almost halfway through the first School of Surf season. That being said, don't be a knucklehead and miss the rest of the season. Airing on VBS.tv, the School of Surf is based around all agony and ecstasy that was the 2008 Red Bull Riders Cup. Who will win? Who will shred? Who will steal another dude's chick? It's all there, think 90210 meets North Shore and you've gotta pretty good idea of what's been going down online. That being said, don't you go missing a minute of the drama that is high school surfing.

Just to help get you up to speed and caught up on the episodes you've missed, here's a little help:

Episode 1: "Gerr" The biggest bi-coastal high school surf off of all time.
Episode 2: "The Game" Turning surfing into a team sport.
Episode 3: "San Clemente" First period surfing at San Clemente High.
Episode 4: "Jersey" The East Coast contingent.
Episode 5: "Raw Jersey Crew" Winter surfing in Jersey seems like one of the worst ideas ever.
Episode 6: "Carlsbad" Give me a break, third period Mexican lunch?
Episode 7: "Rachel" Carpenteria's great girl hope.

Interview By Ben Mondy

After winning the recent 5 star Rip Curl Pro in Zarautz, Biarritz based surfer Tim Boal has rocketed to number three in the WQS rankings and looks a certainty for the top 45 in 2009. After the conclusion of the Europe leg, in which Tim scored no worse than a 5th placing in any event, redbullsurfing.com  talks to the natural footer on what it feels like to crack the big-time.

Check Out Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Red Bull Rising

Tim Boal has capped off an incredible European leg of the WQS tour by winning the 5 star Rip Curl Pro held in Zarautz, Spain and almost definitely booking himself a berth on the elite top 45 ASP World Tour for 2009.

"It's an incredible feeling," said Boal afterwards. "It's actually been an incredible couple of months, ever since I made the final at the US Open at Huntington. In that final I was a little nervous and ending up falling on one wave and losing. At this event though, I was more confident and determined not to make the same mistake. I really wanted to win this."

Editor's Note: Coming to the end of a six week intensive European leg, Red Bull Rising athlete Michel Bourez kicked started his quest for WCT qualification with a second place in the 5 star Movistar Pantin Classic. With one more WQS event to go on the leg, and then a wildcard place in the WCT Quiksilver Pro, Michel gives the rundown on what has been a pretty hectic couple of weeks.  

Well I'm back in my apartment having just surfed in my first heat at the Rip Curl Pro in Zarautz. I won my heat so, yeah, it's a good start. It has actually been a pretty full-on couple of weeks, with some downs and some big ups. We drove down to Portugal after surfing the comps in France and turned up to some fun waves the first couple of days  - the swell was four or five foot and everyone was out there ripping. I was with the Red Bull Rising coach Kingy, and the other athletes on the program and everyone was surfing way better in the good conditions. A bit of power helps eh?

Sofia Mulanovich takes home her sixth SURFER Poll award, as Surfer Magazine readers again vote her into the top spot among female surfers. In its 36th year, the SURFER Poll and Video Awards presented by Suzuki is recognized as the most powerful voice in the wave-riding world - a voice given power by the people. The Peruvian won her first #1 SURFER Poll award in 2005 after winning the 2004 ASP World Title. She's taken home the same honor every year since.

"I am so stoked to have won the SURFER poll," says Mulanovich. "SURFER poll is special because it is an award decided by the votes of surfers from around the world, which is the group that matters most in the end. To win the top honor four years in a row is so amazing, I can't thank everyone who voted for me enough."

The surf continues to pump, and the boys continue to flare. Adriano and Mick have certainly set the pace, and what a mean pace it is. With four- to six-foot southwest sets continuing to pulse for the second day of competition at the Boost Mobile Pro, the performance level out at Lowers has been downright ridiculous. Still looking for his first win of the 2008 campaign, Mick appears to be the man to beat, implementing his wraps, carves and off-the-tops with effective precision. Adriano on the other hand seems to constantly be surfing in fifth gear. All year the kid from Brazil's thoroughly been getting the job done, and considering rumors on the beach have Adriano relocating to San Clemente, he's looking quite at home here in Orange County. All that said, Bruce is also rolling and snapped out of his Round 1 funk. The less he cares the better he does, which is a dangerous thing. Stay tuned as the comp rolls on.

The Boost Mobile Pro has never been short on drama, or performance, and it doesn't look like 2008's going to be an exception. With absolutely flawless 4- to 6-foot Lowers on offer--and the swell only improving throughout the week--the boys have been in hog heaven. Both Mick Fanning and Adriano De Souza logged exceptional performances in the bounty of perfect righthanders, winning their heats in convincing fashion and very much firing off an early warning shot that they very much have every intention of taking the whole damn event. And Royden Bryson put in an admirable performance at the end of the day, also winning his heat and advancing into the third round. It's still early days down here at Lowers, and it would appear that just about everybody on tour's out for blood, but the Red Bull boys definitely are on point and are going to be hard to beat. Stay tuned later today for another recap from Round 2... 

You remember Friday Night Lights, Varsity Blues...welcome to Red Bull's School of Surf. Partnering with Vice Magazine online, VBS.TV, Red Bull brings you the on the road tales of fours high school surf teams, vying for not only the victory but the pride, the fun and the bragging rights.

Check out the teaser for the documentary, which airs today on VBS.TV! Click here to watch the show!

Mortar fire rumbled through the morning fog, morbidly rolling over the hills and down to the beach. Blast after blast, round after round, the boys from Pendleton hammered away. All the while, Mick Fanning, Adriano De Souza and Royden Bryson were in the water, readying themselves for the impending battle...

This past summer, while Julian Wilson was hanging in California, the Young Guns star was walking out into the water for just your average, run-of-the-mill surf when he took a  bad step, buckled his ankle in a submerged hole in the sand bar and like that his summer came to a crashing hault. "He blew out his ankle, tore some ligaments, and had to have surgery," reported his brother Bart shortly after Julian's surgery. "It was just on of those freak accidents." So what's the prodigy been up to since going under the knife? Well, we'll let him tell you. Here's Julian in his words:

"You don't realize how fast time flies when your traveling around the world being a professional surfer until you get a minor set back which forces you to sit on your ass and not do a thing for a few months. It's only week 3 and I'm scratching my head for things to do. I've even resorted to drawing on a board even though I don't have an artistic bone in my body. The way it's coming along I think I'm best just leaving it to mum; who does all my boards. Video games, DVD's and spending some good quality time at home is where I'm at for a while. I'm looking forward to getting the cast of in 3 weeks and throwing these crutches in the bin. I'll have 6 weeks of rehab after that and then I'm back finding my feet again on the board. I'm gonna be like a little kid in a candy store, can't wait!"

After an action packed finals day Lincoln Taylor has been crowned the winner of the inaugural Red Bull Junior Surf Masters. The innovative new event showcased the outstanding depth of talent in the Australian junior ranks and Taylor's victory did not come easily.

Taylor won three tight heats today including an exciting dual with dynamic south coast surfer Owen Wright in the final. Wright pulled off a huge air reverse early in the heat and had the lead until Taylor answered back with a long wave and a series of searing backside snaps.