Northeast Blahs

•Up in New Hammy, Jon Gozzo just launched Secret Spot Distribution in Hampton to help facilitate his numerous rep and sales duties. Topping the list, Gozzo is VP of Sales and Marketing for Erie Surfboards, as well as their Northeast rep. He also reps for Cult Industries and Hoven Eyewear. To show he really means business, Jon just signed up hot local groms Max "Macky V" Fatello and Garrett "Crazy Eye" Krapf to the Erie, Cult, and Hoven teams. These two young guns have been lighting up the ESA-Northern New England District and are sure to thrive with the new backing. To contact Secret Spot, go to myspace.com/secretspotdistribution or call 617-388-6603.  

•This January, Lee Meirowitz and his dad Bruce headed down to Costa Rica with Andrew Dacri to thaw out from the winter cold back home in Long Island, NY. Fellow Long Islander Xena Ugrinsky put them up in her Playa Hermosa casa, and the boys simply had to keep the place clean in exchange for the accommodations. Out in the ocean, the three rode a variety of shapes, including Surf Techs, fishes, longboards, and even half of a longboard Lee snapped during a wipeout. Lee and Andrew were also spotted getting their groove on with the local ladies inside the infamous Beatle Bar until the wee hours. By the end of the trip, the crew wasn't sure which was hotter: the country's black sand beaches or the black chicas on the dance floor.  

•Congratulations are in order for Maine's Mark Anastas, owner of Liquid Dreams, who just welcomed his second child into the world. This December, Mark's wife Rachel gave birth to son Evan William Anastas, who weighed in at 7 lbs. 13 oz. Now Mark finally has future managers for both of his shops, ensuring the Anastas/ Liquid Dreams legacy will rule Maine waters for years to come.  

•Additional props go out to New Hampshire lensman and ESM Senior Photog Brian Nevins, who scored the top-rated, non-staff photographer position on the Transworld Business Surf Exposure Meter in their January issue. Nevs placed 14th among a hefty crew of big-name shooters without ever getting a dime in retainer fees from magazines. Just imagine what this guy could do if he were on staff. Way to go, Brian!  

•Following the success of the Billabong Pro held last fall, the Surfriders Association of Nova Scotia (SANS), will host another big event this spring, the 2nd annual NorEastern Surf Classic on March 24th. Once again, Billabong will be a major sponsor of the comp, which will go down at White Point. Competition is open to 50 surfers, with a $20 entry fee. Contestants can register at local shops, including DaCane Sports, Frozen Ocean, Kannon Beach, Rossignol Surf Shop, and South Shore Surf Shop. Visit www.surfns.com for more info.  

•Pollution and waste dumping isn't limited to just oceans. Magilla Schaus, the ESA-Great Lakes District Co-Director from Buffalo, NY, wrote in to tell Eastern Surf that locals have been finding an abundance of used hypodermic needles floating around Lake Ontario lineups and washing ashore. Most recently, Saint Catherine's surfer Kevin Bering was out at The Bridge in Hamilton when he was nearly struck by a plastic bag filled with syringes. In addition to participating in ESA-sponsored beach cleanups, Schaus urges local surfers to keep their local beaches safe by disposing of such waste whenever they spot it.  

•In other trash pickup matters, Surfrider NYC just announced the dates for their fifth annual Spring Beach Cleanup for Long Beach and Rockaway. The public is welcome to come out and pitch in. The Long Beach cleanup is set for Saturday, May 6th from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at Lincoln Boulevard, while the Rockaway one will be the following weekend, May 13th, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at Beach 90th Street. Don't forget your board in case there's surf!  

•The early weeks of winter saw unseasonably warm weather across much of the East Coast, and the balmy temps coincided with more than a few great days of surf. On one such afternoon, former New Yorker Travis Beckmann was visiting his old home of Montauk and found himself without a surfboard during a firing swell. The toasty air and water and great waves were just too much for Travis to bear, so he went searching for a loaner and came across quite a gem in the process. Asking around, a friend led him into his garage, where stashed among the tools and assorted junk they discovered a vintage '82 Ben Aipa shortboard. With only a few minor dings, the stick was in practically mint condition and provided Travis with a stylish ride for the swell. After his display of just what the classic shape is capable of, we're fairly certain the board will no longer be confined to the rafters.  

•Another fine display of foam and fiberglass in New York went down on February 1st at Long Beach High School. Bob Pitagno from Exotic Surfboards dropped by the campus to give students an onsite shaping demonstration. Pitagno crafted a sleek, 5'10" fish during the demo, which was hosted by the Long Beach High School Surf Club. Both students and parents came out to watch the foam fly, and word has it, the following week school guidance counselors were flooded with requests from students looking to change their career path to surfboard shaper.  

•The Rhode Island crew has been dealing with the ugly byproduct of yet another fouled-up Army Corps of Engineers project. To stave off erosion, the Corps is dredging sand from the channels and anchorage areas of Point Judith Pond and dropping it about a quarter-mile offshore near Matunuck Point. Unfortunately, after decades of commercial shipping and fishing, Point Judith Pond has become littered with tons of trash that's now washing up on the local beaches after being caught up in the dredging. But since it's winter, surfers are the only ones taking serious notice. Local chapters of Surfrider, ESA, and Save The Bay have met with the Corps to find a solution to the problem, but progress has been slow. To voice your opinion, contact one or more of the following people: Mike Walsh, Point Judith Project Manager for the Corps at 978-318-8586; Coastal Resources Management Council Dredging Coordinator Dan Goulet at 978-783-3767 or DGoulet@crmc.ri.gov; Senator Jack Reed at 978-528-5200 or jack@reed.senate.gov; and Rep. David Caprio at 978-783-7575 or rep-caprio@rllin.state.ri.us.  

•The New Hampshire surfing community is mourning the loss of one of its young members, Dan Miller, who died tragically when his commercial fishing boat, Lady Luck, sank this winter off the coast of Maine. The seas were relatively calm when the vessel went down, leaving his family and Coast Guard officials puzzled as to the cause of the accident. Miller, who was from North Hampton and had just turned 21 the day before the incident, was a popular local surfer, soccer, and hockey player, and he'll be sorely missed by many. Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Shop is setting up a memorial fund for Miller's son, Bateman. For more info, log on to www.cinnamonrainbows.com.  

•New Hampshire ripper Casey Lockwood dropped by the ESM booth during this January's Orlando Surf Expo to express his stoke about scoring a double-page spread last ish (Vol.16, #118) in our "Big 'Uns" Photo Feature. He also promised that we'll be seeing a lot more filthy sequences of Casey and his pals in the near future.  

•Longtime Massachusetts surfers should take notice -- this January, the book Old Timers Surfing Classic: Photo Highlights Of The 2006 Old Timers Longboard Surfing Classic was released, boasting 80 full-color pages of photographs and highlights from this historic competition on Cape Cod. For over 25 years, the Old Timers contest has been an annual event held in Wellfleet every August. Originally started for older surfers, it has evolved into a huge gathering for waveriders of all ages, and everyone who participates uses vintage surfboards from the pre-'70s without wetsuits or leashes. This new book, penned by local Jerry Johnson, covers the history of the event and contains spectacular images of the festivities surrounding it. You can pick a copy up for yourself by going to www.blurb.com/bookstore.  

•And while we're talking about "old timers," check out this shot Timmy Fater sent us of 1976 IPS World Champ Peter Townend, Indo Board creator Hunter Joslin, and Rhode Island surf/ skate legend Sid "The Package" Abruzzi hanging out at The Goods store in Indialantic, FL, in between Big World shows (Sid's band). Visit www.bigworldband.com to get a taste. ­Compiled by Chris Towery

Mid-Atlantic Blahs

•Jack Murphy at SRH Clothing sent word that his gear is now stocked in Eastern Lines Surf Shop in Belmar, NJ. SRH also recently added young Oceanport, NJ, shredster Tyler Adams to their squad and will be putting out a new surf vid this summer. Meanwhile, in the next few weeks, SRH will be supporting the release of Radical Habits 2, starring Joe Crimo, Jeremy Sommerville, Greg Dimingo, Josh Lewan, and Jack Murphy himself. Go to www.srh.com for more.  

•Looking to develop some land down in Costa Rica before it's all gone? Well, North Carolina native Nat Meankin has been building dream homes in the Central American paradise since 1987. Using an experienced crew of local workers, Nat constructs authentic stilt beach houses just like the ones scattered across the dunes of the Outer Banks. And he doesn't just focus on the exterior. He also specializes in custom interior features like cabinets, doors, windows, and finish woodwork. But don't take our word for -- go down and check out his latest project, an amazing three-story beach villa in Playa Hermosa, for yourself. To get in touch with Nat, just ask around Hermosa. The locals are sure to let you know where to find him.  

•Another Tarheel surfer making waves on the business front is Kitty Hawk's Matt Beacham, who was recently tapped to host Fuel TV's latest show, New Pollution, a half-hour program dedicated to spotlighting the hottest crop of fresh blood in action sports. Each featured athlete will be 16 or younger and possess the potential to become the next "big-name" pro in his sport. With master thespian Beacham at the helm, the program plans to delve into the grom's daily lives to find out just what makes each one of them tick. New Pollution airs every Sunday at 11:00 pm EST and reruns seven times during the week.  

•All Delaware surfers should take heed: Herring Point (aka Naval Jetties) is in imminent danger of being destroyed. Due to severe beach erosion along the surrounding shores, the local government is planning to remodel the jetties in the next year. To ensure the jetties are reconstructed without harming the break, Surfrider Delaware is leading a campaign to save the spot, with support from the Ocean City and DC Capitol Chapters, the Annapolis Surf Club, the ESA-Maryland District, and the Christian Surfers Association. Public hearings with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, which governs the project, have already been held, and Surfrider is proposing a solution called jetty tieback which would fix the problem, while doing the least harm to the wave. However, the initiative still needs more support, so all surfers are urged to visit www.surfrider.org/oceancitymd and sign a petition backing the tieback option.  

•Freestyle signed Stone Harbor, NJ's, Michael Ciaramella to the 2007 team this January. No doubt Mike's recent deal is in part due to his dominance of the East Coast amateur contest circuit, as the 13-year-old currently holds the number-one slot in the NSSA Northeast Conference's Open Juniors, Explorer Boys, and Explorer Longboard divisions. For more about Mike, see his profile at www.freestyleusa.com.  

•Another standout NSSA competitor from Jersey is 16-year-old Pete Machotka, who met former Hawaiian Triple Crown of Surfing winner Kaipo Jaquias and his son Kaimana at the NSSA Nationals last year. Kaipo invited Pete on a guided tour of his home island of Kauai, and this December, Pete took him up on the offer, bringing along fellow Jersey rippers Jeff Keating and Matt Capone. Kaipo and Kaimana opened the doors for the haoles to surf several "locals only" breaks and showed the East Coasters some serious Hawaiian hospitality, letting the crew stay with them. Needless to say, they scored insane surf and formed several lifelong friendships in the process. Pete, his father Bill, and the other Jersey boys wanted to extend their sincere thanks to the Jaquias clan for their gracious aloha spirit.  

•Also spending a heavy chunk of this winter in Hawaii were Virginia Beach, VA, Billabong riders Philip Goold and Raven Lundy, who traded their fullsuits and booties for boardshorts and sunblock during their stay on the North Shore.  

•In other Billabong haps, the brand just picked up New Jersey ripper Pat Schmidt.  

•From the recently relocated files, Dan Anderson and Frank DeSilva told Eastern Surf that longtime Toms River, NJ, surfer John "Lucent John" Keelan and his wife Pat have left their Jersey homestead and migrated south. This winter, the couple packed their surfboards and two dogs into their vintage VW pop-up and moved to Folly Beach, SC. John was well-known for his annual Summer Surf Luau, as well as his constant aloha spirit, and he'll definitely be missed in the Ortley Beach lineup. But since he's such a good bloke, John is sure to have no problem finding plenty of new buds at Folly spots like The Washout.  

•Other Mid-Atlantic locals on the move include industry magnate and former Board Retailers Association President Roy Turner, who left his native North Carolina for Atlanta, GA, at the beginning of March. The relocation followed Roy's resignation from BRA to take a position with DMG World Media as head of buyer relations for Surf Expo. Roy has been an integral part of the surf industry for more than 30 years, first as owner of Surf City Surf Shop in Wrightsville Beach, NC, and then as founder and president of BRA, which has been invaluable in helping surf retailers and manufacturers work together cohesively and develop better business practices. Even though Roy will no longer work with BRA, rest assured his positive influence and hard work will no doubt be equally beneficial for the industry at his new job with Surf Expo. Following Roy's departure, former BRA Vice President Michael Duncan assumed the role as president.  

•Maryland's Darryl Hatheway, who helps run Surfrider Washington DC, scored epic waves in the Atlantic this winter, yet he was thousands of miles away from the Right Coast, or even the U.S. for that matter. Instead, Hatheway headed across the pond to Morocco. Despite ongoing travel warnings of anti-American sentiment among the country's largely Muslim population, he had nothing but good things to say about the exotic land and its people. In fact, Hatheway said he caught some of the best waves of his life around Agadir and Taghazout, with the right point of Cape Imessouane being his all-time fav for its "leg-numbing" righthanders.  

•In other travel news, Virginia Beach locals Brad Griggs and Eric Norton spent January in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica, surfing daily and enjoying Jaco's raging nightlife. Though that time of year can be dicey for good swell, the two scored great waves during their stay and plan to return soon.  

•Wrightsville Beach, NC, surfer and cofounder of Green Room Boardsports Keith "Scooter" Raynor needs your help. After being diagnosed with secondary pulmonary hypertension earlier this year, Raynor in now confined to a wheelchair and unable to work to support his wife and five children. Even worse, the family has no medical insurance. To help them during this crisis, Christian Surfers WB and The Core held a benefit this January at Thalian Hall. Crowds of friends and supporters showed up and were treated to live music by The 7 Method, Grade A, and Chris Denning, while also scoring heaps of donated surf schwag in several raffles. If you missed the show, you can still help the Raynors with a donation by contacting Kurt Christian at 602-741-5559 or sallykurt@bellsouth.net.  

•Though Raynor is down and out at the moment, he can draw inspiration from Jersey's Dean Randazzo, who is not only still surfing, but also still dominating the contest scene, despite suffering from Hodgkin's Disease and undergoing intense chemotherapy. Deano's most recent victory came this January in Cali at the second stop on the Monster Energy/ Sun Diego Pro Surf Tour presented by Ezekiel. In clean, four-foot surf at Ponto Beach, he waxed a slew of pros from across the country to win the event and $2500.  

•In a final bit of Garden State gossip, Ocean City pro Matt Keenan just launched his own surf training academy, called Kamp Keenzo. His business venture promises to help surfers up their game, providing tips for ripping harder, winning heats, scoring photos, and dealing with the surf industry shakedown. Kamp Keenzo is booking slots now, so contact Keenan at 609-271-8146 or mattkeenansurf@aol.com to to secure one for yourself.  

•Virginia pros Cam Powell and Ian Parnell reported that they will soon launch their new company, Space Dungeon. Stay tuned to Eastern Surf for developments.  

•In other Virginia Beach haps, flyboy extrordinaire Jeff Myers is now riding for Quiksilver. He also just inked a three-year deal with Poorboy Accessories and will have his own signature pad (rumored to be called "The Anchor") due out for Summer '07.  

•Brandon Woodward of Loaded Entertainment is putting the finishing touches on his hugely anticipated surf film, The Other Guys. The film stars Mid-Atlantic rippers like Andrew Meyer, Drew Meredith, Brendan Petticrew, Nigel Haynes, and a slew of other names not commonly seen in surf videos. Stay tuned next issue for more. ­Compiled by Chris Towery

Southeast Blahs

•Dynamic Glass System's Jamie Tuttle from Garden City, SC, fled to Costa Rica this winter to stay with Perfection Surfboards shaper Regis Jupinko in Hermosa, where the two boardsmiths spent time talking shop and testing out their latest designs in the Pacific peaks. Casa de Regis was also the temporary homestead for Florida's Greg Pino, who remained for three weeks while waiting for the electricity in his new place to be turned on. In addition to his utility troubles, Pino was on the mend for an infection he got following surgery to repair a broken leg he suffered in a two-story fall. Greg's happy to report he's now back in the water where he belongs. Contact Greg at www.riptidelodge.com for his Costa Rican beach rentals.  

•Also hitting Costa this winter were Tampa, FL's, Jack Flenniken and Mike Bross. The two Gulf Coasters surfed themselves silly at Playa Esterillos, where they lucked into a couple back-to-back swells running a couple feet overhead. Outside the lineup, Mike and ESM Publisher Tom Dugan, who was down there on a sabbatical himself, chartered a fishing boat out of Herradura and managed to reel in four big mahi during their half-day voyage. Unfortunately, Jack couldn't enjoy the fish with the two anglers, since he'd come down with an end-of-vacation case of Montezuma's Revenge. Thankfully for Jack and everyone sharing his bathroom, the illness was flushed out within two days.  

•Some of Volcom's Brevard County squad spent their winter vacation on Maui. Justin Jones, Kyle Garson, and Jake Kirschenbaum toured the island's better breaks with locals Tom Dosland, Tai Vandyke, Kaleo Roberson, and Dusty Payne. Stone lensman Tom Carey captured the boys surfing on film, and they also got to watch a few whales breaching off the coast, which gave the crew new insight on how to bust really massive airs. Go to www.volcom.com to see Carey's digital stills of their excursion.  

•Mark Longenecker at Endless Summer Tattoo in Cocoa Beach, FL, checked in to say he dedicated all of December to painting surfboards for his January 19th Surfboard Art Exhibition at Juice-N-Java Cafe. Check out www.endlesssummertattoo.com to see how it went down and also to dig Mark's vast array of artwork on human flesh.  

•Vestal Watches held a music and art festival in Jacksonville Beach, FL, called Vestal On The Rocks in early March. The brand lined up more than 70 exhibitors for the show, which was held at both the Ocean Club and The Atlantic on North Front Street. With nine full bars and live music from bands like Kings Of Hell, Shadow Agency, and Sensei rocking all day and night inside eight different rooms, hundreds of people showed up to check out the diverse collection of art and get their drink on. If you missed On The Rocks, don't fret, because Vestal Marketing Coordinator Jonny Legut said they currently have a full East Coast tour in the works. Go to www.vestalwatch.com for more info.  

•The latest boarding retailer to hit Titusville, FL, is Jacob Nescio's Stickee Surf Shop on South Washington Avenue. Nescio opened his doors in November and has already reserved nearby Playalinda Beach for the shop's first-ever surf competition, to be held March 31st. Stop by the shop to sign up or call Stickee at 321-269-2203.  

•Florida photographer Chris Hampson's website is up and running at www.champson.com. Give it a look.  

•Gulf Coast native son and 2006 ESM "Who Da Guy of the Year" Warren Smith is continuing on his wild and weird path of success, most recently jetting off to India on an Insight trip to sample the country's exotic waves and culture. Surfing Magazine even tapped Smith to write a nine-page feature story on the adventure for their March 2007 issue, and as with his Who Da Guy profile, his bizarre, yet strangely engaging style of writing shines through like a laser beam. In the witty piece, Smith talks about his encounters with poo, his penchant for male modeling, and his love of boosting big air, all in a gonzo style that will have you both laughing and wondering what he's smoking at the same time. You can see a batch of images from his India expedition online at www.surfingmagazine.com.  

•In more Insight haps, South Florida pro and former ESM coverboy (September 2002, Vol.11, #83) Jason Apparicio left longtime clothing sponsor Reef to sign a four-year deal with Insight. Jason will be the company's number one guy for Europe (Appas is originally a native of Trinidad). He celebrated with immediate trips to France, Cape Verde, and Australia.  

•Split recently added two East Coasters to their roster -- San Juan, PR's, Leslie Bursian and New Smyrna Beach, FL's, Jeremy Johnston. Bursian thrashed hard in the Corona Extra Pro Circuit last year, while JJ is hot off a big win at the 2006 Quiksilver King of the Peak. Both are set for inclusion in Surfer Magazine's next "Hot 100" Scouting Report.  

•By the way, Jeremy Johnston also recently picked up sponsorship with Electric Eyewear.  

•In other sponsor switcheroos, Freak Traction just brought aboard Brevard County aerial maestro Alek Parker, spicy young pro Adam Wickwire just signed with Dragon Eyewear, and WCT rookie Gabe Kling signed with SB Surfboards, which he later quoted, "The SB boards I used to qualify on were the best boards I've ever ridden." Gabe's own model will be available later this spring.  

•South Carolina upstarts Cam and Cole Richards just got back home from a surf trip to Puerto Rico.  

•In early February, Stuart, FL's, Ohana Surf Shop put on their So You Want To Be Sponsored contest at Walton Rocks, and shopowners Jordan and Tara reported the event was a huge success. They scored fun, waist to chest-high surf, and nearly 100 people turned up to compete and spectate. Top finishing contestants included Zane Dillon in Juniors; Christine Benadetto and Paige Gallagher in Women's, along with Eric Donaldson, Chance Whalen, and Dan Bonner in Men's. All were awarded fat sponsorship deals, including board hookups with Cronin, Neilson, Stoke, and S.A.R.S; traction and leash signage from Poorboy, and of course, shop contracts with Ohana. The store also wanted to prop their other teamriders ­ Sean and Savannah Dowd, JC Dillon, Brent Meinhold, Maggie Gibeau, Sara Wickstrom, Skye Richard, Alex Delmas, Mike Karol, Wesley Morgan, Owen Murphy, Danny Hoopes, Glenn Quesada, Mikey Krute, and Kameron Bertine. Finally, Ohana sends special thanks to Lance-O, Bob Wolfe, Chris and Lauren Schultz, Morris Chen, Dragon Optics, Poorboy, and SRH Clothing.  

•Now hear this: St. Augustine, FL, homeboy and ESM Assignment Writer Zander Morton is now the East Coast Marketing and Team Manager for Spy Optics.  

•From our artistic files, photographer/ graphic artist Galen Burow from Port Orange, FL, sent word that he recently updated his website, www.galenburow.com, which includes a tasty collection of his latest work. Stocked with not only amazing color and black-and-white images, but also sick-looking digital art and design projects, Galen's site shows he's got talent to spare. The kid even has ESM Photo Editor Jimmy Wilson's seal of approval, so if you're looking to have some professional lenswork or artwork done, or just interested in cool imagery, give his website a look.  

•Which Florida firefighter has the biggest hose? We're not really sure, but if you want to find out which one surfs the best, you should head to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon in Orlando on May 9th-10th for the Florida Firefighter Games Surfing Event, which includes shortboard, longboard, and bodyboard divisions. Visit www.floridafirefightergames.com to learn more.  

•Coming off the heels of the O'Neill Sebastian Inlet Pro, the ESA-Central Florida District, where legendary surfers such as the Hobgoods and Kelly Slater gained their early competitive chops, held their sixth contest behind Natural Art this January. With waves holding at a consistent four-foot under sunny skies, the ams tore into the surf, emulating the world-class style they'd watched the week before at the O'Neill SI Pro. And even better, while the northern states were getting slammed with ice storms and blizzards, the Cocoa Beach lineups were downright balmy, allowing most of the competitors to surf without wetsuits.  

•Speaking of the ESA, FEW-New Zealand has signed on as an official corporate sponsor of the organization, even headlining the upcoming East Coast Scholastic Champs this spring. Visit www.surfesa.org for more.  

•While surfing in some of the ESA-Puerto Rico District events, 17-year-old Brevard longboarder Jimmy Walker lucked into a really fun sesh with the Drive-Thru crew as they were filming for their upcoming Drive-Thru Caribbean installment. Maybe he'll even score a wave after the final edit. Jimmy also just added Anarchy to his sponsor list.  

•Island Water Sports-Deerfield Beach teamers Skeeter Zimmerman, Roman Strohmenger, and Matt Oberman spent most of February in Hawaii while fellow teamer Wesley DeSouza joined Cali pro Che Stang in Australia. ­Compiled by Chris Towery

More From Everywhere Blahs

•Headlining this month's Blahs, the Reef Board Build-Off raised more than $10,000 this January in a silent auction at the Orlando Surf Expo, and the winning shaper was none other than ultra versatile Brevard County craftsman Ricky Carroll. Reef presented RC with a $2000 check for his 9'2" chambered balsa wood shape that took over 80 hours to construct, which Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) cofounder David Reese bought for $2800. All proceeds from the auction went to the Board Retailers Association (BRA) to be used to implement a nationally accredited retailer education program.  

•After enjoying a lengthy spot on the new Fuel TV show, New Pollution (hosted by Outer Banks pro Matt Beacham), New Smyrna Beach, FL, wondergrom Evan Geiselman received another healthy boost to his career, getting the nod from Hurley.  

•Speaking of groms (or more accurately, "grommettes"), after posting stellar results in local competitions, 14-year-old Cocoa Beach Pier local Savannah Bradley picked up a few new sponsors, including Viking Surfboards, Hot Buttered, Fortress, and Glas.  

•Speaking of Glas, they also signed Savannah's surfing coach -- 2006 ESeMMY "Reunited Award" winner Josh Wilson. Look for Josh in upcoming Glas films and at www.theglas.com.  

•According to Austin's Surf Shop owner Jim Austin, Clay Bennett has shut down his factory and closed down his retail outlet in Atlantic Beach, FL, but Clay's boards are still available at Austin's, including a stock of freshly crafted longboards. For queries about Bennett's shapes, call the Jax Beach store at 904-249-9848.  

•In other boardbuilding news, by now you must've seen or heard about Aviso Surfboards -- those hollow, carbon fiber surfcraft ...Lost riders like Shea Lopez and Ryan Carlson have been test-running lately. Well, Aviso recently added Pearson Arrow Surfboards to their portfolio of designers. Visit www.avisosurf.com for further info.  

•More design deets finds Future Fins introducing the FMB1, a template designed for speed by famed Mayhem shaper Matt Biolas. Go to www.futuresfins.com for the whole story.  

•Reef recently embarked on a special partnership with Project BLUE, spearheading a sustainable fundraising effort to help protect our planet's oceans and beaches. Reef will design a special edition Project BLUE Fanning Sandal and donate $2 per every pair sold to the Surfrider Foundation. The sandal hits stores this April.  

•Joe Curren rides for Redsand.  

•In New England news, Nancy and Platt Johnson have sold interest in their company, Island Sports (which Platt started in 1974 on the island of Martha's Vineyard) to Island Elements, Inc. They are no longer financially involved with any shipments or services provided to this location and maintain that any merchandise received in their computer at 86 Aquiduck Avenue, Middleton, RI, after February 7th, 2007, regardless of invoice date or shipment date, will be due and payable by Island Elements, which can be contacted by using the company's standard e-mail, info@islandsports.com. For personal communication with the Johnsons, e-mail plattj@gmail.com or nhjus@gmail.com.  

•Over on the Outer Banks, First Flight High School teacher/ wrestling coach and FFHS Surf Club liaison Jason Breiholz wrote in to tell us he tore up his contract with Green Meat Enterprises and finally picked up some decent sponsors -- Volition Clothing, Utopia Optics, Osiris Shoes, and Motor Tabs Energy Drink. Oooh, like, we're sooooo impressed, JayBay! We'll see how far that industry support takes you once your big brother comes home. You heard correctly, '80s/ '90s ESA-Outer Banks District terror Brian "Bam Bam" Breiholz is moving back to North Carolina and vows to knock lil' bro down to size in the Masters division this upcoming ESA season.  

•In other Banks blurbs, ESM Senior Photographer Mickey "2M" McCarthy has decided to go back to his roots and start shaping and glassing custom surfboards full-time again. They will be available as custom orders through himself as well as the Outer Banks-based company, Ability Boardriding Systems, at rideability.com. If you haven't yet tried a 2M shape, just ask local test pilots like Seth Barrick, Christian Kane, and Jeff Myers how the boards go, and allow them to enlighten you.  

•Condolences to the family and friends of Joaquin Velilla, who died while surfing Pipeline this year.  

•Our prayers also go out to the loved ones of Central Jersey surfer John "JB" Broomsmith, who passed away suddenly this winter from coronary complications. He was 44 years old, a respected local at Meters, Casino Pier, and 24th Avenue, and is survived by his wife Tammy and daughter Nicole Ray. Go to www.localswell.com for the whole story and pics.  

•If you've heard a buzz at Tulene lately, it's probably Charlie Kuhn, Don Long, and Jimmy Hogan's PWC tow-in/ tow-at sessions, which they're now documenting every time the waves are two to 20-feet (which is pretty much every day). Speaking of Kuhn, his better half, Maria Del Mar, is running her all-girl Del Mar Surf Camp, which offers surfing instruction to beginners, complete with yoga training, massage, hiking, canopy tours, and horseback riding. Lodging is provided right on the beach, plus three meals a day! And since she's employing local chicas as instructors, you can't go wrong. Call 011-506-385-8535 or check out her website, www.costaricasurfingchicas.com, and be sure to look at her newly updated photo section.  

•Girls4Sport urges everyone to check out their "Hipster" Sports Tank-Top. It's very retro and very hip. See it online at www.girls4sport.com.  

•In other wahine corpo news, San Diego, CA-based Surf Diva Surf School made the cover of the Sunday edition of The New York Times for an article written by Matt Higgins, which discusses surfing as a growing trend among business professionals and the business elite. The article can be viewed on Surf Diva's website at www.surfdiva.com.  

•Island Water Sports-Deerfield teamer Matt Oberman wants to get the word out on Keahi Kam (son of ace longboard competitor Roray Kam), a 19-year-old regularfoot who's been on a tear since making the semis in his division at last year's Jupiter Fall Classic.  

•In other Island Water Sports happenings, the Jensen Beach store announced that they have moved to Jensen Beach Blvd. next to Ace Hardware (1100 NE Jensen Beach Blvd.). If you need directions, just give 'em a call at 772-334-1999. At almost 3000 square feet, the new store is twice the size of their original location. 2007 marks 25 years in Jensen Beach for IWS.  

•Regina Coll worked with SurfAid International to organize a rock concert at the Ocean City, MD, hotspot Seacrets to benefit the organization. She reported the January 24th gig was a huge success. For news about upcoming Surf Aid International charity events, contact Jason Rubin at jrubin7@gmail.com.  

•Lat34.com, the on-demand sports action website, partnered up with the Arby's Action Sports Awards, streaming live coverage from backstage. You can catch all the action on the site.  

•You might have noticed Surfer Baby on the television show Extreme Makeover Edition. If not, you might be able to catch a rerun. Check your local listings.  

•Doug Deal and his family sent Eastern Surf shakas from their new North Shore home they bought just two blocks from Sunset Point. Doug also announced daughter Kalei'a's stunning contest results. She placed 2nd for the second year in a row at the Haleiwa Menehune Championships in Girls Longboard ages 7-9 before winning the Rell Sunn Menehune Championships at Makaha. Doug also wanted to remind everyone that Doug Deal Surf Hawaii Surf Lessons is still offering surf tours for those who want a little guidance during their North Shore stay. Call 808-351-5392 for details.  

•Free Wheelchair Mission, the Orange County, CA-based non-profit organization committed to providing mobility to the physically disabled poor in developing countries, partnered with Robert August in late February to deliver a shipment of 10,000 chairs to Costa Rica, where Robert August's Surf & Turf charity event kicked off its seventh year. Visit www.freewheelchairmission.org for the whole story.  

•Announcing Bilt Surfboards & Clothing's Wave Warrior Challenge, which will go down April 28th-29th, 2007 at Spessard Holland Park South Pavilion to benefit the Surfrider Foundation as well as the East Coast Surfing Legends Hall of Fame and Museum. Please visit www.biltsurf.com/entercontest for more.  

•Speaking of which, we made the mistake last issue of calling Bilt Surf a surf shop, which it is not, but a showroom/ office for retailers.  

•Derf at Island Style Sun & Surf called to say the Sea Bright, NJ, shop celebrated their 30th anniversary this March.  

•And finally, our most heartfelt wishes for a quick recovery go out to Melbourne Beach, FL, surfer Dave Genchi, the producer of such East Coast classics as Flail and You Flail Too. On December 21st, 2006, Dave suffered a serious spinal cord injury from a snowboarding accident he got while working in the backcountry north of Steamboat Springs, CO. On February 17th, hundreds turned up to show their support at The Dave Genchi Recovery Fundraiser at Ryckman Park in Melbourne Beach. To make donations to the Dave Genchi Recovery Fund, send checks to Wells Fargo, P.O. Box 774888, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477. And to keep up on Dave's progress, visit www.challengesports.com. Keep the faith and hang in there, Genchi. We're all behind you. ­Compiled by Matt Pruett