Biggest Wave Ever Surfed

Alana Blanchard is spending (slightly) less time than normal out of the media spotlight after her pregnancy announcement in June. And when she needs her space, few locations provide a natural seclusion quite as lovely as her home island of Kauai.

“Growing up on Kauai was pretty amazing,” Alana says in the above edit, pre-baby-bump, shot by and produced by GoPro. “I grew up on a five-acre piece of land that my parents had. I feel like a lot of people on Kauai live off the land. They grow a lot of their own produce. Ever since I could remember, my dad and mom would grow bananas and oranges. I really want to start a garden, but…I’m never here [Laughs]. But when I do get to be here, I’m pretty much just chilling…No one can find me.”

And then there’s Oahu’s North Shore, which, come December, transforms into the island satellite for every blip of activity in the industry. For two months straight, you can’t cross an aisle in Foodland without spotting another pro, or a brand manager, or someone whose paycheck is dependent on boardshorts and bikinis.

“All of the waves [on the North Shore] are really fun. It’s just the crowd factor,” says Alana. “That’s what you have to deal with. You have to time your sessions in a way that you’re going to miss the crowds.”

One island chain, and yet two drastic differences between the public and private lifestyle, the here and away. So when Ms. Blanchard reveals from her own life how to do both, and with supreme grace, we listen up.

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“Morning Glory” Eastern Australia. Clip: @fox_in_soks

https://www.instagram.com/fox_in_soks/

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Under The Influence

Starring Damien Hobgood, Kyuss King, Jett Schilling, Jackson Bunch and Wyatt McHale in Indonesia

Damien Hobgood’s latest endeavor, as a mentor to some of the world’s best up-and-coming groms, might not put him in the spotlight like a ‘CT win at Cloudbreak or a 50-footer at Nazaré, but, according to him, it’s equally as rewarding. Which is why he’s so passionate about organizing trips like this recent one to Indonesia with Kyuss King, Jett Schilling, Jackson Bunch, and Wyatt McHale, where he offered insight and advice on everything from technique, to board choice, to wave selection, to positioning in big surf, and so much more.

“For a while, I had people asking me about doing other coaching, even stuff back on Tour, but that just wasn’t where my passion was.” Damien said. “Mentoring these kids is where I felt I could have the most impact. And I’ve found out I enjoy it even more than I ever thought I would. It’s been really rewarding for me.”

Click play above to watch Damo give the groms a crash course in everything from rippable Uluwatu to flexing, Teahupo’o-esque, 8-foot Lakey Peak.

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On a hot and humid summer day on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, eight surf shop teams converged at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head for the second attempt to run the Mid-Atlantic Oakley Surf Shop Challenge. The Mid-Atlantic event was rescheduled back in April due to lack of swell, but a three-to-four- foot fading ESE swell from tropical storm Gert proved to be promising the second time around.

Heat 1 saw Outer Banks local Jesse Hines push Outer Banks Boarding Co into the lead with a double whammy 8.6 and 17th Street’s Bo Raynor whammy an 8.2. Sweetwater came out swinging in Heat 2, posting a Round One heat high of 31.6.

Team Sweetwater (L-R) Justin Parr, Owen Moss, Dylan Kowalski & Tim Martin. Photo: Cory Godwin (@Cory.Godwin)

The final consisted of Sweetwater Surf Shop, Outer Banks Boarding Co, 17th Street and Whalebone Surf Shop. 17th Street gave Sweetwater a run for their money posting a 30.14, but in the end Sweetwater put up a 33.77 and won their fourth consecutive Mid-Atlantic title.

“The final was pretty suspenseful because the 17th Street team had really good scores, but luckily Dylan (Kowalski) came through with a sick whammy score,” said Sweetater’s Justin Parr. “We’re all really excited to go to Nationals!”

Sweetwater was the last team to book their ticket to Nationals, joining Sun Diego Surf Shop (SW), Sunrise Surf Shop (SE), 7th Street Surf Shop (NE), Pacific Wave (NW), Hunting Surf and Sport (W) and T&C (HI).

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2017 COBBLESTONE CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS

REYNOLDS, ANDINO, DOHENY, YEOMANS AND MORE FLARE UP AT LOWERS

Last Friday marked the inaugural Cobblestone Classic event presented by SURFER and Volcom, which pitted some of the world’s most iconic surf brands against each other, while also raising money for CA State Beaches. Four-person teams consisted of one pro surfer, two brand employees, and a grom, all of whom were jumping out of their skin to surf empty Lower Trestles. And while the waves were relatively small, the consistently rippable Lowers walls always allow for plenty of spectacle from the likes of Dane Reynolds, Kolohe Andino, Torrey Meister, Nate Yeomans, Andrew Doheny, Michael Dunphy and more. By the time the final horn sounded, …Lost surfboards had taken the win along with top bragging rights, followed by Red Bull in second, and Channel Islands in third.

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