Brett Simpson Going Mental!

HSS TEAM Rider: Brett Simpson

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KYLE KENNELLY WINS THE NSSA EXPLORERER @ 9TH ST. IN HEAVY CONDITIONS!

The Southwest Conference Explorer Season continued with event #8 at the Ninth Street sandbar in Huntington Beach. Saturday’s preliminary rounds were held in chest high waves and sunny skies but on Sunday a hefty winter storm came barreling through Southern California bringing rain and a potent WNW swell. Sunday morning’s heats started in the 1-2 foot range and by the time the finals started at 3pm, the surf had built to a heavy 8-12 feet with vicious close-out sets and powerful sweeping currents. Huntington Beach High School senior Kyle Kennelly was stoked on the sizeable conditions in his neck of the woods and used his local expertise to take the Men’s final.

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Courtney Conlogue Down Under

Check out HSS team rider Courtney Conlogue and her friends from Billabong exploring Down Under. A few days after the Billabong Jr. World Championships in Narrabeen Australia, Courtney, three friends and their team manager flew from Sydney to Byron in search of waves and fun.

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BILLABONG ON THE RISE

MAINSTREAM MEDIA REPORT- BLOOMBERG NEWS ASIA

Billabong Shares Rise After Affirming Profit Forecast

Feb. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Billabong International Ltd., the world's largest surfwear maker, rose by the most in three weeks in Sydney trading after reaffirming profit forecasts.

Billabong shares rose 56 cents, or 4.7 percent, to A$12.40 at the 4:10 p.m.
close of trading in Sydney. The Gold Coast, Queensland state-based company reiterated annual earnings growth of between 5 percent and 10 percent, with earnings per share in constant currency terms expected to rise 15 percent.


Chief Executive Officer Derek O'Neill, who gets almost three-quarters of revenue from outside Australia, expects to maintain demand in the U.S. amid an expected decline in consumer spending in the world's largest economy. The company today said first-half profit fell for the first time as the Australian dollar's 11 percent gain against its U.S. counterpart in 2007 cut the value of North American sales.

``Billabong's result reinforces the relative strength of its brands,'' said Craig Woolford, an analyst at Citigroup Inc. in Sydney, who rates the stock ``buy.'' ``The company expects a strong summer selling season in the U.S.
and is confident given its visibility of forward orders until April,''
Woolford said in a report.

Net income fell 2 percent to A$88.7 million in the six months ended Dec. 31.
Sales rose 8.3 percent to A$665.4 million.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization in the Americas, the company's biggest market, fell 5.6 percent to A$48 million on the currency impact.

American sales for the half were little changed at A$287.5 million. In constant currency terms, revenue from the region rose 13.2 percent.

Overseas Markets

``We have good visibility through to April and we are sitting on a record forward order book in the U.S. as retailers are looking for proven brands,''
O'Neill said in an interview with Bloomberg Television today. ``I don't think we are immune from deteriorating conditions but while people might not be able to go on holiday or buy a new car, they may compromise and buy a new T-shirt.''

European earnings rose 25 percent to A$27.7 million.

The Australasian division, which includes Australia, New Zealand and Asia, increased earnings 12 percent to A$70.7 million.

``It's a great result and flew in the face of what everyone is saying about the consumer slowing down,'' said Tony Pearce, who helps manage the equivalent of $3.5 billion at Legg Mason Asset Management in Melbourne.

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QUIKSILVER GOLD COAST PRO BEGINS

The quik pro is the first WCT event of the year, and kicks off with many new names.

Click HERE to visit the official website.

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TOLL ROAD STOPPED! Trestles Saved

Toll Road stopped as thousands gather at Del Mar Fairgrounds for critical commission hearing

It's been a week for the record books. Super Bowl Sunday rolled into Super Tuesday and finally, Big Wednesday.

Anticipating a super-sized turnout at today's critical toll road hearing, the California Coastal Commission traded in the usual Oceanside City Council Chamber for the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Good idea. People came out in droves. At the highest point, an estimated 2,500 Save Trestles supporters swarmed in and around the centrally located Wyland Hall.

Story by: Kyle Moreno

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Christian Saenz Flares Up at NSSA Southwest Explorer #7 at Mission Beach

The Southwest Conference Explorer Season continued with event #7 at the San Fernando Street sandbar in Mission Beach, San Diego. Saturday offered solid 4-6 foot, clean but semi-walled lefts and rights. Conditions deteriorated on Sunday and competitors braved the elements as a bitter storm front pushed down the California coast bringing wind, rain, frosty temps and turbulent seas. Despite the unsettled, shifting beach break conditions, rippable sections were still on offer with plenty of scoring potential and some high scoring rides throughout the finals including an excellent 9.25 score posted by Juniors winner Christian Saenz.

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2008 SURFERS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

This year’s 2008 SURFERS’ HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES are:

Mike Parsons

Brad Gerlach

Sean Collins

Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew

Ceremony Date- Friday, July 25th @ 10am

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SAVE TRESTLES

SAVE TRESTLES

San Onofre State each and the famed surf at Trestles are under threat by the proposed Foothill-South toll road. The California Coastal Commission has an opportunity to protect these precious open spaces and coastal resources in October. Let them know that it is unacceptable to allow destruction of a State Park for an unnecessary highway project.

The proposed Foothill-South toll road in Orange and San Diego Counties is one of the most environmentally destructive transportation projects in California history. By running 4 miles down the length of San Onofre State Beach, the road would effectively destroy the interior of the park and close the San Mateo Campground. All while threatening the world-class surf at Trestles and driving numerous endangered species towards extinction.

Send your letter TODAY!

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CHRISTIAN SAENZ WINS NSSA MISSION BEACH EXPLORER

Christian pulled of a big milestone in his amateur career nailing his first NSSA victory at the Mission Beach Explorer. In challenging 4-6 foot washing machine conditions, the hard working Huntington Beach High School sophomore exploded on a set left blasting the lip earning an excellent 9.25-the highest score of the day. His two wave total of 15.5 was the highest heat score of all the finals.

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