Photos and Captions: Sherm

Daisy Merrick, Al and Terry’s granddaughter, is continuing her battle with cancer. The Merrick Family would like nothing more than to have all of you who are willing to please pray for the full recovery of their little Daisy and keep her in your thoughts. Follow her updates at: http://prayfordaisy.com/

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Thursday, June 24, 2010) – 2009 ASP North America Pro Junior Series Champion Nat Young (Santa Cruz, CA), 19, clinched an impressive runner-up result at this week’s ASP 6-Star Sri Lankan Airlines Pro by finishing behind Australian standout Julian Wilson (Coolum, AUS), 22, in a hard-fought Final at Sri Lanka’s idyllic righthand pointbreak of Arugam Bay.

Young’s second-place finish amongst some of the globe’s finest up-and-coming competitive talent not only catapults the lethal goofy-footer to No. 69 on the men’s ASP World Ranking, but also establishes the American as the frontrunner for qualification for the ASP World Junior Championships due to his performance on the men’s Star Ratings as the top rated American surfer of ASP Pro Junior age.

The talented Californian relied on his polished backhand attack on the firing Sri Lankan right-handers to earn the impressive Final berth while marching past a solid list of international competitors including Australian Jayke Sharp (Coffs Harbour, AUS), 22, Basque talent Hodei Collazo (EUK), ASP Pro Junior talent Chris Friend (Sunshine Coast, AUS), 19, and former ASP Dream Tour campaigners Nic Muscroft (Victoria, AUS), 27, and David Weare (Durban, ZAF), 29, before falling to Wilson in their battle for the Sri Lankan Airlines Pro title.

“I’ve had an amazing week here and I’m really grateful to have made the final” Young said. “I knew the only way to beat Julian (Wilson) would be to score two excellent waves in that Final. He has been the standout all week. I went for the win but came unstuck on a few critical moves but I’m really pleased with this result.”

Also marching to a notable result was San Diego native Austin Ware (Solana Beach, CA), 29, who finished fifth overall in the ASP 6-Star event. The solid finish for the explosive talent moves him to No. 55 on the Men’s World Ranking.

Ware also had a hand in ousting a stacked list of professional surfing talent including former ASP Dream Tour surfers Royden Bryson (East London, ZAF), 27, and Ricky Basnett (Durban, ZAF), 24, before falling to Sharp in the Quarterfinals.

The next event on the ASP North America calendar will be the ASP 4-Star Quiksilver Pro Puerto Escondido, which runs from July 16 through 23, 2010.

After the final tally, the people have spoken. Dane Reynolds edged out nine-time World Champ Kelly Slater in a two-week-long public vote for ten spots in the WPS All-Star event, which runs during this summer’s U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.
Each user was able to cast 10 votes out of a field of 60 surfers, which included the ASP Top 44 as well as young innovators like Clay Marzo and Julian Wilson and living legends like Tom Curren and Occy.

“I think it’s great to have the people see who they want to see. It gives them a voice,” last year’s World Champ and U.S. Open runner-up Mick Fanning said. “I guess people really wanted to see Dane. He is probably the most exciting surfer on the planet right now and people want to witness that first hand.”

In years past, all the hoopla that accompanies the U.S. Open would often overshadow the actual surfing. But starting last year, Hurley put in the hard yards to draw some of the sport’s greatest talent to the HB Pier.

“The U.S. Open is a huge spectacle with so much energy going on, it’s wild,” Fanning continued. “It all depends on how you’re feeling so this could be good and bad. But I think it’s pretty fun and different.

And the now six-star PRIME WQS event, which will be a vital turning point in the new “One Ranking” ASP system, will also bring the fans the surfers they want to see through the WPS All-Star event.

“The U.S. Open of Surfing is just as much about the athlete as it is about the fan,” says Hurley VP of Sports Marketing Pat O’Connell. “And when we’re able to recognize greatness and elevate the experience both in the water and on the beach, everyone wins.”

Of course, it’s still up to the individual athletes to accept their nomination and participate in the event. But here’s how the final tally played out:

1. Dane Reynolds
2. Kelly Slater
3. Jordy Smith
4. Clay Marzo
5. Rob Machado
6. Julian Wilson
7. Taj Burrow
8. Mick Fanning
9. Andy Irons
10. Dusty Payne

From Surfline.com

Free Song Download:
“Nordic Monster” featured in “Taylor Steele’s” new film “Castles In The Sky”

The song was recorded and produced by Timmy Currans’s good friend and musician​, “TheAndySmith”​.​ “Nordic Monster” is featured in the Iceland section that documented Timmy Curran, Dan Malloy & Dane Reynolds’ trip to Iceland’s remote and very rugged island.

Download Song

Check out the Channel Islands groms at the NSSA National June 16^th- 19^th and June 29^th – July 3^rd

The Coffins are at it again. Stay tuned for the official premiere of The Young Wisetails webisodes.

East Coast: Indialantic Boardwalk, FL, June 12th, 9-1

See you there!