Archive for April, 2010
April 29, 2010 at 11:02 pm | Spongercity Europe, Magazines News
VERT Mag issue 99 (click for cover) is now available.
In this issue you have:
The Hawaiian season, the Pipe contest and an exclusive interview with Amaury Lavernhe are some of the main calls for issue 99.
Meanwhile, in the Atlantic Ocean we bring you the best winter for years in the Canary Islands with some explosive footage in El Frontón.
On the cover you will find Mr. Winchester crusing the airs on an incredible shot of Alex Ormerod.
Now you may also get the mag on iTunes. It’s chepear and more enviromentally friendly.
More info here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vert-magazine/id357724149?mt=8
April 29, 2010 at 9:59 pm | Spongercity Industry, International, Links News
Pro bodyboarders are all waking up and seem to be aware that a good website definitely helps a good career. Most pros are now starting their own site (not your average Blogger blog with a lame design) which is really cool.
Here’s what we spotted recently:
Dave Winchester now has his own website, check it out here and follow Dave’s adventures/stories etc.: Davewinchester.com (Cool site/blog with a nice/clean look).
Matt Lackey enhanced/updated his video project website here: Thelackeyproject.com
Mitch Rawlins is always busy with his own website too and recently released his last Hawaiian video clip from this winter: Mitchrawlins.com
April 29, 2010 at 9:45 pm | Spongercity Industry, International News
The french best waves are now available in the new Freeride Mode.
In order to always introduce bodyboarders from all around the world with the best waves of each part of the globe, the bodyboarding webgame YouRiding.com will offer all the internet users the possibility to play the best 20 french wave-spots, starting on April 26, 2010.
Players will be able to ride freely in prone, dropknee and tow-out waves such as the big slam Annaëlle in Brittanny, Bud Bud in Vendée or La Tortue in the Reunion island.
This initiative will be part of a series of future ‘geo-targeted’ updates that will allow users to play the best wave from Australia, Portugal, Hawaii, Brazil, Indonesia, … in Freeride and Contest gamemodes.
The game is available on www.youriding.com/bodyboard
About Youriding.com:
YouRiding.com is the first free online Action Sports videogame using FLASH technology. The game has been developped since 2007 by the INTELLYSURF company, located in Anglet, South-West of France. At the begining the game allowed users to play 2 sports, Surfing and Bodyboarding. Since 2010, YouRiding.com added two brand new games: Free Skiing and Snowboarding. The game is famous for its realism, multi-player modes, and quick access. It averages about 680 000 visits per month for over 175 000 unique visitors coming from all over the world (15% USA, 15% Australia, 15% Brazil, 13% France, 11% UK, 10% Spain …) with over 225 000 registered users to the monthly newsletter.
April 28, 2010 at 7:59 pm | Spongercity Australia, Industry News
We just got some news via Limited Edition (the people behind Nomad, Limited Edition Fins etc.) that the West coast Aussie bodyboard brand FUNKSHEN was back in the game. It’s good news. From what we understood Tully (the head shaper) will be making boards (customs) and the brand will also offer some stock boards in the shops. What we didn’t understand was if all stock boards were gonna be shaped by Tully in Oz or if the stock boards were gonna be made in Taiwan like the Nomad boards (distributed by Limited Edition). We’ll try to gather more info about it as soon as we can.
Here’s what the press release says:
Tully re-enters the shaping bay – FUNKSHEN IS BACK!!
For some time now there has been whispers emanating from the western seaboard of Australia that Dave ‘Tully’ Tulloch had re-entered the shaping bay and was working in secret on the relaunch of his successful custom label Funkshen Bodyboards.
Tully fills us in after Funkshens 12 month hiatus.
Can you tell us what led to the break?
Yeah, after much deliberation and heartache I reluctantly made the decision to take a break from running Funkshen and shaping bodyboards entirely at the end of 2008. The last few years I was continually challenged on the business side of things. My focus had always been on the quality of my shaping skills and how the Funkshen boards were coming out. The feedback from all our riders and customers ensured the quality of our boards was often described as the best in the industry. But unfortunately as our boards were progressing, our business network was failing. Funkshen was at the crossroads on whether we could take it to the next level. This combination of issues led me to think that taking a forced break would be best for the business and for my own personal wellbeing, not that I was ever happy with that decision.
Why the return now?
The return of Funkshen is largely due to 2 reasons.
The first is that I have sorely missed shaping boards a great deal and would love to continue my involvement in developing bodyboards in general and using my experience to keep the Funkshen empire cranking!
The second is that we were fortunate to form a great relationship with the lads at Limited Edition. Through their extensive networks and ability to help, we were able to revive our very proud and highly regarded company. All my previous customers and fans of Funkshen boards have been overwhelming in their continued support over this break and I have continually been blown away by how popular Funkshen really was and how respectful everyone has been to me. Stoked!
Change of focus to stock boards?
Yes for the time Funkshen will be focusing on developing a very tidy, high quality range of stockies to ensure that we can expose Funkshen‘s meticulously crafted board range to to a larger group of riders without sacrificing quality. I have been given the opportunity to utilise our most functional templates and shapes that I developed with my custom boards, and refine them into our new range of bodyboards. This is insane and how it should be done so a bodyboarder buying a board from his/her local store can buy the best possible piece of riding equipment possible.
Whitey’s back too?
To see the old gang teaming up again is insane mate and having Whitey involved again with a new signature board is a massive coup for Funkshen and continuing Funkshens progression. Although Chris may not spend as much time surfing these days as what he used to, he is giving back through his bodyboard coaching of up and coming riders and is still heavily involved in filming and hangin with mitch, ryan, jake etc and with his brand new project, “Grow up” being released at the end of this month, Funkshen will be thrown back into the spotlight front and centre. The hype created so far about this video and with Funkshen coming back has been overwhelming and largely has justified our decision to resurrect a legend!
What can we expect from the new stock range?
The new Funkshen range is basically a combination of our previous best ever boards with a couple of killer new models. We have brought back the original “Tully Premo” and “Lowrider” models and I have been working on an entirely new “Tully” base/custom board which I have incorporated the new core technology with the EFC core with my own personal best ever dimensions and shape to form an insanely functional bodyboard. I have been quietly working on the refinement of the Premo model even further and expect the new version to address all the needs of the professional level rider. All the classic custom colours will be available throughout the range. These new boards are looking insane and now being a father myself, I am stoked to know that my own son will be able to grow up and ride Funkshen boards for years to come. Very cool!
The Funkshen range will be released Australia wide in July 2010 through your local bodyboard specialist.
Funkshenbodyboards.com
April 28, 2010 at 12:20 am | Spongercity Industry, International News
TOOBS Bodyboards just told us they’re now using a new PP core in their PP boards (or custom boards if you want some PP in it). The new core is called CARBON PP and is a Beaded PP core with incredibly good flex and recoil.
Toobs shaper Mike Brum tells us more about the new core – “JSP USA makes a very interesting core. I can jump on this stuff and it springs right back into shape…it’s almost pneumatic”. That’s not all, the new CARBON Core is even lighter than the extruded PP that most companies had before: Mike says – “It is also crazy light…just over 1.4pcf compared to 2.2 for Dow (p.e.) and 1.9 for the older Extruded PP (Propafoam)”
Mike adds – “It’s very early but I’m excited about this new core. I think the board performance is greatly increased.”
This new CARBON PP is made from JSP USA and is very similar to what Mez uses for the Kinetic Core (JSP Taiwan) except for its color: the CARBON PP is black !
We’ll test the new CARBON CORE asap on Spongercity.com !
The end of the classic Extruded PP fabrication seems to lead to good innovation and new materials in the bodyboarding industry which is awesome (pretty much like when Clark Foam stopping making foam for the surf industry a few years ago – it lead to new cores for boards with better materials, good performance, and more eco-friendly boards).
April 27, 2010 at 11:51 pm | Spongercity International, Moving Pictures News
Got some news from our friends at TURBO: Mason Rose is back from his knee surgery and back in the water shredding. Watch this video clip and enjoy.
April 21, 2010 at 11:22 pm | Spongercity Australia, Moving Pictures News
“Honest Blokes” is a movie project dedicated to the riders that make up HB Bodyboards. We talked about recently and just received a cool little news from the guys at HB:
The boys recently decided to take a punt and head back into the desert of South Australia. Stakes were high as a lack of footage and waves were not acceptable. The boys scored the four days they were down there…. even cade sharp and thom robinson got involved.
Check the Brad Hughes clip here: http://vimeo.com/11096365 – by James Kates
We got some pictures as well from the HB guys in South Australia but we’re on the road at the moment so we’ll post them later on! Sorry! heheh
April 14, 2010 at 11:12 am | Spongercity Magazines News
Isomag is a new online mag hailing from NZ and created by the people at Isolated. Read the mag online right here: http://isomag.co.nz/. Definitely worth a read!
April 13, 2010 at 6:13 pm | Spongercity Industry, International News
As of the 14th April Boogerking online store will be called Bodyboard King. This is what pro rider & owner Toby Player had to say about the name change: “This is due to a certain fast food chain sending threatening legal letters and implying if it wasn’t changed they would pursue legal action. We came to an amicable decision and the case was settled out of court”. So from Now on www.boogerking.com.au will now be www.bodyboardking.com – It’s still the same site and same business selling the same products just a different business name and domain name!
Check the new logo here.
April 12, 2010 at 12:28 pm | Spongercity International, Moving Pictures News
We’re late on this one but have an excuse: we’re working on more interviews and side projects to be released soon!
Anyway, if you haven’t heard about it before, Mitch Rawlins is currently working on a new movie: HIDING FROM COMFORT which will most likely be a great success and some of the sickest moving pictures you’ll put your hands on in a near future. Make sure you watch the teaser on Mitch’s website or on Vimeo right here. Trailer is awesome and if you’ve watched what Mitch and his mates filmed this winter on the north shore you know they’ve got the skills to release a great movie.
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