Congratulations goes out to Matuse Family Member Flynn Novak for winning the “Sponsor Me Hawaii WQS At Ala Moana”. Flynn has won this coveted WQS event in back-to-back years. This event is only one of two events held each year where all Hawaii pros can compete. This makes for a super stacked competition which makes Flynn’s win that much more impressive. CLICK HERE to read the full story on TransWorld Surf’s website.
We’re super proud of Flynn and we look forward to seeing Flynn compete in this years Pipe Masters. Flynn was one of sixteen non-WCT riders to qualify for the prestigious event.
For more knowledge on Flynn Novak and the rest of the Matuse Family, kindly CLICK HERE.
I was pretty psyched a few months ago when my friend Andy Peterson at Downtown Marketing announced that they would be putting on the first ever Rosarito Beach Pro-Am in conjunction with the city of Rosarito in Baja California, Mexico. The added $10,000 prize purse made it extra luring. And knowing that not many ripping grom’s parents would let them journey into the ‘danger zone’ for the weekend, I wondered, how stiff could the competition be? I rounded up my good friend’s Sam and Critter Baugh, landed a sweet timeshare on the beach from a co-worker at Wildcoast and headed south, just a bit south.
Although we were headed less than 30 miles from the border, to a spot I drive by several times a month, I felt like I was headed to a WQS event in some far flung corner of the world that I had never been to. I had never really been to Rosarito, I had no idea what the waves would be like, I had no idea what to expect in terms of set-up and I had no idea who would be doing this event. It felt like one of the comp adventures I enjoyed so much a few years back, like the Canary Islands, Atlantic City, Wales, Brazil or Northern France. And there of course were the butterflies of anticipation for the contest.
We arrived to a pumping left sandbar off the pier ala Spanish river mouth. There was a grinding left off the pier, right in front of the comp scaffold, with no one around. Although it was a little racy on the backhand, we had a blast sharing this mysterious wave that sits in our backyards yet we had never surfed.
There were only a few Americans in the event, which included Eric McHenry, Durran Bar, Sam, Critter and I, but a ton of shredding Mexicans from all over the country. Surfers came from Puerto Escondido, Colima, Acapulco, Cabo and even Puerto Rico and Venezuela all for a chance to pocket the $4000 first place prize. It was awesome to see such a high level of surfing among the Latin Americans and we can be certain to see at least one of the guys make a tour push soon.
I squeaked through a few heats, had a great quarterfinal, and then got beat out in the semi’s to McHenry and a teen phenom from Acapulco that got the only solid tube in the event. I was in a comfortable first until he dropped a 7.5 on that one, and then with only a few minutes left, McHenry got a pier bowl left and lofted about a four foot backside air in my face to seal the deal. I was left sitting out the back in a flat sea and my final aspirations dissipated rather quickly. I’d have to settle for an unsatisfying 5th.
Nonetheless I had an insane little weekend adventure, pocketed some prize coin, and the only mishap was a stolen sandy, wet, stinky wetsuit (keep an eye out for a Hoplite full in the lineup next time you head down there). Hopefully they do this event next year although I anticipate word will spread about what a sick comp it was. And not to mention these Mexican kids will probably be surfing circle around me by then. Be well.
Zach Plopper
For more knowledge on Zach Plopper and the rest of the Matuse Family, kindly CLICK HERE.
For more knowledge on Flynn Novak and the rest of the Matuse Family, kindly CLICK HERE. This video was provided courtesy of Matt Donatoni from Donocorp Productions.
Matuse Family Member Derek Dunfee has made the candidate list for the upcoming 2009-2010 Eddie Aikau. The final selection of riders and alternates has not been finalized but to be on the list is a huge accomplishment. Part of the selection process allows fans to vote for who they’d like to see in the competition. To vote for Derek CLICK HERE. Lets make sure Derek gets his chance to throw himself over huge Waimea ledges. Congrats Derek! We’ll be voting for you.
Derek Dunfee is the 2008-2009 winner of the XXL award for Monster Paddle. For more knowledge on Derek Dunfee and the rest of the Matuse Family, kindly CLICK HERE.
Check out the recent article by Tyler Cuddy on Surfline.com. Tyler spent a few months traveling with Matuse Family Member Jamie Sterling. This part features Jamie and crew traveling and surfing throughout South America. CLICK HERE to view the photos.
Check out the recent video on Surfline.com featuring the famous surf break called Ours. These Australian charges rush some incredible mutant slabs. A few of the nutty chargers are wearing the Matuse X Analog co-lab suit. CLICK HERE to view the video clip.
Above are some preview images from the new PSA “Smoking Fish – Hold onto Your Butt”.
Free-wheeling and ocean-loving filmmakers, Adam McKay and Ian O’Roarty, are set to launch a new collaboration: It’s a Surfrider Foundation Public Service Announcement (PSA) titled “Smoking Fish – Hold onto Your Butt”. In the live action and animated spot, humans and sea creatures alike choke lungs and gills on cigarettes. The PSA proves that the dangers of smoking don’t just stop at the water’s edge. In this regard, because of the myriad chemicals in every cigarette butt, there’s also an environmental risk that cigarettes pose when they’re washed down the local storm-drain – and into our oceans.
For Mckay (a writer/director of “Saturday Night Live,” “Talladega Nights,” “Step Brothers” and “Anchorman” fame), the Surfrider piece comes at a busy time. He’s currently trumpeting the release of his latest film titled, “The Goods: Live Hard. Sell Hard.” His newest opus stars Jeremy Piven of HBO’s Entourage. In it, Piven plays Don Ready, a razor wit, mercenary car salesman who gets the job done by any means necessary. Don Ready’s attitude is apropos, especially given the passion that both McKay and O’Roarty have for their environmentally inspired work with Surfrider.
To O’Roarty (Matuse Director of Photography and San Diego surfer), the Surfrider piece is a creative way of addressing the current state of environmental affairs. “I’ve been involved with Surfrider since 1984 but I was somewhat dormant after the Clinton years,” O’Roarty explains. “However, when the Bush administration started rolling back 30 years of laws that protect our environment and basically declared a war on our natural world, I realized my greatest impact to affect environmental change lies in the media.” O’Roarty has worked on dozens of feature films, commercials and music videos. Among his recent credits is the Sundance festival award winner “Stoked – The Rise and Fall of Mark Gator Rogowski”, and the just completed “Fully Loaded” – which was directed by Shira Piven and executive produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.
McKay shares O’Roarty’s sentiments: “I was looking for any excuse to do something with Ian and the fact that the excuse blended doing something to educate people to stop f’ing up our coastlines,” says McKay, who also wrote the script for the PSA.
Count on this spirited bunch to make a difference for Surfrider.
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers, the Surfrider Foundation maintains over 40,000 members and 60 chapters across the United States and Puerto Rico, with international affiliates in Australia, Europe, Japan and Brazil, and has nationally circulated advertisements in leading surfing magazines and websites as well as broadcast networks that include ESPN and FOX Sports.
The PSA spot features live action mixed with advanced computer graphics and visual effects created by Omens Studios (there’s a special cameo appearance by environmental activist and professional surfer, Chris Del Moro). Omens Studios provides Hollywood quality 3D computer graphics animation and special effects services for video games, feature films and made-for-TV productions. The studio is staffed by veterans from renowned companies like Sony, Dreamworks and Disney, and has offices in USA, Singapore and Malaysia.
Check out the recent interview of Flynn Novak on Surf.Transworld.net. Flynn won the coveted WQS event at Ala Moana Bowls last year in what many were calling the best surf ever for a contest at Bowls. Flynn’s barrel riding prowess and over all shred arsenal allowed him to mow through an impressive field of Hawaiian rippers. The interview lets you into Flynn’s views and experiences out at the infamous Ala Moana Bowls. CLICK HERE to read the online interview.
Image provided by Tyler Cuddy. See more of Tyler’s work at www.tylercuddy.com
Big ups to Mr. Tyler Cuddy and the good people at Surfline.com for the recent clips of Matuse Family Member, Jamie Sterling. Throughout the piece Jamie is captured doing what he does best: Hustling for super-sized mountains of water. And while gonzo charging like Sterls is something most peeps never do, Mr. Cuddy’s photography and candid captions bring any layman into the heart of the action. CLICK HERE to check out the Surfline.com feature South by Southwest Part One.
Clips from Dhani’s September 2009 Interview in Men’s Journal where he gives Matuse a nod.
Renaissance-man extraordinaire and globetrotting bow-tie aficionado, Dhani Jones (a.k.a., starting middle linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals and host of the Travel Channel’s “Dhani Tackles the Globe”), was recently profiled in Men’s Journal. Among other topics, the piece highlights Dhani’s jet-setting lifestyle, love for homemade Russian vodka and all-around savoir faire when it comes to literature, fashion, photography and entertainment. In the last paragraph, the seasonal Encinitas resident names Matuse as an essential part of his surf quiver. Huge ups for the shout out, Dhani! Keep doing your thing in the League and on the Travel Channel. For more on Dhani’s gridiron exploits, click here (http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/Dhani-Jones/b872dad3-66eb-4e29-b8bf-2c5c83731844). To check out Dhani’s TV skills on the Travel Channel, click here (http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Dhani_Jones).
