12 March 2012 - North California, United States

Mavericks Left - The New Frontier in Paddle-in Surfing in California

Big wave surfer Jeff Rowley ‘paddles-in’ to "Mavericks" Left Hander in California and becomes the first Australian to conquer this challenge. 

Mavericks is California's premier big wave surfing location and is traditionally considered a Right Hander, with it's heavier and more unpredictable Left Hander virtually unwanted by the surfers. 

Rowley has based himself in the USA for the North Pacific winter surf season and relocated from Hawaii to Northern California with bigger swells forecast for the remainder of the season. 

In freezing conditions, Rowley and a small crew of Mavericks regulars enjoyed a morning of light winds and uncrowded waves before the onshore wind came up. 

Rowley was pushing the boundaries of what was possible at the Mavericks left hander, a task that wasn't without it's challenges. 

"The Left Hander at Mavericks is really heavy - the take off is a vertical free fall into an nasty slab barrel", Rowley explains.

“I wiped out on a monster wave and tumbled down, it drained all of my energy and I didn't know which way was up", Rowley stated. 

“The water is so cold and the waves are so powerful, one mistake and the wave eats you for breakfast, and next thing you know, you're washing in towards the rocks". 

In surfing Mavericks Left Hander, Rowley became the first Australian surfer to paddle into the deadly waves. 

During the session Rowley rode his 10’2” (3m) Al Merrick quad fin surfboard dubbed the "Magic Carpet". 

Rowley, a regular stance surfer is required to ride Mavericks Left Hander with his back towards the wave. 

"The wave is crazy I've never had my 10'2" surfboard free falling on the take off on my backhand like I did today". 

"It was just me, a handful of great local surfers and a couple of seals, classic day”, Rowley stated.

Rowley remains in California to see out the end of the North Pacific winter surf season. 

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2012 - Photos By Brian Finke

Sexual Snowboarding - The Movie!

MTB "How To" Video - Courtesy of Mercedes Benz

New MTB "how to" video released, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport:

Red Bull Racing Hits the High Road

To watch a video trailer click here

The Global Kiter Foundation Launches a New Website

Global Kiter Foundation launches bigger and better website!

BEST Kiteboarding has teamed up with www.globalkiter.com to celebrate its relaunch.

The Global Kiter Foundation is delighted to unveil its brand new, re-designed website. There are lots of changes to the site, which better reflect the work we are doing, and how the Foundation has evolved. These changes include:

• Projects: learn about our ongoing projects and find out how GKF is supporting people with physical disabilities through kiting, developing environmental awareness programs and creating new opportunities through kiteboarding. You can easily be involved as a volunteer or participant in any of our events.
• Donate: Great new options make it even easier that ever to help a great cause. Learn more about in-kind donations, monthly giving and workplace giving.
• The Wire: is a beautiful streamlined communications section to keep up with all our news, find updates on the blog and check to see what world media is saying about GKF.

• About Us: Find out about our fantastic GKF team and Ambassadors, our mission and our supporting Centers in our new-look About Us section.
• Boutique: Shop and Give! Anything you buy through the GKF Boutique goes directly to support the work of the Foundation. Check out the amazing tshirts and wristbands to start off with!

Alongside the relaunch, we are very excited to announce a special raffle!

BEST Kiteboarding has joined forces with GKF to give you a chance to win a brand new 9.5m Kahoona kite. BEST is supporting GKF’s fundraising efforts through this generous in-kind donation. How does it work? Simply buy a ticket through www.globalkiter.com/one-kite-one-euro: One Euro for One Kite! Buy as many tickets as you like- this could be your BEST Christmas EVER!! Visit the site for more details.

Our next website update will be translations into the following languages: French, Spanish, Italian and Greek. More will follow after that!

Global Kiter Foundation is a non-profit organization, created in February 2011 and started operations in May 2011.

GKF’s Wind that Works program helps us meet our objectives to:

·        Enable people to achieve incredible results through sport, regardless of health conditions

·        Educate communities about the importance of natural resources like wind and nature

·        Sustain our efforts by encouraging communities to engage with and preserve our environment

Visit www.globalkiter.com for more info or contact info@globalkiter.com. The global winds of change have finally arrived! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

MIGUEL PUPO WINS THE O’NEILL COLD WATER CLASSIC SANTA CRUZ AND THE O’NEILL CWC SERIES WALKING AWAY WITH A TOTAL OF $90,000.

O’Neill Cold Water Classic, Santa Cruz, California
October 26-31, 2011
ASP PRIME EVENT

Santa Cruz, California – October 30, 2011 – Miguel Pupo has won the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Santa Cruz as well as the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series 2011, walking away with a total of $90,000 prize money at this ASP Prime Event. 

“I didn’t even realise that I was in to win $50,000 for the CWC Series win until I got into the semi final,” said Miguel Pupo. “I can’t believe that just happened right now. I am feeling so great,” he said.

With Steamer Lane not breaking properly, the final day of competition took place under bright sunshine at the beach break of Waddell Creek. “I’ve been surfing a beach break my whole life so I know how to surf these waves,” said Miguel. “It was perfect for me it moved to here. The story could be different if they moved to the Lane. I am lucky to come down here.”

Going into the competition Miguel was a long shot for the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series title. The 19-year-old Brazilian had been sitting in 17th place on the CWC rankings list following a 5th place in New Zealand, “I didn’t go to Scotland because it was way too cold for me,” said Miguel.

To win the CWC Series, Miguel needed to win the event – and that he did in his $90,000 final against Tiago Pires as he pulled out a 9.3 and a 9.6.

“It feels kind of weird to have a Brazilian guy win the Cold Water Classic Series,” said Miguel. “Brazilians are just used to surfing in boardshorts. I am surfing in my 4:3 with booties on which is definitely not natural for me!”

“I have loved the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series,” said Miguel. “I was in New Zealand before this, he said. “But I didn’t go to Scotland. IT was too cold. Here I am in a thick wetsuit so I am ok. But it is incredible to be here in California surfing this event.”

En-route to the final Miguel knocked out some big names including local star Nat Young in the quarterfinals as well as fellow countryman Willian Cardoso in the semi finals, who would have taken the Series win had Miguel not gone on to win the final. 

In the other semi-final Tiago Pires took out South African, Jordy Smith. “I am happy to come here to an event I wasn’t expecting to surf and finish third,” said Jordy.

With a small swell, the 7am call in the morning at Steamer Lane saw event organisers forced to move the competition up north to Waddell Creek once again to complete this iconic event for 2011.