MICK FANNING CLAIMS VICTORY

Three-time WSL Champion Mick Fanning won the J’Bay Open one the weekend, defeating John John Florence in an exciting Final in three-to-four foot (1 metre) surf at Jeffreys Bay.

The incredible victory comes a year after a dramatic incident during the 2015 J-Bay Open Final where Fanning was attacked on live television by what is believed to be a Great White Shark.

“It’s definitely a very different feeling this win,” said Fanning. “There was a real emotional build up coming back here this year. That Semifinal with Julian was really special and it was wonderful to have a heat with him again. Definitely some emotions went into it paddling out and it was just really special having a surf with him out there and both of us come in safe. I’m stoked that I got to come back and right the wrongs that happened last year. I’ve done that now so I can move on.”

The win today is Fanning’s 22nd Championship Tour victory and his fourth at the J-Bay Open, which sees him equal Slater’s record of four event wins at Jeffreys Bay. Fanning defeated Filipe Toledo (BRA) and Julian Wilson (AUS) en route to the Final today.

Fanning, who is taking a personal year in 2016 and only surfing in select events this season, leaps up from 16th to 5th place on the WSL Jeep Leaderboard.

“It’s awesome to be in 5th place but I don’t really care about results this year,” said Fanning. “I just want to thank everyone who has supported me over the past year, I’ve had so much support, and I’m looking forward to celebrating. For me this year feels a lot lighter not going for a world title so I’m really enjoying my surfing and having a lot of fun. I’ll be surfing at Trestles and I think that might be my last event of the year. World titles aren’t the biggest thing for me at the moment – I’m all about enjoying my surfing.”

Today’s runner-up finish for Florence sees him move up to second place on the Jeep Leaderboard for the first time in his career and close the gap on ratings leader Matt Wilkinson (AUS) heading into the next event on the CT, the Billabong Pro Tahiti.

Fanning got things started in the Final with a solid 7.17 but Florence answered with a technical aerial maneuver followed by two aggressive turns and was rewarded with an 8.50 and the lead. The Australian went on to find the wave of the Final and unleash his trademark turns on the walls of Jeffreys Bay to secure a near-perfect 9.93 and an impressive advantage. Florence fought back with an air reverse with eight minutes remaining to post a back-up score but it wasn’t enough to take first place. The final exchange saw Fanning race down the line while Florence delivered two full-rail carves and another air reverse. Florence earned an 8.63 but the score fell short and Fanning took the win with a 17.70 heat total.

The next stop on the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour will be the Vans US Open of Surfing, which will see the world’s best female surfers resume this season’s title race from July 25 – 31.

For more information, check out WorldSurfLeague.com

J-Bay Open Final Results:

1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.70
2: John John Florence (HAW) 17.13

WSL Jeep Leaderboard Top 5 (after J-Bay Open):

1. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 34,250 pts

2. John John Florence (HAW) 31,900 pts

3. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 29,200 pts

4. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 24,400 pts

5. Mick Fanning (AUS) 23,450 pts

Jamie Mitchell issues ‘foil board’ warning after near decapitation

Japanese ripper Yu Tonbi Sumitomo and a very close shave...

Followers of Carve may have noticed a small comment under our recent post of Kai doing amazing things surfing on a foil board. "Could be like a Game of Thrones battle scene if used at some breaks...."

Well our grim prediction of dismemberment and possible beheadings almost came true when Japanese surfer Yu Tonbi Sumitomo very nearly decapitated himself while learning to surf his new foil board. He is a really good surfer by the way, with 36 years experience.

The incident caused Jamie Mitchell to issue a public plea. Jamie (if you don't know ) is a real good big wave paddle and tow-in surfer, stand-up paddle boarder, professional lifeguard and immense open ocean long distance paddler. On a Facebook post he said,

"So lately I have been asked consistently about my thoughts on the so called "NEW" foil popularity and haven't really said much .. But, yesterday sadly i saw a photo that i new was coming sooner then later.. In my opinion Foils are for open ocean swells, Outer Bombies, and places where there are no people or very few people doing it together.. Foils are dangerous... Very dangerous, and do not belong in the surf zone with the masse's and general public.. Yes Kai and and a few talented kids can probably control the boards amazingly well, but you can't control other peoples actions and movements. I see more and more clips everyday of people trying the foils and i am so scared that someone will pay the ultimate price and die.. Look at this photo below.. If a foil hits you or you hit someone with the foil its going to end badly.. I sure hope the people and companies that are making money off these are doing their best to educate people about the dangers. i don't think this will be the 1st or last incident unfortunately... Im very happy that the gentleman in this photo will be ok.. Please think about your surroundings before you just jump in and start surfing those boards.."

Yu Tonbi Sumitomo posted how happy he was to get a foil on the 8 July. This was his repsonse to Jamie posting pointing out it was self inflected injury while learning at a remote beach.

"Hi Jamie Mitchell san. This was my bad. Waves are waist to chest. No one around except me and my father. Had struggle first 30 min. Then I start figure. Had such fun time. Then see what you see what happen. I been surfing since I was 8. 36 year experience. Your friend Sean O. is my best friend we made SUP 11 year ago. I thought foiling is easy. It is easy but easy to turn very dangerous. What I learn from this is have to be careful. Surfing. Or sup. Or foiling. Thank you for the comment and hope no one get's hurt like I did. Sure foiling is amazing.

So there you have it. Nailing a four foot blade to you sled may look like fun but it could all turn out like the Battle of the Bastards...Looking at you Superbank... You heard it hear first...

"On the bright side.... At least no ones got a foil."

Norway – Nihiwatu with Asher Pacey & Beau Foster

A journey across the hemispheres from the cold waters of Norway to the warm waters of Nihiwatu in Sumba, Indonesia, this is a surf adventure like no other. Narrated by Asher Pacey this film is a travel story to two of the most beautiful locations on Earth and two down to Earth freesurfers. The journey started off with the solar eclipse and lead to snowy mountains, Auroras, nights drinking scotch with snow by the fire, waves were discovered & people were met along the way. Join us on the adventure! For more cool locations check out the link at the top, surf, travel, evolve!

Radical times in South Africa

We live in a day where the lines are blurred. When the surf is flat, we get our fix riding concrete. If the waves are firing, we trade wheels for fins. And if the weekend forecast is for blue skies and fresh powder, we mission it to the mountains.
The quiver runs deeper than just swallow tails and thrusters, skaters no longer simply live for the streets, and snowboarders don’t hibernate in cabins waiting for the next winter to hit. We are Boardriders. We ride it all. All shapes. All conditions. All day.

We are artists, photographers, musicians. We love to travel, to party and to ignore any advice to “take our time and be careful”.
South Africa. A land of diversity.

Mountainous coastlines vs drought ridden desert. The lavishly rich vs the street begging poor. The wildlife of the savannah vs the wildlife of the city. No other country in the world boasts such dramatic contrast.

We piled in the rental vans and road tripped from the bottom to the top. Surfing point breaks, bombing hills, eating biltong and living in the “now now”.

This is Radical Times in South Africa.

Puerto Sessions

The latest sessions from the worlds best beach break.