A high surf advisory was issued by the National Weather Service at this morning for the north-facing shores of Oahu. Sounds like a perfect time to get the ball rolling on the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa, the first leg of the 2008 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

“The Reef Hawaiian Pro sets the tone for the rest of the Triple Crown events to follow,” says Randy Rarick, Director of the Vans Triple Crown. “Both the Men and Women who do well at Haleiwa, put their stamp on the start of the North Shore competitive season and are destined to have their names etched in the record books.”

And for the surfers who already have their names firmly engraved in the record books Mr. Rarick speaks of, Haleiwa and the Vans Triple Crown overall serve as the perfect chance to remind everyone else that they are still forces to be reckoned with as far as competitive surfing goes. As I write this, Triple Crown legend Mark Occhilupo is just putting the finishing touches on an absolutely stellar opening heat. Although looking a little more filled out in his retirement days, Occy and the North Shore is clearly still as potent a combination as any. While Occy can surf the Triple Crown pressure free, another Triple Crown legend, Sunny Garcia, is actually searching for valuable WQS points at Haleiwa in hopes of making back to the Dream Tour. Sunny currently sits at 20th on the ‘QS. Although that’s a bit outside where he needs to be come years end (top 15 make it), Sunny’s gotta be loving the position he’s in on his quest to return.

The webcast is looking super smooth and there is sure to loads of incredible surfing to watch as the event progresses. You can catch all the live action here so be sure to tune in. As always, 5ones will keep you posted on all of the happenings at the Reef Hawaiian Pro and Vans Triple Crown.

Reef has announced that they have come to terms with current world champion Mick Fanning on a new 5 year deal. Mick’s partnership with Reef dates all the way back to 1995. Since then, he has established himself as one of Reef’s elite footwear team riders, along with the likes of Rob Machado and Sofia Mulanovich.

“I’m so stoked to continue my relationship with Reef, they have been my longest sponsor along with DHD. I have been wearing Reef shoes and sandals for as long as I can remember. The people who work there are like family which makes the partnership that much easier.”

Mick’s journey to the top has been a long, arduous trek. Reef has seen him progress through National titles, Pro Junior series, and the grueling WQS on his way to winning the ASP title last year. Mick is as hard a worker and as dedicated a surfer as you’ll see on the tour. Reef has to be especially stoked on this deal, seeing that Mick’s consistency will almost undoubtedly keep him at or near the top of the standings in every one of those five years. Congratulations, once again, Mick Fanning.

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Reef, whose best known as a footwear company, has been making a strong push into apparel with the latest being their full line of girl’s swim and sportswear.

Reef first launched its full line of girls-specific sandals 10 years ago. They have since expanded into closed-toe footwear and handbags. They’re now planning a massive launch that includes both swimwear and sportswear for females. Girls Brand Director, Trisha Hegg has this to say about the line…

“Our target consumer is 17 to 24 years old and wants hip styling that still ties back to the beach. She has an active lifestyle connected to the water, but still wants to be fashionable.”

The swimwear collection will launch with 34 suits with tops prices from $38 - $46 and bottoms from $36 - $44. The sportswear line will launch with around 90 pieces in the $24 - $78 range.

Reef says they are backing the launch with a huge marketing campaign and in-store push. This will include a new logo, a new trade show booth, premium retail fixtures, and an ad campaign in Teen Vogue magazine. I haven’t seen any mention or evidence of an online marketing campaign yet which would be a huge mistake for Reef.

New media channels offer a great place to create mindshare and connect with consumers on a more personal level. Most 17 - 24 year-olds spend a good amount of time on social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube. Lets not forget search either; Reef will be missing out on the opportunity to reach the millions of people who search for girl’s surf wear on Google.

Reef