The Green Room

VIDEO: Surfer magazine gets to know Nat Young

jjag — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:23:59 +0000

Jamilah Star throws hat into Billabong XXL ring

jjag — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 07:00:17 +0000

Here’s the Santa Cruz ripper’s latest entry into the Women’s Performance award category.

Torkos tries kickflip again

jjag — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 06:46:05 +0000

Is this the kickflip that will finally spur Volcom to pony up the $10,000 it offered for the first surfing kickflip? Santa Cruz’s Zoltan Torkos certainly hopes so.

See his latest effort here.

Mavericks Surf Contest window opens Jan. 1; Eight surfers from Santa Cruz invited to compete

Leo Maxam — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:13:20 +0000

The Mavericks Surf Contest lives on for another year.

Contest Director Jeff Clark has announced that the official contest window will open on Jan. 1 and run through March 31.

“We are all stoked to be back for another year,” Clark said in a statement. “No matter what else is going on in the world, Mavericks will be there. The season looks promising, as we’ve already seen some major swells roll through Half Moon Bay. The perfect contest day we’re looking for will bring a northwest groundswell between 18 and 20 feet (translating into waves faces of 30-40 feet).”

Ross Clarke-Jones (white) and Ryan Seelbach (red) drop in on one of the bigger waves of the quarters during last year's contest.

If and when Clark determines an impending swell warrants giving the green light to hold the contest, 24 legendary big-wave riders from around the globe will have 24 hours to make the trek to the world-famous big wave break a half-mile offshore of Pillar Point Harbor, near Half Moon Bay.

This year’s international roster of invitees includes eight surfers from Santa Cruz. The 24 competitors, in alphabetical order, are: Matt Ambrose (Pacifica), Ben Andrews (San Francisco), Grant Baker (South Africa), Ion Banner (Half Moon Bay), Chris Bertish (South Africa), Carlos Burle (Brazil), Kenny Collins (Santa Cruz), Shane Desmond (Santa Cruz), Nathan Fletcher (San Clemente), Brock Little (Hawaii), Greg Long (San Clemente), Josh Loya (Santa Cruz), Peter Mel (Santa Cruz), Shawn Rhodes (Pacifica), Ryan Seelbach (San Francisco), Evan Slater (Ventura), Tyler Smith (Santa Cruz), Jamie Sterling (Hawaii), Anthony Tashnick (Santa Cruz), Darryl Virostko (Santa Cruz), Grant Washburn (San Francisco), Dave Wassell (Hawaii), Tim West (Pacifica), Zach Wormhoudt (Santa Cruz).

Also named were the 15 alternates, in order of priority: Alex Martins, Danilo Couto, Mark Healey, Tyler Fox, Rusty Long, Nic Lamb, Jamie Mitchell, Mike Gerhardt, Russell Smith, Kealii Mamala, Garrett McNamara, Andrew Marr, Lawton Smith, John Whittle, Colin Dwyer.

The Mavericks contest window usually starts in December, but organizers were forced to delay the opening ceremonies until they could firm up financial support from sponsors ambivalent to invest given the current economic climate.

Just like last year, the 24 surfers in the contest will compete for a $75,000 prize purse. The purse breakdown awards $30,000 for first place, $12,000 for second place, $7,500 for third place, $3,500 for fourth, $2,500 for fifth and $1,500 for sixth place.

The event will once again be webcast live over the Internet and fans can also sign up to receive a cell phone text message alert as soon as the contest green light is given.

To minimize the impact of spectators lining the beach at Pillar Point, contest organizers are encouraging fans to enjoy the contest via the webcast at home or by attending the live webcast viewing event at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

New boards at M10

Leo Maxam — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:40:34 +0000

Heads up! M10 Surfboards currently has a new batch of premium series model surfboards available at their showroom. For the first time this year, shaper Geoff Rashe and crew have caught up to demand from custom orders and have had the opportunity to get some stock boards out on the rack at the showroom, all available at a reasonable price.

In addition, the shop has a plethora of used boards from other top labels such as Rusty, …Lost, Mayhem, Stretch and Channel Islands, all still in good condition and available at great deals. The used boards are piling up as surfers around town take advantage of M10’s trade-in incentive: bring in a used board in good condition and M10 will offer you credit towards a brand new M10 surfboard in exchange.

Swing by the M10 factory [401 Ingalls St. at Swift St. on the Westside] and see general manager Marco Foreman to find out if your next magic board just might be in stock…

"What you need?" 5'6" Hogfish to 8'0" guns, M10 manager Marco Foreman has got you covered.

Reviews of the big wave paddle-in contest at Nelscott Reef

Leo Maxam — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:38:39 +0000

“The paddle in was amazing and we were surprised how many waves were actually caught. Almost everyone got a wave in what turned out to be an optimal paddle in day at the reef.”
– Contest director and Nelscott Reef founder John Forse.

(After conferring with big wave contest guru Gary Linden, and based on competitors feedback and spectator enthusiasm, Forse decided to integrate the paddle-in into future events.)

“It was insane. Those guys killed it out there. When you are tow surfing all day, it’s really spread out and you can come at it from any angle. tow surfing shows the angel, paddle surfing shrunk the playing field down to a takeoff area, you realize that’s a good wave to paddle. I’m not a big wave paddler, but the guys today put themselves in position to get pounded. There’s some big waves out there. They were doing it like a heat, full-on battling for positioning, strategizing. It’s pretty exciting. I saw Jamie Mitchell get pounded, ran into some bull kelp. That stuff can definitely take you out.”
– 2007 and 2008 co-champion Adam Replogle

“It was fantastic, it was long overdue, demonstrating that it could be paddled. It was really great to see the resurgence of the purity of paddling into big waves. They proved without a doubt that this is a paddle-able wave.”
– Jake Wormhoudt, who won the inaugural Nelscott contest in 2005 with brother Zach

2008 Paddle-In Contest final results:
1. Kealii Mamala (HAW)
2. Jamie Mitchell (AUS)
3. Shane Desmond (N.Cal)
4. Mike Parsons (S.Cal)
5. Gary Linden (S.Cal)
6. Justin Howard (Oregon)
7. Chad Jackson (C.Cal)
8. Zach Wormhoudt (N.Cal)
9. Steve Harnack (Oregon)

Alistair Craft and Adam Replogle win second-straight Nelscott Reef title

Leo Maxam — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:42:23 +0000

Santa Cruz’s Jake Wormhoudt flies down the face of a huge wave during the finals of the Nelscott Reef Tow-In Classic. Three of the four teams in the final hailed from Santa Cruz, including winners Alistair Craft and Adam Replogle. photo: Richard Hallman

When the 2008 Nelscott Reef Tow-In Classic was given the green light for Sunday, Santa Cruz surfers Adam Replogle and Alistair Craft were on the fence about whether to make the ten-hour haul north to Lincoln City, Ore. to compete.

Having already won the last contest in January of this year, the duo wasn’t sure if the responsibilities of work and family around the Thanksgiving holiday would allow them the time to defend their title.

“To be honest with you, we weren’t even going to do this,” Replogle said. “We didn’t show up for the ceremony last year. Not because we were trying to be disrespectful, but me and Al both have two kids and a job to get back to and we’re in the middle of nowhere out here. So it’s pretty overwhelming to be here. I just didn’t think it was going to happen.”

After repeating as champions Sunday at the frigid deep-water wave in Central Oregon, the two are glad they returned.

Replogle and Craft towed each other into numerous bombs, surfing the waves — some in excess of 30 feet on the face — as if they were out shredding a head-high day at Sewer Peak, and earning first place with a combined score of 44.26. The father-son team of Josiah and Jeff Schmucker from Australia earned second place with 41.8, followed by two pairs of Santa Cruz brothers: Russell and Tyler Smith in third [41.22], and Zach and Jake Wormhoudt in fourth [40.16].

“Back to back, it was killer. We had a good time,” Craft said. “I think last year we didn’t feel that great about the final, we didn’t think we had a chance of winning. Neither Adam or I felt we surfed spectacularly or had great waves. But this year we felt we had a shot.”

With three of the four teams to reach the final hailing from Santa Cruz, the final was more like a tow-in session among friends in their own backyard than a high-stakes international contest, Replogle said.

“Basically we had just a normal surf, respecting each others surfing and timing,” he said. “We tried to ensure the normal protocol where whoever has been waiting the longest gets next wave. Sometimes when you don’t have people form your own neighborhood out there, things can get very competitive. … It can get intense.”

Aside from a bout of early-morning fog, conditions for the fourth annual contest were all-time. Air temperatures hovered around 65 degrees and there was no wind all day, keeping the huge waves glassy and well-shaped.

“I can’t believe I’m walking around in a T-shirt,” said contest organizer Adam Wagner.

Hawaii’s Kealii Mamala won the inaugural paddle-in contest, earning $1,000 and free entry, along with tow partner Garrett McNamara, into next year’s Nelscott contest. The Hawaiian waterman, who in recent years has dared to ride just about any craft in big waves — from stand-up paddle surfing at Maverick’s to tow surfing waves created by falling glaciers in Alaska — managed to snag four of the roving beasts breaking across the shifty Nelscott lineup.

“Kealii is phenomenal,” Replogle said after watching the paddle-in event. “Tow, paddle, stand-up, I think that guy could do anything on a board.”

A total of 12 waves were caught in the highly anticipated event, proving that the wave at Nelscott can indeed by paddled into. The first wave of the paddle contest happened to be snagged by Zach Wormhoudt, who managed to sniff out the takeoff spot before the rest of the pack.

“Zach got a bomb,” said brother Jake. “It was fantastic, it was long overdue, demonstrating that it could be paddled. It was really great to see the resurgence of the purity of paddling into big waves. They proved without a doubt that this is a paddle-able wave.”

17-year-old Nat Young wins O’Neill Cold Water Classic

Leo Maxam — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:26:17 +0000

Plenty of folks in Santa Cruz thought it was possible. Some even said it was only a matter of time. But few of us expected it would happen this soon.

Nat Young, the 17-year-old “Pride of the Westside,” won the 2008 O’Neill Cold Water Classic Sunday in pumping overhead surf at Steamer Lane. He is the youngest surfer ever to win the prestigious event and the first to bring the title back to Santa Cruz since Kieran Horn in 2003.

“It’s been a long day,” Young said after being carried up the stairs at Steamer Lane and mobbed by well-wishers and media. “I’ve been in my wetsuit since 7 a.m.”

Young’s first-ever victory in a World Qualifying Series event came by less than three-quarters of a point over second place finisher Chris Waring from Seal Beach. Maui’s Granger Larsen finished in third and Sean Moody, also from Hawaii, took fourth.

All four surfers surfed brilliantly during the final, which saw a booming northwest swell combine with an afternoon low tide for a wealth of waves pouring in off Lighthouse Point. The heat was so close that Young, who earned a final heat score of 13.87 out of a possible 20 points, and Moody were separated by less than two points.

“This was one of the best contests I think we’ve had in 21 years,” said Pat O’Neill, president and CEO of O’Neill Wetsuits. “The waves were always big enough for guys to get enough speed to pull off the most amazing maneuvers and really shine.”

No one shined brighter than than Young. After falling on his first two waves early in the final, Young settled down and found a solid opening score of a 6.5. Then, needing a score of at least 6.1 to take the lead, Young stroked into a medium-sized wave that walled up all the way through to the inside and linked together a series of vicious backside turns. The ride earned Young a 7.37, leapfrogging him past Waring and Moody for first place with eight minutes remaining in the heat. From there, Young was able to hold onto his slim 0.74-point lead until time expired.”I started off slow,” Young said. “I tried to go too big a couple times and fell. Then the waves started pumping and everything started to flow for me.”

It was the second big final in recent months for Young and Larsen, 18, who are developing quite the rivalry. The two also met in the finals of the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s National Championships at Lower Trestles this summer. Larsen, the favorite, wound up finishing runner-up to Young.

“I would say there’s a bit of a rivalry now, for sure,” Larsen said. “He had me. … Anyone could have won, but he’s the local, he knows the wave. Party at Nat’s house tonight!”

Larsen wasn’t the only one toasting Young on Sunday. In fact, it appeared as though half of Santa Cruz showed up at Lighthouse Point to cheer on the polite, freckle-faced grommet, who was the last local surfer remaining in the contest after fellow Santa Cruz surfers Bud Freitas, Randy Bonds and Jason “Ratboy” Collins were all eliminated in the semifinals.

The hometown crowd rallied behind Young, erupting with noise at every big backside turn, cringing any time a he dug a rail — which wasn’t often — and waving bright orange sings that read ‘Go Nat!’.

“Nike [one of Young's sponsors] made the signs and passed them out,” Young’s mom, Rosie, said. “Nat was a little shy about that.”

For Rosie Young, who has chauffeured her son up and down the California coast countless times for NSSA contests and other surfing events, his victory at the Cold Water represents the culmination of a five-year full-time commitment to her son’s surfing.

“Nat’s been surfing for five years now hardcore, every day,” she said. “Him winning the Cold Water at his age is something he can always be proud of, and it shows him what he’s capable of in the future.”

Youth was certainly the theme of the day as the average age of the four finalists was just 20. With underage surfers like Young and Larsen on the victory podium, contest directors had to quickly replace everyone’s beers with energy drinks and water before bestowing the finalists with the traditional victory soaking.

When asked what he planned to do with his $10,000 first-place check, a sopping-wet and shivering Young gave a prudent answer well beyond his grom years. “I’m going to put the money in my bank account,” he said.

O’Neill, who has known Young since he first began surfing for Team O’Neill at the age of five, said he had a special feeling watching Young’s run through the Cold Water.

“I’m so proud of Nat,” O’Neill said. “Last year, watching him in the Pro Junior, I just had a feeling he was going to win it, and I got that same feeling watching him in the contest this year.”

With the 2007 Pro Junior title and this year’s Cold Water both under his belt, O’Neill said there’s only one feat left for Young at next year’s Cold Water.

“He can still surf in the Pro Junior event until he’s 20,” O’Neill said, “so he’s got a few years to try and win them both.”

Cold Water Classic: Day 4 results

rsholin — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:14:06 +0000

O’Neill Cold Water Classic Results (from Friday, Oct. 24)

Round of 96: (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 7: Evan Geiselman (USA) 11.23, David Gonsalves (HAW) 8.93, Tom Rezvan (AUS) 6.56, Cody Thompson (USA) 6.30
Heat 8: Ted Navarro (USA) 10.67, Toby Martin (AUS) 8.37, Fisher Heverly (USA) 7.57, Gabe Garcia (USA) 5.93
Heat 9: Josh Loya (USA) 12.00, Peter Mussio (USA) 11.77, Dillon Perillo (USA) 7.06, Blake Jones (USA) 6.17
Heat 10: Omar Etcheverry (USA) 11.67, Brandon Guilmette (USA) 10.60, Kellen Ellison (USA) 6.86, Phillip Goold (USA) 3.33
Heat 11: Magnum Martinez (VEN) 10.94, Ryah Arthur (USA) 10.27, Jayke Sharp (AUS) 9.77, Charlie Carroll (HAW) 6.47
Heat 12: Randy Bonds (USA) 12.00, Sean Marceron (USA) 11.93, Russell Smith (USA) 7.60, Cory Arrambide (USA) 4.00
Heat 13: Nils Schweizer (USA) 9.40, Jimmy Herrick (USA) 9.36, Zach Keenan (USA) 8.03, Chris Foster (HAW)
Heat 14: Nicholas Godfrey (ZAF) 13.60, Kyle Garson (USA) 1160, Jeath Joske (USA) 11.06, Tyler Anderson (USA) 6.34
Heat 15: Nick Riley (AUS) 13.44, Bruno Rodrigues (USA) 11.30, Ryan Briggs (USA) 9.57, Matt Keenan (USA) 8.03
Heat 16: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 17.83, Josh Mulcoy (USA) 13.97, Jacob Kirschenbaum (USA) 12.40, Matt Myers (USA) 10.63

Round of 64: (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Che Stang (USA) 15.94, Danny Estes (USA) 11.07, Travis Beckmann (USA) 9.90, Dane Johnson (USA) 9.30
Heat 2: Blake Howard (USA) 16.10, Granger Larsen (HAW) 14.10, Tyler Newton (HAW) 10.90, Darrell Goodrum (USA) 7.47
Heat 3: Kolohe Andino (USA) 11.83, Bobby Morris (USA) 9.90, Kieran Horn (USA) 9.00, Chris Abad (USA) 8.73
Heat 4: Chris Waring (USA) 12.33, Micah Byrne (USA) 11.57, Matt Meola (HAW) 11.57, Quintin Jones (ZAF)
Heat 5: Bud Freitas (USA) 15.77, Mason Ho (HAW) 13.83, Richie Collins (USA) 12.43, Roger Eales (USA) 7.97
Heat 6: Eric McHenry (USA) 13.40, Kevin Sullivan (HAW) 13.33, Adam Virs (USA) 11.60, Kevin Kapsky (HAW) 3.33
Heat 7: Chad Compton (USA) 13.54, Casey Brown (HAW) 12.84, Toby Martin (AUS) 10.73, Evan Geiselman (USA) 9.26
Heat 8: Teddy Navarro (USA) 14.37, David Gonsalves (USA) 11.93, Chris Ward (USA) 11.43, John John Florence (HAW) 10.30

Cold Water Classic: Day 3 video

rsholin — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 05:10:21 +0000

Video highlights from Day 3 of the Cold Water Classic. Video by Christina Gullickson, for the Santa Cruz Sentinel