Check out the fabulous Phindi Gule in the City Press where she says that ROXY is her fav beach brand! We love you Phindi

On the way to Vendee, our French navigation had a bit of a wobble, and we ended up getting lost for what seemed like an hour.

Crawling under the thick blankets that night, I had no idea of what to expect the next day. After a very (VERY) strong coffee and a couple croissants we headed down to the beach, and were shocked to see that it was 1 foot, howling onshore and FREEEEZING .. literally!

After finding the motivation (from where, I don’t know) to surf 4 heats, it turned out as planned and Johanne and I came out on top.

It was the coldest I have ever been in my life, but thanks to the team and a touch of humour, I survived.

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION

Sunday 11 March 2012

CHIKO Pro Junior

4-Star Men & Women Pro Junior events

Merewether, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

8-11 March 2012                                         

Bianca Buitendag wins CHIKO Pro Junior women’s title in Australia : Beyrick de Vries third in men’s event

South Africa’s Bianca Buitendag posted a massive score of 16.65 out of a possible 20 in the final to win the women’s event in the CHIKO Pro Junior at Mereweather beach in Newcastle, Australia earlier today.

The 18 year-old from George in the Southern Cape defeated Ellie-Jean Coffey (QLD/AUS) by using superior wave selection criteria in the final. While both surfers had scores in the excellent range, Buitendag chose to stay busy, recording five rides, including two in the 8.0 point range, by surfing the inside waves and leaving the increasingly sporadic bigger set waves to her opponent, who only managed two rides despite holding priority for the last quarter of the match-up.

“Sometimes having priority gives pressure to hold on for the bombs,” Buitendag said. “I didn’t have priority so I just surfed the inside and ended up getting great waves and the rights formed up really well.

“I’m really stoked with this result,” Buitendag added. “It’s going to really boost my confidence going into the ASP 6-Star Hunter Ports Women’s Classic next week. I surf against these girls a lot and I know what to expect, I just tried to do my best and it worked out for me. The waves have been pumping, it’s been on fire the last few days!”

Buitendag was on fire throughout the final day of the event, which featured 48 of the world’s best female surfers aged 20-and-under. She produced a score of 14.90 in ousting Johanne Defay (FRA) in their quarter-final clash and 16.50, including a 9.50 out 10, one of the top 10 scores of both the men’s and women’s events combined, in leaving highly rated Australian Nikki van Dijk combo’d in their semi-final.

Meanwhile SA’s Beyrick de Vries started his challenge for the men’s title with an outstanding quarter-final victory over Johnny Hicks (NZL), delivering scores of 8.0 and 9.0 for a 17.0 point heat total that left his rival in a combination situation and needing to improve on both his counting scores.

However, the Umhlanga based 19-year-old could only produce rides of 6.65 and 7.15 in his semi-final clash, trailing Ramzi Boukhiam from Morocco throughout their 25 minute encounter and still needing a 9.45 point ride when the heat ended.

De Vries finished equal third overall in the 112 man field. Fellow South Africans Michael February (Kommetjie) and David van Zyl (Glenashley, Durban) placed equal 9^th and equal 17^th respectively after being eliminated from the event yesterday.

The men’s event was won by Jesse Mendes (BRA) who came from behind in the dying minutes of the 30 minute final to defeat Boukhiam by 14.90 to 12.25.

The Newcastle Surfest continues tomorrow with the Burton Toyota Pro (Men’s ASP 6-Star) and the Hunter Ports Women’s Classic (Women’s ASP 6-Star). All the action can be followed at www.surfest.com

WOMEN’S CHIKO PRO JUNIOR FINAL RESULT:
Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 16.65 def. Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) 14.50

WOMEN’S CHIKO PRO JUNIOR SEMI-FINAL RESULTS:
SF1. Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 16.50 def. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 10.50

SF2. Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) 17.0 def. Kirsten Ogden (AUS) 6.10

WOMEN’S CHIKO PRO JUNIOR QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS:
QF1. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 9.25 def. Naomi Stevic (AUS) 7.30
QF2. Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 14.90 def. Johanne Defay (FRA) 12.50
QF3. Kirsten Ogden (AUS) 9.50 def. Audrey Styman-Lane (AUS) 5.60
QF4. Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) 15.0 def. Philippa Anderson (AUS) 13.50

MEN’S CHIKO PRO JUNIOR FINAL RESULT:
Jesse Mendes (BRA) 14.90 def. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 12.25

MEN’S CHIKO PRO JUNIOR SEMI-FINAL RESULTS:

SF1. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 16.60 def. Beyrick de Vries (ZAF) 13.80

SF2. Jesse Mendes (BRA) 17.55 def. Jordin Watson (AUS) 14.0

MEN’S CHIKO PRO JUNIOR QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS:

QF1. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 13.50 def. Matt Banting (AUS) 13.40

QF2. Beyrick de Vries (ZAF) 17.0 def. Johnny Hicks (NZL) 8.90
QF3. Jesse Mendes (BRA) 12.40 def. Ian Gouveia (BRA) 12.0
QF4. Jordin Watson (AUS) 13.25 def. Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 8.50

ENDS

Pictured: Bianca Buitendag (George), 18, won the women’s event at the prestigious CHIKO Pro Junior in Newcastle, Australia, on Sunday

Photo: RedMonkey

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa

Contact:            Colin Fitch – Operations Manager

Tel:                   021 534 5738

Email:               colin@aspafrica.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications

Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965

Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964

Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the recognized world governing body of professional surfing and has been crowning surfing’s undisputed World Champions since 1976. The ASP sanctions and crowns World Champions for the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, ASP World Junior Tour, ASP World Longboard and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts and other media platforms. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Japan, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

We are in Australia for 3 months competing in various WQS and Pro Junior competitions. This is the longest I’ve ever been away from home. I have been surfing my brains out, eating as much as I can and having lots of fun.

I arrived in Australia thinking I will be homesick within the first two days. It took me one month, but as I look back, I see how fast time has gone and how much has happened in the last 4 weeks.

We have been on the Gold Coast, training and surfing the worlds longest right handers. Now we are in Manly, wow so many people! As we sit here tonight, just finished one of the first meals I’ve cooked by myself, I am suddenly struck by how fast you grow up and how much I want to make time go slower, but I can’t, so I try to make the most of every place and experience.

Here are a couple of photos of those experiences so far…

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 24, is already an icon within the women’s sporting world after her short five-year tenure amongst the world’s best surfers. A four-time ASP Women’s World Champion, the young Gold Coaster has already scalped an incredible 18 elite tour events, including three at the opening event of the season, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover.

“I’m a competitive person,” Gilmore said. “I want to be the best. I feel like I’ve already accomplished more (competitively) than I ever thought I would and I’m proud of that. There’s nothing forcing me to compete, I do it because I enjoy it and because I want to win. If you’re winning events, you’re winning world titles so yes, the world title is still very much the goal. “In a departure from her normal routine, Gilmore’s offseason has complimented the usual intensive training regime with a number of humanitarian efforts, primarily to Senegal early this season.”When I’m at an event, then yes, my focus is on winning,” Gilmore said. “However, competition has never defined who I am and it definitely doesn’t absorb as much of my life as it used to. I love to be inspired by worlds outside of this industry. Earlier this year, I went to Senegal on a humanitarian mission with the Quiksilver Foundation and, for me, it was one of the most transcendent experiences of my life. Travelling around the world for a reason other than chasing waves was definitely something different and getting involved with the people there who don’t have much but still manage to be incredibly happy was pretty eye-opening. I guess revelations like this aren’t exactly uncommon, but actually experiencing it firsthand is something that has re-shaped my outlook quite a lot.”

Last year witnessed the ascension of Hawaiian phenom Carissa Moore (HAW), 19, to the ASP Women’s World Title throne.
The young natural-footer made the Finals in an astounding six of seven ASP Women’s World Title events last season, claiming three elite tour wins along the way.
After Gilmore’s four-year dominance of women’s surfing, the Moore juggernaut set the surfing world alight, and Gilmore will look to rebound in 2012.
“Carissa (Moore) is a really impressive surfer,” Gilmore said. “I don’t think anyone was surprised that she started doing so well on tour as we’ve all watched her grow up and saw her coming down the tracks for a while. She can do it all: big turns, fin releases, airs, barrels and she has a pretty impressive rhythm throughout all her surfing. Last year, she showed how dangerous she can be and there are not a lot of events on tour so every one counts.
If you stumble early on, you need to make up the ground quickly or else Carissa or someone else could runaway with the tour.”

In addition to Moore, Gilmore recognizes the talent brewing amidst the remainder of the ASP Top 17 as well as the challenge of having a truncated season once again. With seven events on the current schedule, Gilmore acknowledges the importance of every event and the impact they all have to the ASP Women’s World Title race.
“It’s safe to say that the current ASP Top 17 are the best girls we’ve ever seen on tour,” Gilmore said. “Any of the girls can beat any of the other girls in a heat and it’s an exciting thing to watch. Obviously, I think the tour needs to be more robust and a bit more stable. I had a lot of challenges heading into last season and at the top of them was the fluctuating schedule. Events were changing and dropping off, and when the dust settled, we had seven events and a season that finished in August. It makes it difficult to plan a title campaign and goes to show that every event counts, especially the early ones.”

Check out the best of Roxy team rider Sally Fitzgibbons, showing exactly why she’s risen through the ranks of women’s pro surfing within just 2 years and in strong pursuit for this year’s world title.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOTA3ziMI-M

Roxy Teamrider Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) has taken out the Inaugural Australian Open of Surfing Pro presented by Hurley and Billabong at Manly beach today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWpBz8Hrf4U

The beach was packed with tens of thousands of surf fans for the final day of competition and they were treated to an exciting show with close back-and-forth battles, powerful turns and big airs as the world’s best surfers fought for the prestigious crown, precious ASP World Tour ratings points and tens of thousands of dollars prize-money.

Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) defeated Sofia Mulanovich (PER) in the final of the ASP 6-Star rated Australian Open Of Surfing, both surfers posted decent scores, but Fitzgibbons timed her turns to perfection to take out the event and claim the USD$8,000 winners cheque. Fitzgibbons has been in fantastic form all event, being rewarded by the judges for her ability to link turns together with her trademark smooth style. This week at the Australian Open Of Surfing Fitzgibbons notched four of the top 10 wave scores and two of the top three heat totals, proving that she was the inform surfer of the event and that she’s not being hampered by her wrist injury.

“It’s unbelievable!” Fitzgibbons said. “I was just focusing on working through my boards and going through some heats and before I know it I’m in the final. Sofia (Mulanovich) is such a tough competitor, I knew she’d be able to get the score needed, so it was a nervous wait at the end there. To win in front of this crowd, with so much support feels amazing! Then to have won the US Open and then the first ever Australian Open back to back is a special achievement.”

COOLANGATTA/QLD (24th January, 2012):
World No.2 Sally Fitzgibbons remains confident she will be fully fit by the start of the Roxy Pro presented by Land Rover at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast on 25th February despite carrying several injuries.

Fitzgibbons was on the Gold Coast this week hosting her own junior camp at the Surfing Australia High Performance Centre nursing a fractured wrist and strapping along her left leg.

The 21-year-old Australian from Gerroa in NSW fell awkwardly on the reef while surfing Cloudbreak in Fiji before Christmas, and knee and foot injuries were sustained during training.

“I guess leading into the new season I do look a little battered and bruised, it’s unfortunate but injuries are part of the game,” said Fitzgibbons, who finished third at last year’s Roxy Pro.

“There isn’t much time left but I’m very confident of recovering in the next week or so and I will have a good few weeks lead-up into the first event.

“I just fell on the reef surfing at Cloudbreak and fractured my wrist and the knee is basically sustained injuries form training. It was just through finding that balance of how hard to push it in the pre-season as you want to build that great base and unfortunately I tipped over the edge but I’m still learning.

“It was unfortunately just before Christmas when I fell on the reef so I’ve had a whole summer of sweating and training out of the water, but I suppose it is good to be relaxed and resting and then have a good few hard weeks to build back up.”

Fitzgibbons’ off-season wasn’t all about setbacks, however, taking the chance to experience several new activities including plunging to new depths.

“I learnt how to snowboard and Red Bull took us on a free diving course over in Hawaii,” she said. “It was a surf survival specific program that elite free divers formulated with big-wave riders.

“We had a go and it is amazing the things you can do when you learn about the physiology of holding your breath and been in those panic situations. To be able to hold your breath for about four minutes 40 seconds was amazing and going to the depths we did.”

After two runners-up finishes in the past two years, Fitzgibbons feels ready to break through for her maiden World Title, but is preparing for a massive challenge not only from the established front-runners but a bunch of determined rookies.

“I feel like I’m gaining more strength and becoming more comfortable on tour and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards as I have so much I want to improve on this year,” she said.

“Obviously Carissa (Moore) being the reigning World Champion and Steph (Gilmore) as four-time World Champion will always be there, but I think this year there’ll be a major push from the new rookies.

“I love starting the new year at the Roxy Pro at Snapper. It is one of those events that I’ve always wanted to win. There is something about the vibe… it has a great atmosphere with the people on the rock, it feels like a little amphitheatre and what better wave to start the year off than Snapper.”

Fitzgibbons is also happy to embrace the Association of Surfing Professional’s new Anti-Doping Policy, which will be activated for the first time this year.

“The new doping laws are great for surfing to be recognised alongside other mainstream sports,” she said. “I’ve been part of anti-doping programs from an early age of about 15 or 16 through athletics and other sports so anything to keep the sport clean and fair is a positive and to show the public that it’s a clean and healthy sport.”

Both the Quiksilver Pro and Roxy Pro events will be webcast live on QuiksilverPro.com.au, RoxyPro.com.au, Youtube, Facebook and the Quiksilver iPhone app as well as exclusively telecast on Fuel TV.

The 2012 Quiksilver and Roxy Pro presented by Land Rover is supported by Events Queensland, Corona, Telstra, Schick Hydro, Peters Drumstick, Red Bull, Olympus Cameras, Vegemite SurfGroms, Lipton Ice Tea, Sharpie, Surfing World magazine, Coastalwatch, Gold Coast Airport, Gold Coast City Council, Connecting Southern Gold Coast, World Safaris and Fuel TV.

Important Details:
2012 Quiksilver and Roxy Pro presented by Land Rover is scheduled for 25th February – 7th March and will be webcast  live on quiksilverpro.com.au, roxypro.com.au, Youtube, Facebook and the  Quiksilver iPhone app as well as exclusively telecast on Fuel TV
The Moskova Trials will be held on Friday, 24th February with the winner to join surfing’s elite in the main event
The waiting period for the contest starts on 25th February. A decision on whether or not to run the contest is made on the day after assessing the conditions. The same goes for each day in the waiting period. Surfing action normally gets underway by 8am
Get more info at quiksilverpro.com.au or roxypro.com.au

SALT LAKE CITY — Canadian freeskier Sarah Burke died Thursday, nine days after crashing at the bottom of the superpipe during a training run in Utah.

Burke, who lived near Whistler in British Columbia, was 29. She was injured Jan. 10 while training at a personal sponsor event at the Park City Mountain resort.

Tests revealed Burke suffered “irreversible damage to her brain due to lack of oxygen and blood after cardiac arrest,” according to a statement released by Burke’s publicist, Nicole Wool.

As a result of her fall, Burke’s vertebral artery was torn, which led to severe bleeding on the brain, causing her to go into cardiac arrest. CPR was performed on the scene, according to the statement.

Burke’s organs and tissues were donated, as she had requested before the accident, Wool said.

“The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude for the international outpouring of support they have received from all the people Sarah touched,” the statement said.

Burke will be remembered for the legacy she left for women in superpipe skiing, a sister sport to the more popular snowboarding brand that has turned Shaun White, Hannah Teter and others into stars.

Aware of the big role the Olympics played in pushing the Whites of the world from the fringes into the mainstream, Burke lobbied to add superpipe skiing to the Winter Games program, noting that no new infrastructure would be needed.

Her arguments won over Olympic officials, and the discipline will debut at the Sochi Games in 2014, where she likely would have been the gold-medal favorite.

“Sarah, in many ways, defines the sport,” Canadian Freestyle CEO Peter Judge said before her death. “She’s been involved since the very, very early days as one of the first people to bring skis into the pipe. She’s also been very dedicated in trying to define her sport but not define herself by winning. For her, it’s been about making herself the best she can be rather than comparing herself to other people.”

She was, Judge said, as committed to the grass roots of the sport — holding clinics for youngsters and working with up-and-coming competitors — as performing at the top levels.

“She was a great, positive person for the whole team, the whole sport,” said David Mirota, the Canadian team’s high performance director. “She enlightens the room, and she’s great.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3TYBxDWz3s