Aussie takes down local favorite Royden Bryson in freezing Cape Town barrels

Final

1. Blake Thornton (AUS) 1 500 points $12,000
2. Royden Bryson (ZAF) 1 313 Points $6,000

Semifinals (Winner to final, 2nd = 3rd place, 1 125 pts + $3 500)
SF1: Royden Bryson (ZAF) def. Glenn Hall (AUS)
SF2: Blake Thornton (AUS) def. Jarrad Howse (AUS)

Quarterfinals (Winner to semis, 2nd = 5th place, 975 pts, $2 000)
QF1: Royden Bryson (ZAF) def. Kyle Lane (ZAF)
QF2: Glen Hall (AUS) def. Damien Fahrenfort (ZAF)
QF3: Jarrad Howse def. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
QF4: Blake Thornton (AUS) def. Jean de Silva (BRA)

CONDITIONS: Frigid but pumping offshore conditions came together on the final day with a solid six-foot swell on tap, while just the day prior, nasty storm conditions had forced a lay day. Luckily, the groomed conditions for the finals allowed the venue, Kalk Bay, to pass out some reeling lefthand barrels.

HIGHLIGHTS: Kalk Bay provided Cape Town with its first professional surf competition in 21 years and had hometown hero Royden Bryson taken the win, the local crew surely would’ve thrown a rowdy bash for the boy.
Blake Thorton, who ended up ousting Royden in the final, mentioned that the cold was affecting their surfing. Big, heaving surf at Cape Town in the middle of winter = gnarly. Or just way too much neoprene.

Perhaps more of a lowlight than a highlight, but it’s worth noting that World Tour surfer Jordy Smith went down to Glenn Hall in the Round of 16.

see more at http://www.oneill.com/cwc/southafrica

read  the full story and see more pics at surfline

Before there was Gidget or the Beach Boys, there was Mandos Mary.

Short in stature but big in local surfing folklore, Mary Monks was among the first female surfers to charge Ventura County waves back in the days of wooden boards and wool sweaters. Her love of the waves and outsized personality earned her an honor bestowed to a very few — her favorite surf break was named after her.

Monks, 89, died Friday at a Santa Paula nursing home. In recent years, dementia claimed many of her recent memories, but she held tight to the recollections of her days on the waves, and perpetually thought she was on her way to the beach, said her great-nephew Brandon Wahl.

“Every time I talked about surfing, she’d get really excited about it,” said Wahl.

When he talked about the waves, her eyes would light up and she’d ask about the day’s swell.

Though few now know of “Mary’s” break just north of Ventura city limits, her reputation is still strong with those who knew the local surf scene before neoprene, foam and crowds changed the sport forever.

read more of the story at venturacountystar.com

On July 11, the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) is organizing an attempt to win the title of the largest number of people simultaneously skinny-dipping. Recently added to the Guinness Book of World Records, the record for this category has yet to be set. “We don’t have a record so we don’t have one we can break. But we can set one and beat it next year,” said Carolyn Hawkins, Public Relations Coordinator for AANR. More clearly stated: they are going to win whether or not you show up.

But if you do, you can proudly share the story of your contribution to this historic event for years to come. “We expect to have several thousand people,” said Hawkins. “People are really taking hold of this. It’s really going crazy and people want to be a part of it.”

read more at surfing mag