http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?fid4ct=3419 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 22:01:00 EST Mon, 09 Jul 2007 05:50:46 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss RapidFeeds v0.1 -- http://www.rapidfeeds.com The sun finally broke out for the Swatch TTR 6-Star Burton US Open Slopestyle finals, but the winds kicked up a notch giving riders another challenge alongside a determined field of talented professional snowboarders. Kevin Pearce (USA), who barely held on to his Tour lead, didn’t make the Slopestyle finals, giving Risto Mattila (FIN) and Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) a golden opportunity to move into the Tour Lead with a podium finish. But in the end, it was Shaun White (USA) who took home the 6-Star Burton US Open Slopestyle Title and 1250 TTR ranking points, followed by Tim Humphreys (USA) in second and Charles Reid (CAN) in third. The fight for Tour lead certainly had judges, riders and fans running on pure adrenaline as the Slopestyle set the stage for tomorrow’s Halfpipe and Swatch TTR showdown. Ninja snow master, Shaun White, claimed the first place position with a near flawless run that included a Cab 9, BS 9, switch BS 9 and ended with a incredibly clean BS 1080. His perfect performance moves White into the TTR Top 20 with just four TTR results. Tim Humphreys claimed the second place spot stomping tricks left, right and center, moving into the TTR Top 10. Charles Reid certainly made Canadians proud proving his worth in the pre-qualifiers and charging all the way through to the podium. Although Peetu Piiroinen only placed fifth in the Slopestyle, he managed to out perform his fellow Finnish rider Risto Mattila, who placed tenth, moving Piiroinen into TTR World No. 2. This certainly closed the gap between Piiroinen and Pearce, who remained Tour Leader with no additional points. This creates an intense situation for tomorrow’s Halfpipe competition as Kevin Pearce, Peetu Piiroinen and Risto Mattila could all walk away as the new 07/08 Swatch TTR Tour Champion. It’s going to be a very close call as all three riders have been riding transitions exceptionally well all season long. The Women’s Swatch TTR ranking also underwent some big changes. The shake-ups began in the women’s semi-final round with Torah Bright (AUS) unable to harness her Slopestyle skills and Kelly Clark (USA) opting to not ride in slopestyle. With two of the top women out of the finals, it opened the door for other ladies like Jamie Anderson (USA), Jenny Jones (GBR) and Sina Candrian (SUI) to make some moves in the Top 5. Kjersti Buaas’ (NOR) first run of the finals held strong all the way through giving her the Slopestyle Title, but it was Jamie Anderson’s second place that pushed her into World No. 1 ahead of Torah Bright who is now World No. 3. Jenny Jones managed to hold her ground on the icy course rounding out the women’s Top 3 both in the Slopestyle and in the Swatch TTR rankings. Anderson and Jones are putting up an incredible fight in the last two 6-Star events on the women’s Tour. However, Torah Bright and Kelly Clark have a chance to gain some ground in tomorrow’s Halfpipe competition, as they are both top-notch Halfpipe competitors making for a dramatic lead into the 6-Star Roxy Chicken Jam next week – the final women’s event of the Tour where the women’s TTR Tour Champion will be crowned. The 6-Star Burton US Open Halfpipe showdown gets underway tomorrow with semi-finals kicking off at 9am EST. With some big moves taking place after slopestyle finals today, it is going to be interesting to see how the race for the Men’s Swatch TTR World Tour Championship Title and a piece of the $250,000 prize purse will all pan out. Check out www.ttrworldtour.com for all the details leading into tomorrow’s halfpipe competition. The TTR website also features videos from the week here at the US Open and some highlights from today’s action. Don’t forget to tune into www.ttrworldtour.com for the live web cast to witness the drama unfold in the Halfpipe as the Men’s TTR season comes to a close. And, if you are in the States, all the action from the US Open will be aired on NBC at 1:30 pm EST. Men's SS Final Results March 21, 2008 1 Shaun White USA 2 Tim Humphreys USA 3 Charles Reid CAN 4 Ville Uotila FIN 5 Peetu Piiroinen FIN 6 Nate Sheehan USA 7 Sami Saarenp FIN 8 Sam Hulbert USA 9 Chas Guldemond USA 10 Risto Mattila FIN Women's SS Final Results March 21, 2008 1 Kjersti Oestgaard Buaas NOR 2 Jamie Anderson USA 3 Jenny Jones GBR 4 Sina Candrian SUI 5 Cheryl Maas NED 6 Faye Gulini USA 7 Katie Williams USA 8 Mary Sallah USA 9 Izumi Amaike JPN 10 Chanelle Sladics USA Points Allocation SIX(6) STAR 1st 1000, 2nd 942.30, 3rd 900, 4th 868.06, 5th 842.41, 6th 820, 7th 798.79, 8th 780, 9th 763.35, 10th746.89, 11th 730.60, 12th 714.50, 13th 698.58, 14th 682.84, 15th 667.28, 16th 651.91 - Press Release http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=573421 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=573421 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 04:35:00 EST It was a gorgeous day in Laax Switzerland as the leading Men and Women fought for the Tour lead in the Slopestyle finals at the Swatch TTR SIX(6)STAR Burton European Open. Jamie Anderson (USA) took home the BEO Slopestyle Title as did Shaun White (USA), who posted his first TTR result of the season, earning 1000 TTR Ranking points. Jenny Jones (GBR) however, finished second in the slopestyle, which moved her into TTR World No. 1, just 3 points ahead of now TTR World No. 2 Jamie Anderson. Snowboarding fans and judges saw big tricks come from the day’s top riders in both the Men’s and Women’s fields, taking progression to a whole new level. With Anderson stomping huge 540s off the kickers, busting out sick eggplants on the Quarterpipe and bringing back her buttery rail combos, there was no question as to why she won the Title. Jenny Jones landed huge 3s and a FS540 off the bigger kicker line, coming in second, as Silvia Mittermueller (GER) rounded out the Top 3 with sick alley-oops, big 7s and technical rail combos. 06/07 Tour Champion Torah Bright (AUS) who finished 9th overall in the Slopestyle has moved into Swatch TTR World No. 3 ahead of Elizabeth Beerman (USA) who is now World No. 4. Kelly Clark (USA) did not compete in the BEO Slopestyle and thus has been bumped down to TTR World No. 5. For the full report check the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=502813 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=502813 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:35:00 EST The Swatch TTR SIX(6)STAR Burton European Open in Laax, Switzerland ended today with one of the most intense Halfpipe finals ever. In a climactic show-down for first place, Kevin Pearce (USA) threw down an epic final run to pass Shaun White (USA) and win the BEO Halfpipe Title. But it was Risto Mattila’s (FIN) consistency in the Tour to date that made him the new Swatch TTR World No. 1, with an incredible 70-point lead over now World No. 2, Andy Finch. American rider Jamie Anderson finished 9th overall in Halfpipe which moves her to TTR World No. 1, an astonishing 100 points ahead of now Swatch TTR World No. 2 Kelly Clark (USA). The Women’s Halfpipe final saw an incredible battle between Kelly Clark and Torah Bright (AUS) play out with phenomenal amplitude and technical combos. Clark flew higher than every other rider with ridiculous Frontside Airs, massive 5s and huge FS 7s that earned her the Women’s TTR SIX(6)STAR BEO Halfpipe Title. For the ful recap check the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=502812 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=502812 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:34:00 EST It was snowing a little harder today as the Men’s and Women’s Halfpipe semi-finals determined the few who will battle it out in the finals. Friday will host the suspenseful Halfpipe competition for the Swatch TTR SIX(6)STAR Burton European Open in Laax, Switzerland, as a new Tour Leader could be announced. The women hit the gargantuan pipe first, with only eight riders out of a field of twenty moving on to Friday’s showdown. Current TTR World No. 1 Kelly Clark (USA) took the top spot in the semis with a strong 1st run that included a huge FS Air to an even bigger BS Air, into a FS 5 indy, followed by a smooth mute, into a FS 7 mute, finishing her run with a Cab 3 melon. In second came Clair Bidez (USA) followed by 05/06 TTR Tour Champion Cheryl Maas (NED), each connecting their tricks with style. 06/07 TTR Tour Champion Torah Bright bounced back from her unfortunate slopestyle result, placing 6th in the semis and making the Halfpipe finals. Kelly Clark however has lots of momentum going into the finals, and will need to maintain it if she hopes to hold off Jones and Anderson from bumping her down from her current Tour lead. Jenny Jones (GBR) and Jamie Anderson (USA) took the number one and two spots in the slopestyle semi-finals yesterday, but neither is competing in the Halfpipe Finals. The chase for World No. 1 is so close between these Top 3 riders, as Clark could hold on that Top TTR spot if she wins the SIX(6)STAR Halfpipe BEO Title. For more on the Halfipipe Semifinals head to the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=500276 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=500276 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:03:00 EST The tension is rising at the Burton European Open 2008. The slopestyle semi-finals for men and women saw upsets and some potential new comers in the Swatch TTR rankings. The top eight female riders, and the top sixteen male riders will move on to the slopestyle finals on Thursday, the winners earning another highly coveted 1000 ranking points. The women were the first to hit the unique set up of slopestyle features, and with the results, we could definitely see a new women’s TTR World No. 1. 06/07 World No. 2 Jenny Jones (GBR) took first with a sick line, complete with smooth hits on the boxes and a massive BS 5. Jamie Anderson (USA) brought along her buttery style earning her second place going into the finals. Both Jones and Anderson will be competing head to head in Thursday’s finals for the Women’s World No. 1 spot, currently held by American rider Kelly Clark. Rounding out the semi-final Top 3, Silvia Mittermueller threw down a solid run and will hope to carry her momentum into the finals. For the rest of the article check the site.... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=500275 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=500275 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:03:00 EST Aussie FMX rider Robbie Maddison made history on New Year's Eve 2007 by setting a new long-distance jump record of 322 feet, soaring more than the length of a football field in Las Vegas. Maddison's jump eclipsed the 310 feet reached by Ryan Capes in 2005. The jump was part of the "Red Bull Experiment" -- the first in what appears to be a series of world-record breaking attempts acorss different sports. After his first jump, Maddison appeared to be disappointed that he missed his goal of around 360 feet and took off to make a second jump. He cleanly landed that jump but failed to eclipse the record-breaking mark a second time. What made the jump even more amazing was the fact that earlier in 2007 Maddison broke his right leg while competing at the Red Bull X Fighters contest and he didn't event start riding in earnest until early December to train. The "Experiment" was originally scheduled to feature the first-ever flip of an off-road vehicle by Rhys Millen, but he was injured training for the jump on December 24. ESPN showed the footage of Millen's crash for the first time during the live broadcast, and what apparently happened was during a test jump Millen's ramp malfunctioned and his off-road vehicle overshot the protective set of cardboard boxes that were set up to cushion the landing of the vehicle. Millen broke three vertebrae in the accident. Red Bull didn't replace Millen in the night's festivities, but other athletes were interviewed, including Moto masters Brian Deegan and Mike Metzger and Red Bull super snowboarder/skateboarder Shaun White. Evel Knievel was remembered many times through the night, not only because he passed away last month at the age of 69, but also because he attempted the world-famous jump at Ceasar's Palace 40 years ago to the night of Maddison's jump. That jump, which was only 151 feet, was unsuccessful and footage of his terrible crash has been seen thousands of times since. Maddison said he had spoken to Knievel's family and that he was "honored to be able to do this and represent him." MORE INFO Here's the official press release from Red Bull about the jump: AUSTRALIAN RULES Maddo Breaks World Record on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada (January 1, 2008) – Australian motocross superstar Robbie Maddison literally leapt into the pages of the Guinness Book of World Records by jumping his motorcycle 322 feet 7½ inches over the length of a regulation football field to shatter the previous record of 277 feet at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The jump was the first-ever Red Bull Experiment, which involves world-class athletes attempting world-first athletic achievements. Telecast live on ESPN’s New Year, No Limits program shortly after the ball dropped in Times Square signifying 2008, Maddison hit the take-off ramp at 94 miles per hour on his Honda CR 500, reaching a height of more than 60 feet, and soared into history. “I came here to jump a football field,” said Maddison. “Conditions weren’t perfect, but I’m happy with the result. Yesterday in rehearsal, I went 350 feet and I knew 360 feet was achievable. We did all we could, but the winds played a bigger factor than we planned. But this is called the Red Bull Experiment, and we didn’t know what the outcome would be. I just want to thank everyone that made this jump possible and a big thanks to all the fans who came out to support me. This is just the beginning.” A who’s who of action and motorsports superstars cheered Maddo on, including Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, Olympic gold medalist Amanda Beard and the family of the late Evel Knievel, to whom Maddison dedicated his world record-breaking feat. Maddison, who hails from the town of Kiama, two hours south of Sydney, has achieved tremendous success in the freestyle motocross world and is also the owner of two additional world records – for the longest jump on a 125cc motorcycle (221 feet) and the longest jump with a trick (246 feet). Other notable guests in attendance included five-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Mick Doohan, AMA Superbike racers Ben and Eric Bostrom, freestyle motocrossers Tommy Clowers, Mike Metzger and Ronnie Faisst, former motocross racer Ernesto Fonseca, X Games BMX Big Air gold medalist Kevin Robinson, skateboard legend Danny Way, big wave surf legend Ross Clarke Jones, snowboard superstar Travis Rice, NASCAR driver Scott Speed and skateboarder Jake Brown. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=483720 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=483720 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 14:00:00 EST ESPN Winter X Games announces the first wave of athletes who have been invited to compete at Winter X Games 12, to be held for its seventh year at Buttermilk Mountain at Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado January 24-27, 2008. The event will air live on ESPN and ABC. The 12th annual winter action sports competition will feature more than 250 athletes from across the globe competing for medals and prize money in the following sports: Skiing, Snowboard and Snowmobile. The event includes day and evening competitions and is free to the public. For the complete, updated list of Winter X Games 12 athletes, log on to www.expn.com. The second wave of invitations is scheduled to be announced in early January. *PLEASE NOTE: The invited athlete list is constantly being updated and is subject to change. For the invite list check the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=471734 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=471734 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:12:00 EST Airing Monday, December 24, 2007 at 8:00pm Eastern Time (5:00pm Pacific Time), and re-airing several times over the next month, FUEL TV will showcase the 2007 Vans Downtown Showdown. The Vans Downtown Showdown pits the Black Label, Creature, Foundation, Girl, Real, Toy Machine and Zero skateboard teams against each other to battle it out and show their talent and creativity. Held in Hollywood, CA on Paramount Picture’s Back Lot, the four featured obstacles are team-designed, consisting of a Darth Vader themed bank, which claims the scalp of Omar Hassan; a scaled down Gonz Gap, dropping over stairs from “rooftop” to flat; a replica Sacramento street run, and a giant skateboard resting on a table top. Make sure to tune into FUEL TV to catch all the action on 2007 Vans Downtown Showdown. For more info check the site http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=469786 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=469786 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:00:00 EST This past Movember (the month formerly known as November), Quiksilver CEO Bob McKnight, eight-time world champion Kelly Slater and 180 Quiksilver employees from the U.S.A., France and Australia offices put down their razors and grew out their "mo" (Australian slang for moustache) to raise over $65,000 for prostate cancer research in support of Movember, an initiative to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer research. Quiksilver Foundation had the largest participating team and raised the most amount of money for the cause. The Quiksilver Foundation matched up to $100 per team member. "We are proud to have partnered with Movember again this year and to help bring it to the States from Australia. Movember is a great way to generate awareness and raise money for prostate cancer," said Bob McKnight, CEO, Quiksilver, Inc. "The collective enthusiasm and camaraderie within our company, from I.T. staff to marketing, production and even the team riders, only added to the fun." For the rest of the story head to the site http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=461065 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=461065 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:36:00 EST Quiksilver, the leading brand in boardriding, today announced that the inaugural "Quiksilver Natural Selection: All-Mountain Freestyle Invitational at Jackson Hole" snowboarding event will be held from January 30 to February 5, 2008 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. This innovative event is the brainchild of Quiksilver athlete and one of today's most versatile and accomplished snowboarders, Travis Rice, who envisioned a competition that removes the constructs of snow parks and half-pipes, and instead uses a natural-terrain course to bring out the best in riders' style and technique. Travis, who is also an avid filmmaker, has posted a personal video announcement about the event on Quiksilver's website: www.quiksilver.com/naturalselection For the rest of the story check the site.... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=444034 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=444034 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:50:00 EST Kauai’s Roy Powers survived the largest day of surf ever contested at Haleiwa in the 25-year history of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing to win the REEF Hawaiian Pro today. Powers posted one of the most conclusive wins in history to defeat Australian pair Bede Durbidge and Joel Parkinson, and Haleiwa local Sean Moody in waves of 12- to 20-feet to pocket $15,000 and move to 12th on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series - a result that guarantees him a spot on the 2008 World Championship Tour. But the Kauai surfer’s victory was far more than a simple win. Having already surfed through three gruelling 25-minute heats earlier in the day to get to the final, Roy was looking to conserve power by nailing the door shut early. He met his goal with two of the most thrilling tube-rides of the contest and the highest heat score of the event. By the 20 minute mark of the 35 minute final, Powers had posted two near-perfect scores of 9.17 and 9.67 that eclipsed his rivals. With five minutes remaining, all three of the trailing surfers were enduring a rinse cycle on the inside courtesy of a series of crushing waves. With three-and-a-half minutes remaining, all three were standing exhausted on dry sand in time to see Roy’s last ride. The final scoreline showed 18.84 points out of 20 to Powers, 13.74 for Durbidge ($7,500), 12.0 to Parkinson ($4,000), and 6.37 for Sean Moody ($3,000). For the whole story check the site.... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=438315 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=438315 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 22:01:00 EST Winter X Games 12 – to be held January 24-27, 2008 in Aspen/Snowmass, Colo., and aired live on ESPN and ABC– will feature new events, a new stage and enhanced coverage across ESPN platforms. Three new disciplines will make their debut – Snowmobile Speed & Style, Skiing Big Air, and Snowboard Big Air. Fifteen hours of live programming on ESPN and ABC will be offered as well as Winter X Games 12 coverage on ESPN International, EXPN.com, ESPN360, SportsCenter and ESPN2’s X Center. Modeled after Winter X mainstays Snowmobile SnoCross and Snowmobile Freestyle, Snowmobile Speed & Style combines the air of Freestyle and the speed of SnoCross in to one discipline. Competitors will go head to head around the course hitting multiple jumps and obstacles. Final scores will be based on difficulty of tricks pulled and amount of time racers take to ride around the full track. Big Air contests have also been added to the Winter X pillars of Skiing and Snowboard. Featuring only four competitors in each contest, the scoring of every run will be fan interactive: 50% of each competitor's score will come from live fan text voting and the second half will be judged by the analysts calling the competitions live on TV. “As the Winter X Games always looks to follow the athletes in the progression of their sports, we are excited to introduce these new disciplines to our prime time telecasts this year and look forward to building on the interactive text voting success we had with skateboarding at the X Games” said Ron Semiao, senior vice president, ESPN content development. With the addition of the three new disciplines to the competition schedule, all events will be held at the base of Buttermilk Mountain. No spectator events will be held in downtown Aspen or Wagner Park. 'It is always our goal to present our viewers and spectators with the best event and experience possible.” said Rick Alessandri, senior vice president, ESPN consumer products and X Games managing director. “The concert venue at Wagner Park has been a great location and we hope to possibly return to the venue in the future. However, this year we have decided to move all of our events and our music stage to one venue. We invite all spectators, fans, and the Aspen community to join us at Buttermilk Mountain.' For the whole story head to the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=435135 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=435135 Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:08:04 EST The Red Bull Experiment will take the scientific method to a whole new level, testing the limits of the unknown this New Year’s Eve at the Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Robbie Maddison and Rhys Millen, two of the most dynamic personalities in motorsports, will be performing two ground-breaking feats in a city that is all about going big. One Experiment will take place at the stroke of midnight on the East Coast, and the second will occur when the clock strikes “12” on the West Coast. At its heart, the DNA of the Red Bull Experiment is simple: the best athletes from around the globe performing world first “experimental” sporting achievements. Maddison, a freestyle motocross star from Australia, will attempt to jump the length of a football field (more than 300 feet) to set a new motorcycle distance jumping world record. Millen, a champion drifter and movie stunt driver hailing from New Zealand, will attempt the first-ever backflip of an off-road racing truck. Representatives from the Guinness Book of World Records will be in attendance to validate each jump. For more info check the site.... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=435128 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=435128 Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:00:31 EST It's been more than a year since we first talked with Daize Shayne, the champion longboarder who has also embarked on a musical career. Daize's debut CD, "Live Your Dreams," came out last summer and she's played to all sorts of crowds across the world -- from Japan to even a group of Republicans (much to the chagrin of some of her friends). But since last year, a lot more has happened with Daize -- for one, she started up a surf camp (you can check it out at SurfwithDaize.com). The camp allows Daize to get up close and personal with her students and classes have taken place in California and elsewhere, including Hawaii and adventure retreats are planned for Costa Rica in 2008 and 2009. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=427774 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=427774 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:02:32 EST After more than a decade of trying to win the first leg of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, Haleiwa’s own Megan Abubo, 29, finally sampled the sweet taste of home-town victory today, winning the $30,000 REEF Hawaiian Pro in front of a hugely adoring local crowd. This result has guaranteed Abubo’s requalification for the 2008 elite Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour (WCT) and takes her to an early lead on the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series ratings. Megan’s victory earned her $4,500. Conditions for today were solid and challenging with wave face heights at eight- to 12-feet. The other big news of the day was Florida’s Karina Petroni, whose third place finish in the final has earned her a berth on the 2008 ASP WCT. Petroni, 19, will be the only newcomer to the WCT ranks next year and the first Floridian to enter the top ranks since former world champion Lisa Andersen in 2002. Petroni pocketed $2,200 today. Runner-up to Abubo in the final was seven-time world champion and two-time Vans Triple Crown of Surfing champion Layne Beachley (Australia, $2,500). Fourth place was Big Island Hawaii surfer Leilani Gryde ($2,000). For the full story check the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=427771 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=427771 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:59:15 EST The AST Dew Tour has wrapped up in Orlando with the PlayStation Pro -- there were some big slams, great performances and a few surprises... what else would you expect from a tour featuring some of the top talent in skateboarding, BMX and FMX? NO DEW CUP SURPRISES There were still three Dew Cups up for grabs going into the PlayStation Pro, The Dew Cup, for those of you who do not know, is awarded to the athlete who scores the most points within a single sport over the entire tour. It's more than an honorary title -- it also pays $75K -- a nice paycheck considering the top honor at any single tour stop is $15K. So if you win all five events and take home the Dew Cup that's $150K. Not bad. But, as we've noted, no one has ever won five events. This year Nate Adams took four out of five -- while Ryan Sheckler, Jamie Bestwick, Daniel Dhers and Shaun White all took three out of five. Bestwick officially secured the Dew Cup on Friday after his second-place finish, leaving only BMX Dirt and BMX Park up in the air. Daniel Dhers actually had a pretty strong hold on the title (and won last year) so his victory was not that surprising. That Leaves... Read the full story on Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=393301 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=393301 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:20:38 EST Jamie Bestwick claimed his third straight Dew Cup title by placing second in Friday’s BMX vert finals at the PlayStation Pro at Amway Arena. Bestwick, 36, made a remarkable comeback after an unfortunate first run. On his initial drop-in, the crank arm of his pedal fell off his bike, thrusting him into the air as his bike fell down the ramp. Bestwick ricocheted off the ramp and slid down to the flat bottom. "My crank snapped on my first run so I needed a huge second run to win the Cup,” Bestwick said. “Don't think it was planned that way for the dramatic. There was a lot of pressure going into the final run.” Bestwick scored a 92.67 on his second run which moved him from last to second. Chad Kagy of Gilroy, Calif. won the event with a 92.67. He finished first based on his higher first run score. Bestwick had entered the contest with a 55 point lead over fellow Brit Simon Tabron in the Dew Cup standings. Tabron finished fourth, giving him second overall in the standings. Australia’s Steven McCann finished third in the event and third in the standings. Kagy placed fourth in the Dew Cup race. “I'm just pleased that I could squeak in front of Simon to win that third Dew Cup,” Bestwick said. I have no problems about this second place trophy because on Sunday I'll step on that podium and pick up my third Dew Cup." Bestwick has won 12 of 15 Dew Tour events since 2005. The four-day competition is the last of five stops of the tour that features skateboarding, BMX and freestyle motocross. BMX Vert Final Results Friday, Oct. 19, 2007 1. Chad Kagy, Gilroy, Calif., 92.67. 2. Jamie Bestwick, Great Britain, 92.67. 3. Steven McCann, Australia, 92.33. 4. Simon Tabron, Great Britain, 92.17. 5. Kevin Robinson, East Providence, R.I., 90.33. 6. Jimmy Walker, Chicago, Ill., 88.33. 7. John Parker, State College, Penn., 87.83. 8. Zach Warden, St. Loius, Mo., 87.00. 9. Jay Eggleston, Denver, Colo., 86.33. 10. Dennis McCoy, Kansas City, Mo., 82.67. AST Dew Tour BMX Vert Final Points Standings 1. Jamie Bestwick, 418. 2. Simon Tabron, 343. 3. Steven McCann, 311. 4. Chad Kagy, 259. 5. Jimmy Walker, 240. 6. Kevin Robinson, 237. 7. Jay Eggleston, 225. 8. Dennis McCoy, 220. 9. John Parker, 198. 10. Zach Warden, 195. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=390702 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=390702 Sat, 20 Oct 2007 07:12:37 EST Aussie surfer Talina Christensen has her eye set on a very specific prize: to compete regularly on the ASP's WQS (World Qualifying Series). For any surfer, that's a tall order and it's no different for this 23-year-old. Talina has sponsors who set her up with gear, but money is another thing altogether. Traveling the world for the 'QS is no easy life and without a sponsor, it can be almost impossible. But such is the life of an up-and-coming pro and Talina takes this obstacle in stride. She competes when she can on the 'QS and keeps honing her skills waiting for the chance to do more on an even bigger stage. Next year could be the year if she finds support. Read our interview with Talina below and be sure to check out her MySpace Profile here to find out more about her. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=390701 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=390701 Sat, 20 Oct 2007 07:11:43 EST What do you get when you mix me, the city of Lake Forest, a blazingly bright sun, a lack of sun block, and a team-based skate contest featuring riders separated by their stances? Obviously the answer is the 2007 etnies Goofy vs. Regular Skateboard Contest finals held this past Sunday, October 7th. The event was held at the etnies Skatepark in Lake Forest, California, where skate fans of all ages (though most were of the teenage variety) gathered to watch some of the best young skaters mixed in with some top notch pros duke it out based solely on the way they stand on a skateboard. After a weekend of madness, including a Yeah Yeah Yeah’s show, the main street course became the center of attention Sunday as the 30 qualifiers (15 skaters per team) took to it for the finals. My day at the finals started out great as I was greeted by an inordinate amount of attention from all the young girls at the contest while walking towards the entrance area/press tent. I could see the twinkle in their eyes as a sign of attraction and it gave me such a confidence boost up until the point they called me “Ryan” and I turned around to realize that I was entering the contest 5-8 feet in front of Ryan Sheckler. That right there was probably the worst trick of the whole event. Upon setting up shop in the press/family area I quickly realized that what had been a cool, breezy past few days had turned into a hotter, brighter, UV bonanza, Sunday afternoon. Sure enough my skin turned into the color of the most delicious beef jerky within a couple hours. But enough about me, onto the contest. For the full story check the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=377209 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=377209 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:56:31 EST Regular came back with a vengeance and won the fourth annual etnies GvR today, putting the Goofies back in their place. The Regulars put a stop to the Goofy winning streak, scoring 1951.75 points over Goofy's 1910 points. Rick McCrank was voted MVP by the Regulars, and he certainly earned it with his big bag of tricks throughout the finals! The Regulars put Slap Magazine editor Mark Whiteley in charge, and he hand picked Ryan Sheckler, Andrew Reynolds, Leo Romero, Rick McCrank, and Sean Malto as the starting five for the finals. It was one of the remaining ten regular qualifiers, Luan De Oliveira that scored the most points for his team and took home 15,000 bucks! Led by team captain Dave Swift, editor-in-chief of The Skateboard Mag, team Goofy came out to win, and skated well, but came up short. Local boy Tyler Hendley made a name for himself today when his Goofy teammates voted him MVP. GvR Results: Total Weekend Prize Purse – $100,500 Regular Team: 1. Luan De Oliveira – $15,000 2. Team MVP Rick McCrank* – $13,000 3. Sean Malto* – $6,000 4. David Loy – $3,500 5. Leo Romero* – $3,500 6. Ryan Sheckler* – $2,000 7. Fabrizio Santos – $1,000 8. Andrew Reynolds* – $2,000 9. Billy Marks – $1,000 10. Tulio De Oliveira – $1,000 11. Kurtis Colamonico – $1,000 12. Ryan DeCenzo – $1,000 13. Andrew Langi – $1,000 14. Vince Del Valle – $1,000 15. Terell Robinson – $1,000 Goofy Team: 1. Jereme Rogers* – $2,000 2. Nyjah Houston* – $2,000 3. Team MVP Tyler Hendley – $3,000 4. Danny Cerezini – $1,000 5. Chad Fernandez – $1,000 6. Nick Fiorini – $1,000 7. Greg Lutzka* – $2,000 8. Alex Olson – $1,000 9. Jordon Hoffart – $1,000 10. Morgan Smith – $1,000 11. Collin Provost* – $2,000 12. Darrell Stanton* – $2,000 13. Taylor Bingaman – $1,000 14. Rodrigo Leal – $1,000 15. Joey Brezinski – $1,000 The * symbolizes the five riders selected by the team captain for the final team. Each of these team riders receives an automatic $1,000 going into the event. During the contest weekend, etnies also hosted the etnies Girl “Dawn of Shred” street and bowl contest, as well as Pro and Grand Masters Bowl Contests. Check out the results below: etnies Girl Dawn of the Shred Street Final Results: 1. Marisa Del Santo – $2,500 2. Rachel Reinhard – $2,000 3. Vanessa Torres – $1,500 4. Amy Caron – $1,000 5. Elissa Steamer – $600 6. Evelien Bouilliart – $400 7. Lauren Perkins – $300 8. Leticia Buffoni – $200 Pro Bowl Contest: 1. Benji Galloway – $3,000 2. Omar Hassan – $2,000 3. Josh Mattson – $1,000 4. Brian Patch – $800 5. Tyler Mumma – $600 6. Donovan Rice – $500 7. Rion Linderman – $400 8. Kevin Kowalski – $300 9. Chris Senn – $200 10. Michael O'Friel – $100 11. Will Powers – $100 12. Jimmy the Greek – $100 Grand Masters Bowl Contest: 1. Glen Charnoski – $1,500 2. Steve Caballero – $1,000 3. Pat Ngoho – $800 4. Lester Kasai – $700 5. Duane Peters – $600 6. Eddie Reategui – $500 7. Steve Steadham – $400 8. Dave Duncan – $300 9. Dave Reul – $200 10. Jon-Jon Bryan – $100 etnies Girl “Dawn of the Shred” Women's Bowl Jam: 1. Julie Kindstrand – $500 2. Nicole Zuck – $400 3. Allysha Bergado – $250 4. Apryl Woodcock – $150 5. Cressey Rice – $100 5. Amelia Brodka – $100 There was a tie for fifth place. At the close of the GvR qualifiers on Saturday night, the Yeah Yeah Yeah's took the stage in the parking lot above the skatepark in front of the more than 7,000 fans! The entire weekend was filled with great music including performances by JFA, Flosstradamus, Kid Sister and The Solid Sound Band. Be sure to catch all of the action from the etnies GvR of Skateboarding on FUEL TV! FUEL TV will air the etnies GVR 2007 on December 28, 2007 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, during the Skate @ 8 programming block. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=376537 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=376537 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 07:00:47 EST We first interviewed pro surfer Anastasia Ashley last year but wanted to catch up with her this year to see what was new. And what better time to do it. Anastasia just won the first event of the APSPR Corona Extra pro surf circuit and also took an extra prize for best heat performance percentage. She's also preparing for the final event on the WQS series, the Hawaiian Pro in Oahu next month. Find out how 2007 has been for Anastasia and what she has coming up. Lat34: You missed the East Coast Surfing Championships because you weren't feeling well... Anastasia: Yeah, unfortunately I got really sick after my trip to England... It was pretty bad. Lat34: I'm glad you're feeling better. Before that, how was 2007 for you? Anastasia: It's been good. I've been traveling a lot, having a good time. Getting some good waves. Lat34: You have been on the WQS full-time this season. How has that been? Anastasia: I'd say this year I did alright. I've been, I believe, improving a lot. I started working with my coach over the past four months and that's really helped a lot. Overall I'd say this year is kind of an experience in getting to know how to travel and compete in other countries which is a lot different. So next year is, I think, is going to be my year for good results. I'm working a lot harder than I was going into it this time last year so hopefully it should be good. Read more at Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=372525 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=372525 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 05:07:39 EST When it comes to women's wakeboarding Down Under, there is one name that stands out -- Amber Wing. Sydney-born Wing took the 2007 title in the Australia Pro Tour of Wakeboarding following a second-place finish in 2006. And 2007 was nearly Wing's year in the US. After a disappointing year on the US Pro Wakeboard Tour in 2006, the 24-year-old Wing took flight this year and finihed second only after an upset on the final tour stop -- still quite an accomplishment. Off the tour Wing's been busy with Oakley traveling the world shooting for its new film which will be coming out in November. Now she's back in Australia prepping for the 2007 APTW, looking to repeat. We caught up with Amber before she left for Australia and checked out how she felt about her chances. - Read the full interview on Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=371312 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=371312 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 05:09:44 EST The 2007 edition of GvR (Goofy vs. Regular) is going down Oct. 4-7 at ethnies Skatepark in Lake Forest, CA. We'll be there to see if the Regulars can come back after two straight losses to put the Goofies in their place. The Background GvR was started in 2004 to answer that age-old question: Who are better: Goofy foot or regular foot skateboarders? In the first year, the Regulars took it, but the Goofy footers have come back to win both contests since. Last year, the Goofy-footers were led by Nyjah Huston, along with Jereme Rogers, Rodolfo Ramos, Greg Lutzka, Ronnie Creager, Colt Cannon and others. The Regulars had Ryan Sheckler, Chris Cole, Tony Cervantes, Chris Troy, Andrew Reynolds and Billy Marks. The Details There are three ways to catch up with what happens at GvR: 1. In person... etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest 20028 Lake Forest Drive Lake Forest, CA 92630 Please Note: The event is free but parking must be done in specific areas. Check out the official site for more info on parking. 2. Watch online -- the whole thing is being webcast at http://gvr.etniesskate.com/ 3. After -- Check out the results here on Lat34.com as soon as the event is over. The Schedule Thursday, October 4 -- Open Practice and Hometown Heroes Qualifier 4 p.m.: Hometown Heroes Registration 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.: Hometown Heroes Practice 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.: Hometown Heroes Qualifier Friday, October 5 -- GvR Practice and etnies Skull Jam Bowl Contest 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.: Registration for all events 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.: Street Open Practice/HH Practice 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Women’s Bowl Practice 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.: Bowl Open Practice 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.: Women’s Bowl Contest 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.: Grand Masters Bowl Qualifying 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: Pro Bowl Qualifying 7:45 p.m. (Jam): Grand Masters Bowl Finals 8:30 p.m. (Jam): Pro Bowl Finals 7:45 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.: JFA plays in skatepark Awards Immediately Following etnies Festival Village Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Saturday, October 6 -- etnies Girl Dawn of the Shred Contest & GvR Qualifier 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Registration for all events 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: Women’s / HH Practice 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.: etnies Dawn of the Shred Contest 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.: Pro Street Open Practice 2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.: Opening Ceremonies 3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.: etnies GvR Qualifiers Heat 1 Goofy 3:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.: etnies GvR Qualifiers Heat 1 Regular 4:30 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.: etnies GvR Qualifiers Heat 2 Goofy 5:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.: etnies GvR Qualifiers Heat 2 Regular 7:00 p.m.: etnies GvR Party – Doors Open (featuring Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Flosstradamus & Kid Sister) Sunday, October 7 -- Hometown Heroes Finals & etnies GvR Finals 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: Hometown Heroes Practice 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Hometown Heroes Finals 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.: Pro Street Finals Practice 2:00 p.m. - 2:10 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 1 Goofy 2:20 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 1 Regular 2:40 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 2 Goofy 3:00 p.m. - 3:10 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 2 Regular 3:20 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 3 Goofy 3:40 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 3 Regular 3:50 p.m. - 4:20 p.m.: Halftime 4:25 p.m. - 4:35 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 1 Goofy Jam 4:40 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 1 Regular Jam 4:55 p.m. - 5:05 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 2 Goofy Jam 5:10 p.m. - 5:20 p.m.: etnies GvR Heat 2 Regular Jam 5:30 p.m. - ?: GvR Extra Point Jam The Solid Sound Band Immediately Following 6:00 p.m.: etnies GvR Awards in park http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=371307 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=371307 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 05:05:26 EST The top FMX riders in the world descended upon Pomona Saturday (Sept. 29) to compete in the LG FMX World Championships and when it was all said and done Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg took the top spot in the podium. It was the first time in the event's five-year history that Nate Adams didn't win, with Adams taking third-place. Swiss rider Mat Rebeaud took second. The night's action was marred by a bad accident suffered by Adam Jones in the semifinals against Twitch. Jones crashed at the end of a jump and could not get up, though he was talking and coherent. An accident came onto the course to take him away as other concerned riders watched. In the three-man final, Adams was unable to complete his run due to what appeared equipment malfunction. Adams later confessed that he thought his tire had gone flat. Read the full story on Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=371306 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=371306 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 05:04:51 EST The latest episode of "Life of Ryan" starts after his disappointing experience at the X Games, as he grapples with his relationship issues. On one hand, he has to figure out what to do with Julia, the would-be girlfriend who dropped off the radar right before X Games because of something Tony may have or have not said. On the other, he has to deal with his mom's growing libido as she wants to start dating again. Ryan tries to talk it out with Casey and Taylor at lunch and he fills them in as to what Tony may have said to set her off. They can't figure it out so Ryan still has it on his mind as he visits one of his sponsors, Nixon, which has him check out a new watch design and take some promo shots before letting him run wild in the warehouse where he gets stacks of gear. Read more on Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=371305 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=371305 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 05:04:11 EST The Toyota Challenge in Salt Lake City was the fourth stop of the 2007 AST Dew Tour and featured some of the most exciting moments in the Dew Tour's history. Find out what you may have missed... THE DEW CUP RUNNETH OVER The PlayStation Pro in Orlando will no doubt feature some exciting contests but one thing won't be in question when it comes to Skate Vert, Skate Park and FMX. The Dew Cup for those three contests has been decided thanks to the results this weekend in SLC. FMXer Nate Adams was the first athlete to clinch the Dew Cup thanks to a win on Saturday. If Adam Jones had finished in second instead of fourth, he would have had a mathematical chance of winning the Cup, but it wasn't to be. Adams definitely deserved the Cup with three first-place finishes and one second. No one else was nearly as consistent with Mike Mason being the only other rider to have more than one top three finish (two third-place). Adams took the cup last year thanks to Travis Pastrana staying home. This one is all his. In Skate Park Ryan Sheckler won the first two Dew Cups easily so number three wasn't only expected, it was a given. What Sheckler was trying this season was for a sweep, which didn't happen thanks to the loss last month. This event he didn't seem like his regular self, but even Sheckler on an off day is better than most skaters out there. He took the jam session handily and that made the difference. He deserves the Cup and it doesn't look like he's going to hold back in Orlando, either. The Dew Cup was probably the last thing on Shaun White's mind Sunday as he tried to salvage a perfect Dew Tour season against Bucky Lasek. A fall on his final run left Lasek in the driver's seat (more on that later) and when it was all said and done a third-place finish was not what White expected. Thanks to earlier results White found himself 101 points ahead of Pierre-Luc Gagnon in the rankings meaning he could skip the last stop and still have the honor. While skipping Dew Tour events was something he did plenty over the last two years, no doubt White will be back next month to show he can go out on top. Or maybe not. HOLY [EXPLETIVE DELETED] Let's be honest -- Sheckler, Adams and White winning the Dew Cup were foregone conclusions and they really just needed to show up to win. The main reason to be interested in this Dew Tour stop was not for those events. It was all about BMX Dirt and Park, both of which got some nice airtime this weekend, letting the people at home see what all the fuss was about last month when BMX officially became "The most exciting sport in the world" (at least according to us). This stop didn't disappoint, with at least two major brand-new tricks being unveiled and the bar getting set higher and higher as tricks that were amazing just last month get landed more and more. Case in point: Ryan Guettler, who ruled BMX Park and Dirt in 2005 on the Dew Tour was MIA for much of 2006 due to injuries and has not been part of the discussion much of 2007, despite showing up and being healthy. After missing the cut in BMX Dirt, Guettler sauntered on over to the BMX Park contest and threw down a 1080 like it was no big deal in the prelims. Whaaa? Up until then, only Mike Spinner had successfully landed that trick in competition, and Guettler effortlessly landed it twice more in the finals, throwing several dangerous double back-flips for good measure. "That's all my hard tricks, all put together in a run," Guettler said afterward. Yep, I would say those are hard. But it was actually Scotty Cranmer who brought the house down. Remember Cranmer? Lats year he was in the driver's seat for much of the season until Daniel Dhers came out of the woodwork and started whipping and flaring his way to the top of the podium. Cranmer had a massive slam in the finals in Orlando and that was all she wrote for the season. This year he's been around, but his Felt video parts that have been making their way around the web were more interesting than anything he brought to the contest. He did start showing life at X Games, where he finished a questionable second to Dhers, but he followed that with fourth at the Vans Invitational. Cranmer was shown landing the first-even front-flip tailwhip in a new Felt video released last week and he didn't disappoint fans, trying the trick in his first run then nailing it during the second. How important was that? "The only thing I came here to do was land a front-flip tailwhip, so when I rolled away on that, I did not care what happened after that," All that happened after that was that you won. That's all. Over in Dirt, there was plenty of craziness over Cameron White's barspin to tailwhip backflip. It was the first time it had been successfully done one Dirt in competition. It was a thing of beauty because of the air he got and how smooth it was and though White didn't win (he came in a close second), he was the talk of the competition. There were plenty of other nice tricks, but this one was the one people will keep talking about. THE RETURN OF BUCKY... ALMOST After Shaun White didn't put down Bucky Lasek last month while proclaiming Pierre-Luc Gagnon his only real competition, who wouldn't want Lasek to win this month's Vert contest? Well, he came close. When White fell on his third run, it was Bucky's 91.00 he was going for. The fact that PLG scored his winning score on the last run of the night was meaningless -- Bucky beat out the boy. Shaun didn't seem to remember this when talking about that after it was all said and done. "Pierre had an insane run, but I don't know, that last run is going to be haunting me for awhile," he said afterward, talking about how he fell. Gee, Shaun, what about Bucky? Shaun was quite a quote machine this time around. We have a few more of his nuggets and more about his apparent self-appointed nickname Red Led... I mean Red Zeppelin. Read all about that here... PERFECT WEATHER... NOT After getting great weather in Portland, rain and wind again played a part at the Dew Tour. Prelims for FMX were delayed and the finals saw issues, but the whole contest did go down.pretty much on time. The special BMX SX Olympic qualifying event was rained out (read more here) so that sucked. The Skate Park finals were pushed from Saturday to Sunday morning, meaning fans missed out on TV of the action, but fans who were there got a treat as a best trick demo went off inside the arena for fans. Nice touch. SO, WHY TO WATCH NEXT MONTH... With three Dew Cups given out and a fourth basically decided (if Jamie Bestwick sneezes in Orlando, he wins the Cup)., why watch any of the action or go to Orlando for the PlayStation Pro? BMX, baby -- we've said it before and we'll say it again: that's excitement! While Daniel Dhers and Ryan Nyquist both lead for the Dew Cups and have a fairly good chance of clinching them, it almost doesn't matter -- there's enough cool stuff going on to keep you interested. See you then... - Greg Baerg http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367442 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367442 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:06:11 EST The sun smiled sweetly on Salt Lake as the Toyota Challenge's FMX dirt finals made a great live TV show. Then came clouds, drops that turned into a drizzle, then into a downpour that ruined much of the day . But not for the FMX riders, who, before the rain, took a tight course and showed what could be done with it. The incredibly steep drop-in did a head number on some of the riders, but not the winner. This is the year of Nate Adams, who won with a cliffhanger backflip, several other backflip variations, a holy grab, and more non-stop air time. His body was so fully extended as he flew around with his bike, he looked like a ballet dancer. Jeremy Lusk finally pulled one off, taking second with a double grab and a perfect circle superman in the air, though not as fully extended as Adams. Still, Lusk was stoked at finally reaching the podium. The sprinkles started during his second run. Between the FMX victory laps, where riders rode around the edges of the course, slapping the outstretched hands of spectators; and the BMX Supercross that followed, the rain got serious. Though it was a special event, the BMX SX was the most important race of the entire Toyota Challenge, because it was an Olympic qualifier for Beijing, fittingly scheduled in an Olympic city. It had the most international field of any contest during the event. There were 64 riders from 20 countries ready to go. But by the fifth heat, the rain had made the course so slippery, officials called a hold. Riders took shelter in the start area and in tents and waited, hoping the race would go on. "It wasn't that slippery for the first two motos, but then it started to rain heavy. I'm an Olympic hopeful, and I just made the U. S. BMX team, so I'm pushing as hard as I can. I love the course, but it's too dangerous to ride right now," said Steven Cisar (USA), whose bright future seems predicted by the faith of the sponsors who back him: Redman Bikes, Yamaha Wave Runner, Oakley, Rock Star energy drink and more. Luke Madill of Australia has already been to the one and only race held on the Laoshan course before the 2008 Games, and has even built a replica of the course in his Sydney back yard. "Having something like that to practice on is going to be the key, I think. I wish we could get this race on," he said, looking wistfully at the course turning into mud. Kyle Bennet (USA), currently the world leader in 'cross after winning the recent World Championships, said, "It's kind of overwhelming. I wanted to race. I felt good. I've been practicing my starts, my gate starts have been a big problem for me lately, and I felt I had this gate down and the track felt good. Either way, I'm happy. I got seventh overall in the time trial if they go back to the time trial." And that's exactly what they did. Event Director Zach Cooper did an incredible job of trying to save the event; bringing out powerful blowers and having the whole track covered with huge sheets of plastic, but it was no use. Riders were still waiting for the call when Johan Lindstrom, BMX coordinator for the International Cycling Union, said, "We just looked at the radar, and the rain will be coming for a while, so it looks like we are canceling the event. They can't hold it tomorrow, because most of those from other countries are scheduled to leave tomorrow. We did a time trial Friday in good conditions, so that result will be the one that stands." Mike Day (USA) won the time trials, so he's first in the Olympic qualifier. Michal Prokup (BLG), winner of the Jeep King of the Mountain series, was fourth (he won this event last year in San Jose). Cisar took sixth, and Madill squeaked by in 10th. The rain also stopped the Skate Park finals, though athletes did put on a show for fans inside the Energy Solutions Arena after the completion of the BMX Park prelims. With the rain falling outside, the prelims went on as scheduled. They were run quick, with no room for error, thanks to the 33 riders who had to take a turn. When the buzzer announced one rider's run was over, the next rider dropped right in. It was 'get outta the park!' the nanosecond your run was done. The tricks were so sick, it was amazing the judges could even decide who was better. Allan Cooke did a foot jam tire tap on top of the big subbix, an X-up air out to a double whip 360, and still only came in 8th---limited by a fall on his second run. There was a scare for everyone when legendary Dennis McCoy, 41 years old and sixth-place overall in both the 2005 and 2006 Dew Tours, crashed after starting out incredibly big. The crowd got silent. The music was turned down. Uniformed paramedics jumped over the barriers and ran to the still figure lying prone on the smooth wood. As McCoy finally, and slowly, got up, the crowd roared. But an air of dread still lingered. Daniel Dhers sent any negativity flying away with his ten-foot air out, back into the curved wall, foot jam nose pick and inverted 360, throwing in flairs and tricks of his own design that made the arena rock. Still, he was given less than a point over second-place Mike Spinner. Other highlights included Ryan Guettler landing the incredible 1080 and Morgan Wade's massive gaps, but Wade missed the cut for the finals, along with the legend Dave Mirra, Steve McCann and BMX Dirt winner James Foster. Sunday, the final day of the Dew in Salt Lake City, will have the Skate Vert finals, BMX Park finals, and just maybe---the return of the rained-out Skate Park finals. - Wina Sturgeon Editor, Adventure Sports Weekly (http://adventuresportsweekly.com/ http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367440 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367440 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:03:33 EST The summer of 2007 has been a difficult one for action sports. Jake Brown's 45-foot fall at X Games 13 (see the video) drew national attention thanks to his miraculous ability to actually walk off the ramp. Not everyone has been so lucky. Here's a look at some of the major injuries that have gone down this summer. Stephen Murray Event: AST Dew Tour -- Panasonic Open Injury: Broken Neck -- Paralyzed Stephen Murray was in Baltimore in June to take part in the Panasonic Open, the first stop of the AST Dew Tour. The 27-year-old X Games gold medalist has long been considered one of the top riders in BMX Dirt, though in recent years the sport has gotten so competitive he's rarely made the podium. During the finals Murray attempted a double back flip -- a trick he has landed many times before, but one that he still would occasionally miss. During the maneuver Murray appeared to sense he was going to crash and bailed from the rotation. Unfortunately, he landed directly on his neck, crushing several vertebrae. Murray was immediately transported to a local hospital and the prognosis was not good. Since then, he has undergone several surgeries and been transported to Craig Hospital in Denver, one of the top locations for treating spinal cord injuries in the world. Murray is currently paralyzed below the neck but is undergoing physical therapy in hopes of walking again. Find out more about Murray's condition by visiting our Stephen Murray update page and visit www.stephenmurrayfamilyfund.com to donate to help Stephen and his family. Tara Llanes Jeep King of the Mountain Broken Back -- Paralyzed Tara Llanes is one of the top female mountain bikers with a heap of honors including two national championships in 4x, gold, silver and bronze medals at the X Games and the 2006 US National Downhill Championship. She was in Beaver Creek, Colo. competing in the Jeep King of the Mountain event on Sept. 1 when she crashed during a race. She was airlifted to Denver where two surgeries were performed and she was diagnosed with a fracture to the C7 and L1 vertebra and damage to the spinal cord. She was paralyzed below the waist. It's been almost three weeks since her accident but Llanes has already been moved to the Craig Hospital to undergo physical therapy, placing both her and Murray in the same location. A strange twist of fate as only weeks before her injury, Llanes was talking about Murray and how his injury affected her. LLanes and her family are confident that she will be able to overcome her injury. "I can't lie and say this is an easy thing," she told Lat34.com, "but I am going to fight this thing and will walk again." To get updates on her condition, check out our update page as well as Tara's MySpace page. If you would like to support Tara through donations of any type, visit the Tara Llanes Road to Recovery Web site. Jake Brown X Games 13 Multiple Injuries The story of Jake Brown is now near legend thanks to the exposure he has received since taking his huge fall (see the video). Though he was helped off the ramp and appeared to be OK. Brown was pretty badly injured. He broke his arm, fractured a wrist, fractured a vertebrae, bruised his liver, suffered a contusion to his lung and got whiplash as well. Perhaps worst of all (for him), he was interviewed by Larry King. In all seriousness, he's been unable to skate since the accident and may be back in time for the finale of the Dew Tour in Orlando next month. He is expected to recover fully from all his injuries and was lucky he wasn't killed or more badly injured. What may have helped was seeing footage of another skater's crash on the "Megaramp." That skater, Pat Duffy, broke his leg badly in his fall and was out of commission for months. Brown remembered what happened and positioned his body to spread out the impact. It worked but when you fall 45 feet, you're going to get hurt. Blake "Bilko" Williams AST Dew Tour -- Panasonic Open Broken Bones in Foot/Leg While athletes from all sports were reeling from Stephen Murray's injury, Blake "Bilko" Williams took to the FMX course on June 24 to compete in the FMX finals. Bilko had a strong first run and stumbled on his second, securing a second-place finish. After his second run, however, he decided to try one more trick for the fans. He crashed on the landing breaking several bones in his foot and leg. Bilko was transported to a Baltimore-area hospital where he underwent the first of what is likely to be a series of surgeries. While his long-term prognosis is fine, he has still been unable to ride after three months, though he is getting closer to a return. Williams was one of the riders expected to really press Nate Adams as the best FMX rider at the Dew Tour and X Games, and he will miss all those events. Chad Kagy X Games 13 Broken Collarbone BMX rider Chad Kagy had a devastating injury in 2003 when he broke two vertebrae in his neck attempting a double back flip in BMX Park. He has recovered and become a master in BMX Vert in the last year, looking to compete on both the Dew Tour and in X Games in 2007. However, an accident during practice for the BMX Big Air contest (see the video) on the Megaramp put a dent in those plans. After making a jump over the gap he was unable to stick his landing and lost control, landing awkwardly and breaking his collarbone in multiple places. A surgery put his collarbone back together with the help of seven screws but he missed all of the X Games and the Portland Dew Tour stop. He was back for the Salt Lake City stop on Sept. 20 but was not back to his old self and missed making the finals of BMX Vert. - Greg Baerg http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367439 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367439 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:02:38 EST Ryan Sheckler should be on top of the world. The 17-year-old skater, who just finished high school, saw his new MTV show debut last month with an average of 2.3 million viewers. 'Life of Ryan' appears to be a hit and was MTV’s highest-rated series premiere this year in its target demo of people ages 12 to 34. His show also means he's become a ubiquitous figure at entertainment events this summer, ranging from the Surfer Poll & Video Awards to MTV's own Video Music Awards, 'TRL' and even the action sports retailer convention in San Diego. And almost all of the time he's trailed by either one or two camera crews from the network, chronicling his every move. So why does all this success have some people wondering if Sheckler's on the verge of a major collapse? True, one only needs to look at any media celebrity to know that too much press and coverage can be a negative thing but Sheckler is still well outside the orbit of a Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan. In the world of skateboarding, however, he is quickly rocketing into the stratosphere where only a handful of others from the sport have gone, people like Tony Hawk, MTV co-star Rob Dyrdek and Shaun White, who has a toehold thanks to his snowboarding success. Even in that company he is unique. Hawk blazed the way for other skateboarders over the past two decades, primarily thanks to his enormously successful video game series, which is releasing a new title early October. Dyrdek no longer competes regularly and his show paints him more as an interesting eccentric with a hefty bodyguard than a skateboarding legend. As for White, he is only four years older than Sheckler but has won Olympic Gold in snowboarding and that has been his claim to fame. He is setting the skate vert world on fire right now thanks to his Dew Tour winning streak, though vert isn't really what the skate core considers skateboarding these days. So that leaves Sheckler. Long before the MTV show, he made a big splash in 2003 at the age of 13 when he won the gold at X Game IX, becoming, at the time, the youngest skater to go pro and also to win X Games gold. Through the years he continued to grow in popularity and hone his skills, gaining new fans and plenty of detractors along the way. Sheckler has made a living showing up at contests and dominating the field and starting in 2005, he embraced the Dew Tour, taking the overall Dew Cup in both of its first two years. "After I won the X Games it turned into mayhem. People coming out of the woodworks, and that brought a lot of fame with it too. Quick fame," Sheckler said. "People didn't know if I was going to be in it for the long haul, or what would happen if I would just fall off. I proved myself and I'm still here." With all of his success thusfar, 2007 still seemed to be his year to break out. At the beginning of the year, Sheckler joined Plan B Skateboards, one of the premier (albeit mainstream) teams. His sponsors already include some of the top brands in the business, including Panasonic, Red Bull, Oakley, Volcom and Nixon. At the beginning of the year he flew around the globe shooting scenes for a new Red Bull film and prepping for the Dew Tour in June. Meanwhile, production was starting for the MTV series, which filmed a pilot in late 2005 and got picked up by the network. - Read the full story on Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367438 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367438 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:00:49 EST The fifth episode of "Life of Ryan" kicks off with Sheckler's mom talking with Ryan about X Games. It's coming up and she wants him to know that his dad is going with new girlfriend Christi. Ryan is bummed because he's not used to her yet or to the idea of his dad moving on. At least Mom is starting to get it. Ryan goes to his friend Taylor's house and hangs, sharing his concern with her. She is supportive but also lets him know that Christi is probably just trying to bond a bit with the family and not trying to replace anyone. A little light bulb appears to go off in his head... Maybe she's right. Rounding out the X Games entourage will be his new "friend who's a girl" Julia (she's only called a date at this point). She will be coming, as well as all his bowling buds (including Taylor, Tony, Casey and other random teens) and his family. Before he gets too far along in the week Ryan does talk with his dad, Randy, about his concerns. What follows is actually a pretty heart-to-heart discussion where Ryan does open up a little and his dad explains how much he's been hurt by the divorce. So it got all dramatic and tears were shed (okay, maybe no tears, but sad music was played). Ryan tells his agent, Steve Astephen, about the conversation -- the first time we've heard the omnipresent tall guy speak (he's been shown in at least two of the episodes wandering along with everyone) -- and while Astephen is happy about his dad, he's less interested in Julia coming along and the drama that may come with it. So it's off to L.A. for the X Games. The afternoon press conference where yours truly interviewed Sheckler and had to sign a release was condensed into about two seconds and then it was on to his hotel, where Ryan heard from Julia that she heard from someone else about Tony talking trash about her. So Julia's not coming and Ryan is irritated at Tony about that. Then it's time for the X Games. Mobs of fans follow him to the athlete entrance as he goes in to compete. He takes to the floor for the elimination and makes the cut. The comp features some good shots of him skating and also catches a fall which injures his hand. Ryan's dad gets worried and when Ryan gets off the course and tries to deal with his performance and pain, his dad makes the mistake of saying Ryan may not have made the finals. This is Ryan Sheckler, dude -- he may not win everything, but won't miss a final. Sheckler goes to his agent and leaves Dad and his bros behind and vents about what just happened. But he finds out he made the final and he leaves, ready to come back and win the next day. But the next day comes and over breakfast not only is his hand worse (his finger in particular) but he finds out his dad is sick and may not come. Very bush. As Ryan remembers back to his lunch with Papa, where he's told that his dad will be there for support on the big day, the big day starts. Ryan skates hard but with his injury and his dad's absence, something happens (and perhaps the better skaters there on that day) and he ends up fourth. Up in his hotel room, Sheckler ruminates on his dad's absence and the status of his relationship with Julia as all his friends lay sprawled in hotel room. Ah, just another day in the Life of Ryan. (FYI - check out our story about Ryan and his new show and whether or not MTV is hurting him -- check it out here!) - Return to the "Life of Ryan" - Full Resource Guide Random Notes from Episode Five - Okay, I'm over those old home movies. Stop them please. This family takes a ton of video. I have about three minutes of video of me as a kid and that's blurry Super 8 film. - For the first time Ryan's spoken-about Christianity is shown as his dad takes him through a little pregame prayer. May explain why he's so clean-cut, right? Maybe. - Unless I missed it, no Mexican food this week. Boo-Hiss! - Yo, what's with bowling with the bumpers up? You are 17, my man. Grow a pair. Bowl with the gutters ready and waiting. - I'm not sure why, but I have never seen Sheckler talk to any skater for anything resembling more than a hello. We know he talks to people other than his family and friends. Let's see him chat with P. Rod or Jereme Rogers, at least -- they're his Plan B teammates, right? - Speaking of dad missing the finals, where was his agent? I'm sure he was there, right? - Great thing about TiVo is the ability to freeze and go in slow mo to see if you can see yourself. Answer: NO. But at least we have some photos from the X Games eliminations and finals. - SPOILER: Dad and Christi were with Ryan this weekend at the Dew Tour so I guess they've made up to some degree. Check out photos from those finals. - Greg Baerg http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367437 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367437 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 05:59:38 EST In stark contrast to yesterday the sun was out early and the waves were up to par on the final day of the Second Annual Roxy Jam Cardiff featuring the Linda Benson's Women's World Longboard Championships presented by Schick® Quattro® for WomenT and Paul Mitchell. Hundreds lined the beach to watch the top professional women's longboarders from around the world battle it out for the title. Jen Smith Roxy Jam Cardiff 2007 (c) ASPTostee"This event means so much to the sport of women's longboarding and I just want to thank Roxy for their continued support of the sport," said Linda Benson, President of the Women's World Longboard Tour. "This event and the tour wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for them. I hope that this tour continues to flourish and that it will inspire more women to get on a longboard and just have fun." The final heat saw current Women's World Longboard Champion Jen Smith (Pacific Beach, Calif.), up against last year's Roxy Jam Cardiff Champion Lindsay Steinreide (Dana Point, Calif.), as well as Leah Dawson (Manoa, Hawaii) and Kaitlin Maguire (Solana Beach, Calif.). The ladies came out strong, showcasing their smooth style, footwork and noseriding skills in an exciting and close final heat. Steinriede took an early lead in the first half of the heat posting a 6.50 and a 7.00 but Jen Smith was unstoppable, earning an 8.50 and following up with a 6.90 late in the heat to secure the top position and the title. All four finalists received personal invites to the Roxy Jam Biarritz Women's World Longboard Championships in 2008. For the rest of the story check the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367111 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367111 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:54:45 EST Defending event champion and reigning Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep champion Nathan Yeomans (San Clemente, CA) posted an incredible come-from-behind victory to claim his second consecutive Oakley Newport Beach Pro presented by Jeep title. The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 2-Star event culminated a week’s worth of competition today in rippable two-to-three foot surf at 56th Street in Newport Beach. Although fellow finalist Adam Virs (Ventura, CA) held a commanding lead for the majority of the final, Yeomans found a running lefthander in the dying moments and raced down the line into a massive shotgun aerial on the end section. The incredible maneuver netted Yeomans the score, the win and his second consecutive Oakley Newport Beach Pro title. Yeomans Oakley NB Pro“I don’t even have words to explain how I feel right now,” Yeomans said. “I thought it was over out there. I was having a meltdown. I needed a big score and the waves just weren’t coming in. I took off on that wave and couldn’t do any maneuvers so I just picked up a bunch of speed and went for broke on that aerial. I didn’t know if they were going to give me the score, but they did.” For the full story check the site http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367110 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367110 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:54:12 EST The fourth episode of MTV's "Life of Ryan" found the show diving deep into Ryan's relationship woes. Not just his woes with the fairer sex, but also with his younger brother Kane. First family... Well, actually, screw family, first come girls it seems! After the Dew Tour stop in Cleveland and some trips afterward, Ryan is back in town for a little while Back in familiar surroundings, Ryan laments his lack of a girlfriend with friend Casey while they hang out at the beach. Then the gods smile down on him in the form of Julia and a couple of her beautiful friends, who greet Ryan and Casey. Read the full recap on Lat34.com... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=363533 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=363533 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 05:58:18 EST Former world rally champion Colin McRae and his five-year-old son were killed Saturday when the helicopter they were riding in crashed on the grounds of McRae's Scotland home in Lanark, Scotland. Also killed were six-year-old Ben Porcelli and family friend Graeme Duncan, 37, of France. McRae, 39, a licensed pilot, was at the controls of the Squirrel Two craft when it crashed as the four were returning from a nearby village. In the last 20 years McRae was one of the top competitors on the Rally Car circuit, winning the 1995 World Rally Championship and ranking as runner-up in 1996, 1997 and 2001. McRae also won the silver medal at X Games 12 last year, along with co-driver Nicky Grist. "He was such a great character and will be sorely missed," Grist, his co-driver since 1997, told Sky News Sunday. " In his home country McRae was considered a hero and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1996. He also had a series of racing video games released which have sold more than eight million copies worldwide. "It is unbelievable that Colin and Johnny’s lives have been taken so prematurely and in such a tragic manner," McRae's father, Jim McRae, said in a statement released on the driver's official website. "Colin was a great son, a loving husband to Alison and a fantastic father to Johnny and his big sister Hollie. Johnny was a great wee guy, spending every spare minute with his dad, and even at this early stage it looked like he had the potential to carry on the family dynasty." Jim McRae also expressed the family's sorrow for the passing of the two other passengers. "Our thoughts are also very much with the families of Ben Porcelli and Graeme Duncan. Ben was a great buddy of Johnny’s and they had always spent a lot of time together both in and out of school. Graeme, who now resides in France, had been a close friend of Colin’s since their schooldays and was back in Lanark on holiday." Fans of McRae and the sport of rally car racing have used the driver's website to share their thoughts and condolences, with one fan even posting a video tribute of McRae on YouTube (pictured below). To leave your own message, visit http://www.colinmcrae.com/. - Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=361392 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=361392 Sun, 16 Sep 2007 19:24:54 EST Reigning and 8x Foster's ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) has won his first event in over a year, moved to current World No. 2, and broke a world record after beating Pancho Sullivan (HAW) in the Final of the 2007 Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley today. "It'll be nice to go and sit down and think about this one," Slater said. "This will be a neat little tournament for my career. I'm a little bummed because I didn't feel like I capitalized on the waves I had, and it was frustrating, but just to get that win was important. We had similar conditions to 1990 when I won out here, so it was pretty magical." The victory marks Slater's 34th ASP World Tour win and earns him the record for the most elite tour event victories in history. Former three-time ASP World Champion Tom Curren (USA) set the record with his 33rd event win 16 years ago. Slater tied Curren with his 2006 Bells Beach victory and, despite featuring in four finals in the 16 months since, hadn't broken the record until today. "Part of me is kind of sad," Slater said. "I was hoping Tom and I would end up on the same number forever, but somebody is bound to come along and get to where I got. You've got to surf to the standards, but someone else is always going to be coming along that has the time and desire." Slater has been in the last four Boost Mobile Pro finals. He finished runner-up in 2004 and 2006, and claimed wins in 2007 and in 2005. His win today puts him 230 points behind Foster's ASP ratings leader Mick Fanning (AUS) and has positioned him as a strong contender for the 2007 World Title. "Now I've almost got as many points as I had accrued last year," Slater said. "I didn't think I was that intensely focused this week, I felt calm and happy. We'll see what happens in France. After this I could really capitalize on everything." Sullivan, who is into his sophomore year on tour, posted his best result to date with his runner-up finish to Slater. The powerful Hawaiian was a standout performer on the final day of competition, besting Neco Padaratz (BRA), Troy Brooks (AUS) and Jeremy Flores (FRA) on his way to meeting Slater in the Final. He needed a medium-scoring ride – a 6.98 – to take the heat from Slater. "It was a little frustrating, especially needing such a small score at the end and having priority and not being able to do anything, but that's the surfing competition," Sullivan said. "I still made it to the Final and hopefully I can carry some momentum into Europe and keep improving. It was really inconsistent but there were a few moments where we saw some spectacular surfing. I think all in all it turned out to be a great event." Sullivan has jumped eight spots from World No. 16 to World No. 8 with his runner-up finish today. "I feel really good to get a good strong result like this," Sullivan said. "I feel like my preparation was really good, I've been to every event this year and my scores have been really good. I felt it was just a matter of time before everything clicked. Unfortunately, I didn't get a really good opportunity in the Final, but next week is another event and hopefully I can keep going." Flores, 2007 Foster's ASP World Tour rookie, put in a stunning finals day performance, attacking the roping Lowers righthanders with style, punch and bite. The Frenchman dispatched of Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) and C.J. Hobgood (USA) en route to his first career Semifinal berth and 3rd place finish. "I was so happy until that heat; it was the best result of my life," Flores said. "I have been having the best time of my life. That was the worst way to lose, the worst way. I actually had a good wave, a real fun wave, and I surfed it bad the whole way. I couldn't believe it, the waves were so good before my heat that I was jumping around, feeling so lucky that I was going to be able to surf man on man in those conditions. I was so, so stoked." Despite going down to Sullivan in the Semifinal, Flores has jumped to 9th on the Foster's ASP World Tour – a move that puts him as the highest-rated rookie on the 2007 tour. Kai Otton (AUS) and Ben Dunn (AUS), rated 18th and 19th respectively, are his closest ‘Rookie of the Year' competition. Tom Whitaker (AUS) had to fend off countrymen Shaun Cansdell (AUS) and Ben Dunn (AUS) to meet Slater in the Semifinals, but the fleet-footed Australian was unable to match the Champ's prowess. "It's disappointing, but its fun to surf against Kelly," Whitaker said. "You've got to bring your A-game. He looks at waves that you think he should get a 6.0 or 7.0 but he makes them 8.0s and 9.0s. I caught a couple of edges and didn't get my way." Whitaker's equal 3rd finish today is a far cry from the two 33rd (last place) results he posted at the two world tour events previous to the Boost Mobile Pro. He's moved to World No. 15 after the result. "I dropped one of those 3s off the end of a 33rd, those were terrible," Whitaker said. "It's good to start the second half of the year off like that." The next stop on the Foster's ASP World Tour will be the Quiksilver Pro France running from Sept. 20-30, 2007. FINAL: 1 – Kelly Slater (USA) 13.40 2 – Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 10.60 BOOST MOBILE PRO SEMIFINAL RESULTS: SF 1: Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 15.24 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 5.33 SF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.83 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 10.33 BOOST MOBILE PRO QUARTERFINAL RESULTS: QF 1: Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 11.17 def. Troy Brooks (AUS) 8.00 QF 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.17 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.67 QF 3: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.60 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 16.67 QF 4: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 15.83 def. Ben Dunn (AUS) 14.93 BOOST MOBILE PRO ROUND 4 RESULTS: Heat 1: Troy Brooks (AUS) 14.00 def. Chris Ward (USA) 11.40 Heat 2: Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 13.47 def. Neco Padaratz (BRA) 11.17 Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.94 def. Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 9.83 Heat 4: C.J Hobgood (USA) 17.57 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 9.23 Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.74 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 8.50 Heat 6: Taylor Knox (USA) 15.90 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.67 Heat 7: Ben Dunn (AUS) 9.67 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 7.40 Heat 8: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 16.77 def. Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 12.93 Foster's ASP World Tour Ratings after Stop No. 6 the Boost Mobile Pro pres. by Hurley 1. Mick Fanning (AUS) 5270 2. Kelly Slater (USA) 5040 3. Taj Burrow (AUS) 4511 4. Andy Irons (HAW) 4331 5. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 4029 6. Damien Hobgood (USA) 3824 7. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 3467 8. Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 3462 9. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 3438 10. Dean Morrison (AUS) 3248 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=360957 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=360957 Sun, 16 Sep 2007 04:28:48 EST Nothing's stopping this surferfrom living her dream. If you catch CJ Soto on the waves it's obvious she knows how to cut them up. What might not be so apparent is that she's deaf -- but don't count on that to slow her down. She still has mad skills and a strong spirit. The 23-year-old from Carlsbad, CA has been surfing since high school and traveled the world for her sport, including competitions on Volcom Stone's Blowfish Surf Series. Lat34 conducted an interview with Soto over email and found out more about her career and what drives her in a sport that so many love but so few can master. Read the full interview on Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=359191 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=359191 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:12:10 EST Most of the surfing world converged in Anaheim Tuesday night to honor the top men and women in the sport at the 2007 35th Anniversary Surfer Poll & Video Awards. More than 2,000 people filled the Grove Theater to cheer on Kelly Slater, who took the top spot for men, and Sofia Mulanovich, the women's favorite. For Slater it marked his 13th win and his fourth in a row. It was Mulanovich's third in a row. "I have to thank Quiksilver which has made this life of mine possible," Slater said as he accepted the award. "I've been on tour a long time now. It just never gets old." Mulanovich thanked her sponsors and friends, but also took the opportunity to dedicate her win to the people of Peru, her home country, which is still recovering from a terrible earthquake last month. Two of the hottest surfers on the men's and women's tour this season, Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore, found themselves ranked number two in the poll, followed by Andy Irons and newcomer Carissa Moore, who is only 15-years-old. Several of the top ten men were on hand earlier at the ceremony but were gone by the time their name was announced, including Irons, Taj Burrow and Joel Parkinson -- all three are in the first three hears of the second round of the Boost Mobile Pro, which is scheduled to start Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. A heat four slot didn't stop Bobby Martinez from accepting his award for being ranked number eight in the poll. Martinez also won for Best Tuberide from the film "Mixed Tape." Quiksilver not only had the top award thanks to Slater (Quiksilver's sister brand Roxy is one of Mulanovich's main sponsors) but also had the Movie of the Year with "Young Guns 3," featuring Julian Wilson and Moore, who were honored with Best Male and Female Performance Awards. The film was followed by "Bra Boys," which had two wins including Best Documentary. A full list of the poll results and the video award winners follows this story. The crowd started lining up outside the Grove starting around 6 p.m., well before the scheduled start time of 8 p.m. The lobby and front courtyard of the theater were packed in short order and while some of the top athletes were pulled to the side for interviews many were able to just get a drink and talk with others from the industry. There were some younger kids seeking autographs but for the most part everyone was free to work the room. While there were plenty of bars inside and outside to find one's favorite libation, the only food service was inside the lobby and the line snaked out the door and was the perfect place to carry a conversation or scope the room. Spotted throughout the evening were most of the top talent from the Foster's ASP Men's and ASP Women's world tour, as well as many WQS surfers, including Slater, Martinez, Andy and Bruce Irons, the Hobgood brothers, Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, Dane Reynolds, Jordy Smith, Sunny Garcia, Mulanovich, Gilmore, Rebecca Woods, Karina Petroni and Anastasia Ashley, The show began around 8:15 p.m. and by then the nearly 100 tables were jammed with attendees, while the standing-room only section in the back was half-full. The main tables were bought up by key brands like Quiksilver, Boost, Hurley, Roxy, Red Bull and others that were willing to pay $1,500 each (with proceeds going to two different charities, the USA Surf Team and Da Friends of Jeannie Chesser). The ceremony was hosted by Sal Masakela and Benji Weatherly who introduced several gues presenters when not presenting the awards themselves. The first presenter of the night was skateboarder Jake Brown, who survived a fall of nearly 50 feet at last month's X Games. Brown received a standing ovation from the crowd and went on to introduce the "Worst Wipeout" award, which was won by Bra Boy Ritchie Vas for a huge slam that left him with a bloody gash in his neck. Vas wasn't on hand to accept, but a naked friend accepted the award for him, setting the table for the tone of the night -- irreverent and fun. Brown wasn't the only skateboarder to present. Ryan Sheckler received a mixed response when introducing Best Male Performance. Other presenters included surfer/stunt man Brock Little, tennis player Mark Philippoussis and South African surfing legend Shaun Tomson. The night wasn't only about the awards -- the band Angels & Airwaves played a short set and a short video news spoof kept the audience entertained. The spoof, a regular feature of the awards, featured three segments including the Hobgood brothers involved in a lawsuit with one another, a Kelly Slater identity theft case (Peter King in a Baywatch shirt doing the job) and Rob Machado getting involved in a case of paddle surf rage. The night featured mostly short thank you speeches, with few surprises. Legendary shaper Al Merrick received two shout-outs (from Kelly Slater and Rob Machado) and the 9/11 anniversary was also brought up. After the show ended around 10:30 p.m. many of the winners remained in the theater to accept congratulations while most of the crowd filtered into the lobby and courtyard, where a DJ played and a dance floor was waiting. Within minutes, it was full and there wasn't any doubt the party was going to go as long as possible -- at least for those who didn't have to make the trip to Trestles in the morning. 2007 35th Anniversary Surfer Poll & Video Awards - Full Results Top 10 Men 1. Kelly Slater 2. Mick Fanning 3. Andy Irons 4. Taj Burrow 5. Bruce Irons 6. Rob Machado 7. Joel Parkinson 8. Bobby Martinez 9. Damien Hobgood 10. CJ Hobgood Top 5 Women 1. Sofia Mulanovich 2. Stephanie Gilmore 3. Carissa Moore 4. Chelsea Hedges 5. Layne Beachley Movie Of The Year Young Guns 3 - winner Mixed Tape Down The Barrel Sipping Jetstreams Trilogy Heavy Water Award presented by Toña Cerveza Laurie Towner (Frothing) - winner Mark Mathews (Bra Boys) Shane Dorian (The Game) Brad Gerlach (Headfirst) Garrett McNamara (The Mahlchers Suitcase) Worst Wipeout Richie Vas (Bra Boys) - winner Laurie Towner (Frothing) Jason Frederico (Pipeline Posse) Daniel Couto (Absolute Mexico) Andy Irons (Trilogy) Most Radical Maneuver Eric Geiselman (All In The Family) - winner Jordy Smith (Frothing) Clay Marzo (Young Guns 3) Julian Wilson (Young Guns 3) Dane Reynolds (Young Guns 3) Best Female Performance Nominees Carissa Moore (Young Guns 3) - winner Sofia Mulanovich (Peel: The Peru Project) Bethany Hamilton (Heart Of A Soul Surfer) Best Male Performance Nominees Julian Wilson (Young Guns 3) - winner Andy Irons (Trilogy) Taj Burrow (Trilogy) Bobby Martinez (Mixed Tape) Dane Reynolds (Young Guns 3) Best Tuberide Bobby Martinez (Mixed Tape) - winner Ken "Skindog" Collins (Absolute Mexico) Cory Lopez (Absolute Mexico) Andy Irons (Trilogy) Koby Abberton (Bra Boys) Best Documentary Bra Boys - winner The Lost Wave Can¹t Keep Me Down Heart Of A Soul Surfer Down The Barrel Best Cinematography Down The Barrel - winner Sipping Jetstreams One California Day Thread Peel: The Peru Project Photo of the Year Mick Fanning in Tahiti (Jon Frank) - winner Breakthrough Performer Jordy Smith - winner - Greg Baerg http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=358168 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=358168 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:14:02 EST Ah, the third episode of "Life of Ryan" teased the viewer with a chance to actually see him skating -- a rarity thusfar in the series. Ryan and his mom are talking about his schedule which includes a trip to Cleveland for the second stop of the AST Dew Tour. Ryan seems to find out about the contest three days before he has to go and is bummed to find out his dad is coming. Apparently his dad hasn't been in the picture in terms of competitions for a long time (for at least four years, it seems) and wants to start coming again (I'm sure the TV show has nothing to do with it). Ryan wants his dad to know that these contests are his work and he won't have time to spend with him. But also gnawing at him is Christi -- not just her relationship his dad, but also the way she flags him down when he's driving away to say "I love you, too." Read more at Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=357231 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=357231 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 05:11:12 EST Christopher "Big Black" Boykin of MTV's "Rob & Big" 12 year old skate star Nyjah Huston and the UFC's Tito Ortiz were just a few of the names on hand Saturday, the second day of the Action Sports Retail Show (ASR) at The San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA. While ASR's goal is similar to almost all trade conventions (sellers displaying new products for potential buyers) the atmosphere is much different. With action sports impacting youth culture and fashion trends around the world, ASR is no doubt of the most exciting trade shows in America. While action sports culture has always marched to its own beat, its impact today is bigger than ever. Shaun White is winning Olympic gold as a snowboarder and X Games gold as a skateboarder and has mainstream TV commercials and magazine covers to show for it. MTV is featuring skateboarders Rob Dyrdek and Ryan Sheckler in reality shows and Jake Brown hit all the main news programs following his unfortunate but amazing fall on the megaramp at X Games 13. The fall ASR show is expected to draw 20,000 attendees, including more than 8,000 buyers from around the world, 700 brands and a completely sold-out display floor. Mark Tinkess, Executive Vice President for Element, has attended every ASR since 1988 and has seen the action sports industry grow dramatically over the years. "Action sports started a lifestyle business," said Tinkess. "Many of the companies who are here are no longer niche brands. They mean something to consumers." In addition to people seeing new products and schmoozing there was an éS Game of Skate competition sponsored by Boost Mobile. Around 500 people crowded around the éS Game of Skate area in Hall A to see Chris Cole come in first and win $10,000; Nyjah Huston was second, taking home $5,000 and Mike-Mo Capaldi finished third and picked up $2,000. While ASR has become the epicenter of youth culture, the brands and attendees are just doing what they love and remain unaffected by their growing influence. Mario Foresta, a production artist for hat company New Era hats works closely with clients to develop hats that reflect their company image. "Some companies come in with the design they want and I may just help recommending different types of material," Foresta said, "Then other companies come in and let us drive the creative." ASR wraps up today at The San Diego Convention Center. - Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=355476 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=355476 Sun, 09 Sep 2007 13:27:33 EST Simon Tabron Takes Home Gold in BMX Vert; USA Sweeps Moto X Best Trick Second Day of Event Draws a Crowd of 13,470 at the Palacio de los Deportes The energy of the spectators shook the venue in Day Two of X Games Mexico Presented by Rockstar Energy Drink. Fans gathered to watch athletes exert amplitude and difficult maneuvers in the BMX Freestyle Vert and Moto X Best Trick finals. Skateboard Vert and BMX Freestyle Street Elimination Rounds also selected finalists for events to be held tomorrow. BMX Freestyle Vert Final Simon Tabron of Great Britain, and USA riders Jay Eggleston and Zack Warden contended for the gold with high energy routines in the BMX Freestyle Vert Final. The three were the remaining finalists out of 10 competitors in the head-to-head jam format. The crowd erupted into cheers as the riders attempted to one-up each other with combinations of hand plants, allie-oops and tail whips. In the last moment of his run, a hiccup caused Eggleston to fall behind Tabron in second position. Tabron then entertained the crowd with a series of back to back 540 maneuvers and a 900 spin, earning him the gold. "The enthusiasm at the X Games seen today is truly amazing,” said an enthusiastic Tabron. "You can feel the excitement everywhere. I had so much fun out there and I'm proud to take home gold.” Moto X Best Trick Final The crowd kept up its momentum with the wave as the final competition concluded the evening. Although all of the Moto X Best Trick competitors received roars of approval from the fans, the USA swept the podium. American rider Todd Potter took the gold medal with his best trick, the "Kamikaze,” where he extended his body straight while being upside down in the air. Kyle Loza finished in second position with his self-invented trick, "The Volt” and Jeremy "Twitch” Stenberg rounded out the top three after taking third with a "Double Can Indie Flip” to "Heel Clicker” combination. "Mexico City is great and I hope the X Games happen here every year,” said Potter. "I didn't know that I would be walking home with gold and it wasn't easy.” X Games Mexico Presented by Rockstar Energy Drink concludes tomorrow with the finals in BMX Freestyle Street, Skateboard Vert, Skateboard Street and Moto X Step Up. BMX Freestyle Vert Finals - Full Results 1. Simon Tabron (UK) 94.00 2. Jay Eggleston (USA) 92.67 3. Zack Warden (USA) 91.33 4. Eduardo Terreros (ESP) 90.00 5. Koji Kraft (USA) 89.00 6. Tom Haugen (USA) 87.33 7. Dave Brumlow (USA) 84.67 8. Reginaldo Silva (BRA) 84.00 9. Erick Soto (MEX) 82.33 10. Oliver Cantillo (VEN) 82.00 11. Rubén Luna (VEN) 78.00 12. Cruz Muñoz (MEX) 77.00 - Press Release http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=355475 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=355475 Sun, 09 Sep 2007 13:26:59 EST The injury-induced withdrawl of current World No. 6 Damien Hobgood (USA) will see former ASP World Champion Sunny Garcia take on World No. 1 Mick Fanning (AUS) and Hawaii's Pancho Sullivan in tomorrow's Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley – the 6th of 10 events on the 2007 Foster's ASP World Tour. Hobgood, who was forced to pull out of both the Boost Mobile Pro and the upcoming Quiksilver Pro in France, reinjured his knee while freesurfing in Costa Rica earlier this week. The title contender's spot was offered to replacement surfers David Weare (ZAF) and Peterson Rosa (BRA) first, and then to Garcia when they declined. "It's both frustrating and disappointing to have this kind of setback," Hobgood said. "I've had some good results and was feeling really confident about my surfing. At this point, there is little I can do other than rest the knee for a couple of months and look ahead to the latter part of the season." Garcia's name is just one more in an already daunting list of wildcards who have snuck into the Boost Mobile Pro draw. The 2000 ASP World Champion will join former title runner-up Rob Machado (USA) and ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) Nos. 1 and 2 Jordy Smith (ZAF) and Dane Reynolds (USA) at Lower Trestles this week. Smith, the current ASP World Junior Champion and WQS ratings leader, has qualified for the Foster's ASP World Tour in 2008 and looks forward to competing in his second event on the Dream Tour as a wildcard. "I competed in the Billabong Pro in Jeffreys Bay last year and did pretty well so I'm looking forward to competing at the Boost Mobile Pro,” Smith said. "I'm super stoked to have already qualified for the Foster's ASP World Tour next season and this event will be a nice little warm up.” Smith has drawn World No. 2 Taj Burrow (AUS) and 2005 Rookie of the Year Fred Patacchia (HAW) in Round 1 – both tough opponents but Smith is up for the challenge. "I think it will be good because if you want to win the event, you have to beat the best,” Smith said. "I haven't surfed Lowers very much, but I've been traveling around with the other South Africans on tour – Greg Emslie, Travis Logie, Ricky Basnett and Royden Bryson – and they've been showing me around.” Current WQS No. 2 Dane Reynolds (USA), who has also cemented his spot on the elite tour next year, will be surfing his ninth event as a Foster's ASP World Tour wildcard this week. He has drawn 8X World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) and California transplant Cory Lopez in Round 1. "I've only made it past the first round a few times .so most of the wildcards I've had have been quick ones,” Reynolds said. "But I've earned most of my competition experience on the WQS this year and I think that will help me more than anything.” Surfline, the official forecasters for the Boost Mobile Pro, have indicated that conditions at Lower Trestles will be suitable for competition tomorrow, the first in the seven day waiting period that stretches from Sept. 9-15, 2007. Competition will likely run tomorrow. The event will be webcast live on www.boostmobilepro.com and the official call will be made at 7:30am each day. Boost Mobile Pro of Surf Round 1 Match-Ups Heat 1: Travis Logie (ZAF), Ricky Basnett (ZAF), Mark Occhilupo (AUS) Heat 2: Danniel Wills (AUS), Ben Dunn (AUS), Trent Munro (AUS) Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Troy Brooks (AUS) Heat 4: Dean Morrison (AUS), Luke Stedman (AUS), Neco Padaratz (BRA) Heat 5: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Adiano de Souza (BRA), Gabe Kling (USA) Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Luke Munro (AUS) Heat 7: Taj Burrow (AUS), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Jordy Smith (ZAF) Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS), Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Sunny Garcia (HAW) Heat 9: Kelly Slater (USA), Cory Lopez (USA), Dane Reynolds (USA) Heat 10: Andy Irons (HAW), Kai Otton (AUS), Rob Machado (USA) Heat 11: Taylor Knox (USA), Phillip MacDonald (AUS), Shaun Cansdell (AUS) Heat 12: Bruce Irons (HAW), Raoni Monteiro (BRA), Dayyan Neve (AUS) Heat 13: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Bernardo Miranda (BRA), Victor Ribas (BRA) Heat 14: Michael Campbell (AUS), Greg Emslie (ZAF), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) Heat 15: Tom Whitaker (AUS), Leonardo Neves (BRA), Michael Lowe (AUS) Heat 16: Chris Ward (USA), Josh Kerr (AUS), Royden Bryson (ZAF) - Press Release http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=355474 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=355474 Sun, 09 Sep 2007 13:26:24 EST Simon Tabron Dominates BMX Freestyle Vert; Rodil de Araujo Leads in Skateboard Street Day One of Premier Action Sports Event Kicks-off in Mexico City The first day of X Games Mexico Presented by Rockstar Energy Drink kicked off last night at the Palacio de los Deportes. With a strong international representation of competitors from around the Globe participating in BMX Freestyle Vert and Skateboard Street Elimination Rounds, today’s festivities marked the first time an international X Games event has been held in Mexico City. In response to the opening day, Gerardo Casanova, general manager, ESPN Mexico said, “We are very excited to have X Games Mexico Presented by Rockstar Energy Drink in our city. Day One was more successful than I could have imagined and I am looking forward to an action-filled weekend,” said Casanova. “ BMX Freestyle Vert Elimination BMX athletes from Latin America, Spain and the USA performed a showdown of routines including big airs, tail whips, flips and flares. In a close battle between American riders Jay Eggleston, and the youngest competitor, Zack Warden, the USA was a contender for a first qualifying finish. However, a flawless and stylistic finish by Simon Tabron allowed him to emerge victorious over his opponents with a score of 93.00. Skateboard Street Elimination Talents from local competitors in Mexico stirred high energy in their hometown as they executed each difficult maneuver. Rodil de Araujo of Brazil commanded the lead with a score of 87.89, with American street skater Greg Lutzka following behind with an 84.44 and Milton Martinez from Argentina ending in third position with an 83.22. Tomorrow fans can look forward to watching final competitions in BMX Freestyle Vert and Moto X Best Trick. Elimination Rounds will also take place for BMX Freestyle Street and Skateboard Vert. For an updated schedule, go to www.xgames.com/mexico. Results - BMX Freestyle Vert Elmination 1. Simon Tabron (93.00) Advances directly to final 2. Jay Eggleston (92.33) Advances to the secound round of the the first series 3. Zack Warden (90.33) Advances to the secound round of the the first series 4. Eduardo Terreros (89.67) Advances to the secound round of the the first series 5. Koji Kraft (88.00) Advances to the secound round of the the first series 6. Dave Brumlow (83.00) Advances to the secound round of the the first series 7. Erik Soto (82.33) Advances to the first round 8. Reginaldo Silva (81.33) Advances to the first round 9. Oliver Cantilo (81.00) Advances to the first round 10. Tom Haugen (79.33) Advances to the first round 11. Rubén Luna (78.00) (Eliminated) 12. Cruz Muñóz (77.00) (Eliminated) Top 10 Qualifiers Skate Street 1. Rodil de Araujo Jr. (87.89) 2. Grez Lutzka (84.44) 3. Milton Martínez (83.22) 4. Dayne Brummet (82.67) 5. Felix May (78.33) 6. Christian Huerta (76.00) 7. Julio Cosio (72.67) 8. Mario Saenz (72.56) 9. Tulio de Oliveira (72.11) 10. Max Barrera (71.22) http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=355473 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=355473 Sun, 09 Sep 2007 13:25:37 EST 2004 ASP World Champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER) stepped up to the poduim’s highest block at the Rip Curl Girls Festival in Liencres today, when she defeated Silvana Lima (BRA) to win Stop No. 4 of 7 on surfing’s elite ASP Women’s World Tour. An absolute standout in the left breaking waves of Liencres, Mulanovich positioned herself as the event’s top scorer, posting the only pair of 9-piont rides (out of a possible 10.00 points) in the earlier rounds, as well as a an excellent 8.50 against Lima in the final. “I am so happy, I haven’t won a contest for a while so this feels amazing,” Mulanovich said. “I needed a pretty good score in that heat and I just thought to myself ‘I can do this, these waves are perfect for my surfing and there is no way she is going to get this one off me, this is my wave’!” Silvana Lima Rip Curl FestivalIn what proved to be a clash of fierce South American surfing, it was Lima who took an early lead in the 40-minute Final, her pair of seven-point rides leaving Mulanovich no choice but to reveal the depth of her surfing talent. The former ASP World Champion answered back with an 8.50 and 7.05. For the whole story head over to the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=353769 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=353769 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:20:03 EST Reef is proud to announce the 2007 Reef Hawaiian Pro, the first stop in the prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. The event is set to run November 12-24, 2007 at Ali’i Beach in Haleiwa Town on Oahu’s famous North Shore. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, with the Reef Hawaiian Pro being the newest addition to this historic event series. “Taking ownership of the Reef Hawaiian Pro exemplifies the brand’s commitment to the sport,” says PJ Connell, Reef Sports Marketing Manager. “We're putting all of our energy into creating a high quality, exciting event that does justice for one of surfing's most important legacies, the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing." The Reef Hawaiian Pro’s 6-star WQS rating raises the stakes for WQS surfers on the verge of qualifying for the 2008 WCT. This event is the second to last chance for surfers to grab vital rating points before the end of the season. In addition to the all-important points, the world’s top surfers will be vying for the $125,000 prize purse and the first jewel of the Vans Triple Crown. For more on the story check the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352812 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352812 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:15:40 EST The following is an update on the condition of Tara Llanes written by her friend and trainer James Herrera As she lays in a hospital bed following a seven hour surgery to the back and spinal cord, one of Tara’s doctors enters the room to explain the use of the Incentive Spiromter, a device frequently utilized in the medical community to test the health of the lungs following surgery. “Tara, now put this hose in your mouth and take the deepest breath you can.” The effects of the post surgery meds are still taking their toll as Tara, half asleep, takes hold of the device and inhales. “Not bad, 1000mls,” as the doctor takes back the device and turns to put it on the bedside table. Tara sleepily asks the doc, “so how much should I be doing?” He replies, “well, in a healthy young athlete like yourself, 4000-5000 is not uncommon, but you just had surgery last night.” As the doctor turns to leave the room, Tara sternly responds, “let me see that thing again.” With all the strength she can muster, she cranks out a 1750. Later in the day, she’d stepped it up to 2500. No one knows better than I do, this girls got the heart of a champion... Read the rest of the update at the site... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352774 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352774 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:34:22 EST ASP World No. 1 Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) and World No. 3 Chelsea Hedges (AUS) saw their Rip Curl Girls Festival hopes dashed, when they were eliminated during Round 3 of competition at Liencres Beach, today. Posting their collective worst results on the ASP Women’s World Tour this year, the two former duel ASP ratings leaders finished up with equal 9ths, Gilmore eliminated by ASP World Tour rookie Roseanne Hodge (ZAF) and Hedges defeated by Rip Curl Wildcard Alana Blanchard (HAW). Competing in chilly 3ft (1m) waves, Hodge posted the day’s major upset, by edging out Gilmore to advance into the Quarterfinals, where she will meet World No. 4 Silvana Lima (BRA) when competition resumes. Read the whole story at the site http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352773 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352773 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:33:30 EST On Sunday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. ET, ESPN2 will televise an extraordinary new surfing documentary by filmmaker Steve Lawrence titled Down the Barrel. The film was shot in crystal clear high definition, and is narrated by Eric Balfour ("24," "Six Feet Under" and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre). Focused primarily on Kelly Slater's quest for an unprecedented eighth world title, this film explores the culture of the water, and the quest for perfection. Surfers Rob Machado, Joel Parkinson and Kalani Robb also serve as voices to help illuminate the competitive nature of the sport, the lifestyle, the danger and the drive that calls them into the water everyday. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352772 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352772 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:32:52 EST Claire Bevilacqua is one of the fiestiest, sexiest, craziest competitors on the ASP Women's World Tour. Now in the middle of her third straight year on the tour, Bevilacqua is following up a seventh-place finish on the tour last season. This year, the tour has been a little less forgiving, with Bevilacqua scoring three straight equal 9th finishes in the first contests (translation: she didn't make it past the third round). That has left her tied for 13th overall on the tour, though there are three events left to go, not including the Rip Curl Pro in Spain, which is currently underway (as of this writing). However, if you look at the draw for each of the season's first three events, there's one consistent thing. In each third round match Bevilacqua went up against Stephanie Gilmore. And who is the #1 ranked surfer on the Women's World Tour this season? That's right, Stephanie Gilmore. So is it any surprise that she's had her hands full? More on Lat34.com http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352373 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=352373 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 06:41:54 EST The second episode of "Life of Ryan" kicked off with the obligatory Wahoo's reference. It's Ryan's youngest-brother Kane's eighth birthday week and his family is celebrating with Tacos -- okay, maybe they are homemade, but one can't ignore the Wahoo's flashback to last week. But this joyous event sets up the family issue of the week: Dad is hosting the birthday party and his has a new girlfriend, Christi. Sheckler's mom is none-to-pleased at his moving on. Not that she misses him or anything (after 22 years, she notes). The struggle with the divorce is interesting in that it actually feels pretty real. Sheckler's voice-overs sometimes wraps it up with a little bow and makes it simple, but his mom's reactions and his dad's obliviousness ring true. Especially at the birthday party when he pretty much is attached to Christi which does shake Sheckler's mom up. Looks like Kane got some cool toys -- but we didn't get a good look at them (Boo, Hiss!). Read more at Lat34.com... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=350602 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=350602 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 05:34:02 EST The 2007 Action Sports World Tour kicked off in Phoeniz, Arizona, this weekend with some of the top athletes in skate and BMX showing to take part in several events including Skate Vert, BMX Vert and the new BMX Box Jump event. In Skate Vert, Pierre-Luc Gagnon followed up his strong showings at the Portland AST Dew Tour event and the X Games with a first-place showing, scoring a 93.75. Bucky Lasek returned to form with an impressive second-place finish, scoring a 90.75 to barely edge fellow 34-year-old Danny Mayer, who has certainly made a comeback this year. The ten-man final included 16-year-old phenom Alex Perelson, who had an off day to finish in ninth. Also impressing was 17-year-old Adam Taylor, who recently turned pro and finished in eighth after qualifying Saturday in the tenth and final spot. Simon Tabron continued his domination at the Action Sports World Tour taking first handily while Steve McCann had a strong second-place finish, with Kevin Robinson following up his third-place finish at X Games and at the AST Dew Tour in Portland with another in Phoenix. The exciting Zack Warden and veteran John Parker tied for fourth with an 86.50, with Warden getting the honor thanks to a stronger second run. The BMX Box Jump event can be described as BMX Dirt meets with Park -- without either, specifically. Two quasi-dirt jumps (made of wood) lead into a quarterpipe. The competition was strong, with 16-year-old Dennis Enarson continuing his hot streak with another win -- scoring not only a 92.25 on his first tun, but a 93.50 on his second -- both scores easily outpacing Steve McCann, who placed second in his second event in Phoenix. Ryan Guettler was third, taking a tie-breaker against Diogo Canina. The event was noatable in that none of the ten athletes was older than 24-years-old -- six of the 12-man field in the BMX Vert finals were older than that, including four 30+ vets, including Tabron, 33, and Robinson, 35. Proving only that BMX Park/Dirt and the new Box Jump are a young man's game... Taking place earlier in the event, on Saturday, there was an Amateur Skate Vert competition, with X Games winner Ben Hatchell taking first, followed by Zach Miller (Chris Miller's son) in second and Brazil’s Marcello Bastos in third. The Action Sports World Tour continues in two weeks in San Diego, from September 14 to 15. Full Results - BMX Vert Finals (Sept. 2, 2007) 1. Simon Tabron - 91.75 2. Steven McCann - 90.25 3. Kevin Robinson- 89.00 4. Zack Warden - 86.50 5. John Parker - 86.50 6. Jay Eggleston - 84.75 7. Koji Kraft - 83.25 8. Austin Coleman - 82.00 9. Danny Williams- 81.25 10. Ben Snowden - 79.25 11. Brian Cunningham - 78.50 12. Sean Logan - 70.00 Full Results - BMX Box Jump Finals (Sept. 2, 2007) 1. Dennis Enarson - 93.50 2. Steven McCann - 89.25 3. Ryan Guettler - 88.50 4. Diogo Canina - 88.50 5. Dave Dillewaard - 86.00 6. Sean Sexton - 86.00 7. Austin Coleman - 85.75 8. Anthony Napolitan - 85.50 9. Zack Warden - 85.00 10. Koji Kraft - 82.25 Full Results - Skate Vert Finals (Sept. 2, 2007) 1. Pierre-Luc Gagnon - 93.75 2. Bucky Lasek - 90.75 3. Danny Mayer - 90.50 4. Mathias Ringstrom - 89.50 5. Anthony Furlong - 84.25 6. Neal Hendrix - 84.25 7. Jean Postec - 84.00 8. Adam Taylor - 80.75 9. Alex Perelson - 75.75 10. Buster Halterman - 73.00 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=349687 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=349687 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:20:35 EST In the first NOKIA Snowboard FIS World Cup event ever held in New Zealand, ladies' 2007 world champion and 2006/07 FIS World Cup winner Manuela Laura Pesko of Switzerland turned in a nearly flawless second run to edge defending FIS World Cup snowboard cross champion Lindsey Jacobellis. Jacobellis's teammate Clair Bidez, the reigning Junio