The Australian Sports Commission’s Indigenous Sport Program (ISP), which works to increase the number of Indigenous people participating in sport, has partnered with Surfing Australia and the University of Queensland to conduct a three-year (2009–11) research project measuring the impacts of sport on Indigenous Australian communities.

It will be funded by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, an international apolitical organisation that uses the positive influence of sport to address social challenges.

The idea for the research project came out of a need, identified by the ISP, to substantiate claims around the benefits of sport with empirical evidence, not just on the basis of anecdotal accounts. “This is the first time that research of this nature has been conducted in this field” said ISP Senior Sports Consultant Richard Kilian.

ISP has formed a useful partnership with the University of Queensland to provide expertise in the development of the research agenda. Similarly, Surfing Australia has joined ISP as the organisation primarily responsible for providing the context and sites in which the study can take place.

“Surfing Australia is proud to be chosen as the primary sport to be utilised for this very significant research project. We believe this recognises the excellent fit that exists between surfing and Indigenous communities and will be a welcome addition to the already excellent work being done through the ISP and our member states” said Chris Symington, Sports Development Manager for Surfing Australia.

Over the last decade, Volcom has allotted millions of marketing dollars into the Banzai Pipeline, its locals, and adjacent real estate. And, announcing the new sponsorship of the 5-Star World Qualifying Series Pipeline Pro, the action sports brand is reinvesting into the North Shore community and Hawaii’s ‘QS surfers. At the same time, Volcom has never owned an ASP property.

“Pipe is extremely important to Volcom,” says Volcom Surf Brand Manager, Brad Dougherty. “We have positioned ourselves on the beach so that our team riders and the local chargers can take full advantage of what is out front. Careers are made out of Pipeline and Backdoor.”

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.