At the ages of 15 and 17 respectively, Rex Calderon and Norwin Estrella appear to be just like any other ordinary teenagers. Their daily agendas are pretty simple: Go to school, surf, and rally around town chasing after the local betty’s. Little do they know, they represent what is a very bright future for surfing in Nicaragua.

Rex and Norwin represent what is the exploding next generation of surfers from a country where surfing is still very much in it’s adolescence. The first time I saw Rex in the water he was finishing up his destruction of a wave with one the smoothest, styled-out, and elevated aerial 360’s I had ever seen. Rex, the current no. 1 ranked Junior in all of Central America, possesses the tools and natural ability to one day become a truly great surfer. He’s been picked up by Quiksilver and a few other smaller sponsors who are aiding Rex to reach his unlimited potential.

Norwin is intriguing as a surfer for the simple fact that at 17 of age, he has only been surfing for 3 years. Yet in 3 short years he has developed into an extremely talented surfer, most recently placing second behind Rex in a contest held at nearby Popoyo. The ultra-consistent, high-quality surf in Nicaragua is providing this generation of young surfers with limitless opportunities to develop their skills. With this, we have much to look forward to as these and the rest of the young up and coming Nica-rippers are tirelessly setting themselves up for big things to come.

Rex and Norwin were kind enough to sit a Sunday session out and participate in a 5 with 5’s. Knowing the passion they have for surfing every second they possibly can, we thank them for this and look forward to watching them, and the rest of this countries next generation of surfers progress towards greatness.

5ones: How old were you guys when you started surfing, and what was it that got you started?

Rex Calderon: I started surfing when I was right around 9 yrs. old. My Uncles Rocky and Cello were always surfing and when I saw them going it made me interested in trying it out. They gave me my first board and I’ve been surfing ever since.

Norwin Estrella: I was 14 when I started. Pretty much all of my cousins and friends were already doing it and were having fun so I decided I wanted to try it.

5ones: What surfers out there inspire you guys?

Rex: For me it’s Andy Irons and Cory Lopez. I guess for competitions I would say Kelly Slater. As far as just aerials and free-surfing I would definitely say Julian Wilson (ear-to-ear smile on his face when mentioning Julian).

Norwin: Andy, Cory, and Freddy Patacchia. We (he and Rex) always surf together and watch movies together so we all like a lot of the same surfers.

5ones: As far as your surfing goes, what are you guys really working on right now and practicing?

Rex: When I first saw the rodeo flip Jamie O’Brien has been throwing I wanted to try it. I’m practicing that a lot right now. I’ve only landed it once though so I’m hoping to get better and throw them consistently.

Norwin: Just throwing a lot of different airs. I love throwing airs and being above the wave so I’m trying to practice as many different airs as I can.

5ones: It’s pretty obvious the area you guys have grown-up in is growing and seeing more visiting surfers than ever before, how do you guys feel about having so many people in the water now?

Rex: I’m cool with it, you know. We have so many waves here and a lot of secret spots so when it does get too crowded we just head over there and it’s no big deal. I don’t really mind it too much.

Norwin: I guess sometimes it really makes it hard because there really are so many people here now, especially at the main breaks like Maderas. When you have so many people it makes it hard to surf and really enjoy it. But like Rex said, we have our secret spots so we can just go there when it gets too crowded.

5ones: What are you guys jamming out to when getting ready to head out for a session?

Rex: Damian Marley, Welcome to Jamroc

Norwin: Easy… System of a Down!

Without a doubt, Koby Abberton has put himself on a very short list of surfers in the world who are constantly pushing their limits and charging each session as if it were their last. As you dive deeper into the life of the Bra Boy Abberton, beyond the surfing, you begin to understand this approach. Koby has faced and endured challenges throughout his life that would make many others crumble. Even then, no matter what Koby was being confronted with in what has been at times a very turbulent life, one thing has remained a constant, he loves to surf, is damn good at it, and is constantly pushing and inspiring those around him to push themselves just as hard, no matter what it is.

This is part two of a two-part 5 with 5’s with Sunny Abberton and Koby Abberton. The unprecedented success of the documentary Bra Boys continues it’s roll following the July 29 release of the Bra Boys Collectors Edition DVD. Sometime in between ripping sessions in Bali and West Oz, Koby was kind enough to give us some of his time and insight and be the next guest on 5 with 5’s.

5ones: Koby, Thanks again for your time and congratulations on everything you accomplished with the release of Bra Boys. How has the massive success of the film affected the city of Maroubra, as well as the rest of the Bra Boys?

Koby: Well the boys are pretty much the same, they just all seem to be getting a lot more girls, hahhahahahah… The police are really pissed with the movie’s results and they seem to be doing everything they can to make us look bad… but all good besides that.

5ones: What were some of your biggest obstacles when trying to break through and become successful as surfers, and what was it that you feel kept you pushing through all of the turmoil toward reaching your goals?

Koby: I WAS BORN TO SURF AND I WOULD SURF AT ANY MEANS SO IT COMES EASY FOR ME.

5ones: What words of wisdom would you hand down to the younger, up and coming surfers who are from rougher areas in the world and face similar struggles to those that you guys faced growing up in Maroubra?

Koby: Keep away from drugs and just take notice of who your friends are and what they are doing when you’re not around.

5ones: 5 words that would best describe the Bra Boys and what they are about?

Koby: Loyal, Honour, Respect, Brothers, Death.

5ones: It’s just Sunny, Jai, and Koby heading out for a dream session… Where would this take place and who will be charging the hardest?

Koby: Me of course, they are both fags!!! HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHHA. Tahiti would be great because we could drink beers after and eat sushi…. Perfect!

Over the weekend, part of the 5ones crew had the pleasure of attending the grand opening party for the Nica Skate Pit. We’ve also had the pleasure of getting some one-on-one time with the crew responsible for the Nica Sakte Pit, so we sat down and found out some of the inspirations behind the pit and just about the general skate scene in Nicaragua.

5ones: What is The Skate Pit?

Nica Skate Pit: The Skate Pit started out as and extracurricular activity for our school, and quickly grew into a huge project. We ended up creating a website (still under construction) called Nicaskatepit.com where we have photos of skate sessions, announcements from the skate community, and profiles of our skate crew. So, The Skate Pit isn’t just a sweet ramp, but also a way for the local and international skaters to get together and have a fun session.

5ones: What was the inspiration for this project?

Nica Skate Pit: Skating, for us, is inspiration in and of its self; it’s fun to do and fun to be around. Here in Nicaragua there aren’t a lot of skate spots. So, we decided to make our own spot to shred. It is definitely the first of its kind in San Juan del Sur, and hopefully will blossom into a sick skate park.

5ones: What is the most rewarding part about doing this so far?

Nica Skate Pit: Our grand opening barbecue was a huge success, and extremely rewarding because we had a great turn out of skaters, friends, family, and spectators. It was great to have the skate crew shredding it up together. We haven’t had a session with all the skaters in a long time. We all skated for about six hours non-stop, everyone enjoyed some food, and just chilled as they watched the skating exhibition. The grand opening really showed us what is to (hopefully) become of The Skate Pit.

5ones: What are your goals?

Nica Skate Pit: With our website and skate ramp, we really just want to bring our skate crew together and have some awesome sessions. By doing this, the crew has already taken their skating skill to the next level. Most of our crew are street skaters, and now they are learning how to skate vert. Some have traveled to other cities/countries to skate ramps, but now that they have a place near home they can really take it to the next level. We would also really love to use our project to attract support from outside organizations. Such support would help us get skateboards into the hands of kids who can’t afford them. And make the San Juan skaters feel like their part of a global skate community.

5ones: Can you describe a typical Nicaraguan skate style?

Nica Skate Pit: The skate style that is being created down here seems to be a cross of raw hard-core urban skating, and aggressive surf influenced fluidity. We’ve basically got a couple of highly skilled and motivated street skaters, used to making the best of less than favorable terrain, coming together with Nicaragua’s leading surfers whose smooth and powerful techniques are coming directly from the waves, to patent what is a unique Nicaraguan skate progression. One thing is certain, Nicaragua’s skaters are an innovative group, drawing heavily from every influence available to them, and constantly pushing the envelope. It’s definitely a lot of fun to be down here right now, watching it all go down! Dale Pues!

For Bra Boys Sunny and Koby Abberton of Maroubra, N.S.W., Australia, this was just a recounting of their lives, their home, and their brotherhood. With the production and release of the Bra Boys documentary in the spring of 2007, they set out to simply tell their version of what they believed to be a very one-sided story at the time. In doing so, they ended up breaking box office records and seeing an unprecedented level of success that never could have before been imagined.

The demand by those not only throughout the surfing community, but all over the world, to witness their story has continued to grow over time and has seen the film end up in very unexpected markets. The Bra Boys Collectors Edition DVD just hit stores on July 29, and with a Hollywood version of their story in the works being directed by Oscar-winner Russel Crowe, the success of their story is sure to continue.

It´s been a whirlwind ride of success for the first family of the Bra Boys brotherhood, but through it all they have remained what they have always been at heart - an extremely tight-knit family that’s as passionate about surfing as any I’ve ever come across.

This is part one of a two-part 5 with 5’s with Sunny Abberton and Koby Abberton. Sunny and Koby were kind enough to give 5ones some of their time to give us a glimpse into what´s going on with them and their journey following the release of Bra Boys. We thank them for that, congratulate them on their massively successful project, and encourage any of our 5ones friends who have yet to see the film to go out and do so.

5ones: Thanks again for your time and congratulations on everything you accomplished with the release of Bra Boys. How has the massive success of the film affected the city of Maroubra, as well as the rest of the Bra Boys?

Sunny Abberton: You see people, a lot of people come and take photos of the beach with them in it like it was a tourist attraction. It has also helped the boys with gaining more respect for what we do. As well, its been better for some of the younger guys like Richie Vas (guy who gets stabbed in the neck and laughs) to gain sponsorship as a big wave rider. Johnny Gannon who trains the boys and who does the training in the extra section on the DVD has been picked up by World no. 3 Taj Burrow to travel the World Tour with him as his trainer in the hope Johnny will help him win a world tittle.

5ones: What were your biggest obstacles when trying to break through and become successful as surfers, and what was it that you feel kept you pushing through all of the turmoil toward reaching your goals ?

Sunny: The biggest obstacles to succeed at anything is just trying to remain focused on your goals and stay on the right path of being fit and healthy.

5ones: What words of wisdom would you hand down to the younger, up and coming surfers who are from rougher areas in the world and face similar struggles to those that you guys faced growing up in Maroubra?

Sunny: Don’t get caught in the cycle of your area; drugs, crime, and jail. You can rise above it. You just have to find an outlet, like the surf.

5ones: How would you best describe the Bra Boys and what they are about?

Sunny: A big family over 100 years old.

5ones: It’s just Sunny, Jai, and Koby heading out for a dream session….Where would this take place and who will be charging the hardest?

Sunny: Well Koby, Dakota, and I are all natural footers so Jai would have to listen to us. It would probably be in the Mentawai Islands and it would be very competitive.

Grant “Twiggy” Baker’s 2006 victory at Maverick’s went a long way in placing himself, as well as South Africa as a whole, into the forefront of not only the Big Wave Surfing community, but the entire Surfing world in general. What sets Baker apart is the style in which he charges some of the most massive waves the world has to offer, surfing them with the fluidity and approach that is more common on waves half the size of the heavy waves he is known for lighting up.

With his mind-blowing performance at a heaving Dungeons this past weekend, Baker added another prestigious title to his name by becoming the 2008 Red Bull Big Wave Africa Champion. By doing so, he has not only sealed his spot as one of the world’s premier big-wave riders, but also reminded us all that Big Wave Surfing in South Africa is vibrantly progressing and has a lot more in store for us in the years to come.

5ones: Grant, first off, congratulations on your incredible victory this past weekend! It must have been off the charts to win an event of this magnitude so close to home. How does your 2008 Red Bull Big Wave Africa win compare to your victory at Mav’s in ‘06?

Grant “Twiggy” Baker: The BWA is something that us surfers in South Africa hold very dear to our hearts. It’s what brought us all together in the first place and gave us the opportunity to take Big Wave surfing in South Africa to the world. To win is the ultimate achievement for me in our small sport of Big Wave Surfing and something that will always be with me. The win at Mavericks likewise is something that I will never forget, it gave me the opportunity to prove to the rest of the world that South Africa has surfers that can compete at that level and win.

5ones: For us non big-wave surfers, what are some of the thoughts and feelings you experience as you turn to paddle into a bomb at places like Dungeons and Maverick’s?

Twiggy: Ha ha….It’s a weird on that. It’s a feeling of both excitement and terror that this could be the wave of your life or the last…ha ha. No it’s not that serious, it’s what we do and what we train and prepare for so when the time comes to go…you go!!

5ones: Who are some of the surfers you looked up to, as well as those who have influenced your surfing?

Twiggy: Growing up in South Africa we were always in awe of the guys surfing Mavericks and Waimea, but I learned first from guys like Greg Swart and John Whittle in Durban and then Davy Stolk and Mickey Duffus in Cape Town, as well as my uncle Ari Kraak in J-bay. We have so many good big wave surfers up and down the coast in South Africa and all of them have had an influence on me during sessions over the years.

5ones: What was your very first surfing memory?

Twiggy: Having fun with my friends in Durban on the pump house and causing all sorts of trouble!!

5ones: You get to choose everything that would be in your dream session; location, wave size, conditions, crew, etc…How would it go?

Twiggy: Wow, great question….The location would have to be Bawa in Indonesia before the Tsunami, 12ft+ with the late afternoon offshore blowing on a draining spring low tide so it’s doubling up through the inside bowl. The Long Brothers, Reg, Mogwai, Flame, Edy, Warren Dean and Holmsie trading the biggest barrels you will ever see with AVG shooting water!!

Thanks for the interview and congratulations once again to Grant “Twiggy” Baker, the 2008 Red Bull Big Wave Africa Champion!

We just launched a new feature on the site called 5 with 5’s. The basic idea for 5 with 5’s is that we’re going to start doing a series of questions with athletes, brands, bands, industry peeps, and more. We’ll ask them 5 questions in an interview style format, let them answer however they see fit, and then post the interview up on the site for everyone to read. Our first interview was done with FirstStoke.com and you can check it out here.

If you’re an athlete, brand, musician, etc - and you’re interested in doing a 5 with 5’s feature then get in touch with us. Look for these on a weekly basis.

As the world of board sports continues to grow like never before, more and more riders everywhere are finding new ways to keep connected with each other as well as with everything that is going on in our board riding communities. The internet is obviously huge in providing so many opportunities for surfers, skaters, snowboarders, skiers, and so many more to immerse ourselves in everything action sports.

I recently had the chance to speak with the founder of a site called FirstStoke.com, Darren Reinke, and threw him a few questions that would help our readers who haven’t heard of First Stoke get a better idea of what they’re all about. Based out of San Diego, Ca. Darren and his partners started First Stoke as a “group of enthusiasts who yearned for an ability to share their experiences, ideas, and passions across a variety of mediums and activities.” They have continued to see strong growth over the past couple of years and are becoming a very fun and useful site for riders everywhere to check out-

5ones: Where did the initial inspiration for First Stoke come from?

First Stoke: Honestly, I was sitting on the beach in the South of Brazil taking in all that Praia Mole has to offer when I came up with the idea. I had been working in the surf industry and therefore had been following what was going on in the world of action sports. The industry had been and continues to grow at a rapid pace, but I felt that in the process the smaller brands, athletes, musicians, photogs, and film makers that have been so vital to the progression of the sports were losing the opportunity to have their voice heard. First Stoke is first and foremost a rider movement that is inclusive to all individuals and groups who embrace the idea of progression and inclusion in the world of board sports. More specifically, FirstStoke.com allows users to connect more deeply with all aspects of the action sports industry including the individuals who are most critical to its growth and survival.

5’s: Give me 5 words that best describe your company and what you are all about?

First Stoke: Progressive…Authentic…Grass Roots…Open Minded…Up and Coming…

5’s: How do newcomers to your site benefit from checking it out for the first time?

First Stoke: First time users can benefit along a number of dimensions; from the pure entertainment value of the pictures and videos to the education provided by the travel and educational content to the ability to connect with sponsors and other riders. Also, we are in the process of enhancing the site and will soon be launching a contest whereby users can win cash and other swag provided by our partners.

5’s: The word ‘core’ seems to be a constant when talking about First Stoke - what is your definition of core?

First Stoke: Core is really just being true to the reason you started surfing, skating, snowboarding, etc…. Yeah, everyone wants to live the dream and get paid to follow their passion. But don’t forget why you got into the sport and lose the love for what you do every day.

5’s: What 1 song would you pick to best suit a First Stoke soundtrack?

First Stoke: Free by Felonious (underground San Francisco live Hip Hop band). The song is all about freedom through expression.