Tuesday, July 31, 2012



July 31st, 2012. 63 years later...to the day. An appropriate date for Stu Kennedy to put Daniel Thomson's modern planing hull to the test. Results: 1st Kelly Slater 2nd Stu Kennedy 3rd Michel Bourez 4th Sebastien Zietz

 July 31st, 1949. Bob Simmons at Malibu. Dual keel, concave planing hull with foam core and plywood veneer laminate.


Nike US Open of Surfing Heat 11 round of 96. 7/30/2012


Heat 11, Round of 96, Nike U.S. Open of Surfing, July 30th 2012
Stu Kennedy wins heat riding modern planing hull designed and shaped by Daniel Thomson.

Commentary:

Fuelie:
Welcome back to Huntington Beach and the Nike U.S. Open of Surfing for 2012…heat 11 of the round of 96 and in red is Matt Wilkinson, Yadin Nicol is in white, Hodei Collazo in black, and in blue is going to be Stuey Kennedy of Australia. Joining me in commentary is 12 year veteran of the world tour is super-coach and big wave charger Mike Parsons, and, one of our favorite human beings in the world contest director and also world tour veteran Pat O’Connell….now we saw there Stuey Kennedy who is riding some interesting boards, we saw him at the Nike Lowers Pro as well…
Snips:
Yeah, interesting stuff, he’s got the sorta sawed off nose effect. The rail line still holds true, but he loses like that last 5”, it’ll be interesting to see how it goes for him…as we see Yadin Nicol, last year’s finalist, throw an air-reverse there…but interesting choice of equipment there for Stu Kennedy and fun to see these guys experimenting with something different…
Pat:
Yeah absolutely, and as the wind has come on now there’s a little bump on it…it actually seems pretty smart, really, without all that nose you’re not going to catch, you’re not gonna hit that bump…(Stu gets a wave and does a floater…) I’m watching here as he (Stu) really got across that section really, really, well…the board definitely did not hold him back. It looked like, if anything, he got a little bit more squirt.
Snips:
Almost looks like theres a little bit of vee in the nose, or its cupped to keep the nose free, and aw, like I said, fun to see these guys experimenting with equipment and we’ll see how it goes for him.
Fuelie:
Scoreline right now- Stu Kennedy, with that unique surfboard, looks more like a wakeboard, is out in front…
Snips:
There’s Stu Kennedy, wow, that was a quick, vertical blast off the top on that very unconventional surfboard, it looks like Cheyne Horan’s board from the 80s the way it moves…(Stu is skating across the big flat spot, rail to rail, gaining speed)
Pat:
He’s really flying on it…
Snips:
He’s going on it, isn’t he? Wow, nice snap there, so bringing some good energy to that wave, Stu Kennedy, I think that’s gonna be a good score…
Pat:
I think that’s his best wave so far…
Fuelie:
Lets take a look at Stu Kennedy up and riding now…
Pat:
He’s getting a lot of speed-aww-does a real nice air-reverse, that was great.
Snips:
That was fantastic.
Pat:
Considering the conditions…but he falls out the back..does he make that?
Snips:
Oh absolutely. He rides out of it clean, he gets in front of the white water, he has total control. That’s definitely deemed a completed maneuver…and its gonna be a really good score. He’s gonna rocket himself into an advancing spot based on the strength of that one move. That was the best move of the heat so far.
Fuelie:
Lets take another look at Stu Kennedy’s wave…and Snips…so much speed…
Snips:
Yeah, that was incredible. Full rotation, throws it towards the beach…way up in the excellent score range. I mean, that was so technical for the conditions out there…
Fuelie:
Super innovative maneuver there , an 8.17…one of the top scores of the day….
Snips:
…he’s surfing pretty inspired and making a pretty good statement I think. He obviously wants it, he’s bringing a lot of passion to the heat, and he’s looking good…
Fuelie:
Do you think, Pat, that this is a board that any average surfer could ride? Or do you think there’s something difficult in riding that board?
Pat:
No, no, I absolutely think its something that the average would like…a lot of these guys ride boards and they funnel their way down to the average surfer. I mean, without the nose it looks a little strange, and sometimes when I watch him I’m sort of looking for that nose…but if you really watch it, it looks pretty functional. As Mike says, it looks like there’s a channel through the front, and it looks like he’s getting a lot of squirt and speed…
Snips
…I just think its fun that guys are riding different stuff and experimenting during contests. Its great for us as fans and spectators to check out, y’know.
Fuelie:
…so…right now, Stuey Kennedy, who is riding the most unique surfboard of the contest, is out in front, Yadin Nicol is in 2nd, but Matt Wilkinson is within striking distance with a minute to go…but the battle now is definitely for second place…so, now Yadin Nicol moves through in second place, and Stu Kennedy, with that massive frontside air, moves through in first. He makes a strong statement.
Snips:
Yeah he really did. It was an amazing maneuver…
Post heat comments from Matt Wilkinson:
Jodi:
Stuart Kennedy was on a really strange board. Do you know anything about those boards?
Wilkinson:
Not really…I’ve seen him ride it a little bit. I dunno. I put his board under my arm this morning and it feels like nothing that I’ve ever ridden, the rails are different, the tail is different, the nose is different. Everything is just really weird on it. But he beat me. (laughs)

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Sleeping at Sea redux


June 2009. Ryan Burch and Lucas Dirkse riding short alaias. Filmed by Ryan Field in one afternoon. By summer's end Ryan, Lucas, and Snortum were on the foam Lindsay Lord Board rectangles. Music by Jalopy...Gabe, Rachel, Nachman, Justin, et al. Short alaias were made by Jon Wegener.