After taking 1st Place at the WQS El Ponto Loco, Casey flew to San Sebastian Spain to compete in the NIXON Surf Challenge.

Casey came, he saw, he conquered finishing 1st Place and becoming this years NIXON surf challenge champion! Mind fREAKKK!

Casey throwin down

Casey blowin’ tail

Down Town Casey Brown, Casey Brown Kona Town whatevers you wanna call him it’s all good! Casey has been ripping coming off his first professional win at the Ponto Loco WQS and gracing the cover of this months HEAVYWATER magazine!

Check out the PEPPER pad and wht/gold TAGGER leash Casey is reppin’! nice!

What a month for Mr. Nate Yeomans. Fresh off of his marriage to long time girlfriend and a much needed vacation/honeymoon. Nate came off the plane and surfed straight to victory!

Nate is unstoppable at newport! Taking 1st Place for the 3rd year in a row at the WQS NB Pro… With this win, Nate catapults to the ratings leader in the MACY’s California Trifecta surf series!

Click HERE to check out the STRYKER traction pad designed by Melanie Bartels…  

Melanie Bartels Wins Billabong Girls Pro Rio in Rifling Barrels in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Wednesday, September 17, 2008) –

Melanie Bartels (HAW), 26, has won the 2008 Billabong Girls Pro Rio, defeating fellow finalist Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 25, in rifling four foot (1.5 metre) barrels at Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro today.Event No. 4 of 8 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Billabong Girls Pro Rio survived through a grueling five-day lay period to culminate in excellent conditions today, with the ASP Top 17 putting in some of the best performances in ASP history.Bartels, who rockets up from 14th to 6th on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, collects her second career Dream Tour win (her first as a full-time member) with today’s victory at the Billabong Girls Pro Rio.“It’s an amazing feeling and I’m just overwhelmed right now,” Bartels said. “My last win was in 2006 as a wildcard at Sunset so to be able to come out on top today, in these conditions, is really special.

The waves started to deteriorate towards the end, but I was able to grab a couple of scores against Sofia (Mulanovich) and I was really just surfing my own heat out there and doing my own thing. I was having fun.”The Hawaiian, who was unable to make the second event of the season, has rebounded in spectacular form today, defeating the reigning ASP Women’s World Champion during the Semifinals in what some are calling the best heat in women’s professional surfing history (19.00 def.18.50) before taking down Mulanovich in the Final.“After that Semifinal with Steph (Gilmore) I was filled with a lot of confidence,” Bartels said. “The waves pumped for that heat and we were trading barrel after barrel. That’s the most fun I’ve had in a heat in a long time. I had a tough start to the year with sponsors and results, but that just made me really hungry and after today, I’m really looking forward to the rest of the year.”

Mulanovich, who solidifies her position at No. 2 on the ASP Women’s World Tour ratings with today’s runner up finish, continues to collect consistent results in 2008 with her third Finals appearance of the season.“Another Final is a good result for me,” Mulanovich said. “Of course I would have liked a win, but congratulations to Mel (Bartels), she was on fire. I just couldn’t find the scoring waves in the Final so maybe things will be different next time. The next event is in Sydney and after that it is at home in Peru so I am looking forward these next few events.”Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 1 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, was in sensational form today, netting the event’s only perfect 10-point ride and backing it up with an 8.50, but was still unable to overcome Bartels in the Semifinals.“You can’t be too disappointed when you lose a heat like that,” Gilmore said. “Mel (Bartels) surfed amazing and deserved that win. I did everything I could out there and there wasn’t much more I could do. Mel got two really good waves and I got one really good one.”

Gilmore also earned the Kustom Best Wave Award for her phenomenal perfect 10-point backdoor barrel, reiterating her dominating form, but the young Australian is more aware than ever of how close the race for the 2008 ASP Women’s World Title has become. “You can’t count anyone out of it these days,” Gilmore said. “Mel (Bartels) is one of my favorite surfers and it was only a matter of time before she went off this year. The next stop is in Manly and I have a pretty good track record out there so hopefully I can regroup and put in another result there.”

Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion was another potential champion this morning, dispatching of local favorite Silvana Lima (BRA), 23, in their Quarterfinal bout, but was unable to overcome her Peruvian opponent in the Semifinals.“I couldn’t buy a wave out there,” Beachley said. “I think the Semifinal before us took all the waves then so that was a bit of a disappointment. A 3rd is a good result, but it’s two years since I’ve had a win and I’m certainly ready for one.”

Highlights from the Billabong Girls Pro Rio can be accessed via http://www.billabongpro.com/rio08/ 

The next stop on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour will be the Beachley Classic in Sydney, Australia from October 9 – 14, 2008.For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

 Billabong Girls Pro Rio Final Results:1 – Melanie Bartels (HAW) 14.342 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 10.60 

Pepper Rules! Go to iTunes and buy their new CD “pink crustaceans and good vibrations” then go to your local surf shop and buy the pepper/OAM collaboration traction pad!

Individually, Bret Keoni Bollinger, Kaleo’okalani Wassman, Remy Ryan De Rochment and Yesod Anton Williams are four guys who grew up in Kona on the sleepy Big Island. But, collectively, they are Pepper. And despite their island origins, Pepper is far from the traditional Hawaiian ukulele and slack keyed guitar sound. In fact, their music more closely resembles the So Cal dub-punk of Sublime.

Now, after being in California thousands of times and having lived there from time to time, the guys from Pepper were still in awe at how relaxing So Cal is in the summer. With the current “Vog” (volcanic gas smog) situation on the island, the boys from Kona on the Big Island enjoyed the weather and sights (girls) of So Cal before a long journey across America. They stopped by SURFING’s backyard before they kicked off their 2008 Tailgate Tour with Slightly Stoopid. Be sure to check their new album “Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations” in its entirerty on the SURFING Music Player now.

SURFING MAGAZINE: WHY DID YOU GUYS DECIDE TO START PEPPER?

Kaleo’okalani Wassman: Girls. That’s all. [laughs]

HOW WAS IT PLAYING GIGS ON THE ISLAND WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED?

Its great that we were at home, but it’s the same circuit and there’s only a certain amount of bars. It ended up being the same bars all the time.

SO WHAT WAS NEXT FOR YOU GUYS?

We moved to Encinitias, CA

HOW DOES BEING ON TOUR AFFECT YOUR LIFE?

It’s almost impossible to surf while we are on tour. And we are always parting, and rushing to go somewhere else to do it again.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR NEW CD?

When we did the recording and finished I still hadn’t heard it all the way through. I played the full CD in my car the other day though and realized it was my favorite album we’ve done for sure.

What’s VOG?

Volcanic gases and ashes making smog and blowing all over the Big Island. It kills plants and is driving the housing market down. People are surprised to see it when the come there, People say it comes from the Pele, the Volcano Goddess. (When sulfur dioxide and other volcanic pollutants mix with oxygen and water vapor in the presence of sunlight, the result is a volcanic smog known as VOG.)

SO HOW DOES SURFING INFLUENCE YOUR MUSIC?

In a nutshell, that’s what you do growing up in Hawaii. It’s the vibe of being at the beach, it’s about having stress being taken off your life, and having a good time.’ We’ve been able to bring out our culture and what we do in our music, it’s heaven-sent and we’re pumped.

Check out the Trailor HERE!

Mitch Coleborn lands solid entry in the Kustom Air Strike  Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 11 September, 2008 : - - Gold Coast – A powerhouse young surfer from Australia has fired the first shot in a winner-take-all global battle for the US$50,000 Kustom Air Strike bounty.  Mitch Coleborn, the 2007 ASP Australasian Junior Series Champion, has landed a crazy backhand flip while surfing in the Mentawai Islands. The ride, filmed by Matt Shuster, has earned Coleborn the distinction of being the first official entrant in the Kustom Air Strike following the opening of an eight-month competition window in August.  Kustom Air Strike is open to all surfers, both amateurs and professional anywhere in the world, and is a quest to produce the most innovative and inspired aerial manoeuvre in surfing’s history. Surf footwear brand Kustom is laying down US $50,000 cash to the winning surfer, while the videographer who records the manoeuvre scores a US $5000 cash prize.Kustom’s General Manager Harry Truscott said Coleborn’s punt has set the bar high for other contestants. “Clips started rolling in within a week of the contest launch, but all so far have been from earlier in the year, outside the contest window, said Truscott. “Then we received notice that an entry from Mitch was coming down the line and, given that he is such an amazing aerial surfer, we knew it would be good.Then we saw it and were completely blown away! It is awesome to get a move of this quality as the opening salvo in the Air Strike. “Mitch has thrown down a really big move to kick things off, and we can’t wait to see what the response will be from the world’s best aerial surfers. Given that he paddled into this wave, it will take something pretty crazy to beat it. But with US$50,000 on the line, something crazy is exactly what we are expecting.Let the games begin!” Coleborn’s wave, ridden at HT’s on 11 August 2008 as part of a shoot for Volcom, has been posted on the event’s official website, kustomairstrike.com to show the rest of the world what they’re chasing.Filmer Matt Shuster said Coleborn had been trying to pull the move all day.  “He said that he could get the board to stay under him, but it kept flying away,” said Shuster. “Just before this one (his Air Strike entry) he smashed his hip on his board. He said that he told himself he just needed to grab onto the board and, sure enough, on the next one he grabbed on and flipped it.” The Kustom Air Strike winning entry will be the most radical and innovative ‘completed’ manoeuvre. Judges will vote on height, innovation and completion of the aerial and, while tow surfing is permitted, riders are not allowed to use straps. The Kustom Air Strike mission first launched in Australia in 2006 and ran for two years as a domestic event only under the banner of Kustom Space Kadets.This year it has been opened to entrants from around the world. Previous winners are Dion Agius, who won in 2006 with a backside flip inBali, and Julian Wilson, who won with his renowned sushi roll in 2007.

come check out the latest flick from Chris Malloy and Woodshed Films…the cover art says it all “a film about dudes blasting the living shit out of lips and getting totally shacked!”HaHa RAD! 

Congratulations to Casey Brown for winning 1st Place in the WQS Vans El Ponto Loco 2*! Brent Reilly ripped it as well finishing 3rd in the Billabong Pro Jr!

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 2-Star event marks the completion of six of nine events held in North America, with all ASP WQS events offering points towards qualification for the 2009 ASP World Tour.

Brown jumped out to an early lead over the field but the experience and patience of Collins seemed to be paying off. Collins caught a wave that offered an inside air section that was enough to bump him into the lead over the goofy-footer, but Brown answered back to Collins’ score with one of his own. Brown’s second score proved to be enough for the win.

“I haven’t won an event in such a long time,” Brown said. “It’s a good confidence booster because I can’t remember the last time I won an event.” Brown was a standout throughout the event’s entirety. The young Hawaiian earned his Final berth in a wave-starved Semifinal heat by posting a 7.00 score out of a possible 10 in the closing minutes of competition, advancing him into the Final.

“I’ve never made a final before, so I’m stoked,” Brown said. “Even though this event is only a 2-Star it feels good. This event has been really good practice for me because I’m leaving for a contest tomorrow in Spain. It feels good to come over here and do well.”

Vans El Pono Loco presented by Sun Diego Results:

FINAL:
1- Casey Brown (HAW)
2- Dillon Perillo (USA)
3- Jason Collins (USA)
4- Brad Ettinger (USA)

Brent Reilly earned his first ASP North America Pro Junior Final berth and was a standout in the ASP WQS event. The talented goofy-footer jumped from No. 8 to No. 6 on the ASP North America Pro Junior series with his 3rd place finish in front of his home crowd. “This is my first Pro Junior Final, so I’m stoked,” “It feels good to do well at home.”

Reilly earned the event’s only perfect 10 in his Quarterfinals victory with massive frontside turns and a carving 360 on a long Ponto left, showing the competition that he was the local force to be dealt with. “I just saw the wave was going to be good and I just wanted to make sure I didn’t fall,” Reilly said. “In the men’s I blew it on a really good wave, so I wanted to make sure I didn’t do that in the junior’s so I just tried to stay super focused.

Billabong Pro Junior presented by Sun Diego Results:
FINAL:
1- Nat Young (USA) 13.83
2- Blake Jones (USA) 12.30
3- Brent Reilly (USA) 9.33
4- Andrew Doheny (USA) 8.67

Florida’s resident flying squirrel OLIVER KURTZ. Puts the hurt down on an unsuspecting ramp and earns this months cover of MundoRad Magazine!