Paul Brown inspects one of Daryn McBride's older shapes
I know I've banged on about it before, but it is of quite remark. In 2009 when I secured the contract to be the photographer for the Hyundai Longboard Tour it was exciting. The tour already had a reputation of being laid-back and having a grass roots friendly vibe. In fact long boarders pride themselves and actively foster that. For 6 awesome seasons I was firmly on the Hyundai gravy train, Hyundai got their marketing value out of the tour for sure, but they also pumped a lot into surfing. The Hyundai end of Tour parties hosted by Howie Spencer have become talk of legend... they were. Gossip has it that Howie would through down 50K for the party- I don't doubt it. I made so many friendships over those years that to this day stoke me out.
Griffo, Willow and Daryn pre and post heat briefing
Tony Baker's Logger Heads event, held last Saturday at Waipu Cove, taps into and radiates all those good vibes and then some. It really is a congregation of the tribe. The heats get in the way of catch ups.
John Sutcliffe, the artist charged with making this year's trophies
Wini Paul finally showed up for her first Logger Heads comp....and won it
Wini styling thru the shorey
Second generation Logger Jay Ryan, Jay literally grew up on the Hyundai Tour with her parents Caroline and Kelly competing
Auckland Surfer/shaper Ollie Le Noel was on fire
Me ol mate Daryn McBride returned to the Loggers this year, this time he brought his daughter Willow on their first surf roadie
Dozzle, styling as ever
vibes
Get the picture... Wini and Brownie
Sam Guthrie back in a surf comp singlet instead of a triathlon one
Simon Egglinton charging down the line
TV star butcher Mr. Trent Lillis taking a backwards step forward
vibes
Orewa perennial Mark Hoyle
Ohope ripper Dylan Barnfield taking out the Noseriding division
Jordan Griffin on his way to his maiden victory in the Open
Griffo and Tony at the presso. Griff has had 2 seconds prior to this year, it seriously was a case of having to get that monkey off his back, he wanted the win bad.
Every year the Logger Heads grows and Tony refines the formula...long may it continue.
The Piha Pro Gets Postponed!!!
And at the opposite end of the scale, the carnage WAS about, well really has started, here on the westside. Troll through social media and sure enough you'll find more than your far share of haters for the invasion that WAS about to descend on poor Piha. From the language just used it would be easy to assume I'm one of those haters. I'm not. I was cautiously somewhat warily, optimistic about it all. Piha has long been a venue for sporting events including a long list on international surfing events so all the naysayers... lighten the f%ck up.
BUT then on Friday morning the WSL pulled pin, citing that they weren’t prepared to put their athletes, officials and ground crew at risk of the Covid 19 virus. At this stage all WSL March events are on hold. It’s so heavy. All the work gone in already, the prep. On Friday evening the organisers opened up the event site to the locals and turned on the beer taps as a thank you for the support. The surf forecast was very favourable, but now we can only wonder what might have been.
The mini city of scaff going in this week at South. Photo Roachie
the completed site- Friday. Photo Ren
Don't forget the Aotearoa Surf Film Festival is touring right now, check out the dates HERE
From The Book Store
It just keeps on selling! Thank you to all of you guys that have already bought a copy of Warren's latest book, The Collection Vol II, it is seriously such a stoke to have been a part of something so successful. We still have copies available. Don't know what the hell I'm typing about... well check it out HERE