When we first meet 13-year-old Eithan Osborne, he’s getting ready to paddle out for a heat where he’ll drop 8.5s and 9.0s like it ain’t no thang. But while the surfing world is eager to label him “the next Dane Reynolds,” Osborne has a different plan.

Armed with nothing but a surfboard, Osborne is mobilizing other groms to donate surfboards, surf supplies, and clothing to the nonprofit Foam for Families.

“Foam for Families is awesome because it’s a group of surfers traveling to parts of the world with the best waves but also often the poorest parts of the world. So, they score perfect waves and help children in need,” Osborne said. “They help the kids be stoked on surfing and give them the means to do it. They bring boards, leashes, wax, ding-repair kits, and teach them everything about surfing.”

As an ambassador for Foam for Families, Osborne is reaching out to the surf community and asking other youth to help. Even the NSSA and Surfing America Prime are on board; Foam for Families will have a booth at both organizations’ nationals events to collect donations from participants.

Although he’s still not old enough to vote or drive, Osborne is already living the mantra “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

This summer, Osborne will travel to an orphanage in Bali to take part in his first trip with Foam for Families.

“I can’t wait,” Osborne said.

Eithan Osborne, 13-year-old Foam for Families ambassador. Photo by Kenneth Keeler

What is Foam for Families?

Surfers Matthew Smith and Chad Compton of Ventura, California, started Foam for Families earlier this year. After traveling to Nicaragua on a surf trip, Smith realized that the local youth had the desire to surf but lacked equipment and supplies.

Inspired by a local grom named Chinto, who kept repairing the same old surfboard, Smith envisioned a future where the local kids had access to surfboards and could develop skills that would eventually create new jobs in the community.

Back in California, Smith and Compton gathered donations of surfboards, pads, leashes, wax, and ding-repair supplies and planned a return trip to the town of Aserradores, Nicaragua. The two surfers spent several weeks in Aserradores, teaching the local youth how to surf and repair surfboards and establishing a local surf center where the boards are kept.

A group of groms in Aserradores gets ready to hit the waves with equipment donated by Foam for Families.

Today, Foam for Families is planning to expand to Indonesia and South America. The nonprofit continues to be involved in its pilot program in Aserradores.

“In many developing countries, a lot of the costal properties are being bought up by foreign investors,” explained Smith, adding, “The locals are being taken advantage of, but surf tourism and surfing offer a solution.”

By empowering communities through shared access to surfboards and surf supplies, Smith said he hopes to create new opportunities for the next generation.

To learn more about Foam for Families or to get involved, visit www.foamforfamilies.org.

“A Deeper Shade of Blue” is being praised as “the greatest surf story ever told,” yet award-winning filmmaker and director Jack McCoy says it “is not a surf movie.”

Rather, he says, “it is a film about surfing’s deepest roots in the subconscious, in ancient lore, in the craft of surfboard building, in man’s perpetual quest for a joyful relationship with the natural world.”

Call it what you want, but the critics are calling it epic. The Maui News praised its “jaw-dropping action,” and Variety commended its “never-before-seen angles,” no doubt referring to the stunning underwater imagery.

The Girl Gone Surfing blog wrote, “His breathtaking underwater cinematography of crashing waves from all angles transports the audience from reality to magical, the enigmatic pull of the waves strumming man’s inherent curiosity into the sea.”

Just the trailer alone is impressive:

Over the last 45 years, McCoy has made 25 films on surfing. “A Deeper Shade of Blue,” his latest production, was five years in the making and is an accumulation of his life’s work. The film explores the nature of the sport, its roots, the history of surfing culture, the important role women played in the sport, and the technology of the surfboard.

The film will become available as video on demand May 28 via Chill for $12. DVDs are also available.

“You’ll rarely see another film where the filmmaker’s passion is so evident,” said Sam George, former Surfer magazine editor. “McCoy’s incredible underwater photography borders on the sensual.”

Many of the contestants from the Rio event are now just down the coast, doing exactly the same thing, as they prepare to battle for valuable six-star prime points as the Quiksilver event in Saquarema gets underway tomorrow.

Fun & Dusted from www.KORDUROY.tv on Vimeo

Surely there are no “typical” days in your life, but can you take us through your normal routine?

Wake up. Have some coffee and a bagel. Check my emails. Feed the chickens and water the garden. Check the surf. Surf. It’s noon-ish now, so probably grab lunch and do some art or work on a project. Check the waves and surf in the evening. Come home after and make a big dinner…and have a fire.

Trevor Gordon approaching top trim speed in Mexico. Photo by Burkard

Music makes the world go ’round. What’s on your iPod this winter?

Hmm…. Well, let’s see. Some M. Ward, Johnny Cash, The Be Good Tanyas, Laura Marling, lots of French Bossa Nova…. Helps when doing art. Johnny Flynn, Mason Jennings, The Grateful Dead. Too many to name.

How did you first get into your sport?

My dad pushed me into my first wave, so I suppose that’s the real kick-off.

What was it that made you gravitate toward this lifestyle?

It’s just what has felt the most natural. The thought of pursuing anything else just wouldn’t feel right. The people that fill this community are the best in the world, and it’s that that keeps me stoked.

Gordon’s quiver is as colorful and creative as his surfing. Photo by Burkard

OK, so you’re new to the Teva team. What’s your favorite Teva shoe?

The classic original sandal.

What other piece of gear can you not live without?

My Patagonia sweater.

Favorite place your sport has taken you?

India.

Artists are all quirky. Do you have any pre-sport superstitions, rituals, or routines?

No bananas on the boat!

Worst sports-related injury?

Big fin cut above my left knee.

Scariest moment ever?

Probably the fin-cut moment, being way off the coast of Fiji, not knowing if there was a hospital around and finding out it was an hour by boat.

What are your other interests?

Art, design, photography, gardening, fishing, slingshots.

What’s cool?

Earth tones.

What’s lame?

Primary colors.

When there are waves to be had, Todd Kline prefers leaving the fish alone. Photo courtesy Jeff Flindt

Todd Kline has always taken alternative paths. The former pro surfer from Florida spent a good chunk of his career living and competing in Japan before competing on the WQS. When he was the team manager at Quiksilver, Kline became a caddy and confidant for his good friend Kelly Slater, getting a front-row seat to several of his world-title runs. If he wasn’t with Slater, he was probably busy commentating in the ASP webcasting booth. Of course, one of his more memorable moments was his legendary interview with Bobby Martinez at the Quiksilver Pro New York in 2011.

His expression says it all. Kline with Bobby Martinez at the Quiksilver Pro in New York

Now Kline is making headlines in a new way, dominating in bass-fishing tournaments around the western United States. It’s a hobby that’s starting to pay dividends. At a recent tournament, he even walked away with a boat! We caught up with the charismatic “Kliney” to found out more.

What drove you to compete in fishing tournaments?  

I grew up fishing from a young age in Florida. When I moved to California to pursue a career in surfing, I didn’t fish as much, mostly because water isn’t as prevalent here. But after I retired from the WQS, the drive to compete was there. I discovered the local reservoirs, began bass fishing, and within a few months jumped in the tournament scene. I was hooked, no pun intended, after the first event. I finished in 2^nd place and won some cash.

Kline on the other side of the microphone

Is your former life as a competitive surfer helping you in any way?

I believe you have to be strong mentally in all sports, and this is very true in fishing as well. Just like surfing a heat, when things are not going your way, it’s easy to lose focus and second-guess your game plan, and that’s when the wheels fall off.

Who is the Kelly Slater of that world?

Heat winner!

There really is no Kelly Slater of bass fishing, but the top guys would be Kevin VanDam or Aaron Martens. The popular guy is Mike Iaconelli. That guy is a nut and very animated at the tournaments. Edgy. He’s the Wilko of bass fishing.

Compared to surfing, what level are you competing at in the grand scheme of things? 

Haha…. Well, right now I’m kicking ass and taking names in the NSSA. The interesting thing is a lot of the events I compete in have some of the top guys fishing in them. It feels good when you beat them and gives me confidence to compete in some of the bigger events.

An unlikely creative partnership between the Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso brand and San Diego custom surfboard shaper Josh Oldenburg brings surfboard shaping into the spotlight in the final segment of a mini-documentary series titled “The Art of the Craft.”

Along with wooden surfboard builder Martijn Stiphout of Santa Cruz, Oldenburg’s passion for shaping one-of-a-kind surfboards is at the heart of the third installment.

GrindTV interviewed Oldenburg to learn more about the creative process behind “The Art of the Craft.”

San Diego shaper Josh Oldenburg, focused on the task at hand. Photo by Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso

What is it about the process of surfboard shaping that elevates this act to a “craft”?

The act of hand-shaping a surfboard is what elevates my trade to a craft. Manufacturing a selective number of surfboards each year allows me to have the necessary time to hand-shape and create one-off boards.

Inside the shaping bay with Josh Oldenburg. Photo by Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso

What makes your designs experimental or unique?

My designs are unique because boards from the past largely inspire me. Being able to transform those inspirations into modern designs gives me a sense of freedom to incorporate new takes on old creations.

Inspiration and other tools of the trade. Photo by Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso

What is the most challenging part about being a local shaper?

The biggest challenge with being a local shaper is the level of competition and design standards. San Diego is a mecca for surfboard manufacturing. Industry leaders such as Rusty, Chris Christenson, and Jeff Mccallum are some of the best that are consistently pushing designs and stunning consumers. Just to be considered a builder/shaper among names like that is rewarding.

Josh Oldenburg stands with a recently finished board, ready for a test ride. Photo by Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso

How do you keep the process of surfboard design feeling fresh and creative?

The best way to keep designs and creativity fresh is through your forms of inspiration. My biggest advantage is that I build nearly 100 percent of my boards based on custom referrals for specific customers. Tailoring my designs to fit their needs always keeps the building process new and energized.

This Bay Area street-scene contender has been building an empire since its inception in 1992. From its locals-only neighborhood-skate-shop roots, HUF has managed to establish itself as a global brand and one-stop shop for all things urban.

Photographer Brian Kelly. Photo courtesy of Kelley

In a move to captivate, HUF tapped urban photographer Brian Kelley to spearhead the creative for its summer 2013 lookbook featuring moving stills. Since my only experience with moving photographs comes from the “Harry Potter” films, I was fortunate to get a few minutes of Kelley’s time to learn more about it.

Here’s what he had to say:

Photo by Brian Kelley for HUF

The number of years you’ve been shooting? 

I started shooting photos in 2003 when I accidentally signed up for a photo class back in high school. I’ve been shooting for a solid 10 years and hope to continue for many more to come.

Photo by Brian Kelley for HUF

The number of years it took you to start making money doing what I assume you love?

Making a living doing something you love is nearly everyone’s goal in life, and it’s something I feel very lucky to be able to say I do—I never take it for granted. After moving to NYC in 2006, I worked for several companies, mostly internships. It made for long hours and intense work, to be clear, but all of it paid off when it came time to graduate college. In 2011, after putting the time into a solid year of an unpaid internship, I was offered a position at a studio as a photo assistant. Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to keep connecting with good clients, and now I’m over at HUF.

Photo by Brian Kelley for HUF

What are your feelings about the emergence and progression of digital? It feels like an equalizer of sorts—everyone can take a good photo now.

My introduction to photography was with black-and-white film, so for me it has always been my first love. But a high percentage of what I produce today is shot with digital, especially in the product work I do. That said, digital is a necessity. And, yes, everyone can—and does—take a good photo. The photography world is flooded right now, which has actually made it a lot harder for many established photographers to hold onto certain clients. There is always someone willing to do the work cheaper or for free, which is a scary thought. Trading quality and experience to save a buck is risky.

Photo by Brian Kelley for HUF

How has this affected the opportunities of someone who chooses photography as a career path?

The best advice I can give on this subject is to take pride in what you shoot and make whatever that is the highest quality possible. Don’t settle for just anything to get the job done and out the door; take your time. My first job out of college was very intense and, because of that, it taught me to slow it all down and really get to know my subject. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a pair of sneakers or a 6-foot-3 model—figure it out and make it something special.

Photo by Brian Kelley for HUF

Your latest project with HUF introduces images that incorporate movement. Is there a name for the process, and how did you go about creating the image?

This latest lookbook for HUF was an idea I’ve been kicking around for a while. The concept took time and planning. I suppose the proper term for the treatment is cinegraph. I’d seen other versions made out of short scenes from films, making an infinite loop. I’ve always loved them and hadn’t yet seen any other companies take the idea to their branding, so I decided to jump on the opportunity to do it with HUF. The process itself is actually somewhat easy; it’s just a matter of figuring out what you want your loop to be and taking care to only have that precise area move. I did the HUF lookbook with Photoshop, but there may be an easier way. I’ve heard about an iPhone app that makes GIFs automatically for you. I hope to see others make cinegraphs and incorporate them into their branding. It’s an awesome little bonus to what might already be great imagery. 

Photo by Brian Kelley for HUF

In your opinion, what are the key components of a good photograph?

I like visually appealing photographs—I keep it simple.

Photo by Brian Kelley for HUF

Who and/or what inspires you?

I’ve been really lucky in that I’m surrounded by a lot of great people, people who on a daily basis inspire me. Inspiration happens throughout my day, from the moment that I link up with my friends to get my morning coffee. We skate, shoot, work, really anything and everything that I happen to be doing can fuel my creativity. So, thank you to all my friends.

Photo by Brian Kelley for HUF

What’s next for Brian Kelley?

Personally, it’s important to keep things moving. The future is a constant reminder to keep moving ahead and not sleep on shit. Over the last six months, I’ve been working on a ’zine called Steady with two other very talented photographers and friends, Dan Zvereff and Justin Hogan. Steady was built on the desire to see photography in print. In an age where photography has been so far removed from its original, manual process, it felt important to revisit its roots. We just released our third issue and the fourth is underway. The project has been receiving a lot of positive feedback at this point. I don’t see things slowing down any time soon.

Torkos first made a splash with his 2011 video submission to the $10,000 Volcom Kickflip-Off competition, sparking a raging online debate (“Did he pull it?”) and ultimately collecting $10,000 for his efforts.

Volcom immediately upped the ante, offering $20,000 to the first surfer who could complete an above-and-off-the-lip kickflip.

Two years and about 30 video submissions later, Torkos is still pursuing the trick with single-minded focus. Volcom has yet to award the $20,000 prize.

“I came from a magic family,” said Torkos, who is descended from a line of Hungarian magicians. “I think that’s what made me believe in the unbelievable and not give up.”

The following video is Torkos’ most recent attempt to successfully complete an above-and-off-the-lip kickflip on a surfboard.

Our only question is: What will Torkos do next?

There is plenty to do at Mammoth Mountain during the resort’s annual Memorial Day weekend festivities. Photo courtesy of Mammoth Mountain

Memorial Day weekend is the traditional opener for barbecue season in much of North America, but for a few key mountain resorts it also marks the final days of the ski and snowboard season. If you’re in the mood to shred the slopes a final time, the big festivities are taking place at four mountains.

Check out the list below, and plan your last-minute travels accordingly.

Mount Bachelor is preparing for the final weekend of the Springtacular by building this huge wall ride for the Sammy Carlson Invitational. Photo courtesy of Mount Bachelor

Mount Bachelor, Oregon

It’s the final weekend of Mount Bachelor’s Springtacular, and the mountain plans to go out with a bang. Drop in for fun with the ski-centric Sammy Carlson Invitational, the North American Pond Skimming Championships, the 3rd annual BrewSki beer fesitival, and the Deschutes Brewery Concert Series. The evenings will also be hopping down in Bend at the Les Schwab Amphitheater with the start of the Bend Summer Concert Series featuring Cake and Sigur Ros.

The grand opening of Mammoth’s mountain bike park will take place over Memorial Day weekend. Photo courtesy of Mammoth Mountain

Mammoth Mountain, California

Mammoth is known for its spring festivities, and this year’s Memorial Day celebration will be no different. The weekend has a little something for everyone with the annual West Coast Invitational taking place on the slopes as well as the grand opening of the mountain bike park, on-hill music, after-parties in the village, as well as golf and lodging specials.

Aspen Mountain will be running two lifts during Memorial Day weekend

Aspen, Colorado

Thanks to recent storms and low temps holding into the spring, Aspen Mountain will be reopening for Memorial Day weekend. The Silver Queen gondola will open for uploading at 10 a.m. and continue downloading until 4 p.m. Ajax Express will be servicing close to 90 acres of snow from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Sundeck and Ajax Tavern will also be open to service on-hill guests. Check out the resort’s website for ticket deals and more information.

Whistler Blackcomb’s Crud 2 Mud ski and bike race takes advantage of the changing seasons. Photo courtesy of whistlerblackcomb.com

Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia

Whistler Blackcomb addresses the dilemma of having to choose to ski or bike this time of year with the Crud 2 Mud ski and bike race. On Sunday, May 26, Crud 2 Mud racers will ski or snowboard from the top of Whistler Mountain to the bottom of the snow line. At that point, there will be a transition area where racers will tag their teammate or transfer to their mountain bikes and head down through the Whistler Mountain Bike Park to the finish line at the village.

In addition to the weekend race, Whistler and Blackcomb mountains will be open for skiing and snowboarding through Monday, May 27. The Whistler Mountain Bike Park is also open now.