Surf Headlines

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The Man Who Started It All

The Dana Outrigger Canoe Club’s annual Whitey Harrison Canoe Classic, during which 9-person outrigger canoes race for 20 miles from Dana Point Harbor to Laguna Beach and back, is a bit of living, breathing, paddling history, Jake Howard writes this week. Named after Lorrin “Whitey” Harrison, the race is dedicated to the man’s memory and legacy, as he’s considered one of the earliest pioneers of California surf and beach culture.

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A True Beach Life

Surf pioneers and longtime friends were at last able to gather on Beach Road last week to say their final goodbyes to Wayne Penn Schafer, who died in his Poche Reef home at 91 in June 2020. Schafer, who lived a true beach life, always bringing his friends along for the ride, was instrumental in the development of the original Hobie Cat with the late Hobie Alter, Jake Howard reports this week.

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Cross-Stepping Through the Glass Ceiling

Tory Gilkerson of San Clemente and Kirra Seale will become the first two women to serve as head judge and tour manager, respectively, of the WSL Longboard Tour, Jake Howard reports. The news drops ahead of the Vans Duct Tape Invitational and Festival, which is running in conjunction with the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach and takes place from Aug. 3-7.

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Open Season Is Here

The Vans U.S. Open of Surfing is to set to roll into Huntington Beach this weekend. But, of course, the biggest local story percolating, Jake Howard reports, is San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto and his quest to go back-to-back in Surf City. The Open’s been an event that Colapinto has shined in over the years, but he went next-level in 2021 to top the podium.

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Let’s Keep It Clean

Following the recent release of Surfrider Foundation’s latest Beach Cleanup Report, Jake Howard this week highlights some of the key findings, while expressing his own frustration with some of the pollution he’s seen on our local shores.

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It’s Brother Vs. Brother

A new surf film, DNA, by Stab Magazine, spotlights the atmospheric talent of San Clemente brothers Crosby and Griffin Colapinto. Though good-natured, friendly and happy to share a smile or a wave, they show that the long-standing tradition of sibling rivalries is alive and well, as their competitive fire burns hot.

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A History of Hawaii’s Lifeguard Tradition Finally Told

From running the family business, to charging big waves, to filmmaking, local legend Marty Hoffman is a man of many talents, Jake Howard writes this week. Hoffman recently premiered his full-length documentary “Big Wave Guardians: First Responders of the Sea,” which details the long history of lifeguarding in Hawaii.

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Colapinto Comes Up Clutch in El Salvador

San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto moved four spots up the WSL leaderboard after earning his second victory of this year’s Championship Tour season. Colapinto, who barely edged out fellow San Clemente resident Filipe Toledo, now sits third in the world with three more events to go before the Rip Curl WSL Finals at Lower Trestles this September.

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Required Summer Surf Reading

Jake Howard this week highlights the new book Turn and Go! 50 Years of Surf Writings by Steve Pezman, founder of The Surfer’s Journal. Pezman, who will hold a book-signing event next month at the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center, documents the sport, culture and lifestyle of wave-riding, while sharing some of his favorite tales.

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A Summer of Inclusion

“The culture and lifestyle of surfing is in a better place than it’s been in a long, long time—maybe ever,” Jake Howard writes in his latest surf column. While there’s always work to be done, surfing is certainly more inclusive than it has been, as evidenced by a series of recent national news headlines.

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Stars Come into Alignment for Cosmic Creek

Following a two-year pause brought on by the pandemic, the Vissla Cosmic Creek Surf Festival is once again touching down on the sands of Salt Creek on June 4-5, Jake Howard reports in this week’s surf column. The Cosmic Creek is part surf contest, part retro surfboard celebration, part music festival, and solely unique to Salt Creek.