| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| INTERVIEWS
| STORIES |
| Oliver
Parker | Shawn Reynolds
| Blake Howard | Mike
Walters |
| Name:
Oliver Parker
DOB:
3-23-83
Born Where:
Greenbrae California, Just outside of
San Francisco. I Moved to Santa Barbara
in 1990.
High School:
Santa Barbara High School
Sponsors:
Anderson Surfboards, Sexwax, DSO, and
Pro Lite
Favorite Surfspots:
Sand Spit, and Rincon....Rincon is good,
I like surfing Rincon alot. |
 |
Goals:
My goal as a surfer is to have a really
good time... I don't ever want to put
myself in a position where riding waves
becomes stressful and only about making
money. Alot of surfers place too much
focus on contests, and they end up not
having as much fun. My goals in life are
to continue surfing and traveling, and
to pursue a career in the arts. Eventually,
I want to attend the Pasadena art school
to study product design, and later obtain
a position working for a well developed
surf company.
 Biggest
Influences: God, and my mom
because they are always there to help
me, and support me.
Favorite Surfer:
Thats a hard one there... I can tell you
the kind of style I like though. I like
soulful surfers like Derek Hynd, and Tom
Curren. The guys who experiment with mid
length surfb oards. I really like those
surfboards, anyone that rides those boards
are rad, like in the movie, Innermost
Limits Of Fun.
Pet Peeves:
Really trendy girls and guys. Anyone who,
you know, tries to look, or act like someone
else to fit in or be cool. My words of
advice for these people is to adopt a
cat...not a style.
Hobbies:
I was skateboarding for awhile, that is
until I got injured at the new skate park...now
I am over it. I also work at the SurfNWear
Beach House on State Street, and thats
pretty fun.
Love Life:
Single, but I wouldnÕt mind having a girlfriend.
Recent Travels:
Last Summer I went to Spain, France, and
Portugal to surf in longboard competitions.
I met alot of cool people, and surfed
some obscure spots with great waves and
no crowds... then I traveled to El Salvador
and scored some of the best barrels of
my life.
How would you
describe El Salvador: El Salvador
is really rugged...there isn't a big surfing
scene down there, the locals are really
nice, but its still a little sketchy,
which keeps the crowd factor low. The
waves are unreal, they are really good.
The barrels were some of the best that
I have ever surfed.
What is Next
for Oliver Parker: I got some
new boards and I am amped to explode this
year!
surfhappens.com quiz:
Bros, or girls?
Definetly girls.
Freesurf or contest
surf? Free surf
Extreme, or conservative?
Extreme
Teapohoo, or
Leadbetter? Leadbetter
Bodyboard, Skimboard,
or Roller blading? Roller blading
is pretty fun ....nah Bodyboarding, because
it's the best. 
|
|
| Name:
Shawn Reynolds
Roots:
I was born in Strong Island New York,
Long Island but I grew up in Florida.
Sebastian Inlet, Stuart Rocks area...
WhatÕs Your
DOB: 8-26-71...Old as dirt.
Occupation:
Entrepreneur proprieter...businessman.
What brought
you to Santa Barbara? School,
girls, surfing, and skateboarding...
In no particular order. (Laughter)
|
 |
How
would you describe the waves in El Salvador?
Point break style, but warm water and
I'd say it's like three Rincon's in one,
with no crowd.
How did you get
to El Salvador? The Santa Barbara
Surfing Association. I competed with all
my friends, we had waves at every contest,
I won a sh!!tload of prizes and the Recreation
Mens title, which landed me a spot in
the trip to El Salvador.
Who were your
biggest competitors? Curtis
Stoddard and a bunch of the Good-Lands
best surfers. There are alot of great
surfers in this area, but I would like
to thank the Gillamonster for taking Curtis
out of the picture, so I could go to El
Salvador.
What is the best
thing about Santa Barbara for Shawn Reynolds?
It would have to be the waves when they
are here, easy access to skateboarding,
we have a new skateboard park here as
well. Besides that, alot of friends, plenty
of girls, great schools, and the scenery
is really beautiful...perfect, but people
shouldn't come here. Another thing is
the whole roots vibe in Santa Barbara,
the whole Curren thing. Back in the day
in Florida I remember seeing video of
him at Sand Bar, and Rincon and thinking,
damn those waves are good.. But now that
I live here I know how inconsistent the
waves are, but I love the place and the
people.
Words To Live
By: Pack it up, and surf as
much as you can because it keeps you young.
As long as I am in the water, I am a happy
person...keep surfing..
|
|
| surfhappens.com
quiz :
Where were you born, what is your age,
and where are you from?
BLAKE HOWARD:
I was born in Santa Barbara at Cottage
hospital, on Sept. 29, 1982.
What is the
best thing about surfing for you?
I started surfing when I was about 5;
my dad got me into it, but I was surfing
on and off then. When I was about 14,
I really started having fun with doing
it, and I started getting into it ,
doing contests and stuff. It's just
the adrenaline rush when you just get
this perfect wave, and everyone is just
stoked for you. |
 |
Who
are your partners in crime?
I don't know. I have so many friends now
just from doing contests and it's just
funny how there are so many people that
I know everytime I go surf, wherever I
go, I always know somebody.
How do you feel
about positive and negative vibes?
I have those bad days when I go out, and
I can't even catch a wave, you know, and
you just have to handle it in you own
way, pretty much non-aggressively and
just show yourself how you are surfing.
What are your
favorite surfing spots?
Tarpits and Rincon.
Recent Travels?
Last spring, I went to Costa Rica and
finally got to surf some warmwater waves.
I surfed at Pavones, Playa Negra, and
a bunch of other really fun waves.
Do you have any
sponsors?
I just got sponsored with by MCD in June,
and they are hooking me up with a whole
bunch of clothes, and Blue Pacific hooks
me up with all kinds of deals...the guys
are super cool. Sex Wax gives me wax whenever
I need it, give me all kinds of stuff.
Clyde Beatty is hooking me up with free
boards, paying for my contest entries.
They are helping me out a ton.
What are your
goals?
I don't have any straight goals, but I
just want to go out and have fun, and
even if it means going to contests...contests
are fun to me. Going and hanging with
a bunch of guys all day, even if you lose
out, you're still having fun in the contests.
Who have been
the biggest influences on your surfing?
Everytime before I go surf, I watch a
surf movie, and watch them all. I watch
everybody, and how they surf...and it
gets me into a rhythm...all of the older
guys I know and hang out with and talk
to, and they're a big influence on me
even when I am surfing. They are all out
there, and they may be snaking me or whatnot,
but it helps in the long run...it goes
through generations and helps you get
waves in the future.
Who is you favorite
surfer?
There are several guys I like, but Rob
Machado is really good. He has a really
fluid style and he rips really hard. He's
kind of Old School in a way, but he's
still New School because he does all of
the new stuff.
Accomplishments?
I just wanted to keep trying to be the
best that I could be. I wanted to be more
consistent. Even if I wasn't winning all
of the time, I just wanted to be consistent
in where my surfing was...I like to to
place in the finals even if I am getting
sixth or something.
What
do you think about school?
Education is number one. You always have
to have something to back you up when
you're done (with being a pro surfer),
or if you don't make it, or whatever.
You still need to be smart and you've
got to have fun learning; you should always
be learning. Even in your spare time,
if you want to learn something new, you
can go take a mechanics class or something.
 Do
you have a girlfriend, Blake?
No, I don't.
Have
you ever been inside the cockpit of plane?
Yes, I have.
Ever
seen a grown man naked?
I wish I hadn't. (laughs)
Alright! Hobbies?
What do you do for fun?
If the surf's flat, I go play golf and
go skateboarding, cruise around on my
mountain bike.
Do
you do any training or preparation for
surfing?
The only preparation I do for surfing
is surfing all the time, every day, even
when it's small. You're going to have
those contests when it'll be really small
and they're going to have (the contest)
anyway. If you go out when it's one foot,
you're getting ready for that contest
when it's one foot.
If
you could see anybody for president of
the U.S., who would it be?
Certainly not the people who are running
for president.
What's
your biggest pet peeve?
When people are surfing and they look
straight at you for the wave, and you're
already going on the wave, and they're
looking right at you, look back at you
several times, and they still drop you
in. And you're like, "Hey!"
and they still look back and they still
keep going. They just don't have any courtesy
for you. And when someone paddles around
you; even in contests, when someone paddles
around you and you have the right-of-way,
you should still have common courtesy
for people,even in contests.
Bros
or girls?
Bros.
Freesurf
or contest surf?
Freesurf.
Bodyboard,
skimboard, or longboard?
( laughing) Skimboard, because with longboarding,
you're going straight and you can't really
turn. You can still do some fun stuff
on longboards, but when it gets big, you're
going to get worked. And when you're bodyboarding,
you're just going to get snaked and run
over a bunch (laughs). With skimboarding,
there's nobody else on the beach to compete
with. You can just go out and have as
much fun as you want; just go and mess
around. You donÕt even have to have a
wetsuit.
Music?
Anybody's music. I'll listen to anything
except countryÑcountry gives me a headache.
Favorite
maneuver?
Barrels.
Feel
fortunate to grow up in Santa Barbara?
Definitely. It doesn't get blown-out every
day. Maybe smaller and whatnot, but it
doesn't get blown-out and there's not
as many people, unless you're at Rincon.
Words
of wisdom to youngsters?
They need to keep their grades up. I know
a lot of kids who surf and only pay attention
to surfing.
|
|
|
Born:
Santa Barbara, Sept. 21, 1985
Favorite Surf
Spots: the Pit, Campus Point,
Depressions, Sands
Dream Vacation:
Cloudbreak at 7 feet
High School:
San Marcos High School
Sponsors:
Mom, dad, supportive godfather
Goals:
To do well and surf forever
Surf Influences:
Rob Machado, for his fluidity and style;
Kelly Slater
|
 |
Other
Fun: Surf,
snowboard, hang out downtown
U.S. President:
Al Gore, because he's better than Bush
Pet Peeve:
When someone eats right behind you in
your ear, and they just chomp away
Other Interests:
Marine biology, environmental causes
Bros or Girls:
Bros, because girls just backstab
Freesurf or Contest
Surf: Freesurf
Extreme or Conservative:
Extreme
Teahupoo or Leadbetter
Point: Leadbetter, for sure
Music:
Punk before contests and rap when relaxing:
No Use For A Name, Slick Shoes, De La
Soul, Wyclef, Pennywise
Color:
Blue
Partners in Crime:
Nels Anderson and my girlfriend
Favorite Maneuver:
Floater 360
Food:
Mexi-Fresh, McDonald's, Something Fishy
Movie:
"The Goonies"
In Six Words:
Outgoing, intelligent, charismatic, happy,
joyful (that's only five)
Thanks:
My godfather for supporting me, and my
parents for being there So,
Mike, what's something interesting about
you?
I don't know. There's nothing interesting
about me.
What's
the best part of surfing for you?
When you get into a big, fat barrel
and it just spits you out. You just
feel so close to the ocean.
What
are some of your accomplishments?
I've done junior lifeguarding for six
years and I've won the U.S. Nationals
for paddle races twice, and Regionals
once. Good grades, too, I guess.
How
do you feel about surfing competitively?
I enjoy it; it's really fun and I hope
to do it a lot in the future.
If
you couldn't be surfing, would you rather
bodyboard or skimboard?
Bodyboard, because you have to be with
the wave.
If
you could have any three abilities,
what would they be?
To fly, to have x-ray vision, and to
surf like Kelly Slater.
If
you could change one thing about society,
what would it be?
Racism, because I hate how people make
fun of each other or backstab each other
because they're a different color, or
they're from a different place in the
world.
If
you had to lose any part of your body,
what would it be and why?
(laughing) Probably my fingers, so I
could still surf and stuff.
Do
you like hotdogs?
Yeah, theyÕre alright.
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
| |
|
