CONGRATULATIONS TO HSS TEAM RIDERS ANDREW DOHENY AND COURTNEY CONLOGUE ON MAKING TEAM USA!

2009 PacSun USA Surf Team announced after impressive surfing display
San Juan Capistrano, Calif. – August 24, 2008 – Surfing America, the national governing body for the sport of surfing, is excited to name eight new USA Surfing Champions after the youth divisions wrapped up in two-to-four foot Huntington Beach, CA surf. After six days of competition at the SIMA Surfing America USA Championships presented by PacSun, the new PacSun USA Surf Team was also announced.
"The level of surfing at this year’s USA Champs was unbelievable," said Surfing America executive director Mike Gerard. "The performances were tremendous, the judging was spot on, and the new PacSun USA Surf Team looks stronger than ever."
Hawaiian Keanu Asing proved the standout of the event by taking USA titles in both the Boys Under 18 and Boys Under 16 divisions amongst a stacked field. Asing, who surfed for the Hawaii team at the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships, is ineligible for the PacSun USA Surf Team but showed his mainland counterparts that he was the form surfer throughout the event.
"I wasn’t really thinking of a double. I just tried to get good waves and surf really good," said Asing. "It’s cool to come here see all the USA guys and compete hard with them. I just tried to do my best and have fun."
Conner Coffin, who suffered an early elimination in Under 16s, gave Asing a run for the title but came up short in the rapidly deteriorating conditions. Nonetheless, Coffin secured his spot on the 2009 PacSun USA Surf Team.
The top female finisher in Girls Under 18 was Santa Ana, CA’s Courtney Conlogue. Conlogue defeated the 2007 champion Sage Erickson by busting big bottom-to-top combos, edging out double finalist Taylor Pitz for the win.
"I was pretty nervous going into that heat," said Conlogue. "All the girls were really good and it was just a final where you had to have your game on or you’d go down."
Conlogue, at 15 years old, elected to only surf in the Under 18s, while most of her competitors surfed in both divisions. The decision proved beneficial, as she remained focused throughout.
"Just surfing in one division gave me confidence," Conlogue continued. "But I didn’t have that second chance, so I had to go full force. I had more motivation to do well."
Also qualifying for the PacSun USA Surf Team was Hawaiian Nage Melamed, who brought forth outstanding performances throughout the entire event. Melamed won the Girls Under 16 title in the final minutes, overtaking South Carolina’s Keenan Lineback.
San Clemente, CA’s Kolohe Andino and Hawaii’s Ian Gentil defended their USA titles in Boys Under 14 and Boys Under 12, respectively. Gentil pushed Andino by taking second in Under 14.
"I like this event because they make you feel cool," said Andino. "The four-man, twenty-minute heat format is sick. It’s a great event and I love doing it. Making the USA team is a great privilege. Plus you get to train with Coach Joey Buran and go around the world with your friends to compete."
At the conclusion of the surfing action, Coach Buran was excited about the 2009 PacSun USA Surf Team roster.
"This is a much better place than we were last year because there is already a solid program in place," said Buran. "The goal of the selection was to have surfers on the roster who will compete for those three ISA starting spots and we have that." Watch highlights!

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Screening of No Polo Widow @ Bella Terra Presented by Toms Shoes

Toms Introduction of the Wrap Boot.

Join Fernando & Vicky Aguerre for a screening of: No Polo Window

When: August 20th, 2008

Music Provided by: Kai Brown & Amy May

Where: Huntington Surf & Sport @ Bella Terra
7777 Edinger Ave.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647

For every pair you purchase, Toms will give a pair of shoes to a child in need.

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BUSTIN DOWN THE DOOR COMES TO HB!

Bustin’ Down The Door is now playing starting today in Huntington Beach at the Regency Charter Centre Cinemas 5. This film is truly an outstanding documentary on the historical significance of what went down in the 70’s in Australia, South Africa and Hawaii. It tells the true tale of the birth of Professional Surfing. It is a must see for anyone that surfs!
There are also only a few limited edition "Bustin Down the Door-HB" T-shirts left. Get 'em while you can!

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CONGRATULATIONS BRUCE IRONS ON YOUR RIP CURL PRO SEARCH VICTORY!

SOMEWHERE, Indonesia (Sunday, August 3, 2008) – Bruce Irons (HAW) has defeated fellow finalist Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) to claim the 2008 Rip Curl Pro Search in rifling four-foot (1.5 metre) lefthanders ‘somewhere’ in Indonesia.
Stop No. 6 of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Search saw a marathon day of action capped off by a stunning barrel shootout finale between the young Hawaiians.
Irons, who took down reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) and Dream Tour sophomore Ben Dunn (AUS) en route to his Finals berth, came from behind in last 10 minutes of the event, grabbing an 8.33 and a 9.33 to scalp his first ASP World Tour victory.
“One of my goals when I joined the Tour was to win an event and I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen since I’ll be stepping away after this season,” Irons said. “But the waves pumped this event! This is what the Dream Tour should be like all the time. I’m definitely stepping away from the ASP Tour at the end of this year, but I’m not retiring. I’m still planning on competing at Pipeline and Teahupoo and at venues that I can get into.”
The progressive natural-footer eased into the Final against Patacchia grabbing small scores before unleashing a fury of backhand tubes and commited re-entries over dry reef to take the win and move into No. 10 on the ASP World Tour ratings.
“I was tripping out in the water when they kept announcing Fred (Patacchia) and I in the Final – you never hear that,” Irons said. “It was all business though. This is only the second time I’ve ever made one on Tour and I wasn’t about to let it go. I was trying my hardest out there.”
Irons maintains the family monopoly on Rip Curl Pro Search events, joining older brother Andy, who has two Rip Curl Pro Search titles (2006, 2007) under his belt already.
“My brother has won this event twice and all I could think about in the Final is how I wanted that trophy,” Irons said. “The thing is sick! It was a great event and we’re going to have a huge party tonight!”
Patacchia was in stunning form all event, netting high scores and eliminating top seeds before coming up short in the Final.
“Bruce (Irons) and I are good friends but we were super competitive in that Final,” Patacchia said. “Both of us wanted to win and we were hassling and trash-talking and everything. I had one wave at the start, but Bruce got two bombs towards the end and I could tell he was really gunning for it.”
After suffering an injury early in the season, Patacchia has since rebounded, finishing equal 9th in Fiji and Jeffreys Bay before his runner-up finish ‘somewhere’ Indonesia. The stylish goofy-footer now sits at No. 14 on the ASP World Tour.
“It feels great to come back after a slow start to the year,” Patacchia said. “The waves were so good for this event and I’m bummed I didn’t win, but to have Bruce (Irons) there and since he’s stepping away, it feels good that we kept the title within Hawaii.”
Chris Ward (USA) was another who was in blazing form all day, eliminating former three-time ASP World Champion and two-time defending Rip Curl Pro winner (2006, 2007) Andy Irons (HAW) and 2007 ASP World Tour runner-up Taj Burrow (AUS) before coming up short against an in-form Irons.
“I’m not even bummed,” Ward said. “If I had come out of that one barrel, then I would have been in the Final, but I’ve had a great day and a 3rd place finish really helps me this year. The next event is in my backyard, Lower Trestles, and I’m pretty confident out there. I’ll be spending a lot of time preparing for that event, but first I am going to enjoy this magical island and all the beautiful waves it has to offer.”
Tiago Pires (PRT), 2008 Dream Tour rookie, put in the best performance of his young career, dispatching of eight-time ASP World Champion and current ratings leader Kelly Slater (USA) in Round 3 before rampaging through to an equal 3rd place finish.
“This is the best result of my career and it takes the pressure off of me to get a 3rd at the halfway point this season,” Pires said. “I don’t know what it will do to the ratings, but it should help me and give me a better seed going into Lower Trestles. I have a pretty busy summer. I am doing all the ASP WQS events in Europe so it is a lot of surfing for me coming up.”
All Rip Curl Pro Search videos, photos and news are available via http://live.ripcurl.com/

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