U.S. OPEN DAY ONE! (um, for the girls)

OK, I have to come right out and say it: Best part of the event for me, so far, has been Melanie Bartels’ surprise appearance. Read more

Holy Junior Pro, Batman

As one of the featured events during a week full of fun- in-the-sun during the GO211 Live festival and U.S. Open of Surfing at the famed Huntington Beach Pier, the Women’s Junior Pro returns to the surfing world’s competition line-up with a new
title sponsor. Read more

SPEED RACER

All Around Athlete Darlene Addison is Addicted to the Rush

By Christina Scannapiego

Darlene Addison runs at lunch. Her fellow ER nurses think she’s completely psycho, but even so, she devours her meal and uses the remainder of her lunch hour to go running. This tidbit tells you a lot about the type of person she is. “The older I get, the more stuff I want to do and I can hardly fit it all in,” she says, clearly feeling an urgency few do at the tender age of thirty-one. Read more

HIGHWAY TO SWELL

Fox Surf Team Journeys Through the East Coast This Summer on the Highway Swell Tour

Fox’s Highway to Swell tour kicks off July 7 in New Jersey, and heads down south towards Florida on this two week tour of the East Coast. Read more

LIZ CLARK: THE ADVENTURER

After tons of wins, competitive surfing just wasn’t doing it for LIZ CLARK. Read more

FILM STILLS: SLIDING LIBERIA

Fair warning: Sliding Liberia reduced everyone here at FOAM HQ to tears. Read more

CONLOGUE WINS 2008 NATIONAL SURF TITLE

Courtney Conlogue takes home her first National Title in the NSSA Open Women’s

Last weekend, Courtney Conlogue, the 15-year-old surf powerhouse out of Santa Ana, CA took home her first National Title with a win during the 2008 National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) National Championships presented by No Fear. Read more

OAKLEY/GLTR SURF CAMP

Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7:

Jellies and stingrays cruising by your toes, sharks lurking, waiting to pull you to a watery grave; the most challenging aspect of surfing may be convincing yourself to get in the ocean. Surf instructor, Monica Thatcher, 19 sketches a graph of sandbars and currents for beginning surfers, pointing out the difference between a “good fin” (dolphin) vs. “bad fin” (shark.) Read more

SECOND ANNUAL SEA PADDLE NYC

WHITE WATER EVENING EVENT TO RAISE MONEY FOR AUTISM AWARENESS SLATED FOR AUGUST 18

Last August, history was made on the waterways surrounding New York City when Surfers’ Environmental Alliance organized a group of over 50 surfers, including several professional surfing legends, to paddle 28 miles around NYC in the name of autism awareness and coastal preservation. The inaugural event, called SEA Paddle NYC, drew international attention and, in conjunction with the White Water Gala fundraiser held just prior to the paddle, raised a total of $90,000 for three autism awareness groups: Autism Speaks, NJCOSAC and Surfers Healing & SEA.

Because of its incredible success, SEA Paddle NYC will again be held this year. The White Water Gala will take place on Saturday, August 16, with the paddle event occurring on Monday, August 18.

The White Water Evening is a white themed event held on an ocean front estate in Monmouth Beach, NJ with all proceeds going to autism charities & SEA. The event features great live music and an open bar catered by top local restaurants. There will be a silent auction with donations pouring in from local residents including rockers Bon Jovi.

Surfing has been shown to be a calming and euphoric activity for those suffering with autism.

“Your paddle around NYC was remarkable on every level. Your hearts, your generosity, your talents, your energy are very much appreciated.” - Linda Meyer Ed.D, MPA, Executive Director Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community (COSAC)

Joel Tudor, Gerry Lopez and Darrick Doerner are just some of the surf legends already confirmed to participate in this years event. The Paddle will start at 9am on Monday August 18th at Pier 1 South Street Sea Port. Paddlers will go up the East River, enter the Harlem River and come down the Hudson paddling 28 miles to circumnavigate Manhattan. Read more

REBUILDING THE LIVES OF INDIAN SEX SLAVES

In India, millions of women and girls work as prostitutes. Many have been trafficked: kidnapped, lured with promises of jobs, or sold by their own families into sexual slavery. Some have become sex workers (the actual term used in India) due to poverty or lack of opportunities. Some are as young as six years old. Hiv/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases are taking their lives at devastatingly early ages. All of these women have suffered hardship and abuse beyond imagination. However, thanks to a growing group of dedicated individuals here in the US, this tragedy is gaining massive attention. But even more importantly, handfuls of these women are being rescued and given skills to rebuild their lives.

In February of 2005, Shannon Keith made a trip to India that changed her life. While there, she visited a red light district with an organization whose mission was to rescue these prostitutes. As Shannon’s group distributed fruit, medicines, and small grooming items, she was struck by the number of women and children living in crude shacks that provide both shelter and a place for business. She could not forget the individual faces, “some worn by years of abuse, others that appear young until you look into their eyes and are almost paralyzed by the empty pools that stare back at you.” The squalor and sense of hopelessness were overwhelming.

Shannon’s idea was to develop an outreach program that would provide sewing machines and training for the women to become efficient seamstresses, thereby giving them a trade that would allow them to support themselves as they re-enter society, and to contribute toward the program while under its care.

Overtime the program became The International Princess Project. Its mission is simple, but its goal is life changing. Each woman will create simple drawstring pajamas out of India’s beautiful sari fabric. These “pun-jammies” are easy to sew and inexpensive to create, resulting in a significant profit margin when exported to the U.S. Profits will be reinvested in rescuing more women, training, and education, or to further develop the program as needed.

Back in the U.S. the response to The International Princess Project has been tremendous. Joined by a team of concerned people—business professionals to homemakers—who are willing to donate their time, resources and talents to help, IPP’s success and visibility is gaining strong momentum. “The work that we are seeking to do is so significant,” says Shannon. “It humbles me to know that our little efforts can literally save lives. IPP will serve as a voice for those who have none.”

To learn more about IPP or to find where Punjammies are sold in your area, please click here.

COURTNEY CONLOGUE CONTINUES CLIMBING PODIUMS WORLDWIDE

Conologue takes third place at the World Games after a week of impressive surfing in France

Courtney Conlogue, the 15-year-old surf phenom out of Santa Ana, CA, powers into summer with a third place, at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Games. Read more

MOVIE PREMIER: TALES FROM THE BLACK VAN

Brixton and UNIV are joining forces to present the premiere of the new surf movie ‘Tales From The Black Van’. Read more

FOOTPRINTS JOURNAL

Finding Pura Vida world premiere; locally produced cause documentary film and photo-journal book focuses on cause travel in the surf community

Footprints Journal: Finding Pura Vida, a cause related media project with roots in the Charleston surf community will have a world premiere as part of the Charleston International Film Festival on May 3rd, 2008. Read more

April 30, 2008

ROLL OUT THE BARRELS

Wine Country Weekend, May 1 - 4

Join Per Bacco Cellars for a weekend of “Surf and Turf” to celebrate the “Roll Out” of a new limited releases.

Owner Craig Shannon, an avid surfer and farmer, invites you to come on down to the ranch Saturday the 3rd for a “Western Wine Extravaganza.” Live music, paintings by local artist Hilary Amborn will be on display, local cheeses, sausages and BBQ’d bites a will be sure to knock your boots off! Wear a cowboy hat and get an additional 10% discount. Don’t forget to play a game of horseshoes and bocce ball. Read more

April 21, 2008

ANASTASIA DOWN UNDAH

Stas gets D-Bah

Check out this clip of Anastasia Ashley surfing Duranbah on the Gold Coast of Australia. She actually spent most of her time surfing South Straddie Island but it’s a little hard to get a camera there most of the time…

Next Page »