2013 World Tour campaigner. Anyone?

Sofia reaches the final in the Australia Open

Evan Geiselman (USA), 17, on his way to his career-best result in Manly, Australia.

Credit: ASP

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California/USA (Monday, February 20, 2012) – Evan Geiselman (New Smyrna Beach, FL), 18, finished runner-up at the inaugural ASP 6-Star Australian Open of Surfing, marking a stellar result for the start of the young Floridian’s campaign on the men’s ASP World Ranking.

Geiselman, 2010 ASP North America Pro Junior Series Champion, is beginning to establish himself as a serious up-and-coming international threat and was nearly unstoppable in the Manly beachbreak conditions. The goofy-footer fell just short of his first major international victory when he fell to Australian Matt Banting (AUS), 17, in an extremely close final but efforts push him to No. 12 on the men’s ASP World Ranking.

“It was a good match-up, it was really fun surfing against Matt,” Gieselman said. “I really want to congratulate him, he surfed really well, and found a couple of good rights that let him do a couple of airs. I would have loved to have won, but 2nd is a great result. I’m doing the whole ASP Star Series this year and I’m looking to qualify for the ASP World Title Series at the end of the year, so this is a great start for me.”

Geiselman stormed through a mass of elite talent on his way to the Final, besting close friend and 2012 ASP World Tour Rookie Kolohe Andino (San Clemente, CA), 17, with a striking aerial game to assist in his groundbreaking result.

“I’ve been surfing against Kolohe (Andino) since I was 10, it’s always a fun match-up and I’m really glad to get the win,” Gieselman said after his Round of 16 heat vicotry. “On my first wave I got a 7.33 (out of a possible 10), then got a 6.33 under his priority and that put all the pressure on him. I’m really stoked to be through to the Quarterfinals, this is my first good result in a 6-Star and I’m looking forward to the rest of the event!”

The next major ASP event will be the ASP World Tour season opening Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast, which boasts a waiting period from February 25 through March 7, 2012.

GOLD COAST, Queensland/Australia (Monday, February 20, 2012) – Kelly Slater (USA), 40, 11-time Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Champion, has categorically dominated the sport of surfing for the past two decades. The Floridian has collected an astounding 48 elite tour wins throughout his tenure amongst the world’s best surfers and holds virtually every record the surfing world has to offer.

The question on everyone’s mind at the moment is “will Kelly put in a full year at the elite level of competition to defend his throne?”

Historically coy when discussing his annual plans, Slater’s commitment status of “full-time” to the ASP World Title Series traditionally rests upon his performance at the opening event of the season, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover – an event he’s won on three previous occasions (2006, 2008, 2011).

“There have been years when this approach has been a little frustrating but it’s also sort of a wildcard way of deciding,” Slater said. “I’ve had good success on the Goldy and this year should be fun again. I can’t wait to be there. I’m undecided as to whether I’ll apply full time (to the 2012 ASP World Title Series). That’s probably no secret. I’ll go by feel and whatever feels right internally, I’ll stick with that.”

While considered a “citizen of the globe” due to his extensive travels, Slater’s primary residences during this past offseason have been Southern California and the North Shore of Oahu. With an abundance of swell hitting both locations throughout December, January and February, the iconic natural-footer has had plenty of opportunity to ready for the opening event of the year at Snapper Rocks.

“I usually finish prepping for the start of the year by surfing Rincon,” Slater said. “It’s easy to tune in boards quickly there to know what you’re dealing with. I’ve been scoring a lot of surf last few weeks. Probably more water time than normal. I haven’t been riding shortboards a lot though, focusing on mostly barrels and not necessarily performance so I’ll have to tune in to what I’ll have to do in Oz.”

Although having recently turned 40, Slater feels few, if any, physical deficiencies and generally believes he is a stronger all-around surfer and competitor than he was when he first commenced his touring back at age 20.

“I have a few nagging injuries but overall I’m pretty good,” Slater said. “I hurt my ribs pretty badly a couple weeks back but they should be okay by Snapper time. I do feel a little bit of issue there, but I’m planning on being healthier and stronger in the coming years. I’m much better all around now than when I was 20. Probably the hold back is the overall desire to improve day to day. I focus more on enjoying my surfing than expanding day to day, but I still get kicked into gear when I see what everyone is working on and doing. Being in the environment on tour with the guys gets you going pretty quickly.”

The 2012 ASP Top 34 will see a historic age disparity of 23 years between the oldest surfers at the elite level and the youngest. As a new generation of surfers readies to do battle on the ASP Dream Tour, Slater is excited to see how performance levels will continue to soar as well as the how the dynamics of the 2012 ASP World Title race unfold.

“Of course I’m excited to see guys like Dane (Reynolds) and Kolohe (Andino) and Gabriel (Medina) and Julian (Wilson) and Miguel (Pupo) and Josh (Kerr),” Slater said. “Then the usual suspects: Joel (Parkinson), Mick (Fanning), Taj (Burrow), etc. We’ll surely be hearing talks of ASP World Title threats within weeks and it’ll be fun to watch it pan out and see who steps up to the plate and who has trouble dealing with it. It’s always an interesting start to the year.”

The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast will run from February 25 through March 7, 2012 and will be webcast LIVE via http://quiksilverlive.com/progoldcoast/2012

Running in conjunction with the men’s event will be the Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, the opening event in the ASP Women’s World Title season.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

Have ya heard? Conner and Parker have their own signature pad! How do they stay on their board? Superior grip. Superior grip looks like this.

View in the shop!

Dill’s will to be above the lip is never restricted. Please prepare for take off.

By Dave Shauber

Featuring Guduaskas’ to the Currans with Kelly, Dane, Nat, Cory, Machado, Knox and more from the CI Team

Dave describes it as:

A 5 minute trailer featuring clips from the upcoming Glas Surf Film titled ” On a Dime.” This film was made to show inspiring film makers that you don’t need a huge corporate budget to make an entertaining surf film. This action packed trailer is filled with great surfers, insane surfing and beautiful scenery.

Dedication, hard work, and a little help from our friends were all that inspired our latest creation so sit back and prepare to be blown away by some of surfing’s most awe inspiring maneuvers………

Clips were captured between March of 2011 and Jan of 2012 in California, Hawaii, and Mexico…….

“Happy Birthday Champ. You really are the Greatest Of All Time…”–Kanoa Igarashi

Follow Kanoa on Twitter

What time do you usually get up?
Kelly Slater: I’m not really an early riser. I like to stay up late at night. If I want to get up and surf, maybe I’ll get up at like 7 or 8 and look around for surf.

I get irrationally angry at the alarm clock. Do you?
KS: Oh yeah. I like to get my eight hours.

What do you drink to start the day?
KS: I generally start my day off with hot water and lemon–to cleanse the body out after sleeping. I read about it and it seemed like a good idea. I drink a lot of coconut water, too. Luckily, I’m sponsored by Vita Coco–so I don’t have to go open up a coconut.

Breakfast–pro or con?
KS: I generally stick with fruit in the morning. I make a lot of smoothies.

Fresh fruit or frozen?
KS: I usually have fresh fruit that I’ve frozen. Last month here in Hawaii, a big banana tree fell across the street and I grabbed a bushel of 50 mini apple bananas off the street and froze them up for smoothies. When it comes to fruit, I try not to mix citrus and non-acidic fruits. I wouldn’t eat a grapefruit and an apple together.

Why is that?
KS: To let them digest properly. If you get into reading about food combining and how your stomach processes different foods, you see it’s important not to mix certain foods together. You try not to mix protein and carbs because they’re digested with different acids and alcalines in your stomach.

That sounds rigid.
KS: By the way, this isn’t something I strictly adhere to! But if I am in that really serious contest mode or health mode, this is what I’ll do.

Do you make your smoothies with milk or ice?
KS: I do vegan smoothies–it’s just fruit and almond milk or a coconut milk. Sometimes it’s just the fruit. I do quite a lot of green smoothies and mix in sprouts. Greens will digest with fruits pretty readily.

What do you say to people who wake up and need a giant breakfast of two eggs and pancakes?
KS: I do that myself, occasionally. It’s enjoyable. But, in the long run, I try and think about health and what I’m going to feel like when I’m 50, 70, 80 years old. If you don’t want to get old and have your kids taking care of you, you should probably be thinking about that right now. If you can get yourself into a pattern where the best, healthiest foods are the things you enjoy, you life is going to be better.

How often are you in the water?
KS: Probably not as much as you would think–maybe half the days.

How long is it from when your feet touch the floor until you’re in the water?
KS: Oh, sometimes I just jump in the water and don’t eat. If the waves are really good, I have trouble even bothering putting food in my mouth unless I know I’m going to be surfing for a long time and have to eat something.

Last question, what does the water feel like in the morning?
KS: It’s the best way to wake up. –Mickey Rapkin

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/02/my-morning-routine-kelly-slate.html#ixzz1mP2osfEa

As conditions slowly deteriorated, Dane’s bigger aerial maneuvers were what were rewarded. See Parker and Bobby shred on the backhand