Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2013 Preview

Mick Fanning may have won in 2012, but it was "that air" by Kelly Slater in the final we all remember. (Photo:ASP)

52 Years of iconic contest surfing starts up again tomorrow with the start of the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. Stop 2 of the World Tour gets underway in small conditions with the forecasters calling epic conditions for the Easter Weekend, just in time for droves of fans to line the point at Bells.

That man Kelly Slater is in the number 1 slot once again, with Joel Parkinson breathing down his neck. Mick Fanning as defending champion will also be a major threat and after watching his turns at Snapper, you best believe that if Bells is big, Jordy Smith will be taking names! Dust Payne has just come off a win at Margaret River and that confidence may well see his best result on tour happening at Bells. Julian Wilson was also in that final and will be feeling good. Dark horses in my opinion will be Kohole Andino and Philipe Toledo.

Anything can happen at Bells though, so look forward to an exiting event!

RVCA Junior Series Jbay Day 2

The waves were tiny, but the Under 20's were still ripping! (Photo: Stix)

It was a tough day for the Groms with small, small waves at the Point in Jbay, but that did not stop the kids from ripping. We saw the first Round of the big lads and Mikey February and Max Armstrong were my pics in the first round. The Under 14's scored for their Quarter Finals as the swell picked up and glassed off towards the end of the day. Check out the Day 2 video...

RVCA Junior Series Jbay Day 1

Wok and Warbot scaring the Groms! (Photo: Stix)

The RVCA Junior Series got under way yesterday with Day 1 action. The waves were small but the groms were caning it. My stand outs for the day were little girl ripper Kai Woolf, Max Elkington and Simo Mkize from Umzumbe. Check the video out...

Ford van Jaarsveldt working the small waves. (Photo: Stix)

Keep an eye on this gal! Kai Woolf ripping the Point. (Photo: Stix)

All time Kirra

Empty Perfection amongst the madness! (Photo: Dunbar)

Its a dredging sandbank in the heart of the chaos that is the Gold Coast. It's bred multiple world champions and countless super stars. The day after the Quiksilver Pro it turned on for the many that had been waiting and what a show it was...

K I R R A 13 from THEMADHUEYS on Vimeo.

Dane Reynolds caning California

The guy may not love contests or want to win a world title, but he surfs some truly inspirational lines. I just love how Dane surfs! The kook wipeout parade at the start also nearly made me crap my pants I laughed so hard. Enjoy...

Jordy Smith RIPs

The man has moves unlike any other! (Photo: Red Bull)

There has been a lot of banter and speculation on Jordy Smith the last few months and the tight loss to good mate Travis Logie at Snapper Rocks just added fuel to the fire. The bottom line is the man does rip hard, whether he gets a world title or not! So just sit back, drop your jaw and be amazed!

1721 Kilometers with Jordy Smith from steven michelsen on Vimeo.

Greatest Wipeouts of 2012 - Surf

Mark Mathews on his way to a royal hiding in Oz. (Photo: O'neill)

Every year Surfline puts together a compilation of the worst wipeouts in surfing. This year was no different and there are some real cringers in there! Nice to see Grant Twig baker representing for the Saffa contingent...

Meet Pro Surfer Tyler Wright - Charging P Pass

Tyler Wright has been caning the women's Pro Tour, including winning the season opener at Snapper Rocks this month. But it was the footage from this session at the infamous P Pass that really got my attention. The wave is big, super hollow and runs like a freight train. No problems for this gal, with brother Owen shouting support, she charges some monster pits!

Billabong Pro Junior presented by Bos - Durban

Dylan Lightfoot soars to victory in both the /18 and /20 Finals.

What a great event and weekend in Durban with Wok and the Groms! Warm water, super fun little waves and some incredible surfing from the SA juniors. Big ups to Bos for supporting SA surfing. I got to spend some quality time with the Billabong team and all I can say is that the future for South African surfing is bright!

Billabong Junior Series (Event #1 of 4)

New Pier, Durban

Results

U20 Boys

1. Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) R10 000

2. Michael February (Kommetjie)

3. Mickey Venter (Durban)

4. Dane Staples (St Francis Bay)

U20 Girls

1. Heidi Palmboom (Bluff)  R10 000

2. Emma Smith (Jeffreys Bay)

3. Nicole Pallet (Durban)

4. Chanelle Botha (Warner Beach)

U18 Boys

1. Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay)  R5 000

2. Max Armstrong (Scarborough)  R900

3. Ethan Pentz (Kalk Bay)  R600

4. Justin Sykes (Salt Rock)  R500

U18 Girls

1. Chanelle Botha (Warner Beach)  R5 000

2. Nicole Pallet (Durban)  R900

3. Tahra Uren (Jeffreys Bay)  R600

4. Caryn McNicol (Scottburgh)  R500

U16 Boys

1. Jordan Maree (Kalk Bay)  R5 000

2. Tim Baard (Jeffreys Bay)  R900

3. Jerry van Wyk (Jeffreys Bay)  R600

4. Donovan Wichmann (Marina da Gama)  R500

U14 Boys

1. Koby Oberholzer (Durban)  R2 500

2. Adin Masencamp (Strand)  R450

3. Ethan Fletcher (Kommetjie)  R300

4. Rewaldo Abersalie (Jeffreys Bay)  R250

U14 Girls

1. Kai Woolf (Jeffreys Bay)  R2 500

2. Olivia Izzard (Durban)  R450

3. Sophie Bell (Durban)  R300

4. Kirsty McGillivray (Jeffreys Bay)  R250

U12 Boys

1. Max Elkington (Hout Bay)  R2 500

2. Saxton Randall (Durban)  R450

3. Tide Lee Ireland (Durban)  R300

4. Angelo Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay)  R250

VonZipper Flair Up Award – Best Aerial manoeuvre

Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand)  R10 000

DaKine Youthful Movement Award – Most progressive surfing

Shane Sykes (Salt Rock)  R10 000

Nixon Winner Takes All (WTA) – Highest heat total

Kai Woolf (Jeffreys Bay) – 19.40 (10.0 + 9.40) out of 20 – Custom engraved Nixon Watch

Captain Kai's World Podcast - Billabong Pro Jnr Groms, Chris Cab and Haezer

Holy goodness you guys get an epic Podcast this week! First up I had the gremlins on the show in the form of Jake and Max Elkington and Adin Masencamp - all surfing in the Billabong Pro Junior, presented by Bos, over the weekend in Durban. We got inside the minds of the kid brigade. After the kids left, Chris Cab and DJ Legend Haezer pulled in to talk Cab's home area in Austria, Haezer and his tours there, music by the White Miles and WasteBoys Inc, skating, surfing, snowboarding, bid Cabby good bye and finished with an epic 20 minute set by Haezer! Plug in and listen...

Leading the Charge - One & Only Carrissa Moore

The old dinosaurs of surfing have to realize one thing and fast, women's surfing is no longer the small often looked down to little sister any longer! With market share fast shifting over to the Brands supporting women's surfing, the numbers of women in the water growing every day and most importantly the level of girl's surfing exploding both on tour and in the free surfs, we may find ourselves as the second string one day...
Leading the charge for female surfing is Carrissa Moore and if you don't believe me just watch the video and accept!

Asp World Tour starts in 1 week - you picked your Fantasy Surfer team?

The ASP World Tour kicks off in just over 8 days with the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks. I have always been a fan and love watching the live Webcasts, but I have to admit, that since playing Surfer Magazine's Fantasy Surfer, I am even more focused on the tour. Up until last year we South Africans had to make up our own competitions, done through the Club House section of the site, where we could at least compete against our mates for honors. My friends and I have an annual trip away for a long weekend, where the previous year's winner does not pay. Since 2012 though, anyone can win the main prize on Fantasy Surfer and that just makes it even more serious! So get going and pick your team!

Join my Club (South Africa only) and win great prizes throughout the year! Join HERE

 

Watch the Surfer Magazine Preview and Surfer ratings here...

 

John John Florence defends his Volcom Pipe Pro Title

Dale Staples representing for the North Shore Saffas and making 9th!

Pipeline was not at its utmost best, but there were waves and the focus shifted from the lefts to the Backdoor Rights. The lone Saffa, Dale Staples charged hard and ended up making the Semi Finals and a well deserved 9th place. Josh Kerr and Chris Ward were on a hard charge and pushing the limits with super late drops and "backdoor" tubes. But after all was said and done, it was defending champion and North Shore royalty, John John Florence who managed to defend his Pipe Pro title and take the glorious Spartan War Helm Trophy home, which happens to be right there...

Kelly Slater is still the Boss

'What the...."

Say what you want about the man, he still surfs like no one else on the planet. Kelly Slater is back for 2013 and seems to be ready to surf the ASP World Tour. Interesting to hear him speak about hating missing good waves because of contests though, so be sure that if somewhere on the planet looks epic, Kelly will not be in places like Brazil for the contest. Check out this video of a recent Bali trip and remember why we all want to surf like the Boss!

The Pipeline Horror Show

While the swell poured into the North Shore, the contest directors at the Volcom Pipe Pro decided not to run the contest, as conditions were to wild and wooly. This did not stop the waiting Pipeline chargers from attacking it all day long. Amongst the horror and carnage there were some bombs, some spit as thick as a Sea Monster's spout and of course some hero making drops!

Volcom Pipeline Pro 2013 - Starts Sunday

The contest season on the ASP World Tour starts with a bang at Pipeline for the 2013 Volcom Pipe Pro. The 5 Star event always brings drama and great action to the start of the year and you can bet that 2012 winner John John Florence will be looking to defend his title! The usual suspects of North Shore chargers and World Tour stars will battle it out for honors, though I am most excited to see how the Saffa boys go. (Well, that's hoping some of them get in...)

The North Shore Saffas - Spex, Frog and Vani G, Episode 1

Frank "Frog" Solomon and Josh "Vanilla Guerrilla" Redman discuss life and stare in each other's eyes on the bike path. (Photo: Spex)

The "Late" Season starts and already the Pacific Ocean has obliged with one great North Shore swell pumping through over the weekend. There to greet it are a pack of Saffas (South African Surfers) living on the North Shore for the next 2 months chasing waves, photos, results and respect. What really makes me super stoked about it, is that they are some of my best buds! Enter the crew of Sacha "Spex" Specker, Frank "Frog" Solomon, Josh "Vani G" Redman, Andrew "Roosta" Lange, Grant "Twig" Baker and Ant Fox. These guys are there to ride and document the North Shore, surf some competition and ride the dream.

Over the next few weeks they and other other South Africans will join Spex on my radio show to fill us in on what has been going down. All the stories, the drama and the results! So keep an eye on this here blog and the Monday Radio show on 2 Oceans Vibe. In the meantime here are 2 videos of week 1 on the Shore!

Frog & Josh 808 week 1 from Sacha 'SPEX' Specker on Vimeo.

Waimea Bay from Damien robertson on Vimeo.

Captain Kai's World Podcast with Chad du Toit

They call him Cheeky Chad... got to love France.

Join Chad du Toit on the show for some good surf talk, travel talk and deep house music talk! Also had Scotty young pull in and grab his Skull Candy hamper. Loads a good music, enjoy...

Listen or Download the Podcast HERE

Maverick's Invitational 2013 is Green Light

Past winner, Grant "Twig" Baker, will be charging for the Saffers at Mavericks.

A long range perfect swell is charging towards California and the organizers of the Maverick's Invitational have called the event on for Sunday, January 20th. Surfline, the official forecaster reckon the swell may have some lulls, but will be big and perfect when they come through the peak at Mavs. South Africa has 2 previous winners in Twig and defending champion, Chris Bertish, who won in 2010, the last time the event was run. Frank Solomon is on the alternate list after spending time in California the last few seasons. Great to see legend, Jeff Clarke, back in charge and running his contest again!

You can watch the live webcast HERE - Mavericks Invitational

Meet Pro Surfer Monyca Byrne Wickey

Meet the very hot and talented Monyca Byrne Wickey. The home grown Island girl is definately a Bikini  and warm water surfer with one of the best carves in the business. Keep an eye out for her, you will see more. For more of this amazing shoot head over to Tracks Mag....