The conditions and performances held on the final day of competition for the 6.0 Lowers Pro proved to be almost perfect, highlighting an overall successful debut onto the WQS scene for Nike 6.0. ASP Top 45 member Ben Bourgeois took out a loaded group of finalists on his way to victory in surf that could be classified as ‘almost’ perfect Trestles. Fred Patacchia, Joel Centeio, and Pat Gudauskas all came to battle it out with Bourgeois in the final but none were able to overcome the consistency and power displayed by the Carlsbad, Ca. resident. After the event, Bourgeois let it be known how excited he was to be taking home this huge win - “I’m stoked, it’s always good to get a win, and all those guys in the final are good friends of mine. My last win was in England, and Lowers is always a great event.”

Formerly known as the Body Glove Surfbout, the 6.0 Lowers Pro will move from a 4 star event as it was this year to a 6 star event in 2009. This is huge, in that the results have a significant meaning to competitors trying to qualify for the WCT. There is currently only one other 6 star event in North America. Adding another and holding it at the famed break of Trestles is a big step in helping to bring back relevance to the ASP North American leg of the WQS. Nike 6.0 is undoubtedly thrilled to be a part of that.

Congratulations to Ben Bourgeois- The 2008 winner of the 6.0 Lowers Pro!

Our friends at ASR recently posted an article on the direction of the new Op marketing campaign. I had a hard time believing that their advertising headliners were Wilmer “Fez” Valderrama from That 70’s Show, and reality-celeb Kristin Cavallari from MTV’s Laguna Beach. The video on the home page of their site confirmed it was true, as well as introduced to me the rest of the Op “team” that includes Cristina Milian and Rumer Willis among others.

Being a child of the early ’80s, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Op. They were one of the original cool surf-brands, but apparently along the way they decided to take a turn in a whole other direction. They pride themselves on being the “Original California Lifestyle Brand Since 1972.” With the direction they have moved they appear to be going after a very different lifestyle. One thing’s for certain, it’s not the surfing lifestyle.

If they ever do decide to resurrect the brand to what it once was, there is going to be some explaining to do.

The films produced by Teton Gravity Research in their 11+ years of existence have consistently been some of the most captivating, visually pleasing, and just downright epic productions in the action sports industry. Their unique style is evident in every film they put out; whether it be through the soundtracks, cinematography, or the story-lines told. Their newest release, Out There, is getting set to premier and looks to be one of their overall classics to date.

Out There seeks to tell the story of threatened surf spots such as Trestles in Southern California, surf in Southern Chile threatened by pulp mills, Teahupoo and its growing popularity, mainland Mexico, and North Shore Hawaii near the Turtle Bay development. They’re telling this story with the help of Jamie O’Brien, Jamie Sterling, John-John Florence, Pancho Sullivan, Jordy Smith, Shane Dorian as well as many other world-class surfers who star in the film. All represent parts of the world that hold the highly endangered areas, and all are passionate about winning the battles against them.

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The number of surfers and swimmers scattered throughout line-ups all over north San Diego is an awesome sign that the healing process following the tragic shark attack on Dr. David Martin has begun. It’s understandable that tight-knit beach cities like Solana Beach and Cardiff would be hit hard by the first fatal shark attack in 50 years. This is new for a lot of people in the area, most of which make the ocean a regular part of their lives.

Although many are returning to the water, it’s still quite obvious that the attack is at the forefront of people’s minds. Everywhere I go it seems to be what people want to talk about and it has even reached a point where many lifeguards, policeman, and many of our other public servants are spending a good portion of their days responding to ‘possible shark-sightings.’

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There are few communities who have taken a stand and gone to the lengths that the surfing community has when it comes to making a difference in our rapidly deteriorating environment, in particular the ocean. It has become a movement, yet there is still so much more that needs to be done.

I’m guessing there are quite a few like myself who know they need to do more when it comes to preserving the earth, we just may need a little guidance to get us going more toward that direction. Who better to give us a push down the right path than Surfrider CEO, and inspiration to us all, Jim Moriarty.

Moriarty has dedicated his life to being on the front lines on this battle against those who would take the very last breath from this beautiful planet. His, as well as the tireless efforts of all at Surfrider are truly amazing.

For us who need the aforementioned push in the right direction, I decided to ask Mr. Moriarty what some basic steps would be that all of us could take to help in preserving the ocean for generations to come. He kindly provided me with this very interesting ‘beginners guide to going green (PDF),’ and had this to say when asked what one basic effort he would recommend all of us take when trying to improve on our lackluster environmental habits - “If you ever do one thing, never…ever buy or accept another plastic water bottle as that bottle will most likely never be recycled and the largest pollutant in the ocean is plastics.”

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and without a doubt this is a step that all of us can take.

By pulling off a dramatic perfect 10 point ride in the closing seconds of the final heat at the Air Tahiti Nui – Von Zipper Trials, Jamie O’Brien earned a spot in the main event of next weeks Billabong Pro. Make no doubt about it, O’Brien is the trialist that no one on the WCT is looking forward to matching up against, especially if swell charts stay true and Teahupoo keeps pumping out monster barrels the way it has been as of late.

His dramatic victory over Brazilian Bruno Santos was the stuff legends are made of and even O’Brien had to admit it was a bit ‘Slater-esque.’ “I’ve never came from behind the eight ball like that in the last minute,” said O’Brien. “I figured it’s the kind of stuff Kelly does, so I thought I would give it a try.”

O’Brien, the 2006 Pipeline Masters Champion and in my eyes one of the top all-around surfers in the world, has been taking a break from being on tour full-time to focus more on just surfing progressively. While doing so, he has pulled off impressive victories in several big contests, the likes of which include this years Da Hui Backdoor Shootout as well as Billabong’s inaugural Freewave Challenge.

A typical trialist might be intimidated knowing he will be opening up action in the main event against Pancho Sullivan and reigning world-champion Mick Fanning. Jamie O’Brien is anything but your typical trialist and he has let it be known that he’s coming after those guys - “I’m not worried about it, barrel riding is what I do, I travel the world so I can go and surf barrels. I’m down for the main event, I’ll take them down.”

Looks like the WCT regulars have officially been put on notice- Jamie O’Brien is coming for you.

Winter has passed, the springtime winds appear to be on their way out, summer is just around the corner and this can only mean one thing….the warm weather crowds are making their way to a line-up near you.

Overcrowded breaks are something the majority of us deal with on a regular basis. As schools break for the summer season and cool air and cold water no longer discourage many from paddling out, competition for waves starts to rise and it becomes inevitable that the intensity levels at your local break will surely elevate. I know it has at the spot that I do the majority of my surfing, and today’s session left me wondering this - How intense is too intense when you’re surfing small waves in a crowded line-up?

It was pretty interesting to just sit in the water and watch surfers treating a clean 2 ft. swell as if it were the final heat of the Pipeline Masters. Overly aggressive paddling, constant jockeying for position… all for waves that could be called waist high at best. I would even go as far to say that I would be hard-pressed to pick out even a handful of surfers who appeared to actually be enjoying themselves. The crowd and over-surfing of a tiny swell were enough of a turn-off to make an afternoon session less fun than it should be, and I ended up deciding to move to another break.

I have no right to tell other people how to surf, and I wouldn’t even dream of doing such a thing. All I can do is recommend something to try for those who paddle after knee-highs like a starving dog after a bone - Take a deep breath, check out the unreal surroundings all around you, pass a couple of waves up to young guys and beginners, and just enjoy the experience.

With surfing- It’s all about the smiles.

Call me old fashioned, call me cheap……but so far, I’ve been unable to bring myself to fathom the idea of dropping $85 on a pair of boardshorts. Hell, even the standard $50 is pricey. At least to this point, that’s been my prevailing thought ever since Hurley came out with their Hurley Advantage Phantom Boardshort. Yet the more I hear about them from those who’ve paid such a hefty price for boardies, I find myself starting to at least consider the thought of plunking down 85 big ones.

I never dreamed of seeing a day when the price for trunks would creep toward the century mark. I’d seen advertisements for the Phantoms, but it wasn’t until my recent cruise through a surf shop in Hawaii that I laid eyes on Hurley’s asking price. I honestly had a hard time believing that was the cost and asked the store manager if that price was for real. He confirmed that it was, and assured me they were worth every penny. The material used for the Phantoms is said to be revolutionary and the direction that boardshorts will be heading. The selling points are that they are ultra-thin, flexible, and dry out very quickly.

So here I am, conflicted as the warming temps and water remind me that it’s time to pick-up a couple pairs of boardshorts for the upcoming summer season. Are the Phantoms all they’re cracked up to be, or is this just another sign of the times and a serious case of overpricing?

Remember that Bodega Bay surfer with the 45-pound wax ball from the 2003 film Step into Liquid? The one who paddled out every day for the last 28 years or so? He’s still at it, and he is as stoked about surfing as ever. If you have yet to hear about Dale Webster, he is a 59 yr. old man from Valley Ford, Calif who has paddled out to surf for 11,925 consecutive days and counting. That’s correct…..11,925 consecutive days of surfing.

My first knowledge of Webster’s world-record streak came from the first time that I watched Step into Liquid. When I stumbled upon SI.com’s Chris Ballard’s recent article on Webster’s ever-growing run, I found myself once again trying to wrap my head around the passion that this man has for surfing. It’s truly immeasurable, and it may also be unmatchable.

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When you’re a wave like Teahupoo, you don’t really need any hype thrown your way. With that being said, I’m throwing hype anyway. We’re just about two weeks out from the 2008 Billabong Pro Tahiti. And if the swell trends continue this could possibly be one of the all-time events at the bone-crushing left.

Teahupoo has made quite a name for itself in not much more than a decades time. The break that was once thought to be unsurfable, will be on display for it’s 10th WCT event From May 8-18 and as we covered previously, it has taken it upon itself to remind all surfers that it’s right around the corner with its thrashing of last years champ Damien Hobgood.

Those hoping to catch Kelly Slater in the ‘CT standings know how crucial it is do well at this event. If Slater locks this up, or even finishes in the top 5, his 9th world championship may be all but locked up. Mick Fanning knows this and is once again arriving early to get some practice time in. “Kelly had an amazing start and I had a lot of things happening,” Fanning said. “Really good things, but I have finally had some time to myself and I feel really excited about competing again. I’m looking forward to Tahiti. It is always a great event.”

Yep, we’re only two weeks away from the 2008 Billabong Pro Tahiti….

Past Billabong Pro Tahiti Champions:
2007: Damien Hobgood (USA)
2006: Bobby Martinez (USA)
2005: Kelly Slater (USA)
2004: CJ Hobgood (USA)
2003: Kelly Slater (USA)
2002: Andy Irons (HAW)
2001: Cory Lopez (USA)
2000: Kelly Slater (USA)
1999: Mark Occhilupo (AUS)