Oakley :: Surf

Stay Calm and Breathe On: Oakley Surfers Go Through Breathing Survival Course

Chasen Marshall — April 10, 2013 10:00

Nearly every surfer has experienced the sensation: pinned to the ocean bottom, trying to swim for the surface, desperate for a few quick gasps of air to avoid what might happen if they don’t. Water swirling; surroundings dark; up is down, down becomes up. It’s a scary moment and therefore, a tough time to stay composed – even the pros say so.

According to Kirk Krack, who teaches a surf survival course around breath holding, composure is key.

Oakley Helps Return Surfing to Summer X Games With "Real Surf" Video Contest

Chasen Marshall — April 08, 2013 09:00

Surfing is back in the X Games (kind of). This year, beginning in Brazil, the X Games audience will get to see the best airs and barrels, hacks and power turns from the likes of Jordy Smith, Gabriel Medina, 11-time world champ Kelly Slater and five other big name surfers, as they contest for an X Games Gold Medal. The twist: the action will be packed into 90-second video clips and part of the inaugural “Real Surf” presented by Oakley contest.

Comeback Kid: 18-Year-Old Tyler Wright Wins the Roxy Pro Gold Coast

Chasen Marshall — March 09, 2013 12:33

The clock was ticking down on the Final of the Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast and she was up against the reigning runner-up on the elite ASP Women’s World Championship Tour – and yet, Tyler Wright didn’t flinch. In fact, she sat out in the lineup singing, seemingly unfazed even though the very early ratings lead and $15,000 were on the line. A wave came, Wright put her powerful style of surfing to practice, and a 9.2 resulted – and with that score, the win.

“I don’t even know what to say right now,” said Wright, after being carried from the water to the podium. “I wasn’t even thinking out there. I was singing to myself and when I came in, my sister said ‘I was singing right along with you’. That little wave came in and hugged the bank and I just left it all on the wave. To get the score and the win like that, it’s incredible.”

Triple Crown Champ Sebastian “Seabass” Zietz Ready to Take on the ASP World Tour

Chasen Marshall — February 28, 2013 10:00

Despite the events of the past couple months, Sebastian “Seabass” Zietz is still the same outgoing, three-thumbed, dance-machine from Kauai that the surf community knows and loves – he’s just added a few new facts to his Wikipedia page: Triple Crown champion and a member of the ASP World Tour. One was the springboard unto the other. His showing in Hawaii during Winter 2012 solidified what so many had believed about the 24-year-old: he has the pedigree to compete and thrive among the best surfers in the world. Beginning in 2013, he will have the opportunity to do just that – and his fellow WCT surfers are anxious to have him.

Brazilian Wunderkind Gabriel Medina Joins Oakley's Global Surf Team

Chasen Marshall — February 14, 2013 14:30

In this day and age of rapid-fire information and Youtube and social media, it’s rare when a young talent seemingly appears out of thin air and in the span of a year, turns a sport on its head. That’s sort of the story of Gabriel Medina.

Upon qualifying for the ASP World Tour during the 2011 mid-year shuffle (which no longer exists), he proceeded to win two events and prove that he was more than another Brazilian with a flare for airs. In the short time since, he finished in the top 10 in his first full year on Tour and was awarded the the “AI Breakthrough Performer Award” at Surfer Poll. At just 19 years of age, “Gab,” as he’s sometimes known, is already considered a world title contender.

Oakley Pro Bali: Making the Dream Tour a Little More Dreamy

Chasen Marshall — February 04, 2013 12:45

When deciding on where to host its first-ever ASP World Championship Tour event, major metropolis’ weren’t part of the discussion in the Oakley war room. The “Dream Tour,” as its sometimes called, deserved to be more dreamy and the world’s best surfers deserve to gorge themselves on Nasi Goreng, Oakley brass decided.

Many thanks go out to the generations of juniors for their years of recon. The Oakley World Pro Junior has been a smashing success for years, but the time and location was right to bring the world’s best surfers, the ASP World Tour, to Bali and share with the webcast-watching world what exactly Keramas is all about. We imagine it will take about two waves to understand that “world-class” is a fitting adjective for the right-hand reefbreak.

Season of Seabass: Zietz Wins Triple Crown, Qualifies for World Tour and Makes History

Chasen Marshall — December 11, 2012 01:00

Just a month ago, Sebastian ‘Seabass’ Zietz was just another talented surfer on the bubble of contention, the fringe of relevancy. What set him apart were his dance moves, three thumbs and perpetually-stoked approach to surfing and life. Other than that, he seemed destined to follow the same near-miss path that so many of Hawaii’s talents have traveled before him.

Today, almost everything is different for Seabass. He’s the talk of the surf industry and the guy getting all the headlines even though there’s a world title chase ongoing. But he’s still a dancing, ukulele-playing jokester.

Adam Melling Powers Way to Victory at Sunset Beach, Re-qualifying for ASP World Tour; Seabass Extends Triple Crown Lead

Chasen Marshall — December 06, 2012 07:12

Adam Melling has a knack for late-season dramatics. Just like last year, he arrived to Hawaii needing at least one huge result in one of the three stops in the Triple Crown of Surfing in order to remain on the prestigious – and lucrative – ASP World Tour. Taking notes from his Oakley teammate, Sebastian “Seabass” Zietz, who won the event at Haleiwa the week prior, Melling found his groove and improved with each heat on his way to winning the Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach.

The Road to Qualification: "Oakley Dispatch" Revisits Sebastian "Seabass" Zietz's Stellar Year

Chasen Marshall — December 03, 2012 14:00

With his dramatic win at the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa, in front of legions of friends and family, Sebastian “Seabass” Zietz officially qualified for the 2013 ASP World Tour.

In this episode of Oakley Dispatch, Seabass revisits the path to qualification. The challenges and successes; the injuries and heat wins. It was a year spent traveling the globe for contests and filming, and over the course of it all, he worked his way up the ratings.

Four of Oakley's Hawaiian Contingent Invited to Prestigious Eddie Aikua Opening Ceremony

Chasen Marshall — November 30, 2012 08:20

The world’s finest watermen gathered in a semi-circle on the white sand beach of Waimea Bay, their big boards laid out before them. Behind them, crowds six-deep enclosed the group of 50-plus athletes. The opening ceremony of what is commonly known as “The Eddie” has happened every winter on the North Shore of Oahu since 1984. In that time, however, the event, which has a three-month waiting period, has only run on seven occasions. The Bay calls the day.

Sebastian 'Seabass' Zietz Wins at Haleiwa and Qualifies for 2013 ASP World Tour; Takes Triple Crown Lead

Chasen Marshall — November 26, 2012 11:20

It was a big weekend for Sebastian Zietz, the three-thumbed surfer from Kauai who is better known as Seabass. His win at Haleiwa at the Reef Hawaiian Pro brought on many firsts: his first major contest win as a professional surfer; his first time leading the Triple Crown of Surfing (with two events to go); and, the biggest first of his young career – his first time qualifying for the ASP World Tour.

Early Dispatches From the North Shore Oakley House; Triple Crown Season Begins

Chasen Marshall — November 20, 2012 12:00

The Great Surfer Migration happens every year. Each winter, the flights are booked, beds and couches reserved, and board quivers prepared. Beginning in early November, masses of surfers and team managers, industry personalities and bikini-wearing hanger-ons arrive to Honolulu International Airport ready for whatever the Seven Mile Miracle along the North Shore of Oahu may present.

New "Oakley Dispatch" Episode: Crew Scores Empty, Slabbing Barrels in Java

Chasen Marshall — November 08, 2012 15:25

“I would imagine it looks like Bali 30 years ago,” said Sebastian ‘Seabass’ Zietz upon arriving in Java. With so much less development, fewer motorbikes, and empty lineups than neighboring Bali, he might be right. In the eighth episode of the Oakley Dispatch Surf Webisode Series, Seabass, Danny Fuller, Dustin Barca and Eric Geiselman join up with Bali-transplant Lee Wilson and some other local talent in a four-day trip to Java, in hopes of discovering and capturing some of that Indo magic surf to themselves.

Traveling and Ripping: Web Series Follows Jordy Smith's Path to 'Bending Colours'

Chasen Marshall — October 30, 2012 14:00

Power and airs. It’s the necessary combination if you intend to be anything in competitive surfing these days. Fortunately for Jordy Smith, the burly South African, he has both in spades. Whether he’s hucking Rodeo Flips in the Mentawais or laying down brutal hacks at his homebreak of Jeffrey’s Bay, Jordy has regularly proven himself one of the most complete surfers in the world.

Julian Wilson Wins First ASP World Tour Event in Dramatic Fashion in Portugal

Chasen Marshall — October 19, 2012 15:13

Redemption. Julian Wilson wanted it and he got it at Peniche, Portugal at the Rip Curl Pro, claiming his maiden ASP World Tour victory.

A year prior, Wilson and Gabriel Medina found themselves in the Final of the Quiksilver Pro in France. Wilson was sitting on a lead with minutes to go, only to have Medina pull out a late big score to steal away Wilson’s first ASP World Tour victory.