Blog Roxy

Roxy Music of the week : The Morning benders vs Gold Panda (voice vs electro)

http://www.myspace.com/themorningbenders

http://www.myspace.com/goldpanda
http://vimeo.com/11004336

Maui to Molokai: about 24 miles channel crossing race.

My alarm beeps at 4.20am the 24th of April. 10 Minutes later I am grinding coffee beans for my ‘morning cupper’. Tiffany is at my doorstep at 5.10. We plan to leave the house at 5.30 so we can head towards “Flemmings beach” (close to Honolua Bay) where the start is for the channel crossing paddle race: Maui to Molokai.

The last 2 summers, I have crossed the Molokai-Oahu channel in the form of a relay-team with Devin. This season I feel the urge to paddle solo. I know I am drawn to new experiences and I always like to explore new mental and physical boundaries within. Besides the personal desire, the crossing today is a ‘test’ whether I will consider doing the 32 miles race solo in July.

At 7.14am my phone rings. It is Mike. Mike lets me know that he just arrived in the bay with his boat. I kiss Dan goodbye (he got up at 5am to support me my last minutes on land) and we paddle our food, drinks and dry clothes to the boat.

Mike Holmes, living on Molokai, is the skipper of my escort boat ‘Ahi (Hawaiian name for Tuna). We talk tactics and I keep my eyes and ears wide open to receive all the advice I can get. Grown up in Hawaii, he has been around these oceans a lot longer than me! Tiffany forms the other half of my escort crew. She takes pictures, video and will help me exchange water packs (with energy powders and electrolytes in them). We (team TAM) charge the waves together surfing, windsurfing and supping. It is a good feeling to have her charging and supporting energy around.

As I check up on my gear and food supply, we get a visit from a pod of dolphins. Wow! Seeing dolphins always makes me happy. Seeing them at this moment seems like an omen to me; a message that everything is going to be ok.

With that healthy-nervous-exciting feeling I paddle to the start around 8.10am. About 10 minutes later we are ‘on our way’. I am excited to be where I want to be: Paddling the Hawaiian oceans while expanding my athletically horizon.

My mind is prepared for (worse case) 5 to 6 hour today. I want to paddle firm and strong without tiring myself out to quickly. I use the technique the ocean provides; I paddle fast and strong to get into a ‘bump’ (wind wave) and then glide (surf) the ocean swell. There’s also parts of the route I cannot glide ‘south’ as I need to send my board ‘north’. Mike and Tiffany make sure I keep my focus on the ‘landmarks’ as Mike does the calculations how to approach the ocean currents.

Whenever I surf a swell I hear Mikes exciting voice: “Send ‘r down, AM… send ‘r down! Or: “Way to go, AM… way to go!” I like hearing those comments. Tiffany has her own motivational terms. Loud ‘whoo hoos’ and ‘Duder… you rock” come from her lips. Sometimes I giggle inside as I hear her talking towards the camera documenting the trip. (I can’t wait to download these clips later)

I am positive on my mission and I feel how I want to be here and live this. The few times I start feeling my muscles or fatigue, I switch my brain to better thoughts. Concentration is my friend (and I think most important) out here as it helps me staying ‘in sinc’ with the ocean flow.

Flying fish, mahi mahi’s (an Hawaiian fish) and I imagine a little shark (who knows with Polaroid sunglasses and a little fatigue) cross my path. The ocean and it ocean life is absolutely stunning. I make myself look around to make an imprint in my memory.

The northeast winds are just the way we want them and I end up getting some really long glides while the finish line is approaching. This is amazing and so much fun! It doesn’t feel like a race… this may last for a while! At the very end, this joyous tale wind is exchanged by a strong side-headwind the last 50 meters before the finish. This hurts after about 4,5 hours paddling and it demands 100% of my powers. (If you don’t ‘crank it’, you are being blown further and further away from that finish line…)

Once at the finish it is time for hugs and hello’s. Everyone congratulates each other on their performance. I am exhausted and don’t really know what and how to think for a while. Some food, water and a shower help me to come back.

I hear that I am the only woman who crossed the channel solo this race. My time is 4 hours and 37 minutes. My result is not crowned with a trophy as I share the outcome with the men, but this feels like a personal victory. It is part of my own journey within; reaching out to new levels.

And... to answer my own question whether I consider paddling the Molokai to Oahu channel solo this year? Yes, I do.

Many Mahalos to my support crew Mike and Tiffany.

Mucho Mahalos to Campbell for bringing me and my board back to Maui!

Here I am at the beginning of the day; happy that we have some wind blowing in our direction and slightly nervous what's exactly ahead of a solo paddle mission...

Skipper Mike and AM talk about the race-course. My new DaKine water pack is filled with powdered-food and electrolytes mixed with water

Molokai is still far way... one stroke and one glide (surfing a chop) at the time while staying focused

Hawaii is just so beautiful!

Tiffany and Conor (winner of the men's solo) striking a pose. All props up to Tiffany for all her support, her wild ocean swim to safe my water pack, the many many encouraging 'who hooo's' and off course documenting the day with photo and video cams

Skate & Bake - ladies monthly skate meet, St Albans

 

Roxy skater Lois Pendelbury has introduced us to a new type of girls skate meet .. Say hello to 'Ladies Monthly 3.0 - aka Skate & Bake'

 

It's happening this weekend at Pioneer Skate Park, St Albans from 4 - 6pm.

 

Come along for a skate with other girls & bring your best homemade cakes to be entered into the 'Skate & Bake' bake off!!

 

Prizes for the best buns...

See you all there, for sugary, skatey FUN!!

Check out the Ladies Montly facebook page for more details

Sally Fitzggibons second place at WCT Beachley Classic

 

 

DEE WHY, Sydney / Australia (Monday 26th April, 2010)- Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 22, reigning and three-time ASP Women’s World Champion, remains on track for her fourth consecutive ASP Women’s World Title after defeating world no.2 Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 19, to triumph in the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic in Sydney, Australia today.Fitzgibbon picked up 972 ratings points and US$10,000 for second place, her second runner-up finish in the past two events.

Fitzgibbons has also cemented herself in no.2 on the ratings after a solid start to the 2010 season, building on an equal 5th on Gold Coast in March, and an equal third at Bells Beach before a runner-up finish in New Zealand a fortnight ago.

“It’s a little frustrating to get back-to-back seconds,” said Fitzgibbons. “But I’m so happy to be in the situation to reach the final and eventually go down to Steph (Gilmore). I’m happy with the result, but am looking forward to the next event.”

Despite a runner-up finish, Fitzgibbons remains upbeat with her ASP world no.2 status.

“Being world no.2 is a great place to be at this stage of the year,” said Fitzgibbons. “I haven’t been this high on the rankings before, but I’m definitely closer to where I want to be.”

Aynarat Aymat 4ème au Pro Junior à la Sauzaie en Vendée

 

photo ASP

 

Superbe performance de la jeune basque espagnole originaire de Zarautz. Aynarat Aymat du haut de ses 14 ans a pu s'imposer dans la cour des grandes, en montrant à ses rivales qu'elle était capable de se battre jusqu'à la dernière seconde. 

Grâce à son surf agressif et à son poids léger, net avantage dans les petites conditions de ce Protest Vendée Pro 2010,  Aynarat atteint donc la 4ème place du podium après une demi finale plein de rebondissements et de changements de situation; en finale face à ses idoles Canelle Bulard, Justine Dupond et Alizé Arnaud, les vagues sont de moins en moins fréquentes, Aynarat se bat jusqu'au bout mais l'expérience de ses adversaires l'emporte. 

Prochaine étape à Hossegor au mois de mai.

A suivre...

 

 

Congratulations Sally Fitzgibbons !!!!

Sally get 2nd at Taranaki Womens Surf Festival WCT in New Zealand,  against Carissa Moore (HAW) in near-perfect 2m offshore conditions at Fitzroy Beach in New Plymouth.

This left Fitzgibbon with the unenviable task of scoring a combined two-wave total of 19.17 to get in front. Despite one impressive wave score of 8.67, the Aussie could only manage a combined total of 16.17.

Fitzgibbons paid tribute to Moore who pulled off some massive turns and threatened the prefect wave score of 10.

Sally is now second on the World Title Ranking, on the way to get Champion.

Go Sally, Go !

List of three - MUST CHECK IT !

1 -

www.myspace.com/folchen

FOL CHEN

Roxy Recommend.... "No Wedding Cake". 

2 -

 

www.myspace.com/hardnox

HARDNOX

Check OUT this song: "Going Out Tonight"

3 -
 

www.myspace.com/mehoplazamusic

MEHO PLAZA

A song that you need to listen: "The Beach"

ROXY JAM 2010 BIARRITZ - SURF, ART, MUSIC….

SURF, ART, MUSIC…. IT'S ROXY'S ANNUAL SUPERCHARGED COCKTAIL OF
FUN AND SPORT, HELD EVERY SUMMER IN BIARRITZ, FROM JULY 10TH TO
14TH.
THE ROXY JAM BIARRITZ IS A UNIQUE FESTIVAL THAT BRINGS TOGETHER:
THE TOP SURFERS ON THE ASP WOMEN'S WORLD LONGBOARD
CHAMPIONSHIPS, AN EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO SURF CULTURE, WHERE
THIS YEAR'S THEME WILL BE RECYCLING, AND A POPTASTIC MUSIC LINEUP,
WITH A FREE CONCERT FEATURING MICKY GREEN AND PLASTISCINES ON JULY 10TH.

ASP WOMEN'S WORLD LONGBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP
The 32 best women surfers in the world will come together on the Basque Coast in Biarritz, the
cradle of European surfing, where they will compete to succeed California's Jennifer Smith as
World Longboard Champion.

ORANGE OFFERS MICKY GREEN AND PLASTISCINES IN CONCERT
Since its inaugural edition in 2006, Roxy Jam has played host to an impressive line-up featuring
some of the most creative artists of the time: Neneh Cherry (Cirkus), CSS, Cibelle, The Do,
Santigold… And the 2010 programme is as strong as ever, with Australian singer Micky Green
and the French group Plastiscines. There'll be a feast of girl pop on Saturday July 10th, in the
idyllic surroundings of the Port Vieux Beach in Biarritz. The concert is free.

CHECK IT ONLINE:

www.myspace.com/mickygreenmusic

www.myspace.com/plastiscine

ROXY SECOND WAVE, SURF CULTURE AND RECYCLING
Like Quiksilver, Roxy was a step ahead of the green movement and has always been
committed to the environment. This year, the Roxy Jam Biarritz's traditional art exhibition will be
devoted to recycling, entitled “Roxy Second Wave”. Highlights are set to include:

- creations by Zako and Gesa Ronge, two artists who draw their inspiration from board culture.
Zako, who hails from Spain, is renowned for her aerial sculptures with their outsized proportions
and her talent for giving materials a whole new lease of life. Like her spectacular chandelier,
made from recycled spectacle lenses, which she’ll be proudly displaying at the Roxy Jam
Biarritz. And German artist Gesa Ronge, whose enormous wave made from driftwood made
her name in Europe, will be coming to exhibit her “Window on the Ocean”, a very personal and
poetic creation, once again made from driftwood. The surfer, who learned her craft at the
University of Fine Arts in Hamburg, has also donated several of her sketches, so they can be
printed and sold with the proceeds going to the Quiksilver Foundation.

- the exceptional collection of pro surfboards brought together by Lee-Ann Curren over the
course of her travels, which she’ll be auctioning off. The proceeds will go to her charity
Titanzinho, which aims to offer surfboards and an alternative to a life of delinquency to
disadvantaged youngsters from the Brazilian shanty town where her partner André Silva was
born.

- the Roxy Art Charity Shop, where collectors and beginners can pick up collector surfboards
and accessories graciously donated by pros, patrons and friends of the Roxy brand. All profits
from the sales will go to the Quiksilver Foundation.

LIMITED SERIES "ROXY JAM BIARRITZ" COLLECTION
This is the absolute must-have of the summer, in the Roxy Jam Biarritz 2010 limited series: grenadine shades with built-in visor. These shades and the whole fashion and eco line (T-shirt made from organic cotton, beach bag, towel, etc.) will be available on site and at Roxy's online store www.roxy-europe.com/ (rub shoponline)

Check out Roxy skater Lois Pendlebury on the cover of Cooler!

The fantastic cooler mag has been graced by another Roxy rider as a cover girl - this time it's the time of the nicest girl in skate - Lois Pendlebury - to act all model like.

Check out the full shoot & article with Lois in this month's Cooler mag - available throughout Europe, or find out more details at http://cooler.mpora.com/

Sofia Mulanovich finished at the second place during the event in Bells Beach in Australia

Saturday, April 3 2010 - During the final on event n°2 in Bells Beach in Australia, The Roxy Girl Sofia Mulanovich lost against Stephanie Gilmore. Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 26, former ASP Women’s World Champion (2004), surfed exceptionally well throughout the day despite suffering from a neck injury.

The fleet-footed Peruvian’s Runner-Up finish is good enough to vault her to ASP Women’s World No. 2 heading into the third event of the year which will take place in Taranaki in New Zealand from April 11th to 16th.

Version française:

Sofia Mulanovich termine deuxième de l’épreuve de Bells Beach en Australie

La Roxy girl, Sofia Mulanovich s’est inclinée samedi face à Stephanie Gilmore, lors de la finale de l’épreuve de Bells Beach en Australie. Malgré une douleur à la nuque, la péruvienne de 26 ans a livré une finale quasi-parfaite avec notamment une très bonne vague.

Une fois de plus, la championne du Monde 2004 s’impose comme une sérieuse prétendante au titre suprême. Son beau parcours en Australie lui permet de prendre la deuxième place au classement général, avant la 3ème étape de l’ASP Women Tour qui se déroulera à Taranaki en Nouvelle Zélande du 11 au 16 avril.