The skate item of the week is the Reef Reef Mick Spackler. These versatile men's flip flop thongs are easy to slip on right before you head out the door. If you are looking for a great looking pair of summer shoes that will give you grip when you need it, try these on for size.

Reef Reef Mick Spackler - Product Description
The Reef Reef Mick Spackler is a thong made with a supple leather upper, a midsole made from compressed and molded EVA and a molded rubber sole. The upper is white leather and the midsole and sole are brown with a white side stripe. They are light weight, only weighing in at eight ounces and very comfortable. What is unique about this product is that it has replaceable spikes. These spikes can be inserted to give you traction on the beach or while playing sports on the grass.

Building a Sporty Wardrobe
Building a sports wardrobe is something that a lot of people just don't think about. Instead they pick up items here and there. This creates a sports wardrobe that is full of mismatched items that are hard to coordinate. You can put together a great looking sports wardrobe that is also functional by thinking about the purchases that you make. You will want to pick up a variety of sports shoes, including summer shoes, like the Reef Reef Mick Spackler, wet weather shoes and cold weather shoes. Buy your shoes in neutral colors like browns, blacks and whites. This way they will match all of your other clothing items.

In addition to a selection of sports shoes, you will also want to select shirts, pants and outerwear items to complete your wardrobe. Your shirt collection can include items like tank tops, t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts and sweatshirts. When picking out your shirts look for materials that breathe and wick moisture away from your skin. Pant options need to include long pants and shorts. Finally, don't forget about your underwear. Complete your wardrobe with supportive underwear and sports socks that wick away moisture.

Keep your sports wardrobe separate from your work wardrobe and everyday clothing so you can quickly find items to throw together when you are ready to go skateboarding, play a game of basketball or just have a great workout.

Without Andy Irons, pro surfing's nine-time world champ, Kelly Slater would not be such a legend. But then, Andy Irons is a legend of his own with three world titles in the Association of Surfing Professionals.

Andy Irons won a string of three world crowns in 2002, 2003 and 2004. For the final pair, Irons bested the come-back king Kelly Slater. Since 2005, Slater has regained dominance, but Irons has remained to nip at his heels.

Their rivalry is similar to the historic Bill Russell versus Wilt Chamberlain in basketball or Jack Nicklaus versus Arnold Palmer in golf. When Surf Magazine rated pro surfing's all-time rivalries, Andy Irons versus Kelly Slater earned the top spot, even ahead of East Coast versus West Coast and U.S.A. versus Australia.

Andy Irons, at the age of 30, already has gained a place in the Surfing Hall of Fame.

Andy Irons is bigger than the average surfer and in competition sometimes displays a competitive football spirit that caused one analyst to remark, "You might think he's an intense frothing madman." However, his fellow pro surfers say he's really a friendly and fun guy. Andy Irons is even making peace with Kelly Slater after all these years, according to reports.

The size of Andy Irons should not belie his finesse. He grew up on the shores of Kauai, where waves are not always at their peaks. Therefore, he learned to rip and scoot on the two-footers, as well as showcasing on the 12-footers.

Andy Irons is the first to admit that he sold himself short early in his pro career, as a young adult, with too much partying. He was in his early 20s before he finally came into his own.

Big, "frothing" Andy Irons is actually a gentle do-gooder. He joins his surfing brother Bruce Irons each year to throw a free surfing contest for the kids on Kauai called the Irons Brothers Pinetrees Classic.

Still, entering 2009, Andy Irons would like nothing better than to achieve another takedown of Kelly Slater.

Sources:
http://www.redbullsurfing.com/riders/andy-irons/
http://www.lat34.com/surf/andy_irons.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Irons
http://www.worldprosurfers.com/andy-irons/index.htm
http://blogs.zappos.com/blogs/rideshop/2009/01/09/surfer-of-the-week-kelly-slater

Persistence paid off for surfboarder Nathaniel Curran, 24, who will join the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour during 2009.

The ASP annually operates the World Qualifying Series, with the top 15 qualifying to join pro surfing's Dream Tour during the following season. This is similar to minor league baseball or golf's Nationwide Tour. Nathaniel Curran is the top qualifier, running up one of the most consistent seasons in the history of the ASP's World Qualifying Series.

Nathaniel Curran faced added pressure, to measure up to accomplishments of two older siblings. Tim Curran, now retired, was among the top performers on pro surfing's Dream Tour, best known for performing a full flip in two-foot surf in 2005, who is now a successful musician. Josh Curran has made some sensational surfing videos, although he is better known for ranking among world leaders in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques.

"Both of my brothers, Josh and Tim, have been a big help, from helping picking contests to videotaping my heats online," Nathaniel Curran says. "They helped me see how bad I was blowing it in heats."

The Currans hail from Oxnard in California's Ventura Beach area. Nathaniel Curran started surfing when he was 5 years old, and turned pro when he was 18. Injuries contributed to his slow development to qualify for the ASP's World Tour. He says he feels "revenge" in overcoming those injuries.

It was a matter of "determination, staying focused and trying to make enough money to keep my house," Curran says.

His success has been hard won.

"I can't wait for all of them," Curran said, referring to events on the ASP's World Tour for 2008. "Surfing at the best spots in the world ... I really just can't wait for the first comp."

Surfers who qualified behind Curran are Chris Davidson of Australia, Michel Bourez of French Polynesia, Gabe Kling of the United States, Jihan Khodr of Brazil, David Weare of South Africa, Josh Kerr of Australia, Nic Muscroft of Australia, Kekoa Bacolso of the United States, Greg Emslie of South Africa, Tim Boal of France, Dustin Barca of the United States, Tiago Pires of Portugal, Phillip MacDonald of Australia and Drew Courtney of Australia.

Sources:
http://www-pulse/catching-up-with-nathaniel-curran-interview-101408/
http://surfactants-up-with-future-asp-world-tour-rookie-nathaniel-curran/
http://ones-curran/
http://denitrified

Surfer videos often feature the pros making heart-stopping rides on tremendous waves, but there's more to "Sofia: A Documentary."

This video is the life story of Sofia Mulanovich of Peru, who took an unlikely path to top rankings on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women's World Tour.

Sofia, 25, is a child of Croatian ancestry who grew up in Lima, Peru. In terms of economics, her family was more fortunate than most, but that's not saying much in a nation as poor as Peru.

Sofia Mulanovich grew up along the South Pacific Ocean and took to the water almost immediately, learning to swim at the age of three. She was so little that she began riding waves on a Morey Boogie Bodyboard before advancing to a surfboard, but by her mid-teen years she had advanced to world competitions as a young phenomenon.

These childhood events are captured on "Sofia: A Documentary." Most biographies of athletes focus only a tiny amount of time on childhood, but for Sofia Mulanovich, that's the heart of the story.

Sofia's childhood was a time of horrific political upheaval in Peru. While terrorists fought in the city, she would escape to the beach. Others would do the same, but Sofia took her surfing seriously. Therefore, she ranks as the best competitive surfer ever to come out of South America, male or female. She is a national hero in Peru, where citizens are looking for role models after so many years of political corruption.

Sofia Mulanovich lacked confidence in her surfing, as shown on "Sofia: A Documentary." She figured that she could not be as good as the established surfers from Australia and the United States. Instead, Sophia Mulanovich proved she was the best in 2004 when she won the ASP Women's World Title. She captured second place in 2005, fifth place in 2006 and second place again a year ago. This year, Sofia is in second place behind Stephanie Gilmore of Australia with two ASP events remaining.

"Sofia: A Documentary" also is a winner, with a first place victory in the 2006 Surfer Poll Awards, and beyond the surfing world, the film took first place at the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival. It's an hour-long flick in Spanish with some English. To learn more, see sofiadoco.com

Already, Sofia Mulanovich is in the Association of Surfing Professionals Hall of Fame. She's a Cinderella story, but she goes far beyond ballroom dancing. Sofia Mulanovich rocks on her surfboard!

Sources:
http://sofiadoco.com
http://www.lat34.com/surf/sofia_mulanovich
http://www.surfline.com/womens/story_bamp.cfm?id=3728
www.aspworldtour.com

Considered the ultimate Indian Ocean surf paradise, Mauritius located Southern Africa in is the home to some of the best surfing in the world. With a great abundance of surf spots available primarily on the southern side of the island, surfing is Mauritius offers not only paradise to the experienced surfer but also to other levels.

Many of the surfers in Mauritius trek to the beach in their surf gear daily though the best months for surfing in that region generally falls between April and September with July and August, and September and October being the peak months. July through August surfers can expect a swell of anywhere from 5 feet to 6 feet and in September and October between 6 feet and 7 feet.

The climate in Mauritius is tropical with an average air temperature of 73 degrees during peak season and the average water temperature ranging between 72 and 73 degrees. There are a wide variety of surf spots from which to select in Mauritius with two of the most popular being Black Rocks, which is recommended for experienced surfers only and Madame Barry, which is recommended for professionals or kamikaze only (www.wannasurf.com). Tamarin is one of the best breaks in Mauritius also known as an expert level reef break spot and is heavily frequented by local island surfers (www.globalsurf.com).

Known for some of the best surfing in the world Mauritius has many other surf spots such as; Calamar, Darne, Cimetary, Grand Sancho, Martello, Le Mome, Martin Spot, One Eye, Petit Sancho, Tagore and Tailors Point to name a few. Like Madame Barry Cimetary is recommended for professionals or kamikaze surfers only (www.wannasurf.com). Le Piton and Behind the Island are both great surf spots for intermediate surfers.

Accommodations in Mauritius range from hotels to guest houses and bungalows. The most common way to get to Mauritius Island is take a flight from France though other options exist. Where Mauritius is a surfer's paradise offering the best surfing in the world with quality waves, always check with your embassy before traveling to a foreign country for current travel advisories.

Surfer and lifeguard Eddie Aikau lived in Hawaii for 31 years. He died 30 years ago, but his fame and legacy live on.

The Eddie Aikau Foundation honors his life with fundraisers bearing the slogan "Eddie Would Go," which also is the title of a movie and a book about him.

This is because in 1968, Aikau became the first lifeguard hired by Honoluluauthorities to work on the North Shore. With his swimming skills and powerful body, he "would go" into any conditions, even 30-foot waves, to perform rescues along the beaches. Not one life was lost during his 10 years on patrol.

But he couldn't save his own. In 1978, he volunteered for a 2,500-mile journey to follow the ancient route of Polynesian migration between the Hawaiian and Tahitian island chains. The voyage's canoe soon developed a leak and capsized. Aikau took to his surfboard and paddled off in search of help. The crew later was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard, but Aikau was never seen again despite the largest air-sea search in Hawaii's history.

Eddie Aikau was born in 1946, long before surfing became a professional sport. He learned on a borrowed board in Kahului Harbor off of Maui. He purchased his own board only after working as a teenager at a Dole pineapple
cannery.

During his era, surfers paddled their way into big waves. Many veterans still look down on today's practice of a jet-ski towing a surfer into position. Several tournaments throughout the years have taken place in Aikau's name, with towing forbidden.

"Eddie was a really warm-hearted person. He'd do anything for you," says Barry Kanaiaupini, another star surfer of the era. "He saved so many people. I mean he didn't have to. Shoulders and arms. That guy was like a
tugboat. Like you can tie four people to him and he'd swim them in. That's the kind of strength he had."

Aikau's sister, Myra Aikau, is the foundation's president. She says she and Eddie loved surfing so much as children, they would perform lawn and household chores in the middle of the night so that they could go to the ocean during the day.

The foundation promotes Hawaiian history and culture. Its e-mail address is info@eddieaikaufoundation.org and the mailing address is 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 124, PMB364, Honolulu, HI 96813.

Sources:
www.eddieaukaufoundation.org
en.wikipedia.org/wikie/eddie_aikau

A 14-year-old female phenom is making waves on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

Like gymnasts, tennis players and golfers, teenage girls can make a quick start into professional surfing. A case in point is Leila Hurst of the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

"I look at surfing as a job," says Leila, a blue-eyed blonde who will turn 15 this summer on August 17.

She was all of 11 when she earned one of her first checks, $800, for a second place finish in regional competition against older girls. Coaches, observers and veteran surfers say Leila has potential to join the best surfers in the world one day. One moment she will show her youthful adolescence, and the next she has the focus of a competitor with seven years experience.

"Leila has all the ingredients of a world class surfer: power, style and dedication," says her coach, Rainos Hayes, on her website, www.leilahurst.com. She represents her home state of Hawaii during international competition, and she also has been a member of the Billabong Youth Squad since she was 9 years old.

"She seems to be constantly exuding a happy, lovable and optimistic vibe, and is the girl you wish you'd been friends with when you were 14," writes Alee Thompson in FreeSurf Magazine. "She's your stereotypical teenager: bubbly, chatty, and addicted to MySpace. She loves Beyonce and Rhianna, and is rumored to have quite the collection of home movies of her singing along to her favorite songs."

But don't be fooled, Billabong Team Manager Megan Brainard tells Thompson "(Leila) takes it very seriously," Brainard says. "She wants to have a surfing career." On her website, Leila reports that she lives with her parents on Kauai's north shore and has two older sisters. She started surfing at age 4, too young to remember her first wave. She says her father began taking her to the water at a toddler, but has never pushed her career in an overbearing way. To help accommodate her twice-a-day practice schedule, she has homeschooled with a small group of her peers.

"I love surfing new waves and getting to surf at spots around the world," Leila reports. "There is nothing I like more than traveling and experiencing great waves and different contests."

"I live a great, calm but radical life at the same time. I couldn't ask for anything more," says Hurst.

SOURCES: www.leilahurst.com

www.freesurfmagazine.com/volume-5-Number-2/She-Rips-Everybody-Loves-Leila.html

www.surfline.com/womens/story_bamp.cfm?id=9883