VQS Blowfish Surf Series – Seaside Reef, Cardiff, California

The Blowfish Surf Series has always had a huge crowd of competitors, and with this being the last event of the season, nothing could prepare us for the tornado that was coming. After postponing the event on Saturday due to crazy weather and flat surf we showed up bright and early Sunday to waves being a playful 3-4 feet and ready to get this party started. As sign-ups rolled along, we realized we were close to 200 competitors and we still haven’t signed up everyone. After some more educated planning and shuffling, we were under way with over 240 competitors. The day rolled along and before we new it was time to dive in to the finals.

Here are some recaps from the finals. The girls had their hands full with some of the best talent from all over the state. When the dust settled it was Kulia Doherty winning in dominating fashion. The Squids had a great turn out and are more concerned with covering each other in flour then getting their price bags. Dagen Stagg finally took his first victory of the year and a heap of prizes from Volcom, Electric, Globe, and much more. The Grom dudes had there work cut out for them and with Taylor Clark in the mix you better bring you’re A game. Taylor found a way to hold everyone off again and racked up his third title of the season! The Junior’s had 8 first round heats and were as pumped as the Squids all day. In the end, Ian Craine beat out the other 47 entrants and grabbed the $250.00 from Muscle Milk. The Pro-am proved to be the battle of the day with 96 competitors in the first round. We all knew we were in for a show when the finals came around. Frothing Michel Flores came to do business and it payed off as he nudging out Cory Arrambide for 1st and $500.00 cold hard cash!

With such terrible conditions on Saturday, it was a good call to postpone till Sunday. Here, the beautiful Seaside Reef overview Sunday morning before the event got under way.

Spencer Regan‘s needed a big finish at this event to qualify for the VQS World Champs. He wound up in third place which gave him the points he needed to qualify for the 2011 VQS champs.

This was Taylor‘s third 1st place finish this season. And besides the massive amount of prize he won, he also claimed the Electric Volt Thrower move of the event and $100 cash.

Ian Crane was all grins after winning the Juniors final and $250 from Muscle Milk.

Michel Flores was on a mission, and you could tell he was focused to make the VQS Champs in May.

RESULTS:
PRO-AM
1. Michel Flores – $500.00
2. Cory Arrambide
3. Spencer Regan
4. Jason Harris
5. Josh Hoyer
6. Brandon Long

JUNIORS
1. Ian Crane – $250.00 Muscle Milk
2. Trevor Thornton
3. Aryn Farris
4. Brendon Taylor
5. Colin Moran
6. Kadin Penesi

GROM
1. Taylor Clark
2. Tyler Kileen
3. Josh Benjoya
4. Haru Yoshi
5. Jay Chrishansen
6. Colin Deveze

SQUIDS
1. Dagen Stagg
2. Keanu Igarashi
3. Dylan Horan
4. Tanner Ford
5. Dane Matson
6. Conner Marshall

GIRLS
1. Kulia Doherty
2. Harley Taih
3. Samantha Lamirand
4. Natalie Anzikino
5. Cloe Buckley
6. Meah Collins

Electric Volt Thrower
1. Taylor Clark – $100.00

Volcom’s Kickflip-Off Competition Still On – $10,000 Up For Grabs!

Last Friday, March 4th, 2011, Zoltan Torkos from Santa Cruz, CA technically pulled the first documented kickflip on a surfboard. Everyone at Volcom is thrilled to see Zoltan‘s efforts and consider him to be leading the pack in the race for the $10,000 prize. Rule #3 of the Kickflip-Off states: “The kickflip must be a real air ‘above the lip’ – No backwash, No chop hops, or anything in the flats or below the lip of the wave.” With that said, Zoltan‘s kickflip is clearly below the lip and not a real air. Zoltan has pulled the first kickflip on a surfboard, but the $10,000 still remains up for grabs. We called Zoltan with our decision and he replied, “I’m not here to argue against your decision, but I am here to revolutionize surfing.” We are stoked on Zoltan and his reaction to our call. He wants to dedicate his kickflip to the memory of his lost friend Carl Reimer, and he says the money is his and he will keep trying for the $10K. Making a kickflip on a surfboard IS possible, Zoltan proved it. We anticipate seeing the winning kickflip in the near future.