From the blog

Billabong Pro: Jordy’s Judo Air

Posted by Kacee ON August 31, 2010 • Surf • Video • Comment

TEAHUPOO, TAHITI- O’Neill team rider Jordy Smith took things to another level yesterday at the Billabong Pro, Tahiti when he took to the skies with his mind blowing mondo Judo-punt (also called a “Froggy”). This move pushed Jordy to the front of the back beating out his competitors CJ Hobgood and Manoa Drollet.

Smith: “Definitely relieved to get through Round 1 out there. We haven’t been doing too much on the off days. So it was tricky out there, but super excited to get through and start focusing on the next heat.”

Thanks to O’Neill South Africa for posting the video:
Oneillsouthafrica.com/jordys-judo-air

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Damien Hobgood (USA) 10.07, Jay Thompson (AUS) 1.83, Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 1.00
Heat 2: Luke Stedman (AUS) 10.33, Nate Yeomans (USA) 8.83, Jadson Andre (BRA) 4.40
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.16, Marco Polo (BRA) 5.33, Bobby Martinez (USA) 5.33
Heat 4: Blake Thornton (AUS) 15.50, Tom Whitaker (AUS) 12.00, Dane Reynolds (USA) 11.60
Heat 5: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 9.66, Tim Reyes (USA) 5.34, Roy Powers (HAW) 2.73
Heat 6: Joan Duru (FRA) 10.10, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 7.60, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 6.90
Heat 7: Tamaroa McComb (PYF) 14.77, Mick Fanning (AUS) 9.50, Adam Melling (AUS) 5.70
Heat 8: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.30, Manoa Drollet (PYF) 10.40, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 8.41
Heat 9: Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.66, Taj Burrow (AUS) 11.40, Tuamata Puhetini (PYF) 10.43
Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.00, Andy Irons (HAW) 13.97, Heiarii Williams (PYF) 12.57
Heat 11: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.50, Dusty Payne (HAW) 9.03, Drew Courtney (AUS) 0.20
Heat 12: Owen Wright (AUS) 11.27, Brett Simpson (USA) 8.53, Neco Padaratz (BRA) 7.73
Heat 13: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 11.93, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 11.46, Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 8.43
Heat 14: Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.23, Dean Morrison (AUS) 9.00, Mick Campbell (AUS) 5.43
Heat 15: Luke Munro (AUS) 14.03, Travis Logie (ZAF) 12.94, Taylor Knox (USA) 9.93
Heat 16: Ben Dunn (AUS) 10.87, Chris Davidson (AUS) 7.90, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 6.92

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Manoa Drollet (PYF) 14.76 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 12.33
Heat 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.00 def. Tuamata Puhetini (PYF) 7.27
Heat 3: Heiarii Williams (PYF) 14.03 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.43
Heat 4: Dane Reynolds (USA) 16.27 def. Tim Reyes (USA) 12.50
Heat 5: Marco Polo (BRA) 9.84 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 7.83
Heat 6: Nate Yeomans (USA) 12.73 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.00

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI REMAINING ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 7: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 8: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Drew Courtney (AUS)
Heat 9: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 10: Andy Irons (HAW) vs. Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 11: Adam Melling (AUS) vs. Mick Campbell (AUS)
Heat 12: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 13: Roy Powers (HAW) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 14: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Dean Morrsion (AUS)
Heat 15: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 16: Dusty Payne (HAW) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)

Adam Cianciarulo: DC MX Team Rider

Posted by Kacee ON August 27, 2010 • Moto • News • Video • Comment

Take a peek behind the scenes with our Brand of the Month: DC and their amateur motocross (MX) team rider Adam Cianciarulo. This super young, super talented MX racer got his first motorcycle at age 3 and hasn’t looked back since then. Fast forward 11 years and you’ll find Adam doing what he loves most, riding! He’s now home schooled (8th grade) and is pursuing MX racing full time in hopes of becoming a pro. With sponsors like DC, Kawasaki, Monster, Alpinestars and many more its no surprise why he’s been called the next Ricky Carmichael.

“I started racing a PW 50 on my fourth birthday. I continued to race my PW in 2001 and also started riding a Cobra CM 50. In 2002 I began racing my Cobra in Florida and won my first National in Branson. In 2003 I became a Factory Cobra rider and attended and won every National, except Loretta`s.”

Origin: Italian
Birth date: 10/20/1996
Birthplace: Orlando, FL
Resides: Port Orange, FL
Height: 4’ 11”
Weight: 81 lbs
Year started riding: 1999
Year got sponsored: 2001
Bike Type / Set-Up: KX 85
Other Sponsors: Kawasaki Team Green, Monster Energy, Alpinestars, Spy, Bell Helmets, FMF, PR2, RTMX (Ronnie Tichneor), Decal Works, Dunlop, Leatt Brace, EVS, Works Connection, Renthal, Maxima, CVS, Branking, Motorsports, Kicker, Ogio, Haro Bikes, V-Force, Bitlo and Waldo Motorsports
Shoe Size: 4
Music: anything
Heroes: Jesus, Ricky Carmichael, Ben Townley, my Dad
Favorite movies: Facing The Giants
Favorite word: Sweet!
Favorite food: Tacos
Favorite video game: MX vs. ATV Untamed, Call of Duty 4

Follow Adam: Twitter.com/AdamCianciarulo

Shop DC: KillerDana.com

Brand of the Month: DC & Rob Dyrdek

Posted by Kacee ON August 26, 2010 • Skate • Video • 1 Comment

To fully understand DC as our Brand of the Month you need to take a look into the relationship between DC & Rob Dyrdek. Rob is one of those characters that is in a rare breed all of his own. His vibrant personality, professional skateboarding, and outlandish stunts are all well known as his mad skills on a board. As a skateboarder, Dyrdek has claimed his fair share of top worldwide contest finishes, legendary video parts, magazine covers and so much more.

Check out what DC has to say about Rob, “Rob’s larger-than-life persona is grounded in the fact that he’s passionate, driven and above all, a talented athlete who’s shaped modern street skateboarding. He’s played a major part in building DC Shoes and other influential skateboarding companies into what they are today.”

So sit back, and get to know a little bit more about DC’s boy Dyrdek…

Name: Rob Dyrdek

Birthplace: Ohio

Resides: Hollywood, CA

Years skating: 1000’s upon 1000’s of days

Music: Def Leppard

Last skate magazine looked at: Skateboard Mag

Favorite video: Blind Video Days

Favorite city to travel to: Venice Beach

Worst place to go in San Diego: the Convention Center

You will never catch me filming at: a spot on a busy road

You will never catch me entering: a manual contest

Favorite DC’s: The Metro. The shoe created memories… some good, some bad.

DC Breaks it down on Rob & DC:

“Born in Kettering, Ohio, in 1974, Rob started skating at age 12, and in less than a year was the youngest member of the popular G&S (Gordon & Smith) skateboard team. At 16, he turned pro for the newly formed, now legendary Alien Workshop Team. “Personality coupled with talent makes the ultimate celebrity, and Dyrdek had the ability to wrap it all into one incredible ball of energy,” says Alien Workshop founder Chris Carter. Soon after his first professional contest, Dyrdek became friends with Ken Block and Damon Way, then President and Executive Vice President of Droors Clothing. Seeing the endless potential in this young skater, Dyrdek was quickly asked to promote their Droors Clothing line. Droors Clothing later became DC Shoes, the first company to produce an athletic driven skate shoe made specifically for skateboarders. Dyrdek’s strong street skills inspired Block and Way to add Dyrdek as the first street member of their newly formed DC team.

Rob joined DC Shoes in 1995 and set out to design the first-ever skateboard shoe with an athletic shoe’s performance features and look. The result, the Dyrdek1, was the first skateboard shoe to feature protective nylon lace loops. Dyrdek’s signature shoe was met with unprecedented approval by the skateboarding community, sold out in record time, and marked the moment when DC became known as a skateboard shoe innovator. Rob’s passion for shoe design has only grown since then—he’s expanded his role at DC to include that of shoe designer, and in addition to several of his own signature models, has designed several other successful DC shoes, among them the Alias, the Modus and the Blend. Rob was also the first pro skateboarder to build a private indoor skate park when the TF, or Training Facility, was completed in San Diego in 1998.

Rob’s drive and passion has spilled over from the act of skateboarding itself to the entrepreneurial side, and Rob has used his keen business sense to start several companies, among them Silver trucks and Reflex bearings. Rob continued with his entrepreneurial skills to help skateboarding and create legal street skateboarding spots for the roughly 13-million street skateboarders in the US and give back to the sport that made him a star. To that end, he spearheaded the creation of the Rob Dyrdek/DC Shoes Skate Plaza Foundation, which actively seeks to build Skate Plazas throughout the US and beyond.

Currently, Rob resides in Los Angeles, California. When he’s not skateboarding, supporting his foundation or involved in the shoe design process at DC, he’s busy with one of his numerous side projects. Beginning November 2006, Rob began his MTV reality series, “Rob and Big”. This reality comedy stars Rob and his bodyguard and best friend, Christopher “Big Black” Boykin as the twosome live together in Rob’s Hollywood Hills home. The show is hotter than ever as it puts real street skateboarding in American’s faces weekly.  In May 2006, Rob began filming for “Street Dreams,” a feature length film Rob co-wrote, executive produced and stars in for his acting debut. “Street Dreams” is more than just another movie about skateboarding. It is the first film written as an honest portrayal of the skateboarding culture instead of the Hollywood stereotypes that have infiltrated the media. “Street Dreams” follows the path it takes for a young skater to fulfill their dreams of becoming a sponsored street skater. It is due to hit screens everywhere later this year. In addition to DC Shoes, Rob rides for Alien Workshop, Reflex bearings, Silver trucks, Monster energy drinks, and also has signature sunglasses for Spy Optical.”

SHOP DC: KillerDana.com

Learn more: DCShoes.com

The Air Tahiti Nui Von Zipper Trials

Posted by Vainui ON August 23, 2010 • Events • Surf • Video • 1 Comment

It’s that time of year again, when the pros of the world, local contestants and free surfers all gather together at the end of the road, in the little village of Teahupo’o. The name Teahupo’o coming from a long history of bloody battles that took place in this part of the island during the pre-European era (meaning wall of skulls). For the 10th consecutive year, the entire surfing industry comes together and turns towards Tahiti and it’s infamous wave for the Billabong Pro, Tahiti (August 23rd-September 3rd).

If the Billabong Pro Tahiti is the reason behind all this hype, there’s another surfing battle that most people wait for every year: the Air Tahiti Nui Von Zipper Trials, offering the winner and the best Tahitian surfer the opportunity to enter the main event. If most local riders wait and train hard for it to see their dream of surfing in a WCT event come true, a larger part of the local population is also eager to watch those 2 days of fierce competition. Why? Because they want to see one more guy from Tahiti entering the Billabong Pro, with hopes of seeing him winning the finals. Crazy dream maybe, but that’s what we’re secretly hoping for every year! Don’t get me wrong, we love this competition for what it is, a WCT event, and we’re always excited to watch the different heats no matter who the guys surfing are :D

Back to the trials: Tahiti’s best riders usually train for months in order to get this wild card, and this year was no different: Teahupo’o and the Hava’e pass became their daily training ground, whatever the conditions: wave after wave, barrel after barrel, they perfected their riding skills, sitting deeper and deeper and trying to make their way out of every wave they could catch.

The Trials which last 2 days, were launched this past Monday, on glassy waves ranging from 6 to 9 ft. Needless to say, the crowd was there to see some of the most talented riders surf against each other in those epic conditions. The first day was a tough one for the locals who had trouble winning against guys like Wade Goodall, Anthony Walsh and Kamalei Alexander, to name a few. But just like every other competition, the most focused and determined managed to find their way to the finals, thanks to their unbelievable commitment and incredible tube riding style.

The winner, Taumata Puhetini, a 23-year-old surfer who grew up surfing Tahiti’s beachbreaks, won every single heat he surfed and even scored a perfect 10 in the quarter finals: “I had been watching this contest for years, from my boat in the channel, and this year was definitely the year I wanted to give it a try. I trained a lot, more than 4 hours everyday, and it paid off. I’m so stoked!”

And so am I, it’s always a great pride to see a local winning those prestigious trials, especially a surfer that nobody was expecting at this point of the competition (even if he already has a lot of experience on the local contest scene).

Along with the other finalist, his long-time friend Tamaroa McComb,  Taumata enters the main event starting this week (watch live at >>BillabongPro.com), thus joining 2 other Tahitian surfers, Teahupo’o charger Manoa Drollet (who got a wild card) and WCT pro surfer Michel Bourez.

If you have any questions about the event, or Tahiti leave em as a comment here and I’ll answer them in next weeks blog!

Good luck guys!!

-Vainui

Street League: DC Pro Tour

Posted by Kacee ON August 17, 2010 • Skate • Video • Comment

DC our Brand of the Month for August is a proud presenting sponsor for one of the greatest street skateboarding competitions of all time, Street League! By assembling a roster of the world’s best professional street stakeboarders, constructing the most unbelievable courses, and creating high stake prize purse, Street League will give street skateboarding the credit and live spectator experience that it has always dreamed of.

August 28th, 2010: Jobing.com Arena – Glendale, Arizona.
September 11th, 2010: Citizen Business Bank Arena – Ontario, California.
September 25th, 2010: Thomas & Mack Arena – Las Vegas, Nevada.

Check out the video from the final training facility testing day before the first Street League Skateboarding event in Glendale, AZ on Aug 28th. This was the first time Ryan Sheckler, Chris Cole, and Paul Rodriguez all skated with eachother in a contest setting all year. In a glimpse of the skating to come on August 28th, these guys were all head-to-head until the very end. Filmed and edited by Nigel Alexander

About Street League Skateboarding: streetleague.com

“Skateboarding is limitless by design. Built on a foundation of progression, individuality and tremendous skill, street skateboarding is one of the most technically intricate and dynamic sports in the world. Every year, the best and most respected skateboarders in the world constantly push the boundaries of what people believe is possible. No other past time, art form, or sport evolves and progresses the way street skateboarding does.

However, the magical nature of street skateboarding has never been translated to a live spectator experience or professional contest series that truly showcases the skill and talent of the skateboarders involved.

Until now…

Street League Skateboarding™ has been created to reflect the power of true street skateboarding – arguably the most popular, evolved, and unique alternative to stick and ball sports. By assembling a roster of the world’s best professional street skateboarders, constructing courses that embody the characteristics of real skate spots, and creating real stakes through substantial prize money, Street League™ gives street skateboarding a proper forum for live competition for the first time ever.

The pros signed to Street League™ are undoubtedly the elite of professional street skateboarding: Mike Mo Capaldi, Chris Cole, Nick Dompierre, David Gonzalez, PJ Ladd, Terry Kennedy, Eric Koston, Greg Lutzka, Sean Malto, Billy Marks, Chaz Ortiz, Brandon Biebe, Luan Olivieira, ToreyPudwill, Peter Ramondetta, Dylan Rieder, Paul Rodriguez, Geoff Rowley, Tommy Sandoval, Ryan Sheckler, Mikey Taylor

These skaters are competing for a total purse of $1.2 MM– the most prize money in skateboarding history. The series also includes the largest first place prize of $150,000 at each event. The complete purse at each event is as follows:

1st: $150,000 2nd: $80,000 3rd: $25,000 4th: $10,000 5th : $7,500 6th : $6,250 7th : $5,750 8th : $5,500 9th – 24th Place (non-qualifiers): $5000 each.

Beyond the awards associated with the final ranking at each event, each Pro will have the ability to win $5,000 for each best trick in each individual section of the course as well as for the entire event. The pros that do not qualify into the Finals will be given the chance to compete on the big section prior to the main event for an additional $10,000.

Street League Skateboarding™ features the first-ever revenue-share program in skateboarding and Action Sports history. As a result, each pro is a direct participant in the success of Street League™. The pros will share in both Street League™ merchandise and media rights sales.

To assist their transition into the league, each pro has been given the option to compete in two non-sanctioned wildcard events until the end of 2010. Beginning in 2011, the pros will compete exclusively in the Street League™ series and other Street League™ sanctioned events worldwide.

Street League Skateboarding™ utilizes real-time scoring and a proprietary format that makes every trick count. These unique features, combined with street skateboarding from the world’s best, will make the inaugural year of Street League Skateboarding™ a historical break-through for skateboard fans worldwide.”

Billabong Pro Tahiti: Webisode 2

Posted by Kacee ON August 16, 2010 • Surf • Video • 1 Comment

Sunday August 15th kicked off the warm ups for the Trials event, and Teahupo’o didn’t hold back. Surfers competing in the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials, which is the precursor to event number 5 on the ASP Men’s Tour, the Billabong Pro, Tahiti, were blessed with the ultimate warm-up at the legendary Tahitian break, “Teahupo’o”. Featured is a picture off the Billabong Pro website of Australian charger Laurie Towner.

More pics >> www.BillabongPro.com

The Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trails waiting period is 16th – 19th August.

The Billabong Pro, Tahiti runs August 23rd – Sept 3rd, with just four full days of competition required to crown a champion.

Billabong Pro Tahiti – Webisode 2, The Trials from Billabong on Vimeo.

The Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trails waiting period is 16th – 19th August.

The Billabong Pro, Tahiti runs August 23rd – Sept 3rd, with just four full days of competition required to crown a champion.

Shark Sightings at SanO

Posted by Kacee ON August 12, 2010 • Surf • Video • 7 Comments

Me my Shark and I from Chuck Patterson on Vimeo.

After all the fun we had watching Shark Week on the Discovery channel we get our own special visitor to San Onofre (San O) this week. Some locals are stoked because this instantly cuts down on crowds in the water… others are just plain scared. You decide.

“The day before I shot this video, i was SUP surfing with a couple friends and 2 sharks circled us for about 15 minutes. the next day, i decided to go back out at around the same time and take my GO PRO HD HERO camera (gopro.com) mounted on a 10 ft pole and do some exploring. Sure enough within 5 minutes a 9 ft shark came out of no where and circled twice and slapped his tail on my board before disappearing. then a minute later a 7 ft young juvenile Great White swam circles around me for 12 minutes. It was an unreal experience that I will cherish forever.” -Chuck Patterson


Billabong Pro Tahiti: Webisode 1 The Wave

Posted by Kacee ON August 10, 2010 • Surf • Video • 1 Comment

Billabong Pro Tahiti – Webisode 1, The Wave from Billabong on Vimeo.

Gear up for the 10 year anniversary of the Billabong Pro in Tahiti (watch live on August 23rd- September 3 2010) with this first webisode. Billabong has put together a series of webisodes to get everyone pumped up. This first video gives you a visual walk through of the raw mass and power of the Teahupo’o wave with video commentary form surfers who have made it out alive .

“Teahupo’o” (pron: chee-yow-po) has been considered among the world’s most intimidating surf spots since its ‘outing’ a little over a decade ago. Male professional surfers have withdrawn from the competition in fear for their lives. Webisode 1 reveals Teahupo’o via a captivating visual montage that is set against a backdrop of comments from the surfers who have experienced Teahupo’o at its awesome best. It’s as much a horror movie film trailer as it is advertisement for one of sport’s true sporting spectacles.

Vote For the WPS All Stars

Posted by Kacee ON June 8, 2010 • Events • Surf • Video • Comment

View this video at Hurley.com

The WPS (World Professional Surfers) All Stars are returning to the US Open of Surfing! Who do you want to see compete? Here’s your chance to vote for your favorite surfers and then watch them live at this year’s US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.

Go here to vote for your favorite 10 surfers >>www.usopenofsurfing.com/wpsallstar

Related Articles:
The New U.S. Open

A Greener U$ Open

Join Us

Shop By Brand

About

Killerdana.com is the Leader in The Action Sports Lifestyle. We are an eclectic group of writers, creatives, producers, photogs, surfers, skaters, snowboarders and dirt mongers who love to mix and share every aspect of our sports, our industry and lives. Join the session!