“I won’t get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day” – Linda Evangelista (90′s supermodel)
February 21st, 2012
Anthony Ruffo Sentenced To Two Years In Jail
Former professional surfer Anthony Ruffo was sentenced this morning to two years in the County Jail on selling methamphetamine. Ruffo’s first drug conviction dated back to 2005 where he was first arrested for selling meth and again in 2010. In the court room Darryl “Flea” Virostko took to the stand telling the judge that Ruffo was his “boyhood surfing mentor”. (Flea is also a former pro surfer who was once addicted to meth, but now living a sober life in Santa Cruz with his girlfriend and there daughter).
February 21st, 2012
Quiksilver And Roxy Pro
The website is now live for this years Quiksilver and Roxy Pro presented by Land Rover on The Gold Coast of Australia – Best of Boardriding
February 20th, 2012
Anthony Ruffo’s Sentencing
“ANYONE who wants to come to my sentencing hearing, this TUES.21st @ 8:30 DP.5 to support me ,I would love to have you come!…..THANK YOU!!” – Anthony Ruffo
February 20th, 2012
Kyle Busch Signs With Monster Energy
You either love him or hate him, but one thing’s for sure and that Kyle Busch is by far one of the best racers on the planet and Monster Energy has taken notice and signed him and his older brother Kurt to a multi-year sponsorship deal.
Press Release:
Busch Brothers and MONSTER ENERGY – A MONSTER Partnership Fit for a Championship
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (January 19, 2012) – Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Monster Energy Company as primary sponsor of the team’s No. 54 Monster Energy Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Team owner Kyle Busch, the all-time race winning driver in the history of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will share driving duties with his brother Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion.
Kyle will drive the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway and the subsequent four races through California before splitting the balance of the season with Kurt. The team’s goal will be to capture an Owner’s Championship in its inaugural race season, similar to the Owner’s Championship accomplished by KBM in its first full season in the Camping World Truck Series in 2010.
The development of this duo as teammates fits perfectly for primary team sponsor Monster Energy, who foregoes traditional forms of advertising and instead seeks brand exposure through the use of Extreme Athletes. With Monster Energy looking for increased presence across the NASCAR fan base, the company identified the Busch brothers as the drivers that best fit its family of Monster Energy Team Athletes.
“Monster Energy has always stood for competing and winning no matter what the sport,” said Monster Energy Company President, Mark Hall. “To make this happen, we’ve always sought out the most determined, fearless and committed athletes for the Monster team. With the Busch brothers sharing the wheel of the Kyle Busch Motorsports Monster Energy Camry, we have every reason to believe we have drivers capable of running up front every weekend.”
KBM team owner and driver Kyle Busch explained, “Since debuting in NASCAR, Kyle Busch Motorsports has had the goal to add a championship-caliber Nationwide Series team to our organization. With today’s announcement of Monster Energy as primary sponsor and my brother Kurt as the second driver, we’ve accomplished that goal. The Monster Energy team of athletes consists of champion performers united by a desire to be the best. Kurt and I share that same desire and will settle for nothing less than adding a NASCAR Championship to the long list of achievements for one of the strongest brands in the world.”
In 222 starts over nine seasons, Kyle has proven himself to be the winningest competitor in the history of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In addition to his 51 career wins, Kyle has secured 120 top-five finishes, 149 top-10 finishes and 23 poles. In 2010, Kyle made Series history with a record 13-win race season. Past NASCAR Nationwide Series Championships for Kyle include a Driver’s Championship in 2009 and Owner’s Championships in both 2008 and 2010 — all with Kyle’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Joe Gibbs Racing.
Kurt has 12 career starts, three poles and three wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with his last Series victory coming at Watkins Glen in 2011. Kurt will spend additional seat time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, beginning with the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway through a part-time commitment to Phoenix Racing and the No. 1 NASCAR Nationwide Series entry.
“Kyle has done an impressive job in building this race team and I’m proud to be a part of it,” Kurt said. “He won a Truck Series Owner’s Championship in his first year and his team has kept on winning ever since. Now, it’s moving into the Nationwide Series, where the bar will remain high. His expectations are the same as mine, and we know each other better than anyone. We’re driven to win, and with Monster Energy driving us, we’ll be a tough team to beat.”
To complement the driver lineup, and ensure a strong competitive advantage, KBM brings industry veteran and winning crew chief Mike Beam into the fold as the No. 54 Monster Energy Camry team leader. Beam is a long-time fixture in NASCAR who has accomplished career victories across all three major touring series. At an early age, Mike became a successful contributor towards a variety of competitive racing organizations including Petty Enterprises and Roush Fenway Racing.
Most recently Beam obtained the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship. Through 48 career starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series as a crew chief, Beam has accomplished 10 wins, 32 top-five finishes, 37 top-10 finishes and eight poles. Mike is also a past Late Model Sportsman (now the NASCAR Nationwide Series) National Championship winner with driver Butch Lindley so working towards an Owner’s Championship with Kyle Busch Motorsports is very familiar territory.
“I am excited to join the KBM team and to have Monster Energy as our sponsor,” stated Beam. “Kyle and Kurt are two of the best drivers in NASCAR. To contend for the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship with Monster Energy and to have all of the elements in place that make a great team, you can not help being excited to be a part of this.”
Kyle Busch Motorsports and Monster Energy, two of the fastest-growing brands in their respective industries, have positioned themselves together for great success in 2012.
About Kyle Busch Motorsports
Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) has quickly established itself as one of the most successful teams in all of NASCAR, capturing the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner’s Championship in its inaugural season and 16 Truck Series victories over its first two seasons. 2012 marks the team’s debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with team owner and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Kyle Busch sharing the driving duties behind the wheel of the No. 54 Monster Energy Camry with his brother Kurt, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. Veteran driver Jason Leffler joins the KBM driver lineup and will be the primary pilot of the No. 18 Tundra in the Truck Series.
KBM prepares a fleet of race-winning Toyotas out of its 77,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C. Pending LEED certification the facility’s state-of-the art equipment and innovative green initiatives make it unmatched among its peers. Fans can stay up-to-date with all the latest KBM news online at www.KyleBuschMotorsports.com, by liking the team on Facebook (@KyleBuschMS) and following the team on Twitter (@KBMteam).
About Monster Beverage Corporation
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy refuses to acknowledge the traditional and the disingenuous. Monster always supports the scene and the sport. Whether it be motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MotoGP, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians symbolize. Much more than a drink, it’s a way of life lived by our athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Beverage Corporation – including all of its drinks – at
www.monsterenergy.com and Facebook.com/monsterenergy.
February 18th, 2012
Billabong Mundaka Challenge
Superstars Dane Reynolds, Shane Dorian and Bruce Irons plus surfing legends Mark “Occy” Occhilupo, Luke Egan and Rob Machado have all accepted their invitations to the inaugural 2012 Billabong Mundaka Challenge, presented by Sony Ericsson.
These international stars will compete against a class field of European and local Basque surfers for the right to win the first ever Billabong Mundaka Challenge and €25,000 worth of prizemoney. The invitational only, one-day event has until the end of March to ensure flawless conditions and a minimum wave size of 6 to 8 feet.
Californian Dane Reynolds, who recently announced that he will not be competing on the 2012 ASP World Tour, jumped at the chance to be a part of the inaugural event. “I’m really stoked to be invited to the Billabong Mundaka Challenge and am mainly looking forward to getting tubed,” said Reynolds. Pressed for a favourite from the elite 18-man field, Reynolds nominated Occy as the biggest threat.
Occy won the Mundaka Billabong Pro in 1999 on the way to his world title and first surfed the
famous rivermouth more than 30 years ago. “Mundaka holds a special part in my heart, both the wave and the people of the town. It’s truly an honour just to surf there, let alone with these other amazing surfers. You’d need wild horses to keep me away from this,” said Occhillupo.
Like Occy, Luke Egan is another former Mundaka Pro winner that will be making the journey from Australia’s Gold Coast. “It’s an amazing town and an amazing wave and it deserves a speciality event like this to showcase how magical it is,” said Egan. “To rock up and surf when it’s pumping with some of your heroes and the best guys that have ever been out there is going to be unreal.”
Joining the six invited international surfers will be Europeans Benjamin Sanchis, Eric Rebiere, Miky Picon, Marc Lacomare, Reubyn Ash and Fergal Smith, all known for their ability in heavy conditions and tubing waves.
Rounding out the 18 man field will be six of the best local Basque surfers, Hodei Collazo, Aritz Aramburu, Iker Fuentes, Eneko Acero, Inaki Urkidi, plus the winner of the Mundaka tubes online contest at www.mundakatubes.biz. With their combined local knowledge and talent it’s entirely possible that one of these surfers could make history at their legendary homebreak.
The inaugural Billabong Mundaka Challenge is set to bring back the world’s best tuberiders to Mundaka, one of the world’s best waves. A three-month waiting period starting from 15th January 2012 has been put in place to ensure the one-day event will score flawless conditions and a minimum wave size of 6 to 8 feet. Video highlights of what should be an historic day of surfing will be available on www.themundakachallenge.com
The innovative event brings a welcome return of world-class surfing back to the town of Mundaka, a venue that holds a special place in European surfing folklore. Known as one of the most perfect and picturesque waves in the world, the Basque town hosted the Billabong Pro, an elite pro surfing competition for a decade up until 2009.
“Billabong in collaboration with the Mundaka Surf Club wanted to run an event that would show the true potential of what the Mundaka wave has to offer,” said Sam Carrier, the Billabong Europe Mens Marketing Manager. “The town is a magical place and the wave is one of the best lefts in the world. We can wait for that perfect day and show the world some of the crazy tuberides that Mundaka is famous for.”
The invitee only event will see six international and six European tuberiding specialists competing against six Basque surfers, two of which will be chosen by the Mundaka Surf Club. An innovative format is in place with surfers initially competing in hour-long six man heats. Depending on conditions, a six man final will then either be held on the primary event day or the following day with the winner pocketing €15,000 in prize money.
With competitors judged solely on their best two tube rides, the invite list is made up of a who’s who of barrel riders, Mundaka specialists and previous Billabong Pro winners. One surfer who falls into all those categories is Mark “Occy” Occhilupo. Occy won the Mundaka Billabong Pro in 1999 on his way to the world title and has a special affinity with the wave.
“When you are standing in the barrel at Mundaka looking out at the mountains it’s like time stands still. It definitely has to be one of the best barrels in the world,” said Occy. “To have it back with the Mundaka Challenge is absolutely epic.”
February 17th, 2012
Evan VS Kolohe At Australian Open
Equivalent to the Huntington Beach US Open Billabong and Hurley have joined together to bring the Australian Open of Surfing to Manly Beach in Sydney Australia. This is a 6* event and they are currently into round of 16 where the only two Americans left are Evan Geiselman and Kolohe Andino.
Being best friends they were most likely hoping to draw someone else
February 15th, 2012
Shawn Briley Meets Don King
We randomly pulled a photo out of our archive vault of Shawn Briley riding a Backdoor wave in front of water photographer Don King
February 14th, 2012
Happy Valentines From Surf Images
Tags: cookie, heart, love, surf images, valentines
February 13th, 2012
Rick Irons – Dragon Optics
We saw Rick Irons (Andy & Bruce Irons cousin) out at Seaside Reef and snapped a shot. Rick is a former pro surfer who once rode for Rusty clothing then went onto being the editor at Surfer Magazine and now is currently the brand manager for Dragon Optics in Carlsbad, California.
(the corporate guy’s love it when you get a shot of them surfing)
Seaside Reef a far cry for Rick from his early years of charging the Pipeline
