Worn Trails would like to wish you all a Happy and Safe 2012. The past few months have been crazy for me and this blog. I wasn't expecting this to go anywhere, just a few posts here and there. Thanks to all of you, Worn Trails has BLOWN UP; 1700+ views, viewed in every continent, pro surfers telling people about it, a tweet from a person who I look up to, Kelly Slater, saying that Worn Trails is great and that he told everyone to check it out. Im still blown away by that last one. Nonetheless, to each and every one of you who check out Worn Trails, whether it be daily, weekly, or just once, have made this very enjoyable to me. It is safe to say that due to the success of Worn Trails, I landed an internship with the Surfrider Foundation's DC chapter.
2011 overall was a great year for me but the end of the year was more than I ever expected. Carrying this momentum into 2012 is what I look forward too.
Here are my New Years Resolutions:
1. Watch Worn Trails Continue to grow and become more successful
2. Keep good grades at school
3. Be successful with my internship at Surfrider
4. Stay healthy, strong and focused
5. Help contribute to the success of UMD Ice Hockey
6. Help Others!
This is a short list of the 100 things that I want to do this year. I feel that the last one "Help Others" should be on each and every one of your resolution lists this year.
Lets keep Worn Trails on the successful path it is on this coming year. I plan to have special promotions, possible events, and new information regarding a Foundation that I want to start up and would love to get help from all of you on it. Also, tee shirts and apparel are on my list! Many things but all are doable and can be done with the help of you all.
Until next time, stay safe tonight and have high aspirations for 2012, don't be afraid to do something outside of your comfort zone, grab life by the balls and be successful in whatever you do.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Dane Reynold's "Declaration of Independence" from the World Tour
I am sure a few of you die hard surf fans have seen this going around Surfline or Surfer, basically any site that has to do with surfing. But this is major news, one of my favorite, as well as many other peoples favorite surfer, Dane Reynolds, fell off tour after Hawaii and as of now makes no motion that he will go back on. As arguably the best arialist and has definitely been the most innovative surfer in the past 5-10 years, it is sad to see his personality, surfing and sheer radness go off tour.
Here is Dane's view** of his decision, although it seems to be written on a middle-school-level of grammar, read between the lines and actually take his messages in. He makes some very good points, not just about the World Tour, but about life as well. Enjoy! Also leave some comments at the bottom about what you think on his departure from the World Tour.
Dane Reynolds "Declaration of Independence" from the ASP World Tour
"i've been getting some pressure from various people and/or websites to write something, sorta like an official statement concerning my exit from the world tour. my dismount. my pirouette. 'an opportunity level with your fans.' that's what they tell me. people wanna know whats goin on. be up to date. i can understand that. i like knowing whats going on. i like being up to date.
one thing to remember is that i have a heart and i have bones and muscle and skin and eyes and teeth. i have emotions. sometimes i act according to emotions. sometimes i think and make a conscious decision. i usually do that. in fact i usually think too much. sorta neurotic. i make mistakes, and i deal with them. i have fears and i have anxiety and i have insecurities and i have vices which i often give in to. social situations enhance all of these qualities. i could probably use some discipline, and lots of things bum me out, but generally i'm happy, and i enjoy making other people happy. sometimes all it takes is a smile. sometimes it takes a lot more than that. i try to be honest. especially with myself. i know that i'm fortunate. i'm sitting here and i have a pulse and i can breath and i hear birds outside and the buzz of the freeway and the suns about to set and it's a friday. that's fortune. i also know that i'm fortunate in many other ways. three brands support me and enable me to surf every day and travel and eat and have a house to live in. in return i represent their company in a positive way. i feel like i do a decent job. but that's obviously up for debate. surfing is my passion in life. i always think about how lucky we are that there's even an ocean, and its not too hot or too turbulent and it's not made of acid that burns our skin off. and how lucky is it that the land tapers into the ocean in just the right way so that when lumps of energy approach from a thousand miles away they gently rise up and crash at just the perfect speed so that we can wave our little arms and match their speed and hang at the crest weightless for just a second before sliding down the face. free to ride it in any way you please. and there's not just one of them. there's tons of them. they keep coming. all different sizes shapes and speeds. everyday they're different. endless joy.
there are of course a number of things that get in the way of feeling this joy: crowds, twitter impostors, eggy locals, eggy surf bloggers, overzealous surf photographers, chris mauro and rip curl contests, just to name a few. that was sort of a joke, but not really, and besides, surfing isn't just about joy. it's also a sport. an industry. and we must not mix business with pleasure. by accepting endorsements i assume a certain responsibility. some think that responsibility is to compete. to put on a jersey and crush my opponent. despite a flimsy one dimensional criteria and an inconsistent playing field that causes the end result to rarely come down to performance alone. maybe that's the fun of it. i don't know. i do enjoy it. but do i believe in it? enough to dedicate the better part of my life to it? or is that irrelevant because it's my responsibility? i didn't have to answer this question because knee surgery in january answered for me. by the time i was healing i was already gone. three buttons to the wind. adventure over responsibility. career suicide! blowing my potential. wasting my talent. i heard the buzz.
in all reality i was being constructive in a different way, traveling to a variety of locations and pushing personal boundaries in an attempt to learn, grow, and improve. it's not as immediate as a contest webcast, and heaven forbid its enjoyable, but in the end it's equally important and i've been neglecting it for too long because i was in a comfy space where contest results alone were satisfying. in order to be successful in surf competition you need to refine your act into a nice little package presentable in a 30 minute period in a number of trying conditions. you need to kill the variables. trim the loose ends. stay on your board. know your equipment. wave selection. endlessly try to revisit motions that score the most points. there are obviously exceptions to this. kelly slaters full rotation slob air reverse in new york. that was not a motion revisited and it was epic. on the beach afterwards: 'so kelly slater, how was that slob air reverse!' 'oh, is that what that's called?' also john john florence and gabriel medina. maybe it's only a matter of time before they refine their act, but for now i'm really impressed with their competitive success despite such rawness. rawness is good. surfing with john john this year in japan was enlightening. it was like every wave he was exploring new territory. i wanna explore new territory! i wanna unwind! by the end of the trip i felt improved and rejuvenated and then crunch! i busted my ribs at the mercy of a fresh typhoon swell. nearly drowned. another month out of the water. gotta pay to play. especially when you're trying to keep up with john john in waves of consequence.
and so here i am. 26. officially off tour. wasted talent. blown potential. refusing responsibility. 'all he wants to do is sit at home and play with crayons and ride fucked up boards.' but wait! but wait! that's not true! don't listen to chris mauro. he's a dinosaur. doesn't get it. this may be the end as a wct contender, but its also a new beginning. i feel like a baseball. the skins been carefully pried off and there's a thread and i'm gonna pull it and i'm gonna end up a pile of string on the floor. but then maybe i'll be knit into something more useful, like a sweater. or perhaps something beautiful, like a hand embroidered masterpiece of a deer and two fawn drinking cold clear water out of a creek. but you never know. i hope to achieve some sort of balance. yeah, i do like riding fucked up boards, but i also like doing airs and taking some aggression out on a cutback. and competings rad if you can stay inspired, but rankings and trophy's mean very little to me. i wanna learn, i wanna make things, things of purpose, be productive. travel. new experiences. new sensations. and most importantly explore the outer limits of performance surfing. i'll still compete. but its not going to consume me.
finding this balance will be a challenge. but its just a step in an endless set of steps. a staircase. it's sort of a big step. too big to just hop up. i gotta climb. like, with a rope and safety gear and shit. and i might get there and be bummed out and like my old step better but that's just the mystery of life and i'm happy to experience it. and i'm endlessly in debt to the ones who make it possible. firstly surf fans who have resonated with my surfing for one reason or another, because at the bottom of everything, you're the only reason i'm able to have the sponsorship that allows me to travel and eat and pay the bills and continue surfing. secondly my sponsors: channel islands believed in me from the ripe age of 13 and continue to craft boards that allow me perform at my highest potential and also craft boards that have nothing to do with performance at all, but make you realize how much joy you can get out of a simple high line. i thank quiksilver for their unwavering support, re-signing me during a year of uncertainty and working with me on honest marketing and products. i also thank vans for picking me up. every person on the team is one of my favorite surfers and/or people and i'm honored to be apart of it. there are, of course, hundreds of people worth thanking here, but this is who comes to mind tonight: my girlfriend courtney, for giving me inspiration, giving me perspective, giving me love and giving me treats. blair, for keeping my otherwise maelstrom of a life in order. my parents, for their conflicting views. i don't think i would have done very well in an ordinary functioning family household. my father particularly for dedicating countless weekends driving me up and down the coast to compete. that was a huge sacrifice. also my mom for preaching creativity, fearlessness, and keeping everything bullshit free. and my brother brek for administering many humbling experiences from a very early age. my grandparents, for being probably my biggest fans on earth. particularly grandma bonnie and papa chuck, who come to every surf contest on the west coast. they show up at 7 am to get good parking, even if i surf at 3. and also grandpa bob for giving me his super 8 cameras when i was 18 and instilling a lifelong hobby.
-dane"
Here is Dane's view** of his decision, although it seems to be written on a middle-school-level of grammar, read between the lines and actually take his messages in. He makes some very good points, not just about the World Tour, but about life as well. Enjoy! Also leave some comments at the bottom about what you think on his departure from the World Tour.
Dane Reynolds "Declaration of Independence" from the ASP World Tour
"i've been getting some pressure from various people and/or websites to write something, sorta like an official statement concerning my exit from the world tour. my dismount. my pirouette. 'an opportunity level with your fans.' that's what they tell me. people wanna know whats goin on. be up to date. i can understand that. i like knowing whats going on. i like being up to date.
one thing to remember is that i have a heart and i have bones and muscle and skin and eyes and teeth. i have emotions. sometimes i act according to emotions. sometimes i think and make a conscious decision. i usually do that. in fact i usually think too much. sorta neurotic. i make mistakes, and i deal with them. i have fears and i have anxiety and i have insecurities and i have vices which i often give in to. social situations enhance all of these qualities. i could probably use some discipline, and lots of things bum me out, but generally i'm happy, and i enjoy making other people happy. sometimes all it takes is a smile. sometimes it takes a lot more than that. i try to be honest. especially with myself. i know that i'm fortunate. i'm sitting here and i have a pulse and i can breath and i hear birds outside and the buzz of the freeway and the suns about to set and it's a friday. that's fortune. i also know that i'm fortunate in many other ways. three brands support me and enable me to surf every day and travel and eat and have a house to live in. in return i represent their company in a positive way. i feel like i do a decent job. but that's obviously up for debate. surfing is my passion in life. i always think about how lucky we are that there's even an ocean, and its not too hot or too turbulent and it's not made of acid that burns our skin off. and how lucky is it that the land tapers into the ocean in just the right way so that when lumps of energy approach from a thousand miles away they gently rise up and crash at just the perfect speed so that we can wave our little arms and match their speed and hang at the crest weightless for just a second before sliding down the face. free to ride it in any way you please. and there's not just one of them. there's tons of them. they keep coming. all different sizes shapes and speeds. everyday they're different. endless joy.
there are of course a number of things that get in the way of feeling this joy: crowds, twitter impostors, eggy locals, eggy surf bloggers, overzealous surf photographers, chris mauro and rip curl contests, just to name a few. that was sort of a joke, but not really, and besides, surfing isn't just about joy. it's also a sport. an industry. and we must not mix business with pleasure. by accepting endorsements i assume a certain responsibility. some think that responsibility is to compete. to put on a jersey and crush my opponent. despite a flimsy one dimensional criteria and an inconsistent playing field that causes the end result to rarely come down to performance alone. maybe that's the fun of it. i don't know. i do enjoy it. but do i believe in it? enough to dedicate the better part of my life to it? or is that irrelevant because it's my responsibility? i didn't have to answer this question because knee surgery in january answered for me. by the time i was healing i was already gone. three buttons to the wind. adventure over responsibility. career suicide! blowing my potential. wasting my talent. i heard the buzz.
in all reality i was being constructive in a different way, traveling to a variety of locations and pushing personal boundaries in an attempt to learn, grow, and improve. it's not as immediate as a contest webcast, and heaven forbid its enjoyable, but in the end it's equally important and i've been neglecting it for too long because i was in a comfy space where contest results alone were satisfying. in order to be successful in surf competition you need to refine your act into a nice little package presentable in a 30 minute period in a number of trying conditions. you need to kill the variables. trim the loose ends. stay on your board. know your equipment. wave selection. endlessly try to revisit motions that score the most points. there are obviously exceptions to this. kelly slaters full rotation slob air reverse in new york. that was not a motion revisited and it was epic. on the beach afterwards: 'so kelly slater, how was that slob air reverse!' 'oh, is that what that's called?' also john john florence and gabriel medina. maybe it's only a matter of time before they refine their act, but for now i'm really impressed with their competitive success despite such rawness. rawness is good. surfing with john john this year in japan was enlightening. it was like every wave he was exploring new territory. i wanna explore new territory! i wanna unwind! by the end of the trip i felt improved and rejuvenated and then crunch! i busted my ribs at the mercy of a fresh typhoon swell. nearly drowned. another month out of the water. gotta pay to play. especially when you're trying to keep up with john john in waves of consequence.
and so here i am. 26. officially off tour. wasted talent. blown potential. refusing responsibility. 'all he wants to do is sit at home and play with crayons and ride fucked up boards.' but wait! but wait! that's not true! don't listen to chris mauro. he's a dinosaur. doesn't get it. this may be the end as a wct contender, but its also a new beginning. i feel like a baseball. the skins been carefully pried off and there's a thread and i'm gonna pull it and i'm gonna end up a pile of string on the floor. but then maybe i'll be knit into something more useful, like a sweater. or perhaps something beautiful, like a hand embroidered masterpiece of a deer and two fawn drinking cold clear water out of a creek. but you never know. i hope to achieve some sort of balance. yeah, i do like riding fucked up boards, but i also like doing airs and taking some aggression out on a cutback. and competings rad if you can stay inspired, but rankings and trophy's mean very little to me. i wanna learn, i wanna make things, things of purpose, be productive. travel. new experiences. new sensations. and most importantly explore the outer limits of performance surfing. i'll still compete. but its not going to consume me.
finding this balance will be a challenge. but its just a step in an endless set of steps. a staircase. it's sort of a big step. too big to just hop up. i gotta climb. like, with a rope and safety gear and shit. and i might get there and be bummed out and like my old step better but that's just the mystery of life and i'm happy to experience it. and i'm endlessly in debt to the ones who make it possible. firstly surf fans who have resonated with my surfing for one reason or another, because at the bottom of everything, you're the only reason i'm able to have the sponsorship that allows me to travel and eat and pay the bills and continue surfing. secondly my sponsors: channel islands believed in me from the ripe age of 13 and continue to craft boards that allow me perform at my highest potential and also craft boards that have nothing to do with performance at all, but make you realize how much joy you can get out of a simple high line. i thank quiksilver for their unwavering support, re-signing me during a year of uncertainty and working with me on honest marketing and products. i also thank vans for picking me up. every person on the team is one of my favorite surfers and/or people and i'm honored to be apart of it. there are, of course, hundreds of people worth thanking here, but this is who comes to mind tonight: my girlfriend courtney, for giving me inspiration, giving me perspective, giving me love and giving me treats. blair, for keeping my otherwise maelstrom of a life in order. my parents, for their conflicting views. i don't think i would have done very well in an ordinary functioning family household. my father particularly for dedicating countless weekends driving me up and down the coast to compete. that was a huge sacrifice. also my mom for preaching creativity, fearlessness, and keeping everything bullshit free. and my brother brek for administering many humbling experiences from a very early age. my grandparents, for being probably my biggest fans on earth. particularly grandma bonnie and papa chuck, who come to every surf contest on the west coast. they show up at 7 am to get good parking, even if i surf at 3. and also grandpa bob for giving me his super 8 cameras when i was 18 and instilling a lifelong hobby.
-dane"
**all of Dane's Message is from his site http://www.marinelayerproductions.com/news/article/753, I in no way intend to copy-right any of his original material, but would like to pass on the message to a new audience.
After reading this, I must admit I was very sad to see Dane go, but then again, who are we to judge him and tell him how to live his life. He is a better surfer than any of us will ever be in our lives. He brought laughter to us, like at the 2011 Surfer Poll awards, his speech could've earned him an Oscar. He brought us joy and awe. So instead of saying he is a low-life, like some people have, we should be saying Thank You to Dane for the memories and the want to do what he does. So, from me, Thank You Dane and I hope to see you face on movies, clips and in a contest or two in the future. Enjoy your time away from the tour and explore what life has to offer you.
-Vince
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Japan's Big Mistake
Some of you may have already seen this article that is going viral across the internet; it has been sent to me by a few friends and family members and to say the least, I am disgusted.
In early March, Japan was ravaged by a devastating 9.0 earthquake and a tsunami. In the following months, the island nation dealt with death, disease, destruction and an ever increasingly serious nuclear disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The country struggled to rebuild after the earthquake, and with 15,840 deaths and 3,611 still missing (NOAA/National Police Agency of Japan), Japan and its people were hurting as one. Calling for aid from the International Community, it seemed as if every country from each corner of the world sent whatever they could to help out the people of Japan.
Currently, the areas hit the hardest are rebuilding little by little, but the signs of the tsunami and earthquake are very much still visible. As mentioned before, the international community rushed to the aid of Japan, not just with food and medicine but with BILLIONS of dollars. The money came from governments, non-profit organizations, corporations and individual donators.
In this specific article from TIME magazine, "Blood Money: Tsunami Recovery Funds Go to Japan’s Whaling Industry", Krista Mahr displays the intentions of the Japanese government that horrifies me, as well as many other people. The main point of this article, and the statistic that is causing international controversy, is that Japan is using US$29 Million dollars of relief aid funds to fund the country's whaling industry. Japan's whaling industry has received harsh criticism from many organizations around the world and has even drawn the attention of the Animal Planet channel by starting the show "Whale Wars", which shows the infamous Sea Shepherd "battling" the Japanese whaling vessels. Recent polls show that 95% of Japanese people rarely eat whale meat, if at all (TIME) and 69% of the Japanese do not support whaling practices in the Southern Oceans of Antarctica (Greenpeace). This statistic makes it hard to argue that the whaling industry is imperative to Japan, as some Japanese officials claim. Even though it is a tradition that goes deep into Japanese history, which is the idea that Japan is using to defend whaling of the shores of Japan and Antarctica, whaling has been banned in almost every country by the International Whaling Commission or IWC. Japan is only one of a few countries that are still permitted to practice whaling for scientific reasons...
Scientific reasons? Seems like a bunch of BS to me, excuse the expression. While some of the whales MAY be used for research, over 1000 whales are killed by Japanese whalers each winter in the Southern Oceans. Japan's whaling quota is 935 Minke whales, 50 Fin whales and 50 Humpback whales each year. According to Greenpeace, the whaling industry makes around US$64,000,000 from the sales of whale meat. The whaling industry has also lead to an underground black market for the sale of the whale meat; a 50lb box of meat, which is what most of the sellers distribute, goes for close to US$3,000.
I understand and respect national traditions that go back into the country's history, each country has them and some are frowned upon by other nations. But the fact of the matter here is that Japan has used relief fund money intended for the people of Japan and the rebuilding of its nation after a natural disaster. Instead, they go ahead and use almost 30 million dollars to fund a practice that most of its citizens are against and a practice that draws harsh criticism from most nations around the world. To me, Japan is basically saying "thanks for the money, now we're going to use it to kill whales for meat no one really eats in our country and you all are paying for it!" - a slap in the face to the international community. There is not much that can be done, we can't take the money back, we can only watch as the fisherman of Japan take the annual trip to Antarctica to kill whales for profit.
One way we can help is to join organizations that are against this practice. Greenpeace, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Surfers for Cetaceans (founded by Dave Rastovich, a professional free-surfer sponsored by Billabong), are all great organizations to be a part of. Each contribute and continue to fight for the animals that have no voice.
As the Head of Greenpeace Japan, Junichi Sato, said in the TIME article, "Japan cannot afford to waste money on whaling in the Antarctic when its people are suffering at home."
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_response_to_the_2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/tsunami/pdf/2011_0311.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2011/12/12/blood-money-tsunami-recovery-funds-go-to-japans-whaling-industry/?hpt=hp_c2
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/whaling/ending-japanese-whaling/whaling-is-bad-business/
Get involved here!
Surfers for Cetaceans
Greenpeace
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Scientific reasons? Seems like a bunch of BS to me, excuse the expression. While some of the whales MAY be used for research, over 1000 whales are killed by Japanese whalers each winter in the Southern Oceans. Japan's whaling quota is 935 Minke whales, 50 Fin whales and 50 Humpback whales each year. According to Greenpeace, the whaling industry makes around US$64,000,000 from the sales of whale meat. The whaling industry has also lead to an underground black market for the sale of the whale meat; a 50lb box of meat, which is what most of the sellers distribute, goes for close to US$3,000.
I understand and respect national traditions that go back into the country's history, each country has them and some are frowned upon by other nations. But the fact of the matter here is that Japan has used relief fund money intended for the people of Japan and the rebuilding of its nation after a natural disaster. Instead, they go ahead and use almost 30 million dollars to fund a practice that most of its citizens are against and a practice that draws harsh criticism from most nations around the world. To me, Japan is basically saying "thanks for the money, now we're going to use it to kill whales for meat no one really eats in our country and you all are paying for it!" - a slap in the face to the international community. There is not much that can be done, we can't take the money back, we can only watch as the fisherman of Japan take the annual trip to Antarctica to kill whales for profit.
One way we can help is to join organizations that are against this practice. Greenpeace, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Surfers for Cetaceans (founded by Dave Rastovich, a professional free-surfer sponsored by Billabong), are all great organizations to be a part of. Each contribute and continue to fight for the animals that have no voice.
As the Head of Greenpeace Japan, Junichi Sato, said in the TIME article, "Japan cannot afford to waste money on whaling in the Antarctic when its people are suffering at home."
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_response_to_the_2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/tsunami/pdf/2011_0311.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2011/12/12/blood-money-tsunami-recovery-funds-go-to-japans-whaling-industry/?hpt=hp_c2
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/whaling/ending-japanese-whaling/whaling-is-bad-business/
Get involved here!
Surfers for Cetaceans
Greenpeace
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Friends Video Clip
The other day my friend Billy Long sent me a video of him and his friends Mikey Necky and Alex Haubrich surfing. It was for a school project in Media class. Basically, the objective is to put homemade video to a mainstream song. In this case, the boys chose Jack Johnson's "Breakdown", a mellow tune sang by a surfer. They put together a cool little video of them surfing in Ocean City, NJ. Its a cool video that is well worth a look. The song goes along well with the video and is a nice reminder of the surf back home that I am looking forward to. If any of you have any videos that you want to be put up, contact me through the Worn Trails Facebook!
Here is it:
Here is it:
Monday, December 12, 2011
Surf Art: How I got started, reasons for doing it and samples of my work
Aside from surfing, I have a small interest in art. I am no Van Gogh, but it is something that I enjoy. Since I got my first surfboard when I was 10, I always liked to make it look cool, whether it was stickers or a drawing on it (that came off as soon as I got in the water and frustrated me beyond belief). But as the years went on, I got a little better at designing the art on my boards. Only having two boards, I am limited to the amount of art I can put on my own, so as a side hobby, I try and paint and draw on friends boards. I am always drawing up new designs to put on boards hoping that I can get another board soon to draw on. My first piece of work was on my first board that my mom got me as a grom. It is still my favorite board today. She passed away two years ago from breast cancer. I immediately wanted to do something in honor of her. I thought long and hard for something to do and came up with a saying to put on the bottom; I came up with "C'mon Chicks Check Ya Tits". This was before I ever heard of Julian Wilson (a surfer who did something similar to his board in honor of his mother). I painted it on there with UniPosca pens I ordered from Drew Brophy's website (who I always look to for inspiration on art). When it was done I was stoked, it was emotional to me because it was her who got me started with surfing and it was one of the only ways I could do something for her. On my first trip to Costa Rica, where I debuted this board, on my first walk to the beach, people came up to me and complemented me on my board and asked what the reason for doing it was. After my trip, and talking with a handful of people, I realized that I potentially have something here. Idea's rushed through my head of where I could go with this message (That I will talk about at a later time). From this board, I went on to do my other board. I went with a more radical design that I drew up. I sent it to Drew Brophy himself and was complemented on it. A friend of mine, Mike D'Olio asked me to draw something up and paint his board, which I did. I am having so much fun doing this as an escape from the real world; its great to just be able to hang outside and paint a surfboard for you or someone else. So here are some samples of my work on both surfboards and paper, as well as some designs I have drawn up. If you would like me to do something for your board, feel free to contact me through Worn Trails Facebook page, Just "Like" it in the top left corner of the website!
Pipe Masters Recap
It has been an epic month on the North Shore this year. Changes to the tour, new winners, Triple Crown is back in Hawaii..Lindsay Lohan shows her face at the Pipe Masters (even though I thought she was supposed to be in jail). Too much to mention. But this years Pipe Masters: In Memory of Andy Irons was nothing short of monumental, probably, in my opinion, the best contest of the year and one of the best Pipe Masters in history. From start to finish, massive waves and the pro's were saying the best waves in decades at Pipe. Sitting in my apartment, with my finals approaching, I could not turn away from the webcast. I, as well as millions of other people, watched almost every heat. How could you not turn away when local wildcards knocked people off tour or veteran Shane Dorian put on a jersey again and made it to Round 5.
Day 1 proved to the world the shear madness that these surfers embrace. Charging 20 foot Pipe that breaks on a few feet of water onto rock hard reef. Boards constantly breaking, injuries, blood - it had it all. It was amazing watching the locals who were allowed to surf the contest doing what they do every day and showing that they are the best surfers at Pipe.
Day 2 brought the same excitement as the first day. Once again the locals eliminated surfers on Tour and knocked a few off Tour for next year. JOB, John John, Kelly all proved that they are insane and went mad. Again, I couldn't turn away. My girlfriend was getting mad, but I'm sure I wasn't the only guy out there.
On the Final Day, 8 surfers had their eyes on the prize, the coveted Pipe Master's Champion of 2011. Each of the quarter-final heats were jaw-dropping. The last remaining wildcards (JOB and Evan Valiere) were taken out as well as North Shore local and favorite, John John Florence, who was ripping the entire event, as well as in the other contests and winning at Sunset. WCT rookie Gabe Madina was also eliminated by Kieren Perrow in his first ever Pipe Masters. The semi's were action packed; Kelly vs Parko and Bourez vs KP. Kelly and Parko's heat was action packed; each were dropping in on bombs and making un-makable waves makable. In "The Spartan" Michel Bourez and Kieren Perrow's Semi Heat 2, KP wanted the win more than anything and it showed, from the start he took the best waves and beat The Tahitian 12.00 to 4.07.
In the heat that everyone was waiting for, it was Parko vs KP. Parko, who is a 3-time winner of the Triple Crown, but opted not to compete for it again this year, already had a win this year at Bells with a second place finish in San Fran and was looking for another one. KP, who is winless in his almost 10 years on tour. He was in this same position last year at Pipe but lost out to Jeremy Flores. KP won this time, marking his first ever ASP World Tour Victory. It was emotional for everyone, but mostly him. As the surfers representative to the ASP, it was a long overdue and well deserved win. Ironically his first win comes to Pipeline; duct taped up and bruised, Kieren Perrow surfed his way to the podium in surfing most prestigious event. It was as inspirational as it was awesome.
Here are each days highlight video's and a few pictures. Now starts months of no surf contests. Can't wait until next year. Many questions still loom as to whether or not Kelly will return. What we do know is that there will be new faces on tour that will bring new moves and excitement to the contests. Among these new surfers are Kolohe Andino, CJ (who was knocked off tour earlier this year) and Yadin Nichol. Notable exits from the Tour are Dane Reynolds, Freddy P and Chris Davidson.
*ALL FOOTAGE FROM ASP AND PHOTOS FROM SURFLINE
Day 1 proved to the world the shear madness that these surfers embrace. Charging 20 foot Pipe that breaks on a few feet of water onto rock hard reef. Boards constantly breaking, injuries, blood - it had it all. It was amazing watching the locals who were allowed to surf the contest doing what they do every day and showing that they are the best surfers at Pipe.
Day 2 brought the same excitement as the first day. Once again the locals eliminated surfers on Tour and knocked a few off Tour for next year. JOB, John John, Kelly all proved that they are insane and went mad. Again, I couldn't turn away. My girlfriend was getting mad, but I'm sure I wasn't the only guy out there.
On the Final Day, 8 surfers had their eyes on the prize, the coveted Pipe Master's Champion of 2011. Each of the quarter-final heats were jaw-dropping. The last remaining wildcards (JOB and Evan Valiere) were taken out as well as North Shore local and favorite, John John Florence, who was ripping the entire event, as well as in the other contests and winning at Sunset. WCT rookie Gabe Madina was also eliminated by Kieren Perrow in his first ever Pipe Masters. The semi's were action packed; Kelly vs Parko and Bourez vs KP. Kelly and Parko's heat was action packed; each were dropping in on bombs and making un-makable waves makable. In "The Spartan" Michel Bourez and Kieren Perrow's Semi Heat 2, KP wanted the win more than anything and it showed, from the start he took the best waves and beat The Tahitian 12.00 to 4.07.
In the heat that everyone was waiting for, it was Parko vs KP. Parko, who is a 3-time winner of the Triple Crown, but opted not to compete for it again this year, already had a win this year at Bells with a second place finish in San Fran and was looking for another one. KP, who is winless in his almost 10 years on tour. He was in this same position last year at Pipe but lost out to Jeremy Flores. KP won this time, marking his first ever ASP World Tour Victory. It was emotional for everyone, but mostly him. As the surfers representative to the ASP, it was a long overdue and well deserved win. Ironically his first win comes to Pipeline; duct taped up and bruised, Kieren Perrow surfed his way to the podium in surfing most prestigious event. It was as inspirational as it was awesome.
Here are each days highlight video's and a few pictures. Now starts months of no surf contests. Can't wait until next year. Many questions still loom as to whether or not Kelly will return. What we do know is that there will be new faces on tour that will bring new moves and excitement to the contests. Among these new surfers are Kolohe Andino, CJ (who was knocked off tour earlier this year) and Yadin Nichol. Notable exits from the Tour are Dane Reynolds, Freddy P and Chris Davidson.
*ALL FOOTAGE FROM ASP AND PHOTOS FROM SURFLINE
And this guy won..duct taped foot and all...
Congrats to KP - a true legend and champion
Thanks for reading, enjoy and keep tuning in to Worn Trails!
Friday, December 9, 2011
HAWAII!
I said I'd be back with more Hawaii posts, but I can't help myself. Pipe is firing and I'm losing it in the library and study rooms. Finals are secondary to John Johns barrels and my Fantasy Surfer team getting destroyed by the locals. Talked with a few of my friends who are still at Univ of Hawaii and they're telling me there going up to the North Shore to watch the contests and I couldn't be more jealous. On twitter all of the people I look up to and follow are putting pictures up of themselves getting the waves of their lives. Its the best time to be in Hawaii. I would love to be back there right now. I was there on two occasions, well three, but two to Oahu. Once for school and the other with my friend Brandon who has a house in Kailua. We spent almost three weeks there (10 days by ourselves) just living it up. Probably one of the best trips of my life. I can't wait to get back for another trip!
Some pictures of my travels to Hawaii:
Some pictures of my travels to Hawaii:
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