•We found out about 10 minutes after our Free Agent Season story posted yesterday afternoon, but Volcom East Coast Marketing & Promotions Manager Daniel Terry called with the exciting news that Veeco has signed New Smyrna Beach, FL’s, next great grom hope, Noah Schweizer. Ask anyone that knows Noah and they’ll tell you the same thing: the kid surfs scary good, has a supremely humble attitude, and with hometown mentors like big bro Nils Schweizer, Aaron Cormican, and Jeremy Johnston, and a Rightside grom squad that includes the best kids on our coast, Noah's destined for plenty of success in his future. Stay tuned next week for even more big Volcom East Coast news…
•In other team news, non-profit organization To Write Love On Her Arms will host a meet-and-greet with new teamrider CJ Hobgood at Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach, FL, on February 11th at 4:00 p.m. CJ will be on hand with longtime friend and TWLOHA founder Jamie Tworkowski, himself a staple of the Central Florida surf community. Peep CJ’s latest video piece for TWLOHA below, and find out more about the depression and suicide prevention efforts of the charity at www.TWLOHA.com.
•CJ’s not the only charitable guy on the East Coast block this week, as New Hampshire kingpin Ralph Fatello keeps up his yearlong Catch A Wave For Molly fundraiser in honor of Granite State wahine Molly Rowlee, who lost her battle with cancer back in July 2009. Ralph hit the halfway point of his daily-surf regimen for Molly on January 24th, and… well, we’ll let his blog entry from www.RalphsPic.com tell the story: “January 24th was the halfway point of my 365-Day Catch A Wave For Molly fundraiser. And it also happened to be the COLDEST DAY of the year. Hell, it was the coldest day in the last five years — one of the top three coldest days on record. How cold? Well, it was –5° when I went out. With the wind chill factor thrown in, it was –25°. It was so cold that the water froze on my wetsuit and board. It was so cold that there were chunks of ice floating in the water with me. I surfed in sea smoke; that's when the water is warmer than the air and creates a smoke-like affect. Still, we can't escape the fact that the coldest day on record this winter fell on my exact halfway point. Unbelievable. When I get to Day 300 I'll really consider myself ‘almost there,’ or as we used to say in the Marine Corps, ‘getting short.’” Big props to Ralph for his continuing superhuman efforts in support of cancer research and awareness.
•While we’re up in New England, we also have to send a shout out to Jamestown, RI’s, Endless Wave, who released their uber-handy Wax Buddy tool back in 2009. Made from 100% recycled plastic by three Northeast surfers, the Wax Buddy is the best Rightside wax comb you’ll ever find — the ESM staff swears by it for scraping months-old wax off their boards every few weeks when we actually find time to sneak out for a surf. The Wax Buddy has a handle that allows you to get the proper leverage needed, and at the extremely low retail price of $3, how can you go wrong. Not only that, but Wax Buddy boasts a killer blog full of classic longboarding inspiration and New England slices of life. Give it a look at www.WaxBuddy.blogspot.com, and tell Ron DiMauro and company that ESM sent ya.
•And since we’re talking grassroots Right Coast operations, we’d be remiss not to mention New Jersey surf-inspired apparel company PSR. Founded in 2009 by current high school senior Lindsey Schwartz, PSR provides unique art-driven designs while demonstrating creativity, a love for surfing, and unmistakable individuality. Right now, PSR, which stands for Paige Surf Royalty, is sold in OG Surf & Skate in Ocean Grove, NJ, but Lindsey has also enjoyed success marketing her wares at Warped Tour, where Streetlight Manifesto rocked a PSR T-shirt during their set, and the Foster’s Belmar Pro, central hub for the late-summer Garden State surf community. Lindsey says, “Being 17, it’s hard to be taken serious. But with full confidence in the brand, I believe that age shouldn’t affect PSR’s success!” Now that’s what we’re talking about when it comes to youthful ambition. Find out more at www.PaigeSurfRoyalty.com.
•Word came in earlier this week that Ft. Pierce, FL, pioneer John McKinney recently passed away. Treasure Coast staple Justin Beard, who writes for the TC Palm and Stuart News newspapers, was gracious enough to provide a short bio, along with photos courtesy of the Palm Beach County Surf History Project: “Most surfers can only dream of throwing caution to the wind and living life on their own terms, but Ft. Pierce legend John McKinney was one of the few who actually did it. Known as ‘Jammin’ John’ to friends, McKinney walked through life having fun and breaking a few rules along the way until his untimely death recently at the age of 64. Born and raised on Florida's East Coast, McKinney was a true adventurer, surfer, shaper, sailor, and writer who left behind a legacy that won't be forgotten. McKinney showed up on the Treasure Coast surf scene in the late 1960s and opened The Sol Shop, where he shaped surfboards and taught locals how to surf. He then made his way to Hawaii and beyond where he continued his relationship with surfing and the sea, paving the way for future generations of Treasure Coast surfers. ‘Whenever I traveled somewhere and told the locals I was from Ft. Pierce, they always said, “Well, you must know John McKinney,”’ said Charles Williams, owner and shaper of Impact Surfboards. ‘John taught me a lot about shaping and life.’ A talented surfer and shaper, McKinney also had quite a sense of humor and often wrote what he called ‘pearls of wit and wisdom.’ ‘Through his work, he shared and taught his passion for surfing and sailing to thousands, touching their lives with his charismatic personality, indelible stories, and love of the water,’ said McKinney's daughter, Maggie Temple of Wake Forest, N.C. ‘He will be dearly missed and we will all remember him fondly.’” –Justin Beard, Stuart News
•And although he wasn’t an East Coaster, it’s impossible to ignore the influence of legendary “Godfather of Surf Photography” Leroy Grannis, who passed away yesterday in Hermosa Beach, CA, at the age of 93. In addition to defining the 1960s Golden Age of surfing with his iconic “Photo: Grannis” byline, Leroy also founded International Surfing Magazine in 1964, which eventually became the Surfing Magazine that we know today. Grannis was inducted into the International Surfing Hall Of Fame in 1991, and was awarded the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.
•Grannis notoriously gave up on surf photography once the contest scene of the ‘60s and ‘70s blossomed, but even he would appreciate the 4th Annual Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation Freeze For A Cause slated for Saturday, February 5th at Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, NJ. The weather forecast as of Friday afternoon? A low of 27°, a high of 40°, water temps in the high 30s, and a 90% chance of freezing rain in the morning with a mixture of rain and snow in the evening. Should be a perfect day for Dean Randazzo and friends to show what hardcore winter surfing in the name of cancer research and awareness is all about. Find out more at www.DeanRandazzoCancerFoundation.org.
•In other contest news, the ESA-Palm Beach Florida District’s South County Championships have been delayed once again, with a new window opening on Saturday, February 12th. As of now, a solid north swell is predicted for Friday the 11th, so here’s to antsy South Florida surfers finally getting a chance to show their stuff in Boynton Beach next weekend. Stay up to date by visiting www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/ESA-Palm-Beach/277616418854.
•Speaking of contests, the 4th Annual New York Surf Film Festival officially opened its submission period this week for aspiring filmmakers looking for a shot at Big Apple fame. The NYSFF is open to feature-length (over 30 minutes) and short (under 30 minutes) films in the surf genre; all films must have been completed after July 2006. This year’s NYSFF, set for sometime in September, will surely benefit from the Quiksilver Pro New York ASP World Tour event, slated for September 4th-15th. The NYSFF submission period runs through May 15th, and all rules and forms can be found at www.NYSFF.com.
•Furthering the movie tip, The Real Gidget Story: An Accidental Icon will make its Brevard County, FL, premiere on Saturday, February 12th at The Henegar Center in Melbourne, FL. Kathy Kohner-Zuckerman, the real-life girl who Gidget was based on, will be on hand to talk about the film and sign copies of her book. General admission runs $15, with VIP private reception tickets (including beer and wine, preferred seating, light appetizers, and the book signing) running at $50. All proceeds will benefit the National Kidney Foundation. Visit www.Henegar.org for more info.
•And finally, two new industry hirings came across our desks in the last few days: first, Ocean City, NJ, kingpin Matt Keenan now serves as a sales rep for blossoming action-sports brand Nike 6.0. And North Carolina Analog/Gravis/Channel Islands/Lucy Love bigwig Cane Faircloth announced that Outer Banks Analog teamrider Jeff “Fej” Sykes has now moved up to the Southeast Marketing & Merchandising Guru position. According to Cane, Sykes will be doing build-outs, windows, and events, including a March premiere in Virginia Beach of Analog teamer Chippa Wilson’s new film. Stay tuned for more details on that and other Keenan and Sykes deets.
