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Courtney Conlogue (USA) and Laura Enever (AUS) will battle it out in the finals of the  Billabong Azores Islands Women’s Pro in Sao Miguel, Azores Islands this weekend.

Conlogue got to the finals by beating out Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) who finished third.

“It is real tough out there today with these conditions but you just have to go out and surf your best and do what you can to get the scores and the result. I’m stoked to be in the final now and I think that anyone could have made the final today so you have to be on your toes and be consistent and hopefully you can drop the average scores.”

Enever, who is the current Women’s ASP World Junior Champion, bested Sophia Mulanovich (PER) to get her to the final clash against Conlogue.

“I am really stoked to make the final which will be my first for the year on the WQS so I am very excited and hopefully we will get some waves for the final and we can put on a good show for all the people who are here on the island to watch the contest. There were some waves in my semi-final and I only just got my boards last night so it is good to be back on my own boards now and let’s hope for waves on the weekend.”

The Billabong Azores Islands Pro is an event where surfers gain crucial points for their 2010 ASP world rankings.

Of course we would be remiss if we didn’t compliment each gal for their bright red women’s rash guard shirts! 

Big waves, but poor conditions forced a lay day today for the Quiksilver Pro in Puerto Escondido, Mexico.

After calling a lay-day yesterday due to small conditions, a highly anticipated swell arrived today with massive 10′+ sets. Unfortunately, poor wave quality forced a second consecutive lay day at the infamous’ Mexican Pipeline’.

The swell is forecast to increase tomorrow and organizers are hoping conditions will improve as well. With the event’s 10 day waiting period,  organizers have the leeway hold the ASP 4-Star event in optimal Puerto Escondido conditions.

Southern California surfers are having been watching all the recent activity ‘down under’ and are awiting the arrival of a fairly significant south swell in about 4-5 days.

As you can see in the above wave measurement graphic there’s been quite a bit of wave making activity in the Southern Hemisphere during the last few days and surfers are waxing up their surfboards in anticipation of the swell which is expected to reach 1-2′ overhead around Monday or Tuesday.

Time to grab your boardshorts and rash guard shirts and hit the water – COWABUNGA, dude!!  

We bet you didn’t spend it doing this:

We here at Buy Rash Guards are already hugs fans of SurfShot mag so imagine how stoked we were to learn that the publishers have decided to take the magazine digital. “Every year, over 35 million trees are cut down to produce magazines in the U.S.,” says Surfshot’s John Cocozza. “By taking the magazine digital, we are able to step out of that cycle, eliminating our reliance on paper and reducing our carbon footprint in terms of printing and shipping.”

Way to go guys!  

The third day of competition at the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star O’Neill Cold Water Classic found itself at its third new location where surfing’s big names took to the water.

With conditions easing ever so slightly, contest director Matt Wilson chose Marrawah’s exposed Lighthouse Beach as the spot to finish off the Round of 96.

In this isolated northwest corner of Tasmania, the likes of Jordy Smith, Cory Lopez, Ben Dunn, aerial master Josh Kerr, and Damien Hobgood made the most of the powerful beachbreak.

There are high expectations for the 21-year-old South African surfing phenomenon, Jordy Smith, winner of this ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) tour two years ago, and he didn’t fail to disappoint, waiting until the second half of his heat to pull out his high scoring waves.

“It’s interesting being back on the ASP WQS,” Smith said, “because you can go through with 5’s. I can’t get away with that on the World Tour.”

This is the first time for Jordy on Australia’s island state, but he is fitting right into the Tasmanian waters,

“I met a few of the locals yesterday evening out in the water,” Smith said. “I was asking them how to get back because it was getting pretty dark and we were pretty far from anything. They were like, no worries catch a ride with us. It was crazy driving through the night with all the Tasmanian Devils about and stuff. We almost hit something the other day – I would have felt bad. We didn’t though, we stopped and let it cross the road.”

The heat of the day was a battle of spectacular young talent, with 19-year-old up-and-coming Australian star, Owen Wright taking it out ahead of Dusty Payne, Lincoln Taylor and Wiggoly Dantas.

“It was a pretty close heat,” Wright said. “The first day was incredible – the Bluff is an awesome wave. But it’s great it’s mobile. It keeps all the options open and you can get the best waves every day. I’ve been over to Tasmania before. But never to this corner. It’s a nice untouched place – it’s an awesome place to have an event.”

As Rob Bain, O’Neill’s Asia/Pacific Marketing Manager said, “It’s not just about the surfing here. We’ve had amazing waves and most of the surfers are discovering them for the first time ever. But this is also more like a road trip – it’s about the different experiences.”

Here’s a great article we previously published but have been asked to re-post so here you go:

The following article will discuss the benefits of men’s rash guard use in competitive sports.

There are lots of sports that men compete in where rash guards should be considered an important part of their equipment.

Rash and UV protection are not only beneficial while participating in water sports such as surfing, body boarding, snorkeling and swimming, but also while fishing and boating as well as during contact sports such as martial arts.

A man is exposing his skin to harmful factors such as sunburns and irritating rash when competing in many of the competitive sports mentioned in the above paragraph. Wearing a rash guard will block harmful UV rays by providing SPF 150+ protection as well as provide a protective layer over his skin to eliminate any skin irritation.

A rashguard will give you more confidence and increase your sporting performance while protecting your skin. Without having to worry about sunburn and skin irritation you can remain focused on your sport and give your best performance possible.

Let’s take a look at the example of surfing. When men participate in surfing competitions, they are exposing their skin to several factors that can cause a rash, or other skin irritations including:
• continuous rubbing of his chest against the rough surface of his surf board
• prolonged exposure to the sun’s dangerous UV rays. Especially the back and shoulders
• prolonged exposure to the wind

A rash guard protects against sunburn and skin rash that is caused by all of these factors.

Rash guards are made from lycra material that is designed to block 97% of the sun’s UV rays and guard your skin with SPF 150+ protection while you’re surfing. Unlike any other sun block products rash guards do not need reapplication – their protection stays on in the water.

Men’s rash guards are available in short sleeve as well as long sleeve to provide the best protection you can get for whatever sport you’re playing.

Rash guards are an important piece of sporting equipment because they not only protect your skin but they also enhance your sporting performance. You can keep your head in the game and not have to worry about sunburn, irritating rash or having to remember to reapply your sun block.

Check out our complete selection of men’s rash guards at Buy-Rash-Guards.com today!

While all of our surfing customers will be interested in this news, our surf brothers and sisters up in Northern California will be particularly intrigued:

After 7 years of planning and extensive public input, three marine sanctuaries off Central California issued a new joint management plan. The plan includes a 775 square mile expansion to include the Davidson Seamount, one of the largest known underwater mountains in U.S. coastal waters and home to a wide variety of marine species.

The management plan also includes prohibition of harmful discharges from cruise ships, restoration of the original limitation of motorized personal watercraft to four areas off the harbors, inclusion of a wintertime zone for tow-in surfing at the legendary surf break: Maverick’s , and efforts to reduce the introduction of non-native species.

Read more here… 

OK, these guys are hardcore surfers! There’s a group of guys up in Montreal, Canada who actually surf on the St Lawrence river in the dead of winter – BRRRRR!

Led by local surfboard shaper, Corran Addison, these guys suit up and hit the 4 degree, (yes, that’s FOUR DEGREE), water where the biggest danger they face is the large pieces of floating ice and can go form damaging your board to causing serious bodily injury if a surfer happens to get pinned between two large icebergs.

“It’s just like an obstacle course,” says fellow ice surfer Christine Pinsonneault, 25. “You’re basically doing a slalom around the blocks of ice as they come down the river. You can’t miss them all so you have to be willing to have a board you don’t mind destroying.”

“It’s not just about being an expert surfer, it’s also understanding the dynamics of this unique situation,” Addison says. “There are some things you would never think are dangerous until they happen to you. There could be 100 metres separating two big icebergs and you wouldn’t think twice about it until you have a friend who has been squashed between the two because he wasn’t paying attention.”

You can read more here at the Montreal Mirror…

Shown picking up her winner’s check wearing a bright red rash guard surf shirt,  surfer Pauline Ado (FRA), 17, has just made Association of Surfing Professionals, (ASP), history as the first non-Australian female to claim the undisputed ASP Junior World Title, defeating opponent Bethany Hamilton (HAW), 18, in a hard-fought Final at the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.

Clean three-to-four foot waves were on tap at Sydney’s legendary North Narrabeen Beach yesterday where Ado surfed her way to the crown and became the newest ASP World Junior Champion.

“I’m speechless,” Ado said. “I am so stoked. This is a dream come true. I can’t believe that I won. When I woke up this morning, I never imagined that this would happen.”

While her opponent Hamilton exhibited patience throughout the day, Ado wasted no time in surfing both the lefts and rights and although the lead flipped back-and-forth it was the young Frenchwoman who sealed the deal with a solid 13.43 out of a possible 20.

Congrats Pauline and nice women’s rash guard if we do say so ourselves. 

Pro surfer Kelly Slater won the Billabong Pipeline Masters on Friday, December 12th, marking the 6th time he’s won this event and his 6th event win of 2008 – this guys is AMAZING!

“It’s inexplicable,” Slater said of his win and banner season. “I’m just stoked. I wasn’t even worried about surfing the event, so to surf it and win and get that board (a Gerry Lopez designed surfboard trophy). I’ll cherish that for sure.”

Slater has made the Pipeline Masters final 10 out of the 17 times he has entered the event winning in 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999 and again today. His 2008 win comes nine years after he last clinched the Pipeline crown in ‘99.

“My season is all about nines,” Slater said. “Winning this event nine years later, I needed a 9th in the ninth event of the year to win my 9th ASP World title, it’s crazy.”

Slater paddled out in eight to 10 foot waves at Pipeline four times today, beating Chris Ward (USA) 14.00 to 7.23 in the in the first man-on-man final* held at the venue in eight years. Slater’s heat totals in the three heats prior to the final were 19.00, 18.63 and 19.40 – all out of a possible 20 points.

“It was disappointing that the waves didn’t really turn on for us in the final,” Slater said. “That’s what we are here for, to put on a show for people – at least give them some big wipeouts or something. In the final there weren’t too many waves, but I picked the right ones. It’s about time Wardo had a result like this though. He is one of the best barrel riders in the world.”

BTW – nice red rash guard surf jersey, there Kelly. 

The Billabong Pipeline Masters will not determine an event champion today. Small surf and stormy weather has prompted event organizers to call the contest off for the day.

Only 16 of 64 surfers are still in contention after the first two days of competition. Among them are five-time Pipeline Masters Champion Kelly Slater (USA), four-time Pipeline Masters Champion Andy Irons (HAW), 2004 event champion Jamie O’Brien (HAW) and defending champion Bede Durbidge (AUS).

ASP World No. 4 Joel Parkinson (AUS) leads the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing ratings after eliminating front-runner Dusty Payne (HAW) with a perfect 20 heat total yesterday.

Another call on event status will be made tomorrow morning at 7. Only one more day of competition is needed to decide a champion.

Billabong Pipeline Masters Round 4 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Marcus Hickman (HAW) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)
Heat 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Tim Reyes (USA)
Heat 3: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Heat 4: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) vs. Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
Heat 5: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Tom Whitaker (AUS)
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Kamalei Alexander (HAW)
Heat 7: Chris Ward (USA) vs. Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Heat 8: Evan Valiere (HAW) vs. Andy Irons (HAW)

For more information please visit www.aspworldtour.com

Just a friendly reminder that the Surfrider Foundation Long Beach Chapter’s 2nd Annual Breakwater Bash is happening Saturday, November 15, 2008 7PM-midnight at Smooth’s Sports Grille (144 Pine). $10 per person to benefit their “Sink the Breakwater & Restore the Shore” campaign.

They’re celebrating the 70th anniversary of the 1938 Surfing & Paddleboard Championships – the first national surfing championship ever – held in Long Beach, California way, way before the City Council voted Long Beach “The Aquatic Capital of America” and when there were waves in Long Beach. Two fabulous local music groups – the Lap Steel Duo and Swingin’ Tikis – will rock the crowd and set the mood to celebrate surfing history in Long Beach.

They’reproudly celebrating this event with the Long Beach Jr. Chamber of Commerce, one of the original co-sponsors of the Surfing & Paddleboard Championship way back in 1938, along with The District Weekly and Smooth’s Sports Grille.

Smooth’s will be featuring a special Surfrider dinner menu and 10% of the meal will be donated to Surfrider Foundation in Long Beach.

Just a reminder that tonight the Long Beach, CA Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation will host a special evening with Surfline Forecasters who will discuss the basics of wave formation, what swells and wind conditions are best for the surrounding area and can also certainly throw in some info on what the surf would be like if the breakwater was no longer there.

So if you’ve ever wondered what it takes to forecast our great waves here in Southern California, here is your chance to learn and ask as many questions as you’d like.

The meeting will start at 7pm and will be located in the downstairs portion of the Barnes and Noble bookstore in the Marina Pacifica Mall (near 2nd Street  PCH).

Checking the blogs it sounds like Monday’s hearing was a success!

According to the Surfrider Foundation about 3000 people showed up and made an impression on the decision makers.

The Secretary of Commerce will make his decision between Oct 24, 2008 and January 7 2009. Surfrider is happy because that gives everyone more time to contact the the Feds and demand they uphold the Coastal Commission’s decision to protect San Onofre State Beach. You have until Oct 2 to submit comments.

You can read more on their blog and they also have a link there where you can easily send a letter so click here!!

This just in from the Surfrider Foundation:

Get ready! It’s time to gather and save Trestles. A public hearing for the appeal of the 241 Toll Road will be held next Monday, Sept 22, and we need you there! Remember that in February the CA Coastal Commission turned down the application to build a massive toll road through San Onofre State Beach, threatening the integrity of this popular and wondrous natural resource. The TCA has appealed that decision to the US Commerce Dept. and they will be here Monday to hear from you.

We need you to bring your friends and family! As we saw at the Coastal Commission hearing, when over 3,000 people show up and demand protection of San Onofre and Trestles, decision makers listen! We cannot let the Bush administration overturn a decision that has already been made in California.

Hopefully you have had a chance to read the hearing procedures: click here Hand-held signs need be no bigger than 13 x 22 inches. Surfrider will be setting up sign-making stations to ensure everyone has “the right sized signs”; and we’ll also be passing out signs already made.

Since the hearing will go ‘all day’, we are creating interactive stations and planning fun activities outside the hearing (such as, face painting for the kids, frisbee, hacky sack, and of course letter writing stations)! If you can’t come for the entire day, please stop by for a bit–just coming for an hour or two CAN make a difference–at this point, public pressure is key to stopping this toll road.

At the hearing, there will be “drop boxes” for letters and we need to fill them up! If you have friends who cannot come, please let them know you can hand-deliver a letter for them. If you had previously requested to speak at the hearing, as required, we will have a schedule of speaker times by the end of the week.

Surfrider, and our partners, will be providing supporters with tee shirts and other goodies (first come, first served). We understand many of you will be at the hearing all day and we want to help keep you nourished and fray some of the costs associated with coming to the hearing. We will have a limited amount of food coupons that we can give to those who need it. Since we are a nonprofit, it’s hard to feed everyone, but we do want to make sure that our supporters are taken care of and have sustained energy to be at the hearing all day. Upon arriving, please check in at the welcome booth to receive your tee shirts and food coupons.

While we do NOT expect a final decision on Monday, a solid showing of public support for Trestles is critical; as we saw with the Coastal Commission!

If you absolutely cannot make it to the hearing, be sure to provide the Commerce Dept. by sending a letter fee and easily online, and stay up to date at www.savetrestles.org

Congrats to Kelly Slater for winning the Boost Mobile Pro event held at Trestles, CA last week!

He beat out Taj Burrows, of Australia, by less than .5 points to pick up the $30,000 check and trophy in some ripable 2-4′ surf at Trestles Beach.

Nice rash guard there Kelly. 

File this in the “You Gotta Be Kidding Me” column…

A few days ago a surfer down in Australia was towed out to sea when a passing shark got itself tangled in his leash!!

Apparently the guy wasn’t hurt but definitely freaked out. The surfer clung to his board until the shark suddenly freed itself and disappeared. The leash was not damaged and remained attached to the board and his ankle.

That’s one lucky surfer!

You can read all about it here…

Come on down to Surfrider Beach in Malibu on Saturday, September 6 to catch Sal Masekela, Jason Mraz, Chad Lowe, Flea, Richard Burgi, Pete DiStefano, Brandon Cruz and David Chokachi riding the waves during the Surfrider Foundation Celebrity Expression Session.

An event like no other, the Expression Session allows celebrities to show off their surfing skills and moves in a free surf format. In addition to surfing with their peers, celebrities can win prizes for every wave they catch and ride courtesy of Project Blue.

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Grade-1 Oakley Pro Junior finals were held Saturday, August 9th, in clean 1-2 foot waves at Shida-Shita Point in Chiba, Japan, and local standout Nobuyuki Osawa proved victorious over a stacked field of competitors.

The competition was treated to a host of outstanding performances, including that of event favorite Keito Matsuoka who consistently posted high scores throughout the day en route to his Finals appearance.

Joining Osawa and Matsuoka in the Final was former Billabong ASP World Junior Championships campaigner Kento Takahashi and regional standout Shota Nakamura.

Despite the hard-fought Final, it was Osawa who stole victory in the final 10 seconds and be crowned 2008 Oakley Pro Junior Champion.

OAKLEY PRO JUNIOR – ASP Grade-1 Pro Junior
1 – Nobuyuki Osawa(JAPAN)
2 Shota Nakamura(JAPAN)
3 Keito Matsuoka(JAPAN)
4 Kento Takahashi(JAPAN)