Many believe that one of the quickest ways to gauge the effect a person has when they take action for a cause they truly believe in, is by the efforts and lengths the opposing forces will go to in order to quell the uprising. If we use this theory to judge the effect that Dave Rastovich’s leading role in an effort to stop the slaughtering of thousands of dolphins each year in Japan has had against those who benefit most from the bloodshed, it’s becoming very clear that ‘Rasta’ must be doing something right.

Rastovich attracted headlines, admiration, and more importantly the awareness of not only the surfing community, but worldwide after he and conservationists including actresses Hayden Panetierre and Isabel Lucas traveled to the Japanese fishing village of Taiji last year to protest at its annual dolphin kill which brutally takes the lives of 25,000 porpoises and dolphins every year. In a moving ritual held in blood-soaked waters and under rainy skies, Rastovich formed the surfers in a circle over the calm waters of the small cove and asked each to say a small prayer of remembrance for their fellow wave-riders.

Having been so successful with the protest, powerful Japanese mobsters known as “Yazuka” have now launched a campaign of intimidation to force a media blackout on the commotion surrounding the country’s killing of dolphins. They have been visiting surf shops around the country looking for Rasta and threatening them financially if they show any signs of supporting or recognizing the cause that he has taken up. These companies have begun to feel the heat and Rasta knows it. “These are the goons from the fishing industry who are visiting surf stores intimidating people and threatening to punish them financially,” Rastovich said. “People are feeling it. They are washing their hands of us. They don’t feel safe”.

With another protest planned for October and threats of arrest and elevated action opposing it, it will be intriguing to see where this leads. Both sides show no signs of halting their efforts and as long as the slaughter continues it appears that Rastovich is willing to fight. It is this type of spirit that lead Billabong to recently name Rastovich the face of their “Be The Change You Want In The World” environmental campaign and it is this type of spirit that will hopefully put an end to the mindless slaughter of thousands upon thousands of these beautiful animals each year. Dave Rastovich, we salute you -

It’s not often that localism will be taken so far at a break that a contest is actually forced to shut down. However, when the locals happen to be two Great White Sharks cruising through the line-up, there’s really just not much of a choice. The two Whities seen cruising the shallows of Gunnamatta Beach forced contest officials to shut down Volcom Stone’s VQS Surf Series event before the finals had even hit the water this past weekend.

The sharks were initially spotted by a Coast Patrol airplane and a chopper was called in to escort the pair back out to sea. After about 20 minutes, the onsite lifeguards gave the all clear to re-enter the water. In order to not a chance on having any of the competitors be eaten, the format was changed, the quarterfinals were completed and the winners decided from combined highest heat scores on count back.

We would never support localism interrupting a competition, but when the locals can swallow you whole there’s really just no other choice. And just for good measure and in case you have yet to see this clip, we thought we would throw in a little reminder of what can happen when a pair of White-sharks come cruising through*.

*Meant for entertainment and not to have you peeking over the edge of your board the next tide you paddle out for a sesh’.

The University of Florida just recently released a study and fatal shark attacks worldwide dipped to their lowest levels in two decades in 2007 with the sole casualty involving a swimmer vacationing in the South Pacific.

Bill Holden, a well-known surfboard shaper who helped mold the sport into what it is today, died recently from a heart attack. Holden was the creator of Holden Surfboards on Beach Boulevard in Huntington Beach and a very good friend of famous surfboard shaper Dale Velzy, among other surfing icons. He began shaping his first boards in 1955 and sold them for $55. His classics are now sold in the thousands. Holden held a lot of pride in the artistry and detail that went into creating each and every board. The Laguna Beach resident was such a force in the shaping world that he was the first inductee into the Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame back in 2000. It’s always sad to lose someone who has had such an influence on the sport of surfing, and in particular shaping, as we know it. Our best wishes go out to the Holden family

Maui’s ‘Jaws’, the site of some of the heaviest, most unruly waves ever ridden and made famous by Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama among others is in danger of completely losing it’s access ramp used for launching jet-skis and rescue vessels. The walkway at the Maliko boat ramp, also used by canoe paddlers, divers and fishers has taken some pretty solid blows by strong storms that have moved through the area over the last couple of months.

Aside from the damage the ramp has taken from the storms, the state failed to renew its easement, or right-of-way, with A&B properties. It expired in 1997 and has locals worried about the possibility of a private ownership of the land. If this access point is lost, the nearest place to launch becomes the heavily used and always busy Kahului Harbor. The 40-50 minute distance over rough waters would put a serious wrinkle into any sort of rescue effort needed for the area.

This has all the writings on the wall of another slow, if any at all, reactionary move by the Hawaiian bureaucracy. It appears that they cannot clearly see the financial benefit (tourist dollars) of taking immediate action and therefore risk this losing this vital access point to one of the great tow-in waves in the world. When conditions come together at ‘Jaws’ it has provided the backdrop for filmmakers to shoot some of the most breathtaking footage of big wave surfing ever taken.

Deborah Ward, spokeswoman for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, said her department is considering all options. Let’s just hope it doesn’t become another case of ‘too little too late’.

Hurley is throwing it down this week by offering a free download of Sound and Vision Vol.2 featuring Rizal Tanjung. The 15 minute short film is available this week only (Feb 11th - Feb 18th) through Hurley’s website and is available as a full download which includes; photos, trailers, the full length movie, and a bunch of other downloads. You can also opt to watch the flick right on the Hurley site as well if you’d prefer.

Sound and Vision Vol.2 is a documentary style film that follows Rizal Tanjung around his home island of Bali. Not only does the film give a glimpse into Rizal’s life and what it’s really like living in Bali, but it also features some epic surfing from some of the best waves in the world from one of the best surfers in the world.

While this isn’t the kind of flick that you’d be likely to throw in before a sesh to build stoke, it’s still a very solid one that will certainly be watched over and over again. Plus, it’s free and you can’t really beat that. But you’d better hurry, if you don’t download it this week you’ll have to buy from iTunes.

Bringing a close to surfings first ever major virtual surf competition, the Billabong Freewave Challenge announced their winners today of the unique contest that was held on Oahu’s North Shore and began Oct. 1 of last year. The results are in, and they come as no surprise to 5ones (we picked the winners a month ago).

Here are the 2007/2008 Billabong Freewave Challenge winners…

Best Performance Ride - If ever a contest was designed with a particular surfer in mind, this would be it. With two jaw-dropping maneuvers, Hawaii’s own Jamie O’brien actually ended up taking the top two spots. His sense of innovation and endless amount of creativity make him one of the most exciting surfers in the world. He leaves everyone wondering what it is he will come up with next, and with his two entries into the challenge he has shown there are really no limits as to what he’s capable of throwing down. O’brien thrives in this type of free surfing competition and is already looking forward to defending his crown at next years challenge, “I think the Freewave Challenge can be the future for free surfing as more and more surfers get into it and post more and more video clips,” added O’Brien. “I think it could be a monster, we could raise some animals. It can inspire surfers to go to the next level. I don’t want to wiggle to the beach, I want to go off — and I think there are a lot of guys who feel the same way.”

Best Tube Ride - While O’brien single-handedly made the Best Performance Ride category a difficult decision, Huntington Beach’s Timmy Reyes was hands down the clear winner for Best Tube Ride. His deep voyage into the belly of a bombing Backdoor beast wasn’t only the the top entry of this contest, but was widely regarded as the wave of the year on the North Shore. Reyes waited three hours on one of the best days of the winter for the perfect barrel to come to him, and it paid off quite well. “There are a lot of good surfers out there who don’t fit into the existing pro tour format,” said Reyes, “and the Freewave Challenge is the perfect way to really show the best surfing going on in the world. I am so stoked to have had the best tube of the winter. It’s something that I have imagined since I was a little kid. To have this happen is incredible to me.”

Top videographers on the North Shore were also acknowledged for capturing the critical moments of the big wave season on tape. O’Brien’s Rodeo was shot by Pete Frieden & Graham Nash and O’Brien’s Freak Out Turn was captured by Kendall O’Brien. The Reyes tube was shot from four angles by Pete Frieden, Tony Heff, Graham Nash, and Marc Beaty of Surfline.

With the very successful completion of the first Freewave Challenge, the details of the next event are now being released. The next event will take place on the Mainland USA from May to September, and all surf breaks on the West, East and Gulf Coasts are eligible for any ride NOT taking place during a regular surfing competition.

Right around the time the final horn sounded at last years Pipeline Masters putting an end to a year of unexpected outcomes and less than stellar waves on the 2007 ASP World Tour, all eyes turned to 2008 and anticipation has been steadily building as the opening event gets set to kick off at Coolangata, Australia in less than two weeks.

As we move closer and closer to the lead-off contest, the story lines that this year’s tour will be the setting of continue to look more and more intriguing by the day and promise to make this years tour one of the all-time greats. Every year the tour produces dramatic finishes, surprise winners, adrenaline fueled confrontations, the arrival of up-and-comers, and of course, mind-blowing surfing by some of the most creative and talented athletes world-wide. However 2008 promises to be special for a lot of different reasons and here are ten that we think will amp your stoke level just few more notches and make this years tour one for the ages.

1. Will he stay or will he go? - “I’m sure Mick is going to be hungry to back up his title, the new guys will be hungry to make a statement, Andy is going to be hungry to find his place again, and as for me… I don’t think I’ll do a full year on the tour so I’m just going to have some fun.” With this comment, Kelly Slater once again hinted at retirement and has done so for some time. However, he is the first to admit that he has a hard time walking away from world-class conditions should the swell chart for an upcoming event call for them. He has confirmed his spot at the season-opener, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast and following that event he has pretty much left it wide open. One thing is for sure, Slater would like to go out on top. If he shows good results early on in the tour and conditions at future contests are forecast to produce, I would find it almost impossible to see any scenario in which Kelly decides not to continue on. His competitive nature is part of what makes him who he is, and if he can feel one more championship in his grasp, you can be sure that he will put it all out there in order to go out on top. Then again, with Kelly, you just never know.

2. Aussie connection - With Mick Fanning taking the ‘07 title, Bede Durbidge winning the Triple Crown, and Joel Parkinson and Taj Burrow keeping pace with top 5 finishes, the Australians have a very legitimate shot at dominating and holding the top spots on tour for many years to come. They finished last years tour holding 4 of the top 5 positions with only Slater keeping them from a top 4 sweep. If you throw in Dean Morrison’s 9th place finish that makes half of the top 10 residing in the land of Koalas and Kangaroos. They each take the pressure off holding Australia’s title hopes in their hands and if Slater does indeed retire and others don’t step up, there is a solid possibility of these guys having a repeat of last years domination and once again bringing the title back to the land down under.

3. Andy Irons, Andy Irons, and Andy Irons - For many surfers, a sixth place finish on the tour would leave them content and pleased with the way that they rode throughout the year. Andy Irons is not most surfers. Irons thrives on being the alpha-male on tour, the center of attention, and the face of surfing. Finishing behind Slater and the Aussie contingent has undoubtedly not sat well with him in the off-season and you can be sure he will be as determined as ever to seize his crown and bring surfing glory back to Hawaii. Look for Andy to come out charged up and ready to rock.

4. The Chris Ward Saga - While this story-line is obviously of the more somber type, Ward’s legal issues and proceedings will definitely make it’s own waves throughout the tour this year. Already sitting it out for the first event, Ward is facing some fairly heavy charges and there is a real possibility of him sitting the whole year out. We wish him the best in resolving his legal issues and hope he is able to make it back. This will definitely be one to follow up on.

5. Jordy Smith - Smith, who holds down the 34th place seed after finishing 1st on the 2007 ASP WQS, has lofty aspirations for his debut season. Having already made a Final in an ASP World Tour event as a wildcard (JBay in 2006), he is certainly one to watch. Having recently signed an astronomical deal with O’neill, there will be the proverbial 800-pound gorilla sitting squarely atop his shoulders in the form of lofty expectations for the young South African. Think Jordy is worried? “I would say that I am looking forward to gaining experience and doing my best,” Smith said. “I am just going to put my best foot forward and hope that I can link together some good results. That might see me in the Top 5.” Doesn’t sound like it… does it?

6. Nations collide - The 2008 ASP World Tour is comprised of 17 Australians, 14 Americans (five of which are Hawaiians) 6 Brazilians, 4 South Africans and 4 Europeans – the greatest number of elite tour surfers Europe has ever boasted. The ASP tour obviously holds competitors from all over the world year after year, however with the immensely skilled and talented riders that each nation has produced, this year as much as any gives us the real chance of seeing the title going back to any of the aforementioned countries.

7. Dane Reynolds - The two most talked about surfers outside the Big 5 of Slater, Fanning, Irons, Parko, and Burrow over the past year are the previously mentioned Smith and Dane Reynolds. Both are powerful young surfers with a ferocious repertoire and as expected cut through the WQS with a fair amount of ease. By virtue of their 1-2 finish they have secured mid range seedings and will not meet any of the usual suspects on top until at least the round of 16. Although you wouldn’t be able to tell by his surfing, Dane has admitted to being torn between wanting to surf competitively and simply wanting to free-surf without being limited by the rules, limits, and politics that go along with competitive surfing. The humble Ventura prodigy had this to say when asked about Jordy Smith and the tour, “I just know that he’s going onto be world champion, and that’s not where I’m headed.” This is part of the intrigue with Reynolds, and coupled with his limitless potential he will be very interesting to watch as his career progresses.

8. More of 2007 or will conditions excite? - It’s no secret that the conditions throughout last years tour were sub-par at best. Slater summed it up best with this - “I do think it will be a tougher year competitively this year and the surf can’t be any worse than it was last season, so 2008 will definitely be a better year all around for the tour.” There are 11 events scheduled on the 2008 ‘Dream Tour’ and after a rather lackluster season wave-wise in 2007, the world’s best are eager to start from scratch and return to idyllic locations like Australia, Tahiti and Fiji with another opportunity to ride the best waves on the planet.

9. Expect the unexpected - One of the great things about the sport of surfing is it’s limitless scenarios and possibilities. Put down your cup of java and raise your hands if you foresaw the relatively unknown and unsponsored Bede Durbidge taking last years Pipeline Masters and Vans Triple Crown titles? Me either. There is so much talent on tour that it is impossible to foresee what will transpire. We can talk about Andy, but what about Bruce? We can rave about Dane and Jordy, but cannot forget to throw in last years rookie of the year Jeremy Flores. With surfing growing to be as big as it is worldwide and showing no signs of slowing down, the tour will continue to see the uprising of previously unknown surfers opening eyes year after year. Who will be 2008’s Durbidge? Who will be the tour-regular that puts it all together this year to make a run at the title? You’ll just have to stay tuned to find out.

10. 2008 Pipeline Masters - Thousands of surf contests are held worldwide year after year. When it boils right down to it, the Billabong Pipeline Masters is the crown jewel of them all and everything else is a distant second. Taking place at the epicenter of the surfing world, year after year all eyes become squarely focused on this historic event. It’s the Super Bowl of surfing and the quickest way for a professional surfer to put his name on the map and go down in the history books. With last years lack of title-drama, big names, and classic bone-breaking, picturesque Pipeline barrels coupled with a tension fueled confrontation out of the water, more than ever all eyes will be on this years event in hopes that lightning doesn’t strike the same-place twice. As for myself? I personally don’t think the surfing gods will allow a repeat of last years event and therefore look forward to the Pipeline Masters returning to its heralded form, captivating the minds of surfers and its fans everywhere. Look for Pipe to be the legendary break that we have come to to know and decide who it is that will be crowned the 2008 ASP World Champion.

Jeff Divine, Tom Servais, and Art Brewer. Few others have captured such epic and beautiful surf shots over such a long period of time. As much, if not more, than any other sport, surfing’s photographers are constantly putting themselves in precarious positions in order to continually provide us with the lasting images of surfers and the waves they seek out world wide. Behind every shot that ends up in a magazine or on our walls, there are photographers who in many ways truly hold the story of how it came to be. From the various cultures of far off lands, the dynamics and dangers of breaks all over the world, to the characteristics and personalities of the legends that our sport perpetually produces, these guys experience it all.

Divine, Servais, and Brewer are three of surfings top photographers and Surfing Heritage Foundation in association with The Surfers Journal have set up intimate evenings with these legends over the next couple of months that will give surfers the chance to meet, greet, and hear the tales behind every shot. Details for each event can be found at surfingheritage.org.

The unique perspective that each of these remarkable individuals brings to surfing and its history is almost unmatched. One of my all-time favorite stories is Tom Servais describing what took place when he captured the shot of Cory Lopez being blown-up in the teeth of a monster Teahupoo barrel. Being frustrated by not being able to get on any of the boats, Servais paddled out to the channel on his boogie-board. As a monser set approached and the boats sped away fearing they would be caught. Servais stayed and positioned himself perfectly, while being ever so close to being in harms way, and captured the raw power of massive Teahupoo right as it ate up a charging Lopez. Servais description of the setting and lead-up to that image is priceless. While this is only a drop in the bucket of the wealth of experiences and information that these men hold, it’s stories like this and so many others that will make these events unforgettable and absolutely worth attending.

Justin Timberlake starts designing surfboards…

Ummmm… I think I’m going to have to pass on this one. For Summer 2008 Evolution Surf is introducing a unique series of celebrities art designed surfboards to it’s line. For the ’small’ price of $2800.00 to $4500.00, you can get one of their Unique Exclusive Edition surfboards that range in sizes from 5′8″ to 9′2″ shaped by the likes of ‘famed’ surfboard designers that include Cameron Diaz, Shannon Elizabeth, Tyra Banks, Geisele Bundchen, Leonardo Di Carpio, and of course, Justin Timberlake.

While I think it’s pretty clear Evolution is probably not targeting the average surfer with these boards, I still find it pretty comical to have them listed as designers. If you take a look at the boards on their site, it’s fairly evident that these Hollywood A-listers weren’t staying up late every night for weeks on end pouring deep thought into their designs. On the other hand, if they went another route and actually had the particular ‘designer’ hand deliver their boards right to your front door and join you on the initial session this may be something I’m sure many more of us would consider, then again, maybe not.

Here’s a slideshow with the designs.

As far as water-men go, Mike Stewart continues to cement his status as one of the all-time greats. Whether bodysurfing or bodyboarding, Stewart has continually mastered his competition, and even at 44 yrs. of age is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. This time it was without a board at the Banzai Pipeline as Stewart won the Honolua Surf Co. Pipeline Bodysurfing Classic for a record 11th time.

Stewart won his first Pipeline Bodysurfing Classic in 1991. The event is held in high regard in the sport because it offers a rare chance for bodysurfers to ride the famous Pipeline waves. “It was pretty dismal as far as conditions go,” said Stewart, who was raised in Kailua, Kona, but now resides on O’ahu’s North Shore. “My mindset was just to find waves. It was pretty tough to find some good ones.”

Regardless of what board he may be on, if any at all, Mike Stewart has continued to captivate minds year after year by constantly charging some of the biggest and heaviest surf anywhere and doing so with an effortless style. He is the only non stand-up surfer to win the ‘Mister Pipeline’, an award given to those who most completely show mastery of the waves at Pipeline. Congratulations, once again, Mike Stewart.