Great surf movies

Polyurethane, polystyrene or fiberglass? Nah, just wood

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 23:42:00 +0000

Portland based eyewear company Schwood just released one more video of its experiment series.

This new clip shows a group of surfers building a wooden surfboard made entirely of an old log found on the beach. This takes surfing up to its origins as the first surfboards were made of this material.

Back in the time, wooden boards were made using the Wili Wili, the Ula and the Koa tree's and ranged from 10 to 16 feet long depending on social class. For hawaiian commoners the size was about 10-12 feet while for the noblemen and chiefs the size was between 14-16 feet.

Collect Call From Canada

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 23:29:00 +0000

Those who have followed my site for a while know that I like surfing done in extreme conditions. It is easy for every slacker in Southern California to hit the beach with a surfboard (even just to show off), but to enter a sea in a remote region where the water temperature is cold beyond believe, sure takes some guts. "Collect Call from Canada" follows the three day surf trip of a very talented group of surfers headed by Dane Anderson.The stunning scenery allied to the music by Jesus and Mary Chain are the other contributions that make this flick one of the best surprises of the year.

Malibu Pier

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:43:00 +0000

Surfing in Malibu is all fun and giggles until you approach the pier and have to show the real surfer in you. I wonder how the dude in the video manages to ride a surfboard with the huge balls he has to drag everywhere.

The rise of the machines in surfing?

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:53:00 +0000

And so it begins... If this trend catches up I can imagine the future ASP championships being disputed by a bunch of neckbeards sitting on the beach and controlling their radio controlled surfers from a safe distance. Well there is still no reason to overreact like the dude in the video though. Courtesy of catch surf.

Isolated

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:26:00 +0000

ISOLATED - Documentary Film Trailer from Something Kreative Films on Vimeo.

It is supposedly one of the hidden gems in the surfing world. New Guinea is the world´s second largest island and one of those places emerged in a mystic of its own. It has one of the lowest population densities in Asia while being home to some of the last ancient tribes still in existence in our world. Considering all these facts all together it shouldn't surprise anyone why it keeps attracting adventurers and thrillseekers from around the globe.

It would be much too easy to put the following group of surfers that I am going to talk you about in the same category of adrenaline junkies. In a way, yes, the love for risk and the curiosity to meet an unknown culture had its weight, but what we learn with Isolated is that some experiences tend to get a lot more richer and broad than they first appeared to be.

The premise is simple indeed. A group of surfers takes on a journey to discover one of the world´s last undiscovered waves. What they meet is a world of stunning beauty and kind people but also one that hides an horrific dark side. Cannibalism, the prevalence of human rights atrocities and the nefast consequence of an unethical mining corporation taint the initial image of a lost paradise.

More than an impressive account of a somehow reclusive place that hides what some would consider an unspoiled dreamland for surfers, Isolated makes an effort to alert a broader audience for the problems that affect this troubled region. A flick to keep an eye on. (Watch the film trailler above).

The directors are seeking help is to raise finishing funds for the film through kickstarter, in order to create awareness for the cause through the film. Interested in taking action? Check out here as well.

Record for longest surf ride has been broken

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:18:00 +0000

It was not the most dangerous, biggest or beautiful wave but it made an englishman join the remarkable Guinness Book of Records. Surfer Steve King accomplished the feat of surfing the same wave for over 12 miles in River Kampar in Sumatra (Indonesia). The watercourse has gained worldwide recognition due to a a strange natural phenomenon called Bono. A rather strange tide leads to waves that can be over 19 feet high and last for 30 miles.

46 year old King managed to ride the same wave for 1 hour and 4 minutes. Over the last years the river Kampar has been the center place for a whole community of surfers that keep on meeting every year to ride together what has become one of the main tourist attractions of the island of Sumatra. Not even the numerous crocodiles that live in the river have detracted the joy of those fearless thrill seekers. Below you can see a video of Steve riding another famous river wave, the brazillian Pororoca and a second video of Steve´s surfing action in Sumatra.

Almost Cut My Hair by Ryan Lovelace

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:45:00 +0000

What makes our digital era so amazing? For me it is the possibility for an experienced filmaker to shoot some amazing footage with almost no budget at all. Got some cool idea? Grab a cam, film good surfers in action, mix it with a nice soundtrack and voilá: a serious case of a great surf movie has just been born. As a perfect example check Almost Cut My Hair by surfer and shaper Ryan Lovelace.

Best footage of Garrett McNamara´s world record

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 09:56:00 +0000

The title says it all, enjoy the epic sessions that made Garrett McNamara world famous.

More on Nazaré´s waves: Praia do Norte

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:14:00 +0000

People have been asking about the waves Garrett McNamara has recently given worldwide recognition. Nazaré is a small town about 1.5 hours north of Lisbon, Portugal´s capital city. Actually, it is not far away from the country´s other two surf meccas: Ericeira and Peniche (where the ASP tour takes place). Those three world class waves are not more than 200 km apart from each other.
For locals Nazaré has had a cult like following for years but it was with the arrival of Garrett that the mainstream surf community got amazed by the massive quality of its waves. The almost extraterrestrial size has an explanation: a 16.000 feet deep and 140 miles long undersea canyon is the responsable for these high breaking waves. Finally I leave you a video that took place on Nazaré´s top of the crown beach: Praia do Norte. It shows a bunch of world class surfers just enjoying an out of competition surf session.

Garrett McNamara breaks his own record, once again

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:05:00 +0000

100 feet. Yeah that´s right, you read that. Big wave rider Garrett McNamara broke his own record one more time by surfing a gigantic wave with an astonishing height of 100 feet. In contrast to other well known big wave riders, the Hawaiian chose Nazaré, a surfing location in Portugal to look for big waves and in the end it paid back. His last world record was from November 2011, when the 45 year old surfed a wave with 78 feet. Is there a limit in sight for this amazing rider?

Joel Parkinson, surf instructor

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:18:00 +0000

This blog has always had a pedagogic nature. Teaching kids (and older dudes) the noble art of surfing is one of the most important aspects in keeping this culture alive. Since I have never posted nothing about the new ASP champion, Joel Parkinson, I find it relevant to leave here one video about Joel performing as a teacher. Its nice to see such a great surfer showing some kids what true surfing is all about.

Surfing in Alaska (yeah some crazy surfers do it)

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 14:57:00 +0000

What can keep a dedicated surfer away from surfing? I have asked this question myself many times and have come to the conclusion that nothing can stop a surfer from riding his favourite wave. Want a good example? Check the next video.

In the freezing cold place of Girdwood, Alaska, some mad surfers ride what must be the coldest waves on the planet. According to Wired magazine this waves are "a surfing phenomena that is caused by what’s known as a tidal bore, which happens when the incoming tide creates a wave that travels back against the current of a river or similar setting. When people refer to a “tidal wave,” this is truly what they mean, which is why it can be the cause ofcatastrophic floods and often misidentified as a tsunami".

It is rather strange how they keep floating on theirs boards considering the size of the balls of steel they must drag everywhere.

British surfer teaches how to fight off 6ft shark

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:15:00 +0000

A curious article hit the Daily Mail. According to the english tabloid, Richard Wands, a 33 year old surfer from Perth (Scotland) survived a shark attack by hitting the animal with his board. The occurrence took place at Trigg Beach, Australia. After the sudden attack Wands was able to alert other surfers in the area and contact local authorities as a prevention.

Now wanna learn how he did it? Take out your note block folks and learn with the man:

'I saw it turn and it came straight for me, in a dead straight line, undeviating, and it genuinely felt like a true final approach, as it were.

It definitely felt super-threatening and it wasn't changing its course 'I speared the board into the water to try and deter it. That seemed to work but it came back again so I used the board again and it moved away."
'I was totally scared and definitely thought I would be coming out of the water with one appendage fewer.' 'I genuinely think this thing was looking for a limb, if not more than that. If it had struck blood my gut feeling is that might have encouraged the other sharks to get involved as well, and then there might be a different story today.

'Luckily enough a wave happened to pitch up at the most convenient moment ever and I just belly-flopped onto it and just ran it in on my front. This was definitely a threat, I was utterly convinced.'

He should have stayed home that day

POV surfing as... Kelly Slatter

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:22:00 +0000

Have you ever imagined what it must feel like to be surfing the waves as Kelly Slater does? The surfer who many recognise as the best of all times released some incredible footage. No surf lover can be immune to this wonderful filming.

Would you surf in here?

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 07:59:00 +0000

Click in image to see bigger resolution

Surfer performs amazing backflip

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 12:19:00 +0000

Surfer Gabriel Medina made the top headlines in the surf community this week when some amazing footage of him performing one of the most difficult surfing moves hit the interwebs. Gabriel is one of the world´s best surfers and a top contender for the ASP world title. The 19 year old occupies the second position in the ranking. Tricks like these have been turning him from a promising talent into a full grown surfer, capable of the very best.

Surfing in Munich

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 05:43:00 +0000

German surfers don´t have it easy. In a country that is almost completely landlocked for the most part of its territory, wave riders tend to get creative.

In Munich, the capital city of the southern state of Bavaria, the Isar river seems to be a reliable alternative to the ocean. River surfing has become so popular in the city that serious competitions have already taken place.

In case you ever want to ride these waves, be aware that the best spot is under the Reichenbach Bridge.

With good beer, breathtaking landscapes and a decent amount of waves to surf, Bavarians seem to have it all don´t they?

Local surf brand helps victims of Hurricane Sandy

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 23:15:00 +0000

The local surf brand Jetty is selling t-shirts in an effort to aid those suffering from Hurricane Sandy. According to the brand "all profits from the sales of the Jetty T-shirt will go to victims of the storm who are in direct need of assistance as well as the emergency response units who risked their lives to save others". If any of you wants to buy this t-shirt go here. The profit of the selling will be mainly directed to the people of New Jersey, one of the areas that were most affected by the hurricane.

More on Hurricane Sandy

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 18:31:00 +0000

Hurricane Sandy keeps providing footage for this website. The next video was made by the Cavin Brothers and stars some of the best East Coast surfers like Evan Geiselman, Jesse Heilman, Cory Lopez, Asher Nolan and many others.

Surfing in Michigan

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 02:19:00 +0000

What pops up in your mind when someone talks about the Lake Superior? The freezing weather, the breathtaking landscapes, the unique fauna will certainly be one of the firsts images that most people associate with the largest freshwater like on Earth.

But what if I tell you that its waters are commonly used by surfers ? Even in this remote scenery, so far away from those places that we use to associate with surfing and with such bad weather conditions, surf exists. More than a sport, this is a way of life that truly knows no boundaries. I present you surfer Ryan Patin.

Hurricane Sandy surfing

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:29:00 +0000

Not only bad things happen due to a big hurricane. Ask the surfers in this video. It seems that the swell provided by Sandy made Delray Beach on of the best spots to surf in the country these days.

Refundable surfing!

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:17:00 +0000

What if I told you that a country in Europe is offering the back trip to all surfers who do not find any good waves? That is exactly what the portuguese government decided to do.

Between October and December this year, 28 surf spots across the country are included in this tourism campaign aimed to attract surfers all around the world. Famous spots include the Coxos Beach (considered to be one of the best surf beaches in Europe) or Supertubos (which recently hosted the ASP world championship).

The reason for this advertising campaign seem to be clear: the portuguese are so confident of the quality of the country´s waves that they will actually pay if there are no "surfable" waves to be found. What do you think?

The best of Alana Blanchard

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:51:00 +0000

Yeah, you have probably already heard of her. She is called by many as one of the best female surfers competing these days and with all certainty one of the sexiest. She was voted by site bleacherreport as the hottest athlete of 2011. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you Alana Blanchard.

Amazing surfing footage (incredible angle)

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 01:39:00 +0000

What keeps surfing movies enjoyable is not only the ability of talented surfers but also the continuous development of filmmaking techniques. Check out the amazing work this little camera can provide for all of us viewers. I know, this video is an ad and that sucks, but can you imagine competitions using this kind of footage? That would surely spice up some of those boring early rounds in the championship. Starts at 1m50s.

Kelly Slater will probably not revalidate his title

noreply@blogger.com (cool_cicler) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:31:00 +0000

After the long wait, competition resumed in Portugal. The third round of the eighth stage took place today in the crowded beach of Supertubos.

The surprise of the day was the early elimination of Kelly Slater. The american was unable to reach the next phase, obtaining a final score of 5.27. As for his opponent, Brazilian Raoni Monteiro, the round could not have been better, achieving a final score of 9.20.

Slater has therefore lost almost all the chances he had on achieving yet another world title. It should be remembered that last year, the campion in title lost the final in Peniche for Brazilian golden boy Adriano de Souza.

With these surprising news the most strong contenders for the title will be John John Florence, Gabriel Medina, Kolohe Andino, Australians Josh Kerr, Adrian Buchan, Joel Parkinson and Owen Right and Brazilian Raoni Monteiro. Things are getting quite interesting. It is one of the most disputed title races in recent years and the only true winners as for now are the hardcore surfing lovers all around the world.