Tudor Invitational

Janurary 14 and 15 in Santa Cruz, California.

16 of the worlds top longboarders have been invited to Steamers Lane to compete for a purse prize of $10,000. The surfers are encouraged to go beyond contest normality and get the best board sacrifice, split peaks, and share waves, as there is a $500 prize in each heat for the best shared wave and also a $1000 prize for the best board sacrifice during the contest...... never really heard or seen anything like that before? STOKED! (:

Good friend of my Nathan Adams and myself loaded my panda van for a week long trip filled with the most crip adventures known possible. It all started around 3:30 am on wednesday the 12th. Woke up (more like jumped out of bed) brushed the teeth, and out the door I was. Picked up Naterz by 4 am and on the road we were by 4:11. Coffee and stoke challest in hand, cruise control set at 75, and smooth sailing for the next 436.4 miles. Parking spot (my house) to parking spot (steamer's lane).... 6 hours and 19 minutes. ~charging~

It is my first trip to Santa Cruz, even north of santa barbara for that matter, so we decided to take the 101 and was probably the best idea we could have done. Grape vines, gorgeous mountains, artichoke fields, rolling hills, sunrise??? Perfection at its finest. I was told next time to take the 1 through Big Sur. Atleast now I have another reason to go up there besides all of the sexy granola/ hippee chicks (:

We pulled up to what I thought was perfect waves. The glassy waves and mass balls of kelp gave me an EAR-y feeling of frozen waters. Wore my new 4.3 Coral Reef full suit and was surprisingly very warm. First 4.3 i've owned and now I know why they make em? hahahah

We surfed and hanged and surfed and drank and chilled and explored and laughed and jacuzzied and ate and ate and ate. Vans is by far one of the BEST companies on the face of this earth. Nicest, radest, down to earth, most rad vibe filled company I have been around. All the surfers got put in a 5 star hotel on the beach along with breakfast and dinner everyday and enough beverages to fill a camel. I know there are many, many more people involved with the happening of this amazing event but I really wanted to say thank you to Scott at Vans and Joel Tudor. Without you guys and your love for life, this contest wouldn't have been put on and none of this would be my past... and I would have never seen ALEX absolutely SHRED his way to the final. I have never been taken care of this much or been around this many people with smiles on their faces and I appreciate you involving me.

There are many websites with the full details of the comp. Vans, surfer, etc. all have an article on the event and I highly recommend you read about it. These Duct Tape- Joel Tudor Invitationals will hopefully change the world and their outlooks on longboarding.

Slayin SeaWach Sequence

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kB