Surf Ride is proud to present the $100K Freedom Surf Series by Vans for 2010.

Surf Ride has rallied the troops AKA our generous sponsors to bring you the most exciting Southern California Surf Series around! Check it out:

• Unrivaled Cash and Prizes for this Pro-Am event – $100,000.00
• The Cause – Camp Pendleton Kids after-school Military Surf Club!
• ASP trained computer judging with real time scoring!
• Insane Surf Ride board Demo center, huge raffles, and so much more!
• Register, pay, see the season standings and check your heat times all available on-line!

Watermans: Applied Science is proud to announce their involvement in the Surf Ride  Freedom Pro-Am Surf Series by Vans. Participants in this year s event will be able to focus on the competition instead of worrying about sunburn and skin cancer thanks to the unbeatable performance and undeniable protection of Watermanssunscreen.

“We are stoked to partner with Surf Ride on this event,” says Macon Brock, Watermans president and founder, “Protecting water sports athletes and giving back to the those in need is what the brand is all about.””The Surf Ride Freedom Surf Series by Vans is unique in that it accommodates Family Divisions along with a ProDivision at the same contest.

Family Division participants will be vying for thousands of dollars in Surf Ride store credit, while the Pro’s duke it out for Cash,” event Director Chris Williams.”We can’t wait to present the Youth Division winner with a Surf Ride Gift Card charged up with $700, or the Pro who winsthe $5,000 first place check.

All the Family Divisions- from Grom to Women’s are set-up to receive massive Surf Ride Gift Cards, Plus a huge welcome Back Pack from DAKINE and a Family style BBQ compliments of Vans,” said Williams. Registration for February 21st at OB Pier in San Diego is OPEN- Visit Freedom.surfride.com

www.freedom.surfride.com
www.watermansappliedscience.com

original story via surfersvillage

More than a dozen people have been injured while watching a surfing contest in Northern California. Two huge waves swept away spectators who were standing on a seawall. An official estimates that “a couple hundred” people were on the seawall when the waves struck. He says two of the injured were taken to hospitals and 11 others were being treated at the beach for injuries that included broken legs. He says no one is missing.

One of the injured says a wave “came out of nowhere and wiped us all out.” Also taken out was a large scaffold holding speakers broadcasting the Mavericks Surf Contest, held in the tiny harbor town of Half Moon Bay, 25 miles south of San Francisco. Authorities moved bystanders about 100 yards back from the water, where they could continue to watch the surf contest. Competitors voted to hold the contest despite warnings of strong winds and unpredictable surf, because forecasts called for record-high waves.

original story via cbs47.tv

image via mercurynews

A FATHER who grabbed hold of a rock as a shark tried to drag him out to sea has told how he won the battle of wills.

Paul Welsh was surfing with his 10-year-old son Saxon close to shore on a Sydney beach yesterday when the shark attacked.

“I was pushing my son on to waves and it just belted me from behind,” Mr Welsh said.

“I grabbed on to the pinnacle of a rock and held on as it tried to drag me out … and I won.

“I’m all right though, but it was p—ing out with blood.”

Mr Welsh, 46, was bitten on the left leg by the 1.6m shark off Mona Vale about 8am.

After pulling himself on to the rocks, he was able to walk to the beach carpark where his wife, Kaaren, drove him to hospital.

One of the shark’s teeth was removed from the 15cm wound, which Saxon proudly showed off outside the hospital. Surfwatch Australia director Michael Brown, who witnessed the attack, said the shark hit Mr Welsh “like a freight train”.

read full story at heraldsun.com.au

photos via heraldsun and abc news