This just in from New Zealeand! One of H2O Audio’s kayakers, Tom Yule, beat past New Zealand Olympians to grab the Gold and two Bronze medals in the New Zealand Blue Lake 2 National Selection Regatta. Congratulations and keep up the good work Tom!
The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory for the North Shore of Hawaii this week and while winter tourists sadly exited the water, Maui watermen pulled out the jet skis and waxed up their boards.
Organizers of the 25th Annual Eddie Aikau Memorial called the contest on yesterday as huge swells rolled into Waimea Bay. Southern California rider Greg Long took the first place prize, finishing just above nine-time world champion Kelly Slater, despite the fact that he’d ridden Waimea for the first time earlier in the week. The Monster Drop Award went to Chile’s Ramon Navarro for the burliest successful take-off in the 40 to 50 foot surf. See the full contest standings plus more pictures and video at transworldsurf.com
Also, just posted, check out video of H2O Rider Laird Hamilton tackling the massive swell Monday at Jaws with team Oxbow and some of the world’s best tow-in surfers.
Sounds like a great time out there for H2O Audio’s own Laird Hamilton and crew…
Monster waves today at the legendary Maui surf spot known as “Jaws” attracted the likes of Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, Darrick Doerner and some of the world’s other top tow-in surfers… and the promise of 30- to 50-foot swells was enough for surfers like David Rastovich and Luke Egan of Australia and Mike Parsons of California to fly to Maui to join the lineup at Jaws.
[Via Honolulu Advertiser]
From left, H2O Audio's Carl, Slater Trout, and his entourage outside the H2O Audio Offices.
At fourteen years old, Maui Waterman and H2O Audio rider, Slater Trout already has an impressive collection of trophies and titles. Surfing in longboarding as well as prone and stand-up paddle boarding competitions, Slater often finishes in first place, beating out competitors more than twice his age. In fact, he’s created so much buzz in the paddling world that the US Olympic Committee asked him to make the trip over The Pacific to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista to try his hand at Canoe Paddling.
While he was in town, Slater stopped by the H2O Audio offices to say hello to everyone and check out the latest gear. Will he add an Olympic medal to list of accomplishments? We’ll be sure to keep you updated on this up-and-coming athlete and part of the H2O Audio team.
Time for some big wave action!
The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational will happen this week, says contest director George Downing. Either December 7th, 8th, or 9th. Wave heights are expected to consistently exceed 30 feet during these three days and contest directors are gauging when the best wave and wind conditions will cooperate. 40 plus faces are what is required for the contest to go.
[Via Aloha Update]
