Watch: Plastic Seas

Plastic SEAS a Surfing video by MPORA

Mick Fanning Leads World Tour Rankings

In 1976, Peter Townend was named surfing's first World Champion. The odd part about that honor being bestowed on Townend was the fact that he didn't win an event that year. However, he surfed the most events and was consistent enough in those contests that the point system used by the then-IPS awarded him the trophy (even if the trophy was a fake). This year, we've got another Townend situation brewing, as Mick Fanning has been the model of consistency this season, reaching at least the quarterfinals of every event this year but failing to win one as of yet. We're at the mid-point of the tour, and Mick owns a narrow lead over Kelly Slater. Reigning World Champ Joel Parkinson, fresh off his dramatic win at Keramas, has catapulted himself into third place in the rankings after some disappointing results earlier in the year. Jordy Smith is currently slated fourth, while Taj Burrow rounds out the Top 5.

Who is the favorite to win the World Title this season? Your guess is as good as mine, as this race feels increasingly tight with every passing event. Nobody is separating themselves from the pack, but again, there are still five events to be surfed. Could Mick keep surfing well but missing out on wins and still take home the title this season? It's possible unless someone really tightens their game and puts up some big results. If I were Fanning, I would be most worried about Kelly and Parko, for rather obvious reasons. Kelly can win any event at any time, and if he decides to flip his killer instinct switch he could run away with this thing before anyone knew what happened. Parko, on the other hand, just got his first win of the season, and in doing so looked like the Parko of 2012. These three guys are the favorites right now in my eyes, though Jordy, Taj and Adriano are definitely in the mix. If you want a dark horse, then I'd go with Nat Young, who is surfing better than ever right now and has shown some serious consistency in his own right this season. Should be a hell of a race.

Bali Pro Down to Quarters

Hell of a day yesterday for Rounds 4 and 5 of the Oakley Bali Pro, as Keramas went off with some incredible barrels, and the boys went hunting for deep tubes (highlights below). The performance of the day undoubtedly came from reigning World Title champion Joel Parkinson, who put up a perfect heat in Round 5 against John John Florence's 19.20 in the best head-to-head performance of the competition thus far. Just going into that heat and knowing that one of those guys was going to be eliminated didn't feel quite right, but afterward it really seemed like they both deserved to advance. A vet-on-vet upset occurred in Round 5 when C.J. Hobgood ousted current number one Kelly Slater, and another stunner came one heat later when Nat Young bounced Adriano De Souza from the contest.

Here is a look at the quarters matchups:

Taj Burrow vs. Joel Parkinson
-What a heat this will be. Both guys looked seriously on their game yesterday, and it might come down to wave selection, which is why I'd give Parko the nod here. The champ hasn't won a contest yet this year, and it's really starting to feel like that streak is going to end.

Josh Kerr vs. C.J. Hobgood
Kerr had a fantastic Round 4 heat where to took down both Kelly and John John, so he's on a roll. His tube-riding has been better than I expected, as he's proving that he's much more than just an aerial guy. Will C.J.'s veteran savvy be enough here?

Julian Wilson vs. Nat Young
Julian is probably my favorite surfer on tour, though I felt he coasted a little yesterday and didn't love that. He'll need to compete harder to take down Young, one of the hottest surfers over the past few events. This is a great matchup of young guns and it's fun to know one of them will end up in the semis.

Michel Bourez vs. Mick Fanning
Normally I'd almost assume Mick is going to win this one, but Michel's game has looked tighter this week than I've ever seen it. He's becoming one of the more impressive power surfers on tour, and he's had a patient approach to this event that has netted him some of the best waves in the lineup. If pressed for a pick, I'd still take Mick, but I think it's much closer than you'd think at first glance.

Watch: Evo Revisited

"After 40 years an original 1968 Evolution board finds its way back into the hands of its creator, Wayne Lynch. Passing the board along to the youth of today, Belinda Baggs rides the board following the footsteps of Wayne. The power of Wayne 'the fish' Lynch and Bindy's graceful 'dancer' approach set a contrast leading onto a new remake based off the original design and modern theories of today."

Courtesy of Patagonia

Watch: Uncharted Waters Trailer

Courtesy of Patagonia.
U.S. Tour Dates: June 20th at the Broad Stage, Santa Monica, CA, June 21st at La Paloma Theater, Cardiff, CA , and June 27th at the Village East Cinema, NY.

180° South Inspires

I watched the documentary 180° South (trailer below) today and I highly recommend it to any appreciator of nature. It's not a surfing documentary, but there is some surfing in it and it carries with it a lot of elements that would attract people in the surfing culture. Equal parts adventure, an affinity for the natural world, environmental responsibility and simple living, this film is an inspiring story of a sixth-month journey that enriches the life of one man in ways he never bargained for. I don't want to get too much into what actually happens in this movie, because it should be seen instead of read about, but I will say that perspective is a tricky thing, and I have a great deal of love for things that alter and help fine-tune my perspective.

I will share one quote from the film that especially resonated with me (there were several):

"Each of us have got to do something to save our soul, whatever that is."
-Yvon Chouinard

For me, that something is surfing.

Watch: Slow Dance Teaser

 Courtesy of Marine Layer Productions...sorry for the slow load.

Watch: Tom Curren's First Wave at J-Bay

Happy International Surfing Day

Today is International Surfing Day, and though I'm landlocked in Colorado this week, I'll take the time to think of all the ocean gives me and ways I can help keep that body of water I love so much as healthy as possible. For those of you on a coast today, snag a left for me.

Watch: A Honu Experience

Watch: Peninsula Trailer

PENINSULA | TRAILER a Surfing video by MPORA

Watch: The Heart and the Sea Trailer

Ho-ly Sh*t

Kelly is King

In an interview following his convincing victory over Sebastian Zietz in the quarterfinals of the Volcom Fiji Pro yesterday, Kelly Slater made a simple statement, "I want to win this contest." It sounded harmless enough, but if you watched his heat before the interview, you knew it was Kelly time. Slater posted a perfect heat in the quarters, putting up a pair of 10-point barrel rides in the span of three minutes that surely left his rookie opponent dizzied out the back. We've seen it time and time again; when Kelly wants it bad enough, he's unstoppable. Add in the fact that he has more experience at Cloudbreak than anyone else on tour, and I didn't see a way Kelly could lose. And he didn't disappoint.

Kelly got busy early against John John Florence in the semis and went on to post an 18.17 to advance to the finals, where he met Mick Fanning. Fanning had just eeked out heats in the quarters and semis, and I didn't feel like he was much of a threat to Kelly. But nobody would have been a threat to the master, as Slater posted yet another perfect 10 along the way to a 19.80 score in the final heat. It was like watching a movie you know the ending to, but still being enthralled every step of the way. That's the kind of surfer and entertainer that Kelly Slater is.

With his victory in Fiji, Kelly moves up into a place he knows better than anyone in the history of surfing, the top spot in the World Tour rankings. He currently enjoys a narrow lead over Mick, who has been incredibly consistent this season with finishes of third, fifth, third and second. Jordy Smith followed up his win in Rio with a fifth in Fiji, good enough to put him third in the ranks. We've now got a quick turnaround for the next event, the Oakley Pro Bali, as the waiting period starts on June 18th.

Quote: Jack London

"That is what it is, a royal sport for the natural kings of earth,"
-Jack London on surfing in The Cruise of the Snark

Cloudbreak Comes Alive

The Fiji Pro got going again yesterday, and we saw why contest organizers were being patient in calling the contest on, as we saw some incredible waves comes through Cloudbreak. This quote from Kelly Slater (via ASP), a guy who has probably surfed this break more than any non-Fijian, really says it all about the conditions:

“That was unbelievable,” Slater said. “Those were some of the best waves I’ve ever had in a contest. On the 10, I was deep in the barrel and grabbed my rail, but I had to let go to get speed and then I hit the foam ball, I barely made that one. I did the turn and got another tube. On that one big one, it was so perfect and I just wanted to be in the right spot. As I was in the barrel, it spit really hard and there was lots of mist and I couldn’t see. The foamball pushed my tail up in to the wave and I just couldn’t come out the way I wanted to. I didn’t even care if I won or lost, because I’d get to surf again.”

That last statement was essentially the theme of yesterday's heats; the pros were so stoked and frothing at the sight of a pumping Cloudbreak that one of the sport's biggest events of the year boiled down to a simple and pure love for surfing. These guys are pros, but they were all little kids once that audibly oohed and aahed at hollow barrells and open faces. They still ooh and ahh, usually silently, but sometimes that little kid inside gets too excited an makes an appearance, and that's great to see. They're not surfing robots, after all, though sometimes their performance might have you suspecting otherwise.

We got down to the quarters yesterday, and here are the matchups:

John John Florence vs. Jordy Smith

Kelly Slater vs. Sebastian Zietz

C.J. Hobgood vs. Josh Kerr

Joel Parkinson vs. Mick Fanning

I've got to stick with my original pick of Kelly to win it all, but really several of these guys have surfed well enough thus far to make my confidence in that pick wane a bit, just because so many competitors have looked so good. John John has probably consistently surfed the best in the contest to this point, with Jordy a close second and Kelly probably right behind them, though Slater's Round 4 heat was absolutely insane. Zietz has shown that he can translate his Pipe skills to Cloudbreak without issue, C.J. Hobgood is one of the best lefthanded barrel riders in the world and always kills it in Fiji, Parko seems to finally be coming alive this season and Mick put together a 19-plus heat in the last round. This should be a great finish at what has probably my third-favorite event on the tour.

Props to Firewire and Hansen's

Last week I found that the deck of my Firewire Baked Potato had a crack in it. This discovery was a bit of a shocker considering that I had surfed it in two-foot surf the day before and couldn't recall a single wipeout of consequence. After I got over the initial shock, I took the board down to the shop from which I ordered it, Hansen's in Encinitas. The guys in the boardroom said that they hadn't ever seen a crack in a board like that before, but chalked it up to the technograin/timbertek material. They said that the damage might have been due to a structural problem in the board, as the crack had occurred right at the seam of two pieces of wood. Now hopeful instead of crushed, I left my favorite stick with the boys down there to wait for their call.

A few days later I got the news that Firewire would be replacing the board free of cost. For a stick that ran me more than $700, that was obviously a big deal, but it was even more so because of how much I love riding the thing. The Baked Potato is the perfect summer board for Southern California, when you see a lot of two-foot days. It catches waves easier than any non-longboard I've ever ridden, and is one of the smoothest rides you can experience on a shortboard. It's wide and thick, and as a 6'2", 180-pound guy I ride a 5'7"; the thing floats me no problem. I mostly ride it as a quad, but it has a five-fine setup, so you can also ride it was a twin, a thruster or a quad with a little nub. I've ridden it in up to four-foot surf, maybe even a few five-foot waves, and it holds up surprisingly well, though I'd still opt for a traditional thruster for a big winter swell. The Baked Potato turns on a dime, though, is crazy fast down the line and rips apart small waves that otherwise seem unrippable. I couldn't be happier with it.

So a big thanks to Firewire and Hansen's.

Watch: Wavegarden Teaser

I'm still not sure I like the idea of an artificial wave, but here you go anyway:

Teaser Wavegarden June 2013 a Surfing video by Jaime

Watch: Ding Repair in the Mentawais

Always nice to see people giving back to a place that gives surfers so much.

Watch: A Deeper Shade of Blue Trailer

John John's Tube Riding is Unmatched

Watching John John Florence in his second round heat of the Volcom Fiji Pro has made it abundantly clear that he is the premiere tube rider in the world right now. The kid is just on another level, his very own plane of existence, and when that shines through in an event featuring the 30-plus best surfers on the planet it illustrates how simply incendiary Florence’s performance really was. Growing up with Pipe in his backyard has made Florence a tube-riding aficionado, given him a veteran’s savvy in the green room that seems unreachable at the tender age of 20. The sky really is the limit for this youngster, and with a contemporary like Gabriel Medina, a Hawaiian and a Brazilian are sure to treat surfing fans to a rivalry of the highest order for more than a decade to come.

Watch: Sand Wars Trailer

Sand Wars Trailer a Other video by Surfilmfestibal

Watch: Serendipity Trailer

Serendipity Trailer a Surfing video by Surfilmfestibal

Volcom Fiji Pro Preview

The Volcom Fiji Pro's waiting period is set to kick off on Sunday, and there's reason to be excited. This is one of my favorite events on tour; I mean, it's set at one of the best lefts in the world. Cloudbreak is one of the coolest waves on the planet when it's on, as it can give incredible barrels and huge faces depending on the conditions, and Restaurants is a left that goofy footers like me dream of. Last year Kelly won the event in the biggest non-surprise of the year. Tavarua is essentially Kelly's home away from home at this point, and nobody on tour has surfed there more than the legend himself.

I hate to go chalk on a prediction, but let's just get that out of the way now. I can't in my right mind predict anyone but Slater to take home first at the Fiji Pro, but there are some guys that could challenge him. Last year Gabriel Medina made a nice run on his forehand before getting squashed by the king in the finals. The Hobgoods are always dangerous in any left-handed tube. Jordy Smith, fresh off his win in Rio, is a threat as well. He's been in Tavarua basically since Rio to prep for this event.

The real challenger to Kelly in this event, though? I think it will be Mick Fanning. I love how Mick has been surfing this year, and his consistent results prove that he's in top form this season. He's one of the most focused surfers on tour, and while Cloudbreak might not suit him perfectly, he's my best bet to take down Kelly. 

No matter who wins, these elite surfers will be treated to a week or two in paradise, surfing two of the best waves in the planet in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Cheers, boys. Nice life choices. 

Mitch Coleborn Making Run at World Tour Spot?

When 2010's Modern Collective came out, I remember thinking to myself, "Who is this Mitch Coleborn guy?" Coleborn's performance in the film was modern, progressive and aggressive, but I'd never really heard of him before then. Then as quickly as he'd been thrust in my mind did he begin to fade from it, but he never totally disappeared, which is why it struck a chord with me when I recently read that he'd won an ASP Prime event.

The 26-year-old will enter the Fiji Pro with the big boys next week as a wild card with a chance to really make a statement that he's more than just a highlight reel surfer. A guy that can do stuff like this is dangerous to any heat opponent:

The Surfing Swami

Nice read on Jack Hebner, aka the Surfing Swami, India's biggest surfing legend.

Volcom Fiji Pro Teaser

Fiji Pro waiting period starts June 2nd. Event preview coming soon.

Save Trestles

The fight to Save Trestles wages on, and the next battleground will be a Regional Water Quality Control Borad meeting on June 19th.  Supporters of Save Trestles are asked to show up as an act of solidarity, as there will be no public comment at the meeting.

For those of you not familiar with the situation going on with Trestles, here is a quick video sum up:

Where Have All the Full Waves Gone?

Good opinion piece by Surfer's Brandt Hart on the short clip obsession in today's surf film industry. I agree with him that we miss out on the true wave-riding experience with these one maneuver-happy filmmakers, but that it's hard to convince these guys to change because their films are so popular. Hart says it best here:

"Every time Dane Reynolds appears on the screen, lays into a bottom turn and then destroys the lip, I think 'Jesus Christ, that’s ridiculous.' And that’s all these films need to do in order to succeed."

That pretty much sums it up; most people don't have the attention span to wait out the drop and maybe a couple of lesser turns before that huge hack on the closeout section that gets everyone excited.

The Anatomy of a Swell

Surfline has a really cool feature up right now detailing the anatomy of the recent swell that lit up Teahupoo last week.  It's interesting to see what goes into tracking storms and forecasting swells, because Surfline does a great job of it all the around the world every day.  It's the first site I visit every morning to check the regional forecast and get a look at a couple cams.

MR

Mark Richards, so smooth.

Jordy Wins in Rio

Jordy Smith has come into this season more mature and more focused after an offseason spent working on his repertoire, and the fruits of his labor are starting to show. The 25-year-old took down Brazil's own Adriano De Souza in the finals of the Billabong Pro Rio on Saturday to take home his first event of the tour season. The win, which followed up a third at Bells, puts Jordy in second place in the world tour standings right now, behind only De Souza, who leads Smith by a measly 250 points.

Adriano came out typically aggressive in the final heat, nabbing some early waves, but Jordy's patience eventually paid off. Smith's exuberance was on display after an 8.50 ride in which he linked together an aerial maneuver and a carving turn in one of the most seamless manners I've ever seen, as the South African was putting on an uncharacteristically big claim. But it may be Ariano's personality in the water that brings out the claims in his competitors. Personally, I'm not of fan of De Souza's attitude out there, but he certainly makes for fiery heats. Jordy put Adirano away for good when he busted a huge air with a grab that netted him a score of better than nine, and that was all she wrote.

One must remember that Smith was a legitimate world title contender in 2010 before struggling a bit the last two seasons. As one of the bigger surfers on tour, his power is unmatched in the water, something that puts him in elite company even among the best in the world. Could this be the year that Jordy breaks through and wins it all?

It's worth noting that Mick Fanning is right behind Adriano and Jordy in the season standings right now, as he's been the Peter Townend of the season through three events, not winning any contests but consistently contending and racking up points.  Thus far in 2013, Fanning has posted finishes of third, fifth and third, so he's in the hunt, as usual. Kelly is currently slated fourth, so as long as he's in striking distance everyone above him will be looking over their shoulders. Rounding out the Top Five is Taj Burrow, who is always near the top of the standings but never actually at the top despite his talent level.

A few other notes include the fact that Gabriel Medina finally had a strong showing this season, posting a third-place finish and showing that he's damn close to healthy if not fully there. He should be back in the title hunt within a few events; he posted a perfect 10 in the quarters that was downright naughty. Nat Young has been surfing really well this season, and he's currently ranked sixth. Reigning champion Joel Parkinson posted his second straight 13th, but it's too early to panic about Parko. Also Ace Buchan has surfed really well the last two events.

Here are highlights from the quarters on:

Billabong Rio Pro Completes Second Round

Finally, some surfing! The second round of the Rio Pro kicked off and was complected today in some stormy-looking surf at Barra da Tijuca. There weren't any real upsets in the round to speak of, so no surprises there.  Josh Kerr had the highest heat score of the day with a 17.94, and while the pros made the best of the conditions, only Kerr and Brett Simpson were able to crack a total of 15 in a heat.  For me, the most anticipated Round Three heats will be Taj vs. Kolohe (this could be a breakout year) and Julian Wilson vs. Sebastian Zietz.  Hopefully that will be tomorrow.

Teahupoo Goes Off

Lots of happy maniacs in Tahiti right now.  Check out the photos.

Watch: A Fly in the Champagne

Interesting documentary on the rivalry between Kelly Slater and the late Andy Irons.  Trailer and full movie below:

Another Lay Day

I feel like a broken record.  Next call for the Billabong Rio Pro is tomorrow morning; I've got a feeling we'll see action then.

Hands Across the Sand May 18th

Photo: Wikimedia (Mike DelGaudio)

Simply joining hands with like-minded people can make a difference, at least that's what those that take part in Hands Across the Sand think. This global event will take place in 50 countries on Saturday May 18th when folks across the globe join hands on the beach as a symbolic statement of support of the health of our planet. The event is sponsored by both the Surfrider Foundation and the Sierra Club, among other organizations.

"Join Hands to end our dependence on dangerous, dirty fuels. Join Hands to end global warming and climate change. Join Hands to embrace Clean Energy," it says on the event's web site. "This will again be a gathering in solidarity of people all over the world who care about preserving our precious oceans, oxygen, drinking water and food from dangerous, dirty fuels. The acquisition and burning of dirty fuels are destroying the earth. Ending our dependence of dirty fuels is essential to the survival of our planet. We will join hands to say NO to dirty fuels and YES to clean energy."

For those in the San Diego area, the closest Hands Across the Sand location is the Oceanside Pier; the event takes place at noon, will last 15 minutes and specifically target offshore oil drilling. Show up early if you can.

Last Lay Day?

Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day?  Well, rise and shine campers, because it's another lay day in Rio today. However, today's announcement does come with some hope.

“Only small surf on offer this morning so we’ve called a lay day for competition today,” Rich Porta, ASP International Head Judge said. “We anticipate swell to begin filling in by tomorrow afternoon and will definitely recommence competition in the coming days. We’ll return in the morning to make another assessment.”

Hopefully we'll get the second round underway tomorrow or the next day. This is day eight of the 12-day waiting period, so it's got to happen soon.

Peanut Butter: A Short About a Surfboard

Leah Dawson is a surfer, media creator, live camera operator and self-described positive living enthusiast. She created a little short called "Peanut Butter," in which the main character and "narrator" is a surfboard named, you guessed it, Peanut Butter. Very creative, very fun. If anyone can understand the love of a surfboard, it's me.

Another Lay Day in Rio

Another lay day has been called for the Billabong Pro Rio today, the seventh of the 12-day waiting period. Check back in tomorrow.

Kelly at Rincon

Another Lay Day in Rio

One to two-foot surf in Rio has the Rio Pro on hold again today.  Check back in tomorrow.

Lay Day For Rio Pro

A lay day has been called for the Billabong Rio Pro today with just one to two-foot surf on the docket. Next call will be tomorrow morning, when perhaps we'll kick off the second round of the event. Round One highlights include Pat Gudauskas upsetting Josh Kerr, rookie Sebastian Zietz dominating a heat than included Taj Burrow, Kelly and Jordy looking very strong and Gabriel Medina posting the highest heat score of the round (18.00).

Watch Sharkwater

Great documentary on the plight that sharks are facing thanks to humans. You tell me who the real predator is:

Another Fatal Shark Attack at Reunion Island

It might be time to change the name of Reunion Island to Amity Island. A French surfer was fatally attacked by a shark there on Wednesday, the third shark-related fatality at Reunion in the last two years. Attacks at the island have increased significantly over the last few years, and two attacks that occurred within days of one another last summer had the government there ready to hire shark hunters to cull the shark population in local waters, though the order was eventually revoked.

This is a difficult situation, because we're talking about the safety of humans here, but we're also talking about the merciless hunting of a fish that is already being killed at an alarming rate on a yearly basis (mostly for the shark fun soup industry). Despite the dangers to humans, I could not possible condone the killing of sharks. Sharks are vital to the oceanic ecosystem, and their population is already astounding low. This predator lives in the ocean, and we need to remember that we're the ones invading their home when we go into the ocean and that the peril is a result of that, not the result of some bloodthirsty monster that the shark has been repeatedly portrayed as throughout history.

There is a great documentary on the plight of sharks call "Sharkwater."  I highly recommend it; you can find the web site here, and the trailer below:

Julian Wilson Takes Flight

Someone has to name this maneuver.

Yoga Gets Me Through Flat Spells

Right now the waves in Encinitas are almost non-existent, and coupled with the rain a few days ago (the dreaded runoff!), it really doesn't seem worth it to paddle out today. So now I'm looking at a third consecutive day without surfing, so I'm starting to tense up a little. Surfing is my release, my meditation, my therapy, my religion. Without it, I'm a different person. I feel different; I act different; I'm just not the same guy.

Photo: Wikimedia (Jarek Tuszynski)

For a long time I struggled with this phenomenon until I found something that gives me a similar calming feeling, and that's yoga. Yoga seems to help my nerves nearly as much as surfing does, though the same stoke isn't there. Still, when the ocean isn't cooperating, yoga serves as a good alternative. Not only does it keep my paddling muscles working, it calms the body and mind.

I bought a couple of DVDs a few years ago that have been great to me.  Peggy Hall, a surfer/yoga instructor, created Yoga For Surfers over a decade ago, combining two of her passions. The routines are tailored specifically to surfers, to help loosen and strengthen the muscles used in paddling and surfing in general. Fans of the pro tour will also see some familiar faces pop up in the videos. There are a variety of different Yoga For Surfers DVDs suited to a multitude of skill levels, so there's something for everyone. I highly recommend checking one out if your flat spell experiences mirror mine. As Peggy says, "Ride the wave of your breath." It beats riding nothing at all.

Rio Pro is On

The Billabong Rio Pro has been called on for today.  Watch the webcast below:

Rob on the North Shore

Local legend and Pipe Master Rob Machado talks about his relationship with the North Shore:

Lay Day Called For Rio Pro

Thanks to stormy conditions, a lay day has been called for the Billabong Rio Pro, the third event in the men's World Tour season. Organizers will reassess conditions tomorrow morning for a possbile 7 am start.  You can watch the live webcast here.

Rio Pro Preview

Tomorrow marks the start of the waiting period for the third event of this World Tour season, the Billabong Rio Pro. First thing's first; last year's winner, John John Florence, will miss the event with an ankle injury sustained earlier this season on the Gold Coast, so we'll have no repeat for the young gun this week. John John is undoubtedly already one of the top surfers on tour, despite his young age. It's a shame his world title hopes were dashed so early this season, but he's got plenty of years ahead of him. Last year, John John took down eventual World Champ Joel Parkinson in the final, so look for Parko to bring his best stuff to Rio once again, though that's really not going out on a limb considering the high level that Parko has been surfing at since coming back from his gruesome heel injury two years ago.

Obviously Kelly is always a threat, so no need to go into that, but I'd keep an eye on Taj Burrow. He's in the best shape of his career and has posted a third and fifth-place finish thus far this season. He currently trails only Kelly in points after two events, as does Mick Fanning. Mick is always a threat, though his best is not enough to beat some of the more flashy surfers when they're at the top of their game. I thought Jordy Smith looked really good at Bells, and I expect him to be legitimately in the hunt for the World Title this year thanks to a more mature approach.

As always, I'll be keeping a close eye on Julian Wilson, my personal favorite surfer on the World Tour since Dane Reynolds decided to focus less on competition and more on just being Dane (which I fully support). Julian has shown flashes of World Title potential, but he seems to get outmaneuvered (figuratively more than literally) pretty consistently by the tour vets, especially Parko. The conditions will dictate whether or not high-flyers like Wilson and Josh Kerr have a real shot at this thing.

Mick Fanning
Photo: Wikimedia (kanaka)

And you simply can't talk about any World Tour event without mentioning perhaps the highest of flyers, Gabriel Medina. I'm not sure how healthy his ankle is, but if it's close to 100 percent then it goes without saying that the Brazilian wunderkind is a contender. He and John John are going to be headlining the big boy tour for the next decade.

If pressed, I'd take Mick in this one, mostly on a gut call, but not completely without reason.  The Aussie has looked as solid as ever thus far this season and I think this event suits him well. He was edged out by Parko in the semis last year, and this time I think he goes all the way. You can watch the webcast of the event live here.

Conference to Save Surf Spots This Week

Surfing organizations from the United States, Europe and Latin America are gathering this week to talk about how to conserve some of the world's best surf spots at the Global Wave Conference III.  Members and organizers of the Surfrider Foundation and other groups are meeting over a three-day period in Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico, just north of Todos Santos.

Here is the essential goal of the conference, outlined on the GWC Web site:

"While the coasts are attracting more and more people combined with increased development, climate change, sea level rise, the conservation of surfing waves is a major issue on many coastlines around the world.

Ocean waves come from the alignment of multiple social and environmental factors, many of which are only

Photo: Wikimedia (John Sullivan)

moderately predictable. There are several types of threats that can cause the degradation of a wave (pollutions, oil spills, coastal development, lack of accessibility, poor water quality, offshore development, etc.). As a result waves are vulnerable from many threats. For this reason many surf spots have now been altered or lost.

Against this backdrop, the challenge for the surfing community is to highlight the fact that the presence of a wave exceeds surfing alone and has larger community and societal benefits. As a result, one objective of the conference is to characterize what are the damages which can affect waves and coastal area and to study the best ways to fight them."

Dorian Takes Ride of the Year at XXL Awards

Shane Dorian's early season monster at Jaws took down Ride of the Year at last night's Billabong XXL Awards, an event that recognizes the best big waves of the year.  Dorian and Greg Long seem to have really separated themselves from the rest of the big wave pack over the last few years.

Shawn Dollar's 61-foot monster at Cortes nabbed him the Paddle Award (no surprise there, as it was the biggest wave ever paddled into) and runner-up to Dorian's bomb for the biggest honor.

These dudes are maniacs.  Much respect.

Finding Utopia

Watch this short film, seriously; it's worth it.  It's only about a half hour, and shows a life of simplicity and surfing in Costa Rica set to an interesting mix of tunes and audio clips. Check out the 3:23 mark for my favorite part of the film.

Dane

Dane Reyolds. Whoever came up with that whole, "a picture if worth a thousand words" thing was really on to something.

Wallpapers

New wallpapers from Surfer, as amazing as ever.

Billabong Pro Rio Preview Vid

Billabong Pro Rio preview. Waiting period starts May 8th.  Event preview coming soon.

The Smell of a Dead Fish

Something felt off as I took off on that left. It wasn't the swell, a fun though unspectacular southwest that had been spitting out two and three-foot lefties for me all morning. It wasn't the weather, high 60s without a cloud daring to blemish the huge expanse of blue sky above. It wasn't the water, clear as can be and finally starting to warm after a long, chilly winter season. But something was certainly off, and as I finished my bottom turn and tried to drive up toward the lip I knew. I knew it was over. I surfed the wave, managing a pair of meager turns that lacked any of my typical exuberance.

As I kicked out, I felt the urge to just paddle back out into the lineup; I didn't want to look. Knowing I had to, I slunk into the water, allowing my head to slowly submerge as if my beloved Pacific would cleanse me of the dread that had seeped into my bones as it had washed away countless troubles before. This time the feeling remained. As my head broke the surface, water ran into my eyes and I did nothing to wipe it away. I did not want to see what I was about to see. With a deep breath I flipped my cherished 6'0” twin fin fish over and surveyed the situation. It was then that the nightmare became a reality, as my eyes set on the massive indent in that gorgeous blue epoxy, crude fissures outlining the section of the stick that must have taken the reef in a seemingly innocuous wipeout one wave prior. This was no ding, not something that a little resin could take care of, nor a trip to the surf shop could remedy. This was a kill shot.

My heart sank; the session was over, but it was more than that. It was the end of an era, a four-year love affair that saw me ride that fish whether it was two feet and mushy or six feet and hollow; I didn't care. I gave away my thrusters, content to live aboard my smooth machine for what would be an eternity as far as I was concerned. I needed no quiver; I needed no fancy fin setups or hybrids. My fish took to the ocean like a shortfin mako, sleek and swift, racing down the line just in time to get to that closeout section for one last thrash.

The wave that took my fish away I can barely recall; it's the next one that's burned into my brain, the one where I felt the powerlessness of my vessel; it's etched in my memory as clear as some of my most treasured rides. I'll miss that fish forever. It was more than just a surfboard; it was a part of my life, a part of me. Whether it's weaving in and out of crowds of summer waders or duck-diving that first wave of a frigid February dawn patrol session, I'll have the fondest of memories of my friend. But it's absence will haunt me for a while; the void is palpable and the what-ifs unbearable. What could have I done differently? What if I hadn't paddled for that wave? How did it happen on such a small day? I'll never know, but there is one thing I am sure of; this time there are no other fish in the sea.

Origins

Dear Blog Reader,

Welcome to Go Left. If you're wondering where the hell you are, then I don't blame you.  Let me try to sum it up as briefly as possible. I've been surfing for about five years now, and, like it does for many people, the pursuit of riding waves has become somewhat of an obsession for me. I'm a 29-year-old, somewhat directionless writer with a degree in journalism (which won't get you too far these days, mind you), so I thought I'd combine my two biggest passions, writing and surfing, and try to make something out of the end product. Enter this blog. Don't let the name fool you; this blog isn't just for goofy footers like myself. Everyone is welcome, even land lubbers. I'd like to use this forum as a place to write about my personal experiences in the water, as well as somewhere I can share information about the surfing world and the oceans in general. If you have an interest in the water, then hopefully you'll find something of value here every now and again.

Go left,
Morgan