Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Bing Surfboards Book

The Bing book by Paul Holmes has just been published in a limited edition, entitled "Bing Surfboards -- Fifty Years of Craftsmanship and Innovation"





Here's the press release:

"Bing Surfboards is one of the longest-running and most progressive labels in the surfing world and its boards are still exclusively handcrafted in California. Its founder, Bing Copeland, played a major role in making surfing and the surfboard industry what they are today. At 13, he started helping out at pioneer surfboard maker Dale Velzy’s workshop in Manhattan Beach. During the mid-1950s he surfed the big waves of Oahu’s North Shore and Makaha in Hawaii. In 1958 he sailed across the Pacific and introduced modern surfboards to New Zealand. By 1959, back in Southern California, he began making surfboards commercially. This is the story of Bing Copeland, the business he built, the colorful cast of craftsmen he employed and the visionary surfboards they made and continue to make to this day.

"Here’s just some of what you’ll find in the new book 'Bing Surfboards—fifty years of craftsmanship and innovation' by Paul Holmes, former editor of Surfer magazine and author of 'Dale Velzy is Hawk,' published in 2006:

"192-pages, high-quality, full-color, coffee-table format (9½" x 12¼") hardcover book featuring 300-plus historic and contemporary photographs including some 50 action surf shots of Bing Copeland and his illustrious contingent of team riders through the years taken by some of surfing’s all time great photographers.

"The amazing life story of Bing Copeland and his company, and a complete review of all Bing Surfboards models and their contribution to surfboard design evolution. From early ’60s custom classics with inlaid curved stringers and parquetry skegs, to the mid-decade design progressions of the Noseriders, Lightweights, Pipeliners and Pintail Lightweights and on to the transition era of the Lotus, Karmas and Foils, all the way into the age of multi-finned shortboards with its twin-fins and cutting-edge, tri-fin Bonzer, the Bing Surfboards story shows how the evolution of contemporary surfboard design took place.

"Reprints of all Bing Surfboards advertising in surf magazines—a classic blast from the past.

"The story of the involvement of key team riders and shapers including Donald Takayama, David Nuuhiwa, Dick Brewer, Jock Sutherland, Dru Harrison, Steve Schlickenmeyer, Keith Paull, Rolf Aurness, Mike Eaton, Claude Codgen, the Campbell brothers, Peter Townend and many, many more.

"Workers’ tales from the factory floor—some funny, some serious and some just plain crazy!

"Photos and detail shots of more than 60 classic Bing boards along with serial numbers, dimensions and significant elements of their design and/or construction, and the Bing Surfboards fin timeline showing the development of fin design—fascinating information for collectors, surf history fans and anyone passionate about surfboards.

"Brochures, price lists, original letters and other documents from the Bing Surfboards archive, plus logo lam art from every Bing Surfboards model ever made.


This limited first edition imprint is available for $60 from: http://classicbingsurfboards.com

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Monday, June 09, 2008

Fred Hemmings Chapter Reformat

My chapter on Fred Hemmings has been reformatted for easier reading and printing from your computer.




(Fred Hemmings image courtesy of LeRoy Grannis)

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Thursday, May 29, 2008

PAUL STRAUCH Chapter Reformat

The chapter on Paul Strauch has been reformatted for easier reading and printing from your home computer. Please click the image of Paul, below, to read:





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Friday, May 23, 2008

DUKE SURFTEAM Reformatted

I've reformatted the chapter on the Duke Kahanamoku Surf Team for easier reading and printing off your home computer. Click on the image below to view:




Duke Team image courtesy of Fred Hemmings. Butch Van Artsdalen missing.


The Duke Surf Team got underway in 1965. The brainchild of Kimo McVay (Duke's manager), it consisted of some of the hottest surfers of the period -- surfers who have gone on to legendary status.

The Duke Surf Team can be considered Duke's last real involvement in surfing before his passing in 1968. Although he was active as an honorary figure at various contests and recognition ceremonies and maintained a presence at his club in Waikiki, one of Duke's last acts as a surfer was touring with his team and racking up continued fresh memories as "The Father of Modern Surfing." Certainly, all four members of the Duke Team -- Paul Strauch, Joey Cabell, Fred Hemmings and Butch Van Artsdalen -- grew to appreciate those twilight years of Duke's...

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Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Chapters in Japanese

Back in 2002, I was honored when Naohiko "Sponge" Sugihara translated two of my earliest chapters in the LEGENDARY SURFERS collection: "The First Surfers" and "Traditional Hawaiian Surf Culture." These have finally been added to the contents listing in the right-hand sidebar. You can also take a look by clicking the Herb Kane images below:






The First Surfers (Japanese Language)




Traditional Hawaiian Surf Culture (Japanese language)


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Saturday, May 10, 2008

GEORGE FREETH by Verge

In 2001, Arthur C. Verge's "George Freeth: King of the Surfers and California's Forgotten Hero" was published in the California Historical Society's magazine California History, quickly establishing his work as the major resource on the man best known as "The Father of California Surfing."





Arthur's article is reproduced here, with his permission and with a number of images from the original publication. We just ask that if you really enjoy this look into the life of George Freeth and want to donate to a good cause, that you make a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Southern California Chapter:

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Southern California Chapter
CFF, So Cal Chapter Donations
CFF Volunteering

To read , please go to:

"George Freeth: King of the Surfers and California's Forgotten Hero"

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Thursday, May 08, 2008

2008 ASP Masters in Brazil

[ Excerpt of an ASP press release: "Brazil to Host Historic Assemblage of Talent for 2008 ASP World Masters," EXPN.go.com, May 7, 2008 ]


For the first time in five years, the ASP World Masters Championships will assemble some of the most legendary names in professional surfing to Rio de Janeiro's Barra de Tijuca from June 30 through July 6, 2008 to crown the 2008 ASP World Masters and ASP World Grand Masters Champions.

The Rio Masters will feature two divisions in the ASP Masters (surfers aged over 35) and the ASP Grand Masters (surfers aged over 47). The top 14 in each division are invited directly off of ASP career ratings (points being accrued by winning ASP World Titles, Top 5 World rankings, Top 10 World rankings and time spent on the ASP World Tour)...

Confirmed athletes to this season's Rio Masters include former ASP World Champions Mark Occhilupo (AUS), Shaun Tomson (ZAF), Peter Townend (AUS), Rabbit Bartholomew (AUS), Tom Curren (USA), Damien Hardmen (AUS), Martin Potter (ZAF) and Derek Ho (HAW) as well as former ASP World Masters Champions Gary Elkerton (AUS), Michael Ho (HAW), Cheyne Horan (AUS) and Terry Richardson (AUS). Other confirmed athletes include Brad Gerlach (USA), Rob Bain (AUS), Dave Macaulay (AUS), Hans Hedemann (HAW), Buzzy Kerbox (HAW), Simon Anderson (AUS) and Ian Cairns (AUS)...

"Wonderful to have the Masters back on again," [Shaun] Tomson said. "I'll be there with bells on and definitely looking forward to seeing the guys again and having a great event in Rio."

The 2008 Rio Masters will be the first of a three-year license for Brazil, and this year's event will stand alone in terms of Masters events, crowning both the ASP World Masters Champion and ASP World Grand Masters Champion...



( Barra de Tijuca image courtesy of Oglobo.globo.com )


ASP World Masters Championships Past Champions: Aged 35 and over:

2003: Gary Elkerton (AUS)
2001: Gary Elkerton (AUS)
2000: Gary Elkerton (AUS)
1999: Cheyne Horan (AUS)
1998: Joey Buran (USA)
1997: Terry Richardson (AUS)

ASP World Grand Masters Championships Past Champions: Aged 47 and over:

2003: Rabbit Bartholomew (AUS)
2001: Mark Richards (AUS)
2000: Michael Ho (HAW)
1999: Rabbit Bartholomew (AUS)
1998: Buzzy Kerbox (HAW)

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

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Saturday, May 03, 2008

J-Bay Reformatted

I finally got around to reformatting Laurence Platt's contribution on J-Bay... recalling the early days of one of the planet's greatest surf zones: Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa...





To view, please go to: Jeffrey's Bay by Laurence Platt

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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Gerry Lopez Book

Gerry Lopez' book is out, entitled: "Surf Is Where You Find It." One reviewer (Dr. David C. Lane) wrote: "This is a much more philosophical book than one might suspect at first glance. Yes, the stories are about surfing and waves, but the underlying narrative is about HOW TO LIVE. Outstanding collection. Much wisdom."











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Friday, April 25, 2008

Kemp Aaberg Interview

"Kemp Aaberg and the Phenomenal Rise of California Surfing - An Interview with William Hale Clarke and David Dahlquist in Carpintaria, California. 12/23/2001" is now available as part of the LEGENDARY SURFERS collection. To read, click on the classic image of Kemp, below:





Image of Kemp Aaberg courtesy of Surfer Magazine

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