* Billabong Pipe Masters Generates 6 million streams over 3 days
* Mobile users made up 25-30% of overall viewership
* Unique visitors to VansTripleCrownofSurfing.com rise to 4 million
from 2.6 in 2010
The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, set an action sports industry record with more than 10.4 million live streams across 13 days of competition between October 28 and December 11 on www.vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com and on mobile devices. Series viewership, which includes the 3-day HIC Pro, peaked with more than 6 million streams were initiated over the three consecutive days of the Billabong Pipe Masters alone from December 8-10.
Overall VansTripleCrownofSurfing.com visitors during the contest period rose from 2.6 million in 2010 to just more than 4 million this year.
World famous Champion Surfer and home town sports hero, Cory Lopez celebrated the 5th Anniversary of Nekton Surf Shop, in his hometown of Indian Rocks Beach, Florida on Saturday, December 17th.
Sponsored by O’Neill, Rockstar Energy Drink, Anarchy Eyewear, Shark/Freestyle, WaveJet and Vans; the Nekton Surf Shop 5th Anniversary Christmas Party attracted several hundred fans and patrons who gathered under clear blue, sunny Florida skies to get a personally autographed poster from Lopez.
Fresh from competing in Hawaii for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing and his recent nomination for Surfer Magazine’s Tube of the Year Award, the champ enjoyed mixing it up with friends and locales while helping to raise funds for the Suncoast Surfrider Chapter.
Cory’s sponsors and shop vendors contributed prizes for the $2.00 door raffle. The after party continued at Coaster’s Bar and Grill with a Live Concert by local band ‘Full Fledged Unit’. The event was deemed a success and a great time was had by all who attended.
JOHN JOHN FLORENCE FINDS PERFECTION ON DAY 1
OF THE BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS
The 3rd and final Jewel of the Vans Triple Crown
VansTripleCrownOfSurfing.com
HONOLULU (Dec. 8, 2011) — Detonating 15- to 20-foot waves at Banzai Pipeline got the blood pumping on the beach and spilling in the water for day one of the Billabong Pipe Masters, and a spirited demonstration of perfect surfing by 19-year-old John John Florence (Hawaii) got the emotions flowing. A maximum capacity crowd turned out to see what the North Shore’s rising star could do on the biggest swell of the winter and they weren’t disappointed. Florence showed why he is the leader of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing ratings, presented by Rock Star Energy Drink, picking up where he left off after winning the Vans World Cup at Sunset Beach last week. The Billabong Pipe Masters is the third and final jewel of the Vans Triple Crown.
Ian Walsh (Maui) looks back as Pipeline does it’s best imitation of Niagara Falls. Credit: Cestari/ASP
Scored on their best two waves in each 40 minute heat, the majority of surfers struggled to lock in two solid scores in the deadly, barreling waves. But Florence and a handful of Pipe locals rallied with incredible performances that saw them streak ahead. Florence notched up not two, but five great tube rides in his heat. His top two totaled 18.16 out of 20, including a perfect 10 for two deep and successful tube rides on a single wave.
“No-one even looks at most of the waves coming through and you’re like, ‘Really? You don’t want this wave?,” Florence said. “Maybe it’s just because I live here and I surf with a million people every day and I’m just freaking out on every wave that comes in. It’s definitely dreamy. Especially having Pipe as good as it gets on the first day of the waiting period. That’s amazing. It only gets this good a couple of times a year. I’ve never seen it this good in a contest. It’s an event but it’s also an opportunity to surf Pipe at it’s best. There’s no-one out, it’s just perfect.
On his perfect 10: “I knew it was going to have the double up, I just pulled in, kind of got pinched and couldn’t see anything when I came out, then I just fell into the next barrel pretty much. (On a scale of 1-10), it’s a 10 in danger, anything could go wrong – the same with any day out here. It’s a gnarly wave.”
If you haven’t be watching the live webcast of the Vans Triple Crown, then you might have missed Sunny Commercial. Rockstar has you covered, check this out and stay updated with the VTC by watching the live webcast.
Rockstar surfer Sunny Garcia has been crushing it at the VANS Triple Crown of Surfing. Sunny squared off against Carissa Moore at Sunset Beach and won the heat ending her historic Triple Crown hopes!
Day 3 of the VTCS went down and the surf was less than welcoming. The first day of December dawned to the sight of this winter’s largest NW swell—but unfortunately, a stiff North wind tattered the ocean, rendering just about every wave, except Sunset Beach, marginally surfable. Like a pissed off girlfriend, the waves had to be navigated expertly or a nasty outcome was sure. Check out the video below to see how tough the conditions were for the line up.
What’s the best way to watch all the action of the Vans Triple Crown presented by Rockstar? With the Iphone/Ipad app of course. It’s free, it’s mobile, and it’s so hot right now. Download it through the app store or click on the photo below to get in the know.
HONOLULU (Nov. 21, 2011) — Australian Jack Freestone, 19, the reigning ASP World Junior Champion, set a high-flying pace at the Reef Hawaiian Pro today. The event finally got underway in head-high surf after nine days of waiting and Freestone wasted no time in posting the day’s highest score – 15.66 out of 20. The Reef Hawaiian Pro is the first stop of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, at Haleiwa on Oahu’s North Shore.
Reigning ASP World Junior Champoin Jack Freestone (Gold Coast, Australia) (pictured) advanced into Round 2 of the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Ali’i Beach Park, Haleiwa today.Posting the highest heat total of Round 1, a 15.66 (out of a possible 20.00) Freestone defeated Ian Gentil (USA), Jack Perry (AUS) and Ricardo Santos (BRA) to secure his place in the next round when competition resumes.
Previous winner, Roy Powers (Kauai, Hawaii) (pictured) advanced into Round 2 of the Reef Hawaiian Pro taking place at Ali’i Beach Park, Haleiwa today.
With a heat total of 14.44 (out of a possible 20.00) Powers defeated Shaun Cansdell (AUS), Albee Layer (HAW) and Ian Walsh (HAW) to secure his place in the Round of 96 when competiton resumes.
REEF HAWAIIAN PRO STARTS MONDAY MORNING
EVENT WILL RUN THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS TO
CROWN CHAMPION ON WEDNESDAY
Stop #1 of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing
Haleiwa, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
VansTripleCrownOfSurfing.com
HONOLULU (Nov. 20, 2011) — The Reef Hawaiian Pro – the first of the 3-event Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series presented by Rockstar Energy Drink – will commence tomorrow, Monday November 21, and run three consecutive days to crown a champion on Wednesday.
“In the 29-year history of running the Vans Triple Crown, we’ve never gone this far without running one competitive day,” says Randy Rarick, Executive Director of the Series. “But we knew it was possible, given it’s a La Nina year. We saw a similar pattern last year, but this year La Nina is more strengthened. This is precisely why we have a 12-day window. Without it, the event would not have been able to start.”
The period allocated to the Reef Hawaiian Pro started November 12 and runs through the 23rd.
“A new WNW swell will fill in tomorrow and hold through Wednesday to allow us to run the Reef Hawaiian Pro straight through the final three days of its holding period,” says Managing Director Marty Thomas.
“Heat times for the first three rounds have been adjusted to 20 minutes duration, potentially increasing to 25 or 30 minutes for the later rounds, but it just depends upon whether we get an 8am start or a midday start tomorrow.”
The new swell is forecast to be in the shoulder-high range with clean, offshore conditions, but may take the morning to fill in, hence the possible midday start. Stay tuned to VansTripleCrownOfSurfing.com for updates.
Among those who will take to the waves on the opening day of competition are: Flynn Novak (HAW), Jamie O’Brien (Haw), Tim Reyes (CA), Jack Freestone (AUS), and Maui surfers Ian Gentil and Ian Walsh.
The Hawaiian Air Show, which offers 250,000 Hawaiian Miles to the best aerial performed throughout the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, will likely see a flurry of entries out of Haleiwa. Surfline.com, the official forecaster of the Vans Triple Crown, expects clean conditions, off-shore winds and fun surf in the shoulder-high range for the event.
Also coming up at Haleiwa is Reef’s Clash of the Legends, presented by Bud Light Lime, which this year features the Momentum Generation.
The MORNING SHOW will be broadcast live from the beach every morning at www.vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com, at 8am Hawaii time.
Download the new VANS LIVE 2.0 App, FREE, on iTunes for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Coming soon for Android devices and where Android apps are available. Also check out the Vans Off The Wall TV app!
The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink is made possible by Vans, Rockstar Energy Drink, Reef, Billabong, Nixon, Skullcandy Supreme Sound, Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaii Tourism, GoPro, Turtle Bay Resort, State Farm, JN Automotive Group, Wavejet Propulsion, Climb On Products, Clif Bar, Oceanic Time Warner Cable, Road Runner, Flo Water, Surfline.com, SURFING Magazine, and the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP).
Winner to Receive 250,000 Hawaiian Airlines Miles!
1st Stop of the Vans Triple Crown Of Surfing
North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
HONOLULU (Nov. 10, 2011) — Hawaiian Airlines and the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, have announced a new development for the 2011 winter surf season: The Hawaiian Air Show. The Hawaiian Air show will award 250,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles to one surfer who executes the most exceptional single aerial maneuver of the Vans Triple Crown series.
Above: Dane Reynolds, one of ASP’s top aerialists. Expect to see more of this. Photo credit: ASP/Kirstin
Aerials performed across all three events will be eligible for the winner-takes-all prize, starting this week with the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa (Nov. 12-23), and continuing through the Vans World Cup of Surfing (Nov. 25-Dec. 6) and the Billabong Pipe Masters (Dec. 8-20).
HONOLULU (Nov. 9, 2011) — This Saturday, November 12, marks the official start of the world’s premier professional surfing series on Oahu’s North Shore: THE VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF SURFING, Presented by Rockstar Energy Drink. The first stop is the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa Ali’i Beach Park. From November 12 through December 20 — 39 days — Oahu’s North Shore will be the focus of the international surfing world, featuring the final three events of the 2011 Association of Surfing Professionals Tour, and a host of entertaining surf-inspired events. (See calendars below.)
The North Shore extends a special welcome to World Champion-elect Kelly Slater (USA), who officially clinched his 11th ASP World Title this week, & defending Vans Triple Crown champion Joel Parkinson (Australia). The North Shore also welcomes Hawaii’s very own ASP Women’s World Champion Carissa Moore, who has been granted a wildcard to compete against the men in the first two stops of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.
LIVE WEBCASTS:
All surfing events of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, and the SURFER Poll Awards, will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable in Hawaii and Southern California:
HAWAII: Oceanic Time Warner Cable Channels 250 & 1250
LOS ANGELES: Time Warner Cable Channel 101
SAN DIEGO: Time Warner Cable Channel 411
DESERT CITIES: Time Warner Cable Channel 111
SURFING EVENTS OF THE VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF SURFING: Reef Hawaiian Pro
November 12-23 (on the 4 best days of surf in the period)
Haleiwa Ali’i Beach Park
$145,000 prize purse
Defending Champion: Joel Parkinson, Australia
Vans World Cup of Surfing
November 25-December 6 (on the 4 best days of surf in the period)
Sunset Beach
$250,000 prize purse
Defending Champion: Raoni Monteiro, Brazil
Billabong Pipe Masters
December 8-20 (on the 3 best days of surf in the period)
Banzai Pipeline
$425,000 prize purse + Nixon watch
Defending Champion: Jeremy Flores, France
Also decides Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Champion – $10,000 bonus
EVENTS OF THE VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF SURFING:
* All events are open to the public unless noted as “Invitation Only” or “Accredited Press Only”.
* All surf competitions are free and open to the public.
* Some associated events may require ticket purchase or door charge.
* Surfer The Bar is located at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore.
Rockstar’s Cory Lopez will be in SoCal until November 10th & then on to Hawaii for the 2011 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing! Here’s Cory at Steamer Lane with his wife Jenn, daughter Alana, and son Luke.
Surf fans check it out! Vans debuts Vans Live 2.0 allowing iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users to experience live Vans Triple Crown of Surfing action while on the go! The app will be available for download on http://www.vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com/ and the iTunes store prior to this year’s events
