Posted: November 25, 2011 by
Francesca
Name: Gabriel Medina
Nicknames: Medina
Born: 22 December 1993 (17 years old)
Hometown: Maresias, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Stance: Goofy
Sponsors: Rip Curl, Nike, Pukas surfboards, and FCS fins
It’s your first year on the ASP’s world title tour, you’ve won two events, and the legendary Kelly Slater has pipped you to be a world title holder in the future... surely you are dreaming? Wrong, if your name is Gabriel Medina, then you are living the dream.
Brazilian wonder kid Gabriel Medina has sent shock waves through the world tour and has made everyone pay attention to the new ASP formatting. Medina joined the tour at the mid year change over, and has literally blown everyone out of the water. His aerial maneuvers and extreme riding style has vanquished infamous surfers such as Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson, Taylor Knox and even fellow new school surfer Julian Wilson. Medina has out performed everyone this year, enabling him to claim two elite tour victories: the Quiksilver Pro in Hossegor, one of our
surf holidays France destinations, and recently the Rip Curl Search in San Francisco.
To say what Medina has achieved is special, is an understatement. At just 17 years of age, he is showing what the new school is all about, and making those tour veterans work a lot harder. So what makes this surfer tick?
Growing up in Maresias, Sao Paulo, Medina started surfing at the young age of 9. His abilities shone though in no time, so that when he was only 14 years old he started competing on the international circuit in both the qualifying series and the juniors. His rise to the world title tour has come about in 2011 from his success at some of the Prime events, and the new ASP ratings system.
Whereas in previous years most surfers would have to work their way up the World Qualifying Series until they had finished high enough in the ratings to begin the next year on the World Title tour, the ASP changed things up. The mid year cut off point enabled Medina to launch from the world qualifying tour to the dreamtour after 6 world title events into the year. He’s a mid-year rookie, and has currently won 2 events out of the 4. No one expected this result, and critics of the new system have been silenced by Medina’s success. Surfers such as Medina should be on tour, especially when they can beat the very best surfers in the world such as Kelly Slater or Joel Parkinson.
So what next for Medina? He’s now ranked at 18th on the World Title tour with only 5 events counting, and 8th on the world ratings. So his sights are now set for another crown... this time it’s the Billabong Pro Pipeline Masters. Every surfer wants to win at the legendary Pipeline, but it’s barreling wave is very unforgiving. Medina’s successes tend to arise when there are boosting waves reminiscent of skate ramps that compliment his stunning aerial maneuvers. However, Pipe is all about perfect barrel riding. So the surfing community is waiting to see how Medina takes on the near perfect wave of Pipeline.
Posted: November 24, 2011 by
Nicky
Are you thinking of escaping the winter weather and heading off in search of sun, sea, sand and surf? If so, you’ll probably be toying with the idea of getting
worldwide travel insurance, but you may also be thinking you can get away with it.
Well, here are five reasons to get covered and for anybody interested in getting discounted
travel insurance compare prices online to take advantage of the best deals available.
1. Your general luggage may get lost or mislaid
There’s nothing more frustrating than that sinking feeling that sets in as you stand waiting at the luggage carousel in an airport in a foreign country and it suddenly grinds to a halt before you have been reunited with your suitcase. Then arrives the bad news from airport staff that your luggage has been lost or simply mislaid. Without insurance, you’ll have to dig deep and replace everything out of your own pocket. However, if you’ve been sensible and invested in worldwide travel insurance, then you can go ahead and seek financial reimbursement.
2. Your surfboard could get damaged in transit
Travel insurance covers your belongings for damage as well as loss, which will come in handy for surfers jetting off all over the world with expensive and specialist equipment such as a surfboard. Imagine the heartache of finding out your pride and joy is damaged beyond repair and you didn’t take out insurance, which can cost as little as a few pounds, so have to fork out for a new board yourself.
3. You may have to cancel your trip at the last minute
Cancellation cover is included in the cost of travel insurance and gives you the peace of mind that if something unexpected happens, like a family bereavement, illness or change of circumstances like somebody being made redundant, and you can’t go on holiday, you won’t have to wave goodbye to hundreds and possibly thousands of pounds.
4. Protect yourself and your family with medical cover
While you may not want to think about the prospect of yourself or one of your travel companions getting ill or sustaining an injury that requires medical attention, you would be naïve not to arm yourself with worldwide travel insurance just to be on the safe side. The cost of medical attention can defer from one country to the next, but it’s never worth running the risk and thinking you can get by without it.
5. It pays to have personal liability insurance
Most travel insurance policies include public liability insurance as standard as part of the price. This will protect you up to a certain amount in case somebody tries to sue you while you’re abroad for whatever reason, whether that be because of an injury or damage you’ve caused.
Posted: November 21, 2011 by
Francesca
Wave: Pe’ahi aka ‘Jaws’
Where: Maui, Hawaii, USA
When: December to February
Why: 60ft+ monster waves
Stats: Right or left-hand gigantic hollow barrels for the tow-in expert only
When we think of Hawaii waves what springs to mind? Pipeline barrels, massive Waimea waves or the gentle surf of Waikiki? These are all iconic Hawaiian surf spots and where we think of our
surf holidays, but there is another that should be added to the list: Pe’ahi, otherwise known as ‘Jaws’.
Jaws is the nickname for a surf spot that has become notorious in the surfing world. On the north shore of the Hawaiian island of Maui, just off the Hana Highway lies the break of Pe’ahi. It became known as ‘Jaws’ after it was ridden by some of the best and arguably craziest surfers in the world back in the 90s.
View Pe'ahi 'Jaws' in a larger map
The break has gained a reputation as being one of the most dangerous surf spots on the planet. The reason for the high risk level of Jaws is that the wave heights can be anywhere around 60ft to 120ft when the right conditions come together. Maui receives northly swell directions during the winter months, and this combined with light wind conditions, creates some of the biggest rideable surf in the world.
Pe’ahi is formed when the swell hits the bay and is funneled by the unique reef formations into super waves capable of travelling 30 miles an hour. The speed of these waves prevents surfers from paddling into them, so it was the use of wind surfboards, and then tow-in surfing that has enabled die-hard surfers to take on the wave. Surfers have to be towed in by using a jet-ski in order to reach fast enough speeds enable them to surf the incredibly powerful wave.
Synonymous with Jaws are big waves riders such as Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, world record holder Garret McNamara, and Jaws night surfer Mark Visser. However, one of the enduring images of Jaws was of tow-in duo Brad Gerlack, on the jet-ski, and Mike Parson who towed into an oncoming beast at Jaws as part of the Billabong Odyssey surf film. Pe’ahi’s wave appears as if the whole ocean is moving, and any man or woman who takes it on, is like a cartoon character risking their life for the thrill.
Although Jaws has only been ridden since the 90s, it has become a legendary break and at the forefront of tow in surfing. It’s popularity due to the adrenaline inducing rides has meant that it is progressively busier, with the result that highly regarded surfers are calling for the number of surfers in the water to be moderated on big days. The break is simply too dangerous by itself without adding multiple jet-skis and surfers to the line up.
However, regardless of who goes out into the water, Jaws will always clean up, and only narrowly welcomes those who can ride its curling monster barrels.
Posted: November 16, 2011 by
Francesca
It’s that time of year again when winter wetsuits, gloves and boots are needed in order to get in the waters around Europe. If you’re planning
surfing trips close to home or thinking of heading south and
surfing Portugal, then training for winter surf is essential.
- Flexibility- The cold tends to make us all tense up, and our wetsuits hamper our movement in the water. However, by introducing exercises that increase our flexibility and range of motion, we are able to feel more confident in the waves and have greater chance of being able to move freely. Try adding yoga, pilates or even a simple stretch routine to your regular work out. Also, don’t feel that you have to go to a particular class if the style doesn’t suit you. Try out different classes or even get a book until you find a style you like.
- Strength- Even though you may have been great in the summer waves in a lightweight summer wetsuit or boardshorts, winter waves require a lot more strength. The Atlantic storms bring amazing waves to our shores, and are well worth getting wet for, however, your body will need to be strong in order to paddle in your winter wetsuit. Thicker, heavier wetsuits keep you warm, but also slow you down. Moving with an extra stone in weight makes catching your wave, that little bit harder. So make sure you introduce extra strength training into your workout routine. Use weights, use your own body weight and even mix it up with different classes. If your muscles are getting stronger, so will your surfing.
- Mentality- Half the battle of winter waves is that they are cold, and may well be amazing when the weather is grey and/or raining. It can take a lot of determination to decide to go for that surf. However, it is always worth it... that feeling of catching your first wave, of being part of nature and the seasons. You feel alive. So if you catch yourself wondering if it is worth it and feeling lazy, remind yourself of the last wave you caught and how good it felt. It really is mind over matter sometimes.
- Diet- Although most of us don’t like to admit it, with the winter season comes the stoggy winter food and drink, and a few extra pounds... It’s very easy to allow bad eating habits to creep in that result in extra weight. We don’t need it, because it makes it that much harder to paddle and catch waves. As hard as it may be to say no to eggnog and mince pies amongst others, there is no harm in waiting for a special occasion, and saving yourself a whole lot of hard work getting rid of that extra blubber. Keep to seasonal vegetables, berries and brews- the more local and seasonal, the better. Your happy surfing self will thank you for it when you’re catching waves easily.
Posted: November 12, 2011 by
Francesca
When most people think about surfboards they think about the magic feeling of gliding down the face of a wave. What might not come to mind is that the majority of a surfboard's life will be spent out of the water! The way you take care of a surfboard when it is not in the water is an often overlooked secret of having the best time while surfing. If your board is stored and maintained properly you will get the most of those precious seconds you spend actually surfing. Here are some tips on how to keep your surfboard happy and healthy.
To rest your mind, keep your board on a sturdy
surfboard rack. On a good surfboard rack the board will not fall over or get damaged in careless ways. Respect your board and in the long run you will spend less money on repairs. Another reason to respect your board is that it was most likely hand-shaped. A good rack is a way of paying tribute to this craftsmanship.
There are several factors to consider when deciding which kind of surfboard rack to get, the greatest being what kind of board you have. A light short-board is great for a modular rack system, you can even expand the rack to fit your whole quiver! If you have a heavier board however, its time to bring out the big-guns and get a heavy duty rack. This is especially true of stand up paddle boards (SUPs) which are the sumo-wrestlers of surfboards. To store an SUP make sure you choose a
SUP rack over a traditional rack.
The second factor is where you decide to put the rack. If you've got a heavy board that and want to have an easy time lifting it on and off the rack, get a horizontal rack that holds the board parallel to the ground. Angled racks are great space savers, but to really save space consider putting your board on a ceiling rack. Ceiling racks are perfect for garages.
Choose wisely where you mount your surfboard racks. One of the biggest enemies to a healthy surfboard is the sun. UV damage makes surfboards brittle and even tinges their colour. Keep your board out of the way of UV rays and it will retain the special feel it had when it was brand new. Salt water is also corrosive to surfboards, so be sure to give your board a quick rinse when you get out of the ocean.
Once you've got the best spot picked out, mount your racks onto a very sturdy foundation. In most cases this means finding the stud within your wall. Take care when doing this and you will never have to worry about your board falling. The next time the waves look good you can grab your board and go knowing that it is ready for action!