SURFERMAG.COM NEWS

(CON"T)

GEN "D" PUT TO THE TEST: The Eastern Surfing Association's website is now proudly featuring streaming video and in-depth results information from their recently held OP East Coast Scholastic Surfing Championships (OP Scholastics) and their currently on-going Southeast Regionals, both taking place in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Check 'em out, can't beat vids.

WET STREAMING: By the way, if you're a dial-up victim, do yourself a favor, switch over to broadband. If you can write off your Wall Street Journal, you can write off your broadband--banking, research for work, work related email, etc., etc. It's all a write-off. Consult your accountant or H&R Block.

BONG APPOINTMENT: Billabong sent us along news that they have hired Amy Botts as Junior's marketing manager. BOTTS will join the Junior's marketing team at Billabong's USA headquarters in Irvine, CA. Botts has solid knowledge of the surf, skate and snow worlds, and has an extensive athlete management and marketing background.

GOODDESS CAUSE: Boarding for Breast Cancer and Surfrider Foundations have planned a screening of the beautiful and inspirational documentary on Hawaiian surfer/water woman and activist Rell Sunn at the KCET facilities in Los Angeles. Immediately following the screening there will be a cocktail reception and Q & A with the films producer as well as discussions on breast cancer and our ocean environment. Call Justine Chiara, Executive Director Boarding For Breast Cancer Foundation for more info: (323) 571-2197

ANGRY EMAILS: Whoa dogs, stop! The angry toned emails are flying through cyber space regarding PWCs, Surfriders San Mateo chapter, the Monterey Bay Sanctuary and Mavericks. The proverbial shit must be hitting the fan. Everybody is weighing in including but not limited to Chris Evans, Bill Sharp, Frank Quirarte, Peter Cole, Sean Collins, the list goes on.

Below are small samples pulled from five different combatant emails (all snippets anonymous):

I have copied below Surfrider website the official Surfrider Environmental Policy on PWCs adopted by the Surfrider National Board of Directors in 1998. I was a member of the Board at that time and the real issue was the pollution caused by 2-stroke engines not prohibition of use or tow-ins.

It's ironic that you've accused me of inaccuracies here. First of all you didn't even lift the quote from my email correctly, I never wrote ...legislated out of existence....More importantly, you'll note I have the correct line "legislated into extinction", in quotes.

It was my understanding (maybe mistakenly so) that the purpose of this workgroup was to develop a recommendation (for the SAC) that was a somewhere between the extreme positions of no PWC's anywhere vs PWC's allowed in large areas or everywhere.

Major error in your report, though. Ask (anonymous) and he will tell you that NOAA, and the following environmental members of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) PWC Working Group Committee, that is two Surfrider Chapters, Surfer's Environmental Alliance, and Blue Water Network, all supported an exception for tow surfing at Mavericks.

It was the Chapter's position that the tow-in surfers were recreational users and that they should have reasonable access to the large waves on the outer reefs. We recommended that if an outer reef break (e.g., Phantoms, Outside Back yards, Log Cabins, Alligators, Himalayas, Avalanche and Hammer Heads), that is a quarter mile or more off shore, was empty of paddle-in surfers, swimmers, divers and had large surf, that tow-in surfing should be allowed.

Here's the bottom line: Each side needs to put aside the petty egos and make some tough, but positive, concessions. Towing-in at 25-foot Mavericks should be allowed. Make it happen, and let's all move on with our lives.

Stand by for a more in-depth report later.

GALLAZ JUMPS AT GIRLS: This came to us from Gallaz: "Gallaz jumped onboard to sponsor Op Girls Learn To Ride (Op GLTR), an innovative series of girls-only action sports clinics." If you're a girl who would like to check out the action sports world in a fun and non-intimidating environment, check out these fabulous clinics. Would Martha Burke be bummed if I wanted to join?