(Honolulu, Hawaii) June 10, 2009 – The Quiksilver King of the Groms made its Hawaii stop this past weekend at Kewalos. With solid three-four foot surf on tap, the heats were packed with some of the Islands’ best under 16 surfers, all charging for the cash and a spot in the World Championships in France. In the end, Oahu’s Ezekiel Lau took the win with six skins (equal to $600 cash). Kauai’s Luke Hitchcock trailed just behind with four skins for second place and $400.

As the Hawaii champion, Ezekiel will travel to France this September to compete in the King of the Groms World Championships. Bringing together 16 Kings from around the world, including winner of the King of the Groms Santa Cruz Regional Qualifier Andrew Jacobson and the King of the Groms East Coast winner (still to be determined) the final showdown will be held in conjunction with the Quiksilver Pro France, a Men’s ASP World Tour contest.

The Quiksilver King of the Groms is the only “skins” format contest in North America. For more info on the King of the Groms, go to www.quiksilver.com/kog

About the King of the Groms Format:

The “Skins” format was founded by Quiksilver’s own Matt Kechele who introduced it to the East Coast back in 1995 at the Quiksilver King of the Peak at Sebastian Inlet which was won by non other than eight-time world champion Kelly Slater.  A “Skin” is equivalent to $100. In order to win a “Skin” the surfer must raise his hands above his head in what is termed a “claim” after what he or she thinks is a high scoring ride.  The judges then assess the wave and the score is announced and the surfer must exit the water.  The remaining surfers then have the duration of the heat to “claim” their wave and top the high score. Surfers get two chances to lose as there are two rounds of competition.  They also have the chance to go “on a roll” and claim multiple “Skins” if they are consistently putting up high scores as they progress in each heat.

About Quiksilver
Quiksilver is committed to providing tools for uncovering, expressing and expanding your personal style.  Our aim is to foster the sense of individual expression and excitement – the stoke that is the essence of boardriding*.  We’re also here to spread the word because the only thing better than finding stoke is sharing it.

*Boardriding is about timing and style.  It’s youthful, active, casual, and free flowing.  There is no wrong way to ride a board.  The goal is simply to learn, progress, improve, and give it your own interpretation.

All-Around Waterman, Chuck Patterson, Joins Ocean Minded Inc. as Brand Ambassador

San Clemente — Ocean Minded™ is proud to announce the addition of world-renowned waterman, Chuck Patterson, to its team of versatile Brand Ambassadors. Patterson, from Dana Point, CA has established a global reputation for continually pushing his physical and mental limitations, which has brought him to excel in numerous water-based disciplines, including traditional surfing, stand up paddling (SUP), kite surfing, and tow-in surfing.

“I look forward to building a strong relationship with Ocean Minded, and I am very happy to be working with a company that lives up to their brand values”, said Patterson, via email from Tahiti. “We have some great ideas for upcoming summertime events, and I look forward to seeing them come to fruition”.

Patterson’s passion for life pushes him to go further and harder in everything, and he is always searching for extreme adventure and competition. On May 30th, 2009, Patterson utilized his non-stop training regiment to win the 8 mile 14ft SUP race in 1 hour and 29 minutes at the 2009 Hobie/ Hennessey Waterman Challenge.

“We are thrilled to have Chuck traveling around the world as an Ocean Minded Brand Ambassador”, stated the company’s Marketing Director, Bob Tanner.  “He embodies the ocean/beach lifestyle, symbolizes the four pillars of our brand – Quality, Authenticity, Responsibility, Community – and is an extremely well-respected, all-around waterman”.

About Ocean Minded, Inc. That simple idea is the foundation of our company.  Being ‘ocean minded’ and living an ‘ocean lifestyle’ begins with the inspiration and allure that the world’s oceans and beaches offer each one of us.  The Ocean Minded™ brand enables an individual to identify, visualize, and embrace their personal beach and water-oriented passions in the course of their daily adventure.  Whether you’re devoted to surfing in Hawaii, kayaking on the Sea of Cortez, snorkeling over the Great Barrier Reef, or warming up around a campfire in Big Sur, Ocean Minded™ welcomes you with open arms.

Live. Protect. Respect. ™ We can no longer deny that our planet is rapidly becoming a crowded and polluted place. Our chosen lifestyle, and the passion for the ocean we all share, cannot be taken for granted.  Ocean Minded™ believes we should utilize recycled and sustainable materials in our footwear, apparel, and accessories whenever possible, and we consistently strive to achieve this.  Additionally, we feel that as both a corporation, and a group of individuals, it is essential to Live, Protect, and Respect our environment.

Since 1996, we have been organizing community beach clean-ups around the world, and educating our customers on the importance of leaving their chosen playgrounds in better condition than when they were found.  Our belief that everything eventually ends up in the ocean has led us to host additional clean-ups in the mountains, as well as on the banks of inland rivers and lakes.

San Diego Community Used Surfboard Swap Meet
Saturday & Sunday, June 20 & 21, 9 am – 4 pm Patagonia Cardiff

Sitting on a stack of used surfboards you can’t move on Craig’s List? Need to liquidate some so you can get a new one? Looking for a smashing good deal? Then come to Patagonia Cardiff’s Board Swap on June 20 & 21.

We’ll hold the event on our side patio and back parking lot. You’ll find short boards, fish, quads, bonzers, eggs, guns, logs, historical collectibles, and more. We‚ll have everything from barely ridden beauties to garage-sale beaters, priced accordingly.

Used board collections will be offered individually or in groupings by surfers from all over the San Diego County surfing community.* Admission is free.

Those interested in selling at the Board Swap must pre-register with Patagonia Cardiff. There is no fee to participate, and no commission taken from the any sales. Deadline to register is June 18, by 5 pm. Spaces are expected to fill quickly. Contact store_cardiff@patagonia.com attn: Board Swap, or call (760) 634-9886 to reserve a space. Look for Board Swap updates on Twitter (PatagoniaCardif).

*Sorry, surfboard retailers and manufacturers are not permitted to sell at this event.

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