Gerry Lopez and Rory Russel are some of the North Shore’s most legendary surfers. They both blew minds surfing Pipeline, especially in the early 70′s. Both men are still involved in the surfing world, with Gerry teaching at a recent yoga convention at Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore and Rory attending Andy Iron’s funeral on Kauai two years ago. I saw this video below posted on Face Book by Derrick Doerner (Another North Shore Surfing Legend) and had to share it here.
Posts Tagged ‘Pipeline’
Gerry Lopez and Rory Russel Surfing in the 1970′s in Bali
Friday, March 22nd, 2013North Shore Surf’s up for the Girls at the SeaHawaii Womens Pro at Pipeline Starts March 1, 2012
Thursday, March 1st, 2012
March 1, 2012, marks the beginning of the 9 day holding period for the the Sea Hawaii Women’s Pro at Pipeline. The event is the only women’s surfing event held at the famous Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu. Held on the best 3-days of surf over the course of it’s 9 day window, the best way to find out if the event is off or on is to check in with the Surf News Network after 8:00 am daily.
The event features the following divisions and prize purses:
USBA Women’s Bodyboarding Pro $2,000.00 Purse
ASP One Star Shortboard Women’s Pro $10,000.00 Purse
ASP Two Star Jr. Womens Pro $3,000.00 Purse
ASP Two Star Men’s Jr. Pro $10,000.00 Purse
Honolulu City and County Mayor, Peter Carlisle w/ athletes from the SeaHawaii Womens Pro. Please note learning to surf at Pipeline is not recommended. We keep our surfing lessons fun and safe by teaching in a protected cove when the the surf is big on the North Shore of Oahu.
Sion Milosky RIP – Familyman, Waterman and Super Cool Guy
Wednesday, April 6th, 2011
The surfing community was shocked with the news of Sion Milosky’s passing while surfing giant waves at Mavericks in Norther California on March 16th, 2011. He left behind a beautiful family and a generation of big wave surfers who will forever love and miss him. Sion “died with his boots” on doing what he loved most riding giant waves. Although he died young, he was 35 years old, he will be remembered as one of the greats, like Eddie Aikau, Mark Foo and Todd Chesser. Below are 2 videos. The first one is of his friends paddling out and surfing Pipeline in his memory. It’s hard to truly appreciate how special it is unless you surfed Pipe, but note how young everyone is. The other video is a tribute to Sion and features pictures of him surfing giant waves…..A fund has been established to donate money to his wife and children. Love and condolences to his family…
Click here to make a contribution to Sion Milosky’s Family via paypal.
Hawaii Surfing Legend Andy Irons Dies
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
Pro surfer Andy Irons passed away on November 2, 2010 on his way home from a surfing contest. He was suffering from Dengue Fever and had pulled out of a contest because he was to sick to compete. Andy lived a life most of us can only dream of; traveling the world and surfing perfect waves. He won 3 World Surfing Championships, the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing 4 times and is the only surfer in the world to win events at every stop on the ASP World Tour of Surging. North Shore Surf Girl memories of Andy include watching him pull into barrel after barrel at Pipeline especially Back Door. He was an amazing surfer, super late drops, sick turns and incredible timing. He will be missed by many people. Condolences to his family and close friends.
Andy Irons Tribute from Brian Bielmann from M. Scott Mortensen on Vimeo.
North Shore Surfer Marvin Foster is Surfing Perfect Pipeline in Heaven
Saturday, May 22nd, 2010
Marvin Foster, 1962-2010
North Shore surfing legend, father, brother and super cool person Marvin Foster passed away May 18th, 2010 in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu, finding peace at last. He was a fearless surfer with a true North Shore style. Earning the nick names Carving Marvin and Marvelous Marvin he was a master at surfing the Pipeline and set the standard for carving in the early 80′s. In 1980, he was named Rookie of the Year by ASP World Tour. Always a daredevil, he was the first person to go left at big Waimea Bay, and was one of the original invitees to the Quiksilver Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational surfing contest.
A straight “A” graduate of Waialua High School, Hawaiian to the core and intelligent, Marvelous Marvin looked you straight in the eye and told you like it was. Loved and respected by his family and friends he will be truly missed.
Marvin is survived by his daughters Vai Tiare Marr-Foster and Zjayna Foster, brothers Daniel, Cyrus, and Kalani Foster, and sister Pua McCormick.
North Shore Soap Factory Pipeline Women’s Pro Surfing Contest Winners
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
Congratulations to North Shore Surf girl Anastasia Ashley for winning the women’s surfing and to Brazilian Karla Costa-Taylor for winning the women’s bodyboarding divisions of the 21st Annual North Shore Soap Factory Pipeline Women’s Pro in Memory of Josie Over. A big mahalo to event director, Betty Depolito for organizing it too!
Photo Bernie Baker
It’s great to see the women surfers from around the world given the opportunity to compete at the world’s most prestigious surfing competition venue. What’s not so great is seeing the only women’s contest held at Pipeline awarded dates at the end of the winter, when the waves are small and marginal. Most people don’t understand or even want to know about the “politics” of surfing contest on the North Shore, but it would be helpful to the cause of gender equality if some sun was shined on it. Each Spring the City and County sends permit applications to all the event directors from the previous season inviting them to fill our an application for a contest. The application includes questions like does this event provide opportunities for females and what kind of community services does the event preform. Although there is zero effort to confirm the truth of statements on the application, after all the event directors turn in the forms a secret process of “conflict resolution occurs ” when directors have conflicting date request. This process has increasingly pushed the women’s event to the end of the surfing season. On top of all of that there is no representation of athletes, who gets to compete in an event is left up to the sole discretion of the event director, and I know of cases where event directors have asked athletes to not compete due to personal issues with them. Another huge problem with the surfing contest process is the timing. Surf contest permits awarded less then 4 months prior to the start of the surfing season on the North Shore of Oahu. This leaves surfing contest promoters little time to organize sponsorship, athletes little time to organize travel plans and the media little time to organize covering the events. All of this little time hurts the ability the sport of surfing to leverage its self and event less ability for the Hawaii visitor industry to benefit from it. So what is the solution to this dilemma? Easy, the City and State of Hawaii should issue 3-year surfing contest permits to all of the existing events and require that event directors prove that they are giving women equal opportunities to compete, after all it’s the law. That way all of the up and coming girls learning to surf on the North Shore today will have something to strive for.
North Shore’s Best Surfing Beaches
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
The best place to surf on the North Shore depends upon what kind of surfer you are. For beginner surfers Puaena Point and Freddie Land are the best places to go. If your an intermediate surfer any place up to 6 ft, except Pipeline and Rocky Rights. After the surf gets over 6 ft., every surf spot is for experts only, especially Pipeline, Sunset, Haleiwa, Waimea Bay and all outside reefs. The good news is that if your wanting to learn how to surf we teach our surfing lessons in a protected cove, so even when the surf is huge on the outside we have small and safe 1-2 ft., waves to teach you to surf on.
Tidal 9 Women’s Pipeline Pro 2009 Contest
Friday, February 6th, 2009
| Pipeline, North Shore Oahu 31 March – 14 April 2009 Tidal 9 Women’s Pipeline Pro announces 2009 contest Where: Oahu, Hawaii. The surfing mecca of the world, The North Shore, at Ehukai Beach Park on Kamehameha Highway across from Sunset Beach Elementary School. Who: The best and most extreme Women surfers and bodyboarders in the World. The three-day competition allows for 180 competitors. Event: This inagural event brings together Pro surfers and the Girl Scouts of Hawaii in celebration of women’s leadership. This year’s theme, courage, confidence and character, is a common bond between surfers and scouts. This event seeks to inspire young women to lead healthy lifestyles, aspire for excellence in sports, and to be leaders in their communty. With the help of our sponsors we hope to benefit Camp Paumalu on Oahu’s North Shore in it’s quest to be ecologically balanced. Honoring Patsy Mink The Women’s Pipeline Pro will be dedicated to Women leaders who helped to make surfing what it is today. One of those women was Patsy Mink. She was a spitfire of a congresswoman from the state of Hawaii. She was instrumental in providing equal opportunity in schools by drafting Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, now known as the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act. It is more commonly known simply as Title IX. It is a United States law enacted on June 23, 1972 that states: “No person in the United States shall on the basis of sex, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. The implications of this were great in the area of Woman’s sports. Females were then able to get funding to play sports in school! Aoi Koike Bodyboarding’s 20th Year at Pipeline This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Women’s Pipeline Pro. In 1988 five women got together and started the first Women’s contest at Pipeline. At the time there were few Women stand up surfers challenging the famous spot. it was the “booggieboarders” charging the tubes. As time went on, Women bodyboarders gained much respect for their athletic abilities at the difficult surf spot. World Champions were named and giant tubes were ridden. The International Bodyboarders Association , IBA, now heads up the world tour and bodyboarding continues to grow around the world. South America is seeing a hugh growth and the Japanese contingent has always been very strong. Competitors also come from Portugal, France, Puerto Rico and South Africa, and beyond! Good Luck to all of these history making Women! |
If you are planning a surfing vacation to Hawaii, be sure to use this helpful directory of information for Hawaii Vacations. It includes travel, shopping and destination information for Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Molokai, and the Big Island of Hawaii.