Town and country waves; party for Jeannie
Friday - September 14, 2007
| Share
Del.icio.us
|
Aloha surfers,
Wave No. 1: We are definitely stoked about the surf action as both town and country have waves. This spreads out the crowds and lets us move into fall with a little more ease. It looks as though this pattern will continue for another week. All the swells are well below advisory levels, but that’s just fine for most wave riders ... just as long as it’s about shoulder high.
Wave No. 2: On the competition scene we had the last Steinlager Shaka Longboard Series final last weekend at Queen’s. I believe they were shooting for Haleiwa but permits might not have come together in time. That’s OK because Queen’s Surf had perfect little waves as Jamie Ballenger’s Hawaiian Water Shots shows .... and there will be enough contests running on the North Shore very soon. I’ll post complete results on SURFNEWSNETWORK.COM as soon as they’re out.
The big boys are continuing on with the Boost Mobile Pro at Trestles in Cali - it’s the sixth event of the Foster World Champ Tour. You can watch it live at BOOSTMOBILEPRO.COM.
I like watching in the comfort of my own home - no gas, no traffic and no circus. But then I miss the on-site energy, autographs and bathing suits.
This event is so critical for the title ... if Mick Fanning wins, he’s pretty much the world champ. He will be the first Aussie since Mark Occhilupo in 1999; prior to that it was Damien Hardman in 1991. Two titles per decade don’t cut it. So, needless to say our Aussie challengers are more than ready for a “change of the guard.” Fanning is already an Australian hero, so if he pulls this off he will become legend. Never before has the world tour had this much talent - many claim 2007 has the highest level in the ASP’s 31-year history (1976-2007). I agree 100 percent.
Wave No. 3: We have a special fundraiser coming up at Hard Rock Café Thursday Sept. 20. It’s for our beloved Jeannie Chesser, who is fighting an aggressive and rare form of skin cancer. Back in July she underwent surgery to remove the cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Even with insurance, however, the balance of medical bills are ridiculously high; plus, Jeannie can no longer work regular hours while undergoing such exhausting treatments. Not to worry, because Jeannie still surfs to maintain peace of mind, body and soul, but it is more tiring now. None of this, however, can stop our hard charger; she knows how to persevere under the most straining circumstance. Jeannie’s attitude that has helped get through other tragedies in her life. Her husband died in a car accident two years after they were married. And their only son, Todd, a pro surfer and world class big-wave charger, drowned while surfing outside Alligator Rock 10 years ago. He was just 28.
|
“That was horrible,“said Chesser, whose home near Diamond Head is filled with photos of her son.“I couldn’t work for nine months. I would cry at everything. The only medicine that worked was surfing.”
She never gave up. In fact, even today she still has the greatest (and driest) sense of humor. I love this girl.
Let’s come together and support our longtime surfing friend. The event will include live entertainment, door prizes and a silent auction featuring new surfboards, custom skate decks and personal boards from the quivers of pro surfers Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Bonga Perkins and others. A million mahalos to Hard Rock and all those helping out.
Here’s how you can, too! “Da Friends of Jeannie Chesser” First Hawaiian Bank, 1348 Hunakai St., Honolulu, HI 96816. E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
That’s a wrap for this week ... I’ll catch you catching the waves and back here next week. Stoked!
GQ, Dropping in 4 U!
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS Comments (0) |
Most Recent Comment(s):
