This past weekend, Hollywood and surf culture came together for charity for the 4th Annual Project Save Our Surf (PSOS) Surf-A-Thon in Santa Monica, California.

Founded by actress Tanna Frederick (“Just 45 Minutes from Broadway,” “Hollywood Dreams,” “Irene in Time” and the soon to be released “Queen of the Lot”), who is an avid surfer, as well as actress, writer, producer and environmentalist, Project Save Our Surf brings the entertainment and surfing industries together in support of clean oceans.

The event, which was co-hosted by former world champion surfer, environmentalist, actor, and businessman Shaun Tomson, and had Hollywood celebrity surfers like Gregory Harrison (Chandler in “North Shore”), John Slattery (Roger Sterling on “Mad Men), Jesse Spencer (House), Tate Donavan (Tom Shayes on “Damages”), John Philbin (Turtle in “North Shore”) and others participating in two days of surfing and fun beach activities at Tower 28 south of the Santa Monica Pier.

These stars were joined by surfing stars, such as Jon Rose from Waves for Water, longboarder Mary Osborne, James Pribram from the ECO Warrior Project and the crew from the Mauli Ola Foundation.

There were 12 teams of 24 participants per team and each teammate surfed for 45 minutes. Team members were encouraged to raise $500 per person with 100% of total donations going to charity.

The event also featured daytime activities for the whole family including live music, mural painting with Joanne “Art Miles” Tawfilis, guest speakers, yoga and eco-friendly exhibits.

This year’s Project Save Our Surf (PSOS) beneficiaries are Santa Monica Baykeeper, Waves for Water, Inside the Outdoors and Tumelo Home.

For more info on future events, visit: www.projectsaveoursurf.org. Continue reading →

Check out New York City’s thriving skate culture starting tomorrow, from October 13 to November 5, 2011, when Skateboarding Works highlights recent images of skaters in action. A group show, the exhibition is as diverse in subject as artistic style. Three photographers, Erica Reade, Paris Goodman, and Michael A. Cohen will be featured.

The title of this fifteen piece show, Skateboarding Works, carries a double meaning. The obvious – the show consists of works related to skateboarding; and the not so obvious – that skateboarding works as a sport, as transport and as a way of life.

Three common traits have bought these photographers together for this show:

1. Whether born and raised, or a city transplant, they all now proudly call themselves NYers
2. They all learned their skills through their peers and their own experimentation
3. They all love skateboarding

The opening party is tomorrow from 7pm – 10pm. DJ Greenie, fresh to New York after moving from Sydney, Australia where he played regularly at large music festivals and at the Vice.com launch party alongside A-Trak & Rick Ross, will spin tunes from the last 30 years of skate films.

The venue is Panda Bar NYC, 139 Chrystie Street, New York City between Delancey & Broome. Can’t make the opening? Don’t worry, the closing party on Saturday, November 5, runs from 9pm till late. Both the launch and closing parties will have complimentary drinks and product giveaways.

Check out these links for more information on the artists:

Erica Reade: www.ericareadeimages.com

Michael A. Cohen: radcollector.com/columns/michaelcohen/

Paris Goodman: Highspiningfan.tumblr.com Continue reading →

It’s time to check out our young’ins! The ASP regions have selected their representatives for the ASP World Junior Tour, and now we will watch the best of the best focus from local events to taking on the world’s best surfers under 20-years-old as they compete for the highly-coveted ASP World Junior Title.

Each ASP Region (North America, South America, Africa, Hawaii, Europe, Japan and Australasia) are sending their top representatives, which consists of a field of 48 men and 18 women, to compete starting next week with the Oakley ASP World Pro Junior, in Bali, Indonesia from October 3-14th. This will be the first of three events that will decide the 2011 ASP World Junior Champions, and the first place winner will receive a $100,000 prize.

Six men each will represent each region, as well as nine wildcards to round out the prestigious field. Two women each will also represent each region.

The three-event ASP World Junior Championship series consists of the Oakley World Pro Junior in Bali (Oct. 3-14, 2011), followed by the Arnette World Pro Junior in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Oct. 24-Nov. 2, 2011) and culminates with the Billabong World Junior Championships in Sydney, Australia (early Jan. 2012).

Here is a list of our prestigious contenders:

ASP North America Team:

Men
Jake Halstead, 17, La Jolla, Calif.
Nat Young, 20, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Conner Coffin, 18, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Chase Wilson, 20, Newport Beach, Calif.
Andrew Doheny, 19, Newport Beach, Calif.
Evan Thompson, 19, Jacksonville, Florida

Women
Quincy Davis, 16, Montauk, NY
Lakey Peterson, 17, Santa Barbara, Calif.

ASP Hawaii Team:

Men
Kiron Jabour, 20, North Shore, HI
Ezekiel Lau, 17, Honolulu, HI
Keanu Asing, 18, Honolulu, HI
Dylan Goodale, 20, Kauai, HI
Tanner Hendrickson, 20, Maui, HI

Women
Coco Ho, 20, North Shore, HI
Leila Hurst, 17, Kauai, HI

ASP South America Team:

Men
Filipe Toledo
Ian Gouveia
Gustavo Machado
João Abreu
Deivid Silva
Marco Fernandez

Women
Gabriela Leite
Juliana Meneguel

ASP Australasia Team:

Men
Davey Cathels
Jack Freestone
Thomas Woods
Ryan Callinan
Garrett Parkes
Matt Banting

Women
Philipa Anderson
Dimity Stoyle

ASP Europe Team:

Men
Maxime Huscenot
Medi Veminardi
William Aliotti
Vasco Ribeiro
Frederico Morais

Women
Joanne Defay
Maud Le Car

ASP Africa Team:

Men
Shaun Joubert
Dale Staples
Beyrick De Vries
Slade Prestwich
Dylan Lightfoot
Michael February

Women
Bianca Buitendag
Faye Zoetmulder

ASP Japan Team:

Men
Kan Watanabe
Kaito Ohashi
Arashi Kato
Hiroto Arai
Kaishu Tanaka

Women
Nao Omura
Ren Hashimoto

It will be fun to watch the competition and get a leg-up on your newest generation of surfing superstars! Other past ASP World Junior Champions include Maxime Huscenot (REU) and Laura Enever (AUS) in 2009, Kai Barger (HAW) and Pauline Ado (FRA) in 2008, Pablo Paulino (BRA) and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) in 2007, Jordy Smith (ZAF) and Nicola Atherton (AUS) in 2006, and Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) and Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) in 2005.

ASP World Title standouts Adriano de Souza (BRA), Joel Parkinson (AUS) and the late Andy Irons (HAW) also launched their careers with ASP World Junior Championship titles.
Continue reading →

Mark your calendars for the fourth annual “Billabong Art of Shaping Event,” which will be held October 8th and 9th 2011 at the Sacred Craft Consumer Surfboard Expo at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, CA. This years’ “Billabong Art of Shaping: Los Angeles County Edition” event will feature 24 of the top shapers from Los Angeles county.

In addition to the shaped boards, there will be book signings, surfboard giveaways, and great deals on surfboards, wetsuits, LB skateboards, art, gear and more.

The list of confirmed participating shapers includes Scott Anderson, Joe Bark, Jose Barahona, Clyde Beatty, Matt Calvani, Lance Carson, Bing Copeland, Robbie Dick, Bruce Grant, Tyler Hatzikian, Brian Hilbers, Jeff Ho, Hap Jacobs, Dennis Jarvis, Don Kadowaki, Glen Kennedy, Greg Liddle, Casey McCrystal, Jed Noll, Pat Ryan, Mike Stavros, Jeff Stoner, Jerry O’Keefe and Michael Zippi. All invited participating shapers received a check from Billabong for $600 to be used towards materials, and the winner will be awarded $2,000 from Billabong.

The concept of the “Billabong Art of Shaping Event” is to showcase the talent of LA County surfboard shapers and craftsmen by allowing them to build boards that highlight their particular contribution or influence on the evolution of the surfboard over a particular span in time. Shapers are invited and encouraged to “create a board representing the era, style, or shape they are best known for or relate to”; or, whatever best motivates their creativity and talent.

The booths will be hosted by members of the Art of Shaping LA County Advisory Board, which includes John Leininger of Becker Surfboards. Collectively, there will be an extensive knowledge of LA shapers and their accomplishments.

Entries will be displayed in The Billabong Art of Shaping showcase and auction arena at the Sacred Craft consumer surfboard expo along with full sized images of the shaper himself and a profile that includes information on the board he chose to build, his company or label, and his shaping history or career.

Since the “Billabong Art of Shaping LA County Event” is a charity event, the winner of the competition is the shaper of the board that brings in the highest auction price at the Live Auction held Saturday night, October 8th; and thus becomes the largest single donor to 2011 SIMA Humanitarian Fund Grant recipients, the beneficiaries chosen for this years’ “Billabong Art of Shaping Event”.

The public auction will be at 6PM at the Sacred Craft Consumer Surfboard Expo – Del Mar Fairgrounds. Cost is $10 at the door; kids 12 & under free with a Free Subscription to Surfer Magazine. For more information check out http://www.billabong.com/artofshaping/ Continue reading →