What I thought was really cool is that they are constantly tweeting out coupons for local surf shops. What makes this service unique is that surf shops can use Peaks and Barrels to release their coupons and surfing deals.  Instead of following all of the shops in your area you can also follow peaks and barrels and you will get all surf deals even if you’re traveling to a destination break; very cool feature! After you grab your coupon from the PNB website or Twitter, visit their Surf Travel Map which is very easy to use and makes traveling a much simpler experience. The map contains the well-known surf breaks and the local surf shops. Right now they are expanding the map to feature only the things that surfers need; food, surf, and sleep.

It is very comforting knowing that by going to PeaksandBarrels.com I can line up a surfboard that I want to surf during my trip at a local surf shop, and I can avoid a $300 board bag airline charge.  (By the way, when using Peaks and Barrels to organize your trip just mention peaks and barrels and they will totally take care of you!!!) Peaks and Barrels had really jumped into the 21st century of surfing by finding their niche, identifying a problem and offering an innovative solution.  They are essentially an extension of the local surf shop on the global level. Their goal is to bring surfers back to the local surf shops, especially the traveling surfer.

They have a surf team that is headed up by World #6 Amee Donohoe. She can be quoted as saying “I really feel like I am at home with Peaks and Barrels.” She told me that she had never heard of them before they had approached her. We asked her if PeaksandBarrels.com had any other plans besides the surf travel maps? She Smiled and replied “You will have to wait and see, but I can tell you this…It is exactly what the surfing world needs!”

You may have noticed they sell their own brand tee shirts as well. We don’t know who is behind the design of their apparel but they are doing a great job. Their shirts are fashionable and they have a great look! Peaks and Barrels is really attempting to make their mark on the surfing world and they are doing a fine job at it.

They are in the midst of developing some tools that the surf world has been waiting for all this time. The target audience of peaks and barrels are surfers. If you surf, and you travel; then you want to be Surfing Peaks and Barrels: Where Surfers GO!
In the past, typically, you have never been able to plan ahead when it comes to surfing. That is beginning to hurt the local surf shop because people are purchasing online or at the mega surf shop right when they arrive at their destination. Here is the problem with this, you just missed out on your opportunity to get a local board shaped by a local shaper designed specifically for the waves you came to surf.  You will probably pay too much and received to little. We want to keep the small businesses above the water in the industry that many of us dream to be working in. PeaksandBarrels.com envisions a solution to some of these issues, and they are working to put the local surf shops back on the map for you, The Traveling Surfer. Go – Surf – Ride – Peaks and Barrels.

Technorati Tags: Costa rica, peaks and barrels, PeaksandBarrels, saving the waves, surf map, Surf News, surf shop, Surf Travel, Surf Trip, surfboard bag, Surfing, US Surf shop

It is time to step up and clean the beach

SAS are pleased to hear the European Commission (EC) has decided to take the United Kingdom to the European Court of Justice over non-compliance with EU environment legislation. SAS has spent the summer highlighting the inadequacies of the UK’s sewerage system, specifically with Combine Sewage and Stormwater Overflow drains (CSOs), culminating in the hard-hitting Panorama program “Britain’s Dirty Beaches”. The EC is concerned that the urban waste water collecting systems and treatment facilities in London and Whitburn in North East England and have deemed them “inadequate and a threat to human health.”

SAS have highlighted time and again concerns over the short-term pollution impacts CSOs have on our coastline, and stressed the potential impacts to water users and especially waveriders who are more at risk as they immerse and ingest more than the average bather. Some of the health risks associated with using sewage polluted waters include Ecoli, Hepatitis A, Gastro Enteritis and much more.

Our rivers, seas, bathing waters and surf spots are suffering from short-term pollution incidents from CSOs. The sewerage system is being over powered by the volume of water after periods of rain. There are solutions that can take the pressure off the sewerage system without relying on CSOs or resulting in sewage backing up in our homes. They include improvements in the efficiency of the sewerage system and/or an increase in capacity at sewage treatment works. Local planners need to embrace and promote Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) that slowly release surface rainwater runoff. And we can all use water more responsibly, taking small steps like turning the tap off whilst brushing our teeth, which will in effect increase capacity at sewage treatment works reducing the risk of overflow.

European  Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: “More attention needs to be paid to upgrading collecting systems to ensure full compliance with EU legislation on waste water treatment. Such investment will bring enormous benefits in terms of improving the quality of the environment.”

SAS Campaign Manager  Andy Cummins says: “The EC are echoing SAS’s concerns over the frequency CSOs are used is discharge raw sewage and rain water rather than treating it in a sewage plant. This can be a serious threat to human health.”

http://www.sas.org.uk/campaign/index.php

http://www.peaksandbarrels.com/
http://www.mysurfboardbag.com/

Technorati Tags: al merrick surfboard, Beach, European Environment, North East England, Ocean, Oil, peaks and barrels, PeaksandBarrels, Surf News, surf spots, Surfaid

For Immediate Release

Sept 30^th 2009

Surfing ‘Peaks and Barrels’ Is Announcing a New Internet Swell

New surfing website moving into an interactive way to plan your “surf.”

Surfing ‘Peaks and Barrels’ is taking the country by storm and is proving to be more than just your run-of-the-mill surf site. The wave has swelled and has become a Facebook favorite for surfers and beach lovers alike. P&B has been in the works since April ‘09 and is now launching the first version of it’s website, where it will offer popular gear, such as it’s “classic style” T-shirt.

PeaksandBarrels.com is thrilled to soon offer an interactive tool for surfers to plan surf sessions and get in touch with your local surfing community. In the meantime, Peaks and Barrels will have many other interesting promotions and products for fans to check out.

PeaksandBarrels.com is a supporter of non-profit organizations like SurfAid International, Saving the Waves, Saving the Firepits, and Surfrider foundation. Invite PeaksandBarrels.com to your event and let them assist in the fund raising and getting the word out.

Peaks and Barrels, it’s what you surf.

If you would like to learn more information visit http://PeaksandBarrels.com and enter your name & email, then click ‘Get Barreled‘.

Peaks and Barrels Set up for the Board Recycling Project.

Surfboard Recycling Project with VERB Media.

Technorati Tags: australia surf, Bali, Beach, Costa rica, Indonesia, Montauk, Outer Banks, Pavones, peaks and barrels, PeaksandBarrels, rob machado, rusty, saving the waves, Surf Competition, Surf News, Surf rack, Surf Travel, Surf Trip, Surfaid, Surfboard, Surfboard Rack, Surfrider, Trestles

October 5, 2009

The Rio Surf Pro International presented by Oakley saw today the Men’s action with the first round heating the water around 9am in small but clean two foot waves (0.5 metre). One of the highlights of the day was the heat with Brazilian Gabriel Medina (15), who won a Grom Event in France with two ten points rides in the final.

“It was very cool this event in France. The waves was very good there and I could show my surfing. I was happy that many people commented on about my heat and about my two scores of 10, including Mick Fanning. But now is another contest and I just want to show my surfing here in Rio, without pressure” said Medina, who in July became the youngest surfer to win a WQS Event after his victory over Neco Padaratz at Mole Beach, Florianopolis.

The Rio Surf Pro International presented by Oakley is the 32th stop of 2009 Men’s WQS Tour and the 101th in Brazil. A lot of surfers who was competing in Guaruja this weekend came directly to Arpoador. One of them is the Brazilian Diego Rosa, who competed yesterday in the quarters and today was in the water competing in the 5th heat of Round of 144.

“After a long time competing and traveling you get used to surf many heats without a break. Earlier physical stress was much higher, but these days the body has already absorbed more quickly. I was one of the last to arrive here in Rio de Janeiro and one of the first to surf this morning here in Arpoador” said Rosa, after qualifying for the Round of 96.

“I’m happy to move on. The waves are very difficult, the luck factor counts a lot because sometimes the ocean gets flat for 5, 10 minutes, so I am glad that I had enough time to wait and surf good waves”. conclued him.

The small waves of the first day of Rio Surf Pro International presented by Oakley favored the Brazilians surfers at Arpoador Beach, but some foreigners also triumphed on this Monday. One of tham was the surfer from South Africa, David Richards. “It’s always hard to dispute a heat only with Brazilians in Brazil. There are some good waves out there, but hard to find them”.

“The sets are taking too long to come, but when it gives a good wave to surf is good. But it is difficult to compete in these conditions with four surfers in the water. You have to be quick and smart during the heat, if not, you dance, so I’m happy” said Richards.

The younger surfer from Porto Rico, Dylan Graves was another who found his rhythm in the waves of the Rio Surf Pro International presented by Oakley today. “I’m definitely stoked to have advanced and have caught some waves out there, the drop area is very short and with 3 more surfers in the competition area makes the heat very intense”.

“The vibe here in Rio seems to be good, this is my first time here and this is such a beatiful place with all this mountains, so I have no complaints, this place actually reminds me a San Juan in Puerto Rico, of course with less people, cars and buildings” commented Graves.

Arpoador Beach will receive 144 Surfers from 19 different countries, who are competing for 2.500 points and 145.000 dollars in the Rio Surf Pro International presented by Oakley. Brazil has 83 competitors, USA fifteen surfers followed by Australia (11), South Africa (8), Hawaii (5), France (3), Porto Rico (3), Spain (2), Portugal (2), Peru (2) and Mexico (2), with eight countries with one surfer each: Ireland, Japan, Tahiti, Reunion Island, Costa Rica, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina.

WOMEN’S DECISION – In the last WQS event of the year, the Rio Surf Pro International presented by Oakley, a Women’s 5 Star event will receive 48 surfers competing for the tittle and for a spot in ASP Women´s World Tour in 2010.

In Arpoador Beach, ten of sixteen surfers from the Dream Tour will be competing in this big event. The Women’s competition should start on Wednesday or Thursday. With twelve Brazilians in the event, three has chances to classify to the ASP Women´s World Tour and one of them is Claudia Goncalves.

“I’m stocked to still have a chance, but a lot of excellent surfers are coming here to compete, then it will be hard as hell” said Claudinha. “Certainly, for us Brazilians is a little more favorable this event here in Brazil. I’m training a lot, surfing with good boards and I will do everything possible to reach the dream tour next year” promises Claudinha.

She also commented about the victory of Brazilian Silvana Lima over Stephanie Gilmore this week in Australia. “It was awesome. I followed all the heats on the internet and Silvana was ripping. Certainly she will be the first to bring a world title for Brazil” bet Claudinha. Silvana will be one of the main attractions in Rio de Janeiro this week.

The next call will be tomorrow at 7am for a 7:30 start.

The 2009 Rio Surf Pro International presented by Oakley are sponsored by Oakley and Skol, with co-sponsor by Metrô Rio, Rio de Janeiro State Government, Rio de Janeiro City Hall, Azul Airlines, Suzuki, WQSurf and Sandalias Ipanema RJ. The Men’s and Women’s WQS events are sanctioned by ASP South America with a realization of Adding Sports and Acesso Comunication Solutions, also with the support of Rio de Janeiro State Surfing Federation, Favela Surf Club and Arpoador Surf Club. Watch live at www.aspsouthamerica.com.br

http://peaksandbarrels.com

Technorati Tags: peaks and barrels, PeaksandBarrels, rob machado, rusty, saving the waves, Surf Competition, Surf News, Surf rack, Surf Travel, Surf Trip, Surfaid, Surfboard, Surfboard Rack, Surfrider, Trestles

DEE WHY, New South Wales (Sunday, October 4, 2009) – Silvana Lima (BRA), 24, won the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic this afternoon over reigning two-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current ASP Women’s World No. 1 Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 21, in stormy three-to-five foot (1.5 metre) conditions at Dee Why in an action packed Final, marking back-to-back wins for the hungry Brazilian after claiming the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.Gilmore jumped out to an early lead in the sea-saw battle for the 2009 Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic title, but Lima fought back throughout the heat, collecting a 7.77 and eventually securing the win with an 8.83 for a lengthy forehand barrel to post the highest heat total of the event, an impressive 16.60 out of 20, en route to her first victory at the event after three consecutive Final appearances.

“I can’t believe it,” Lima said. “I’ve been in the Final in this event three times and I finally won. I was feeling really confident. The waves here today were like the waves in Brazil and I’m always surfing in these conditions. The final was really good. Steph (Gilmore) got some good waves too and I was able to get two good ones.”

The back-to-back ASP Women’s World Tour wins secured by the hungry Brazilian have significantly tightened the ratings for this year’s ASP Women’s World Title and although Gilmore still holds on to the ratings lead, Lima is following closely in the No. 2 position.

“I’m definitely looking at the title, but it’s too early,” Lima said “There are still four contests left this year, so there is more work for everyone, but I feel so much more confident after my first win at Bells.”

Gilmore was in devastating form throughout the entire Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic, blasting some of the event’s top scores with a committed forehand attack on the steep Dee Why right-handers, but was unable to top Lima in the Final.

“To come back after such a long break and still make the Final, I’m pretty happy with that,” Gilmore said. “Silvana (Lima) beat me at Bells and her confidence is through the roof at the moment, so my challenge is to step it up another level. I did it in the Semifinals, but maybe I peaked too early.”

Gilmore, who fell to Lima in the Final at the last stop on the ASP Women’s World Tour, knows claiming this year’s ASP Women’s World Title will be no easy task and is preparing for the next four stops scheduled on the 2009 calendar.

“It’s definitely game on,” Gilmore said. “There are four events left and everyone is really fired up and off to Portugal, Peru and Hawaii, so I can’t think of a better way to finish off the tour.”

Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 26, was also on fire throughout the entire event, topping 2005 ASP Women’s World Champion Chelsea Hedges (AUS), 25, en route to her third place finish, but could not find a solid score in her Semifinal heat against eventual Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic winner, Lima.

“I couldn’t really find a rhythm in that last heat,” Mulanovich said. “I couldn’t land a turn, but it’s alright. I guess I was a bit nervous and the waves didn’t come my way, but it’s the same conditions for everyone. I’ll just look at where things went wrong and use that for next time.”

Mulanovich, who was the 2004 ASP Women’s World Champion, has now notched back-to-back third place results, leaving her in third overall on the ratings, but as a former champion, the Peruvian natural-footer knows she’ll need to win events this year if she is to claim another ASP Women’s World title.

“Silvana got me at Bells too,” Mulanovich said. “It’s the same result. A third-place is a good result and I need to work a little more on the mental side of things, but I know that, so that’s what I’m going to do. A third is good, but you need to win events to win the title. I’m still towards the top of the ratings and I’m just going to go from there.”

Melanie Bartels (HAW), 27, was a standout performer throughout the event’s entirety, ousting an international field of competitors including Rebecca Woods (AUS), 25, and Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), 22, on the way to her Semifinals berth. The talented Hawaiian struggled to find a solid score in her battle against Gilmore, bowing out of the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic with a third place finish.

“I just wasn’t in rhythm out there and I couldn’t find anything,” Bartels said. “It’s tough out there, but I’m stoked that I made the Semifinals, it’s a good result, but I just wanted to surf well, I wanted to put on a good performance and I don’t feel like I did that, but that’s how it goes.”

The next stop on the ASP Women’s World Tour will be the Rip Curl Search in Peniche, Portugal, which holds a waiting period from October 26 through 30, 2009.

Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic Final:
1- Silvana Lima (BRA) 16.60
2- Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.67

Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic Semifinals Results:
Heat 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.17 def. Melanie Bartels (HAW) 6.87
Heat 2: Silvana Lima (BRA)10.60 def. Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 5.40

Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic Quarterfinals Results:
Heat 1: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 6.35 def. Rebecca Woods (AUS) 5.97
Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.54 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 8.80
Heat 3: Silvana Lima (BRA) 12.57 def. Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 9.00
Heat 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 12.86 def. Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 8.10

ASP Women’s World Tour Ratings After Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic:
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 3241 points
2 – Silvana Lima (BRA) 2880
3 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 2139
4 – Melanie Bartels (HAW) 1983
5 – Coco Ho (HAW) 1723
6 – Rebecca Woods (AUS) 1711
7 – Paige Hareb (NZL) 1704
8 – Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 1519
8 – Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 1519
10 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 1512
11 – Samantha Cornish (AUS) 1308
12 – Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 1116
12 – Alana Blanchard (HAW) 1116
14 – Bruna Schmitz (BRA) 1110
15 – Amee Donohoe (AUS) 918
16 – Layne Beachley (AUS) 756
16 – Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 756

http://www.aspworldtour.com/2009/news_show.asp?rEvent=&rcode=13257

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

http://www.peaksandbarrels.com

http://www.mysurfboardbag.com

Technorati Tags: Al Merrick, al merrick surfboard, ASP, australia surf, Beach, Beachley classic, Beachley Classic Results, Beachley Results, Beachly Results, common wealth bank, Ocean, peaks and barrels, saving the waves, Sb5120, Surf Competition, Surf Travel, surfboard bag, Surfboard Brands, Surfing Competition

By Tetsuhiko Endo

Brett Beyer NY Surf Festival

With last weekend’s Unsound Pro surf contest in Long Beach, Long Island; the second annual New York Surf Film Festival in TriBeCa, which ended last night; and the recent art opening of the female longboard pro Kassia Meador of California at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, the New York area has been crawling with the biggest names in surfing. A friend of Waves, the surf writer Tetsuhiko Endo, caught up with the film festival over the weekend.

Rob Machado, professional surfing’s ambassador of soul, was standing outside Tribeca Cinemas on Friday, waiting for the national premiere of his new movie, “The Drifter,’’ at the second annual New York Surf Film Festival.

The oddity of the location for his United States premiere — the theater is on the concrete corner of Varick and Laight Streets — was not lost on Mr. Machado, who can more regularly be found in Hawaii, Tahiti or Indonesia, where “The Drifter” takes place.

“There’s this crazy, underground surf scene here that no one seems to know about,” he said while waiting outside the theater for his film to begin. “And it makes it really cool to come to an event like this.”

In his narration of “The Drifter,’’ Mr. Machado says, “The surf world moves like a traveling circus.” Well, that circus came to town this weekend along with the festival, whose organizers were hoping to showcase the eclecticism of a spreading area surf scene that is increasingly drawing fascination from other parts.

A quick look around Tribeca Cinemas on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday underscored his point: The New York/New Jersey surfing scene showed up in force, from swaggering hipsters to suit-wearing bankers, to the Jersey boys in their flannel-shirt-and-baseball-hat uniforms. The rest of the crowd was a mélange of industry types from California, Aussie expats, a handful of Irish, the odd Basque, and even a couple of Ohio lake surfers. The filmmaker Andrew Kidman and local pros like Will Tant and Dean Randazzo blended in happily with local recreational surfers, including the fashion designer Cynthia Rowley .

“It doesn’t feel like a typical surf event,” the Australian filmmaker Stefan Hunt agreed. Mr. Hunt’s movie, “Surfing in 50 States,” was one of 18 featured over the weekend along with 13 shorts. “Usually, theses things are filled with the surfer dudes with bleached hair, the skinny girls in bikinis, and a bunch of surfing films that all look the same.”

Homogeneity is one of the things that the event’s founder, Tyler Breuer, who is also manager of the Sundown Surf Shop on Long Island, said he specifically tried to avoid. “I want the old guys I grew up surfing with in Long Beach, I want the grommets who are just interested in the shred flicks, I want the artists, and I want the people who don’t surf at all,” he said.

Sancho Rodriguez, the founder and organizer of the San Sebastián Surfilm Festibal, who was also in attendance, praised the mix of the crowd over the lip of his beer can. “New York is a strange place for a festival like this, but doing things that are slightly out of the ordinary is good for surfing,” he said. “We have to understand that our sport is growing and maturing, so the role of festivals like this is to convey the best parts of surfing to people that may not have been exposed to them.”

Ms. Rowley suggested that the surf world was ready for some distance from its traditional epicenter on the West Coast, and that New York seemed to be providing it.

“Californian surf culture has been a little mined,” she said, in that dismissive way that only fashion designers can fully evoke. “People are inherently interested in things that are alternative.”

When asked what she thought of the general surfing vibe in the room, she called it “aspiring to be non-aspirational,” and added: “New York surfers are a stylish bunch. In fashion, it’s got to be genuine to be cool, and this definitely feels genuine.”

Waves is an occasional City Room feature chronicling surfing in and around New York City, and the issues important to local surfers. Its author, Jim Rutenberg, is a Washington correspondent who grew up surfing in New Jersey and continues to surf regularly on Eastern Long Island. Ideas and comments are welcome at Wavesnyt@gmail.com.

Article at: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

http://www.mysurfboardbag.com

Technorati Tags: australia surf, Bali, Beach, Costa rica, Indonesia, NY Surf Film Festival, Pavones, peaks and barrels, rob machado, saving the waves, Surf, Surf Competition, Surf Film, Surf movie, Surf movie premiere, Surf News, Surf rack, Surf Travel, Surf Trip, Surfaid, Surfboard, surfboard bag, Surfboard Brands, Surfboard Making, Surfboard Rack, Surfboards for sale, Surfing, Surfing dvd, Trestles

Team News

Mick’s hungry again with leap to #2 in the ratings

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 September, 2009 : – - Costa Mesa – Mick Fanning’s resurgence to the winner’s circle was an emphatic one. On the platinum-esque stage of so-Cal’s most high performance surf break, Lower Trestles, the 2007 World Champ scalped the 2009 Hurley Pro Trestles with an intensity that eerily resembled his ASP World Title form.

After taking out Kelly Slater in the semi-finals, Fanning found himself pitted against the always-exciting Dane Reynolds. However, it’s been nearly 2 years since Mick won an event, and with $105,000 on the line for the winner, Fanning wasted no time putting the final in a chokehold. A pair of mid to high 8’s left Dane combo’d, and Fanning officially became the winner of the richest event in surfing history.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Fanning stated. “I guess it’s more about building momentum again this year and getting the hunger back.”  The $105k was obviously nice, but for Mick, it’s the massive leap frog to #2 in the ASP World Tour rankings that makes it exciting. With 4 events remaining, Mick is very much back in the hunt to win the ASP World Title.

Surfersvillage.com

________________________

http://www.mysurfboardbag.com/

http://www.peaksandbarrels.com/

Technorati Tags: Al Merrick, al merrick surfboard, ASP, australia surf, Beachley classic, common wealth bank, Costa rica, Dane Reynolds, Kelly Slater, Lower Trestles, Mick fanning, Pavones, peaks and barrels, Peru, pipeline, ripcurl, rob machado, rusty, saving the waves, Sb5120, Surf, Surf Competition, Surf contest, Surf Fins, Surf Gear, Surf rack, Surf Wax, Surfaid, Surfboard, surfboard bag, Surfboard Brands, Surfboard Making, Surfboard Rack, Surfboards for sale, Surfersvillage, Surfing, Surfrider, Trestles