Billabong International Limited today announced it has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire the United States-based online boardsports retailer Swell.com (Swell).

Swell, founded in 1999, is a leading online retailer in the US boardsport sector and sells many of the industry’s leading brands.

Financial details of the purchase remain confidential, but the transaction is not material to the Billabong Group.

Paul Naude, President of Billabong USA, said the acquisition would allow Billabong to manage its brands in the growing online market.

“We look forward to growing the Swell business and further developing it as a showcase online platform for the US boardsports industry,” he said.

“The internet plays a significant role in the recreational habits of the youth market so it is important for our Group to ensure we provide them with a premium brand experience when shopping online.”

Paul Wendkos, a movie and television director best known for the frothy surfer film “Gidget,” but whose other productions ranged from thrillers to historical dramas, died Nov. 12 at his home in Malibu, Calif. He was 84.

The cause was complications of a stroke, said his wife, Lin Bolen Wendkos.

Mr. Wendkos was assigned to direct “Gidget” in 1958, a year after Harry Cohn, the president of Columbia Pictures, signed him to a contract. The film starred Sandra Dee, then 17, as the tomboyish Francie Lawrence, who doesn’t understand why her girlfriends are so boy-crazy. Francie’s only interest in the guys at the beach is having them teach her how to surf. But love eventually snares her, and she’s soon drinking beer with the Big Kahuna (Cliff Robertson) just to make Moondoggie (James Darren) jealous.

Released in 1959, the movie and its sequel, “Gidget Goes Hawaiian,” also directed by Mr. Wendkos, were hits and helped popularize a surfing culture that began spreading to the mainland.

read more at NYT

Congratulations to Joel Centeio on his first major ASP WQS win at his home break of Haleiwa in the ASP WQS 6-Star PRIME Reef Hawaiian Pro. Joel’s only previous win was at Sunset Beach in 2007.

Obviously Joel was ecstatic with his $20,000 winner’s cheque and the 3500 points that went with it moved him to 51st on the ratings.

Fellow finalists were CJ Hobgood, who also was not that interested in the ASP WQS points and more wanting the Vans Triple Crown Title. In third was Jay Thompson and fourth Alain Riou.

Jay and Alain definitely wanted the points over money ,and Jay’s third has all but guaranteed him a start in the ASP World Tour next year as he has moved to 6th with 13,638 points. Alain jumped a lot also, but is still back in 26th on 11,082.

The Top 15 cutoff has moved slightly upward from 12,125 to 12,200 and is looking like being around that 12,500 mark.

Current Top 25 on the ratings are:
1 Ross,Daniel AUS 14975 1375
2 Gudauskas,Patrick USA 14876 1625
3 Andre,Jadson BRA 14813 1375
4 Wright,Owen AUS 14338 1225
5 Melling,Adam AUS 14288 1225
6 Thompson,Jay AUS 13638 1125
7 Yeomans,Nathan USA 13419 1225
8 Munro,Luke AUS 13263 1125
9 Simpson,Brett USA 13150 1375
10 Wilkinson,Matt AUS 12850 1300
11 Logie,Travis ZAF 12344 1181
12 Polo,Marco BRA 12331 1156
13 Thornton,Blake AUS 12325 1225
14 Dornelles,Rodrigo BRA 12206 1181
15 Courtney,Drew AUS 12200 1125
16 Gudauskas,Tanner USA 12175 1225
17 Duru,Joan FRA 12125 1375
18 Payne,Dusty HAW 11925 1225
19 Ware,Austin USA 11725 1225
19 Zubizarreta,Gony ESP 11725 1375
21 Atkinson,Dion AUS 11669 1225
22 Miranda,Bernardo BRA 11601 875
23 Hall,Glenn IRL 11600 1500
24 Jackson,Brandon ZAF 11431 1100
25 Cardoso,Willian BRA 11151 1125

read more at asp