hiya wa howa aswat

Ken Collins believes that big wave surfers should work to together and support each other to bring the sport to a new level.

Ken "Skindog" Collins, one of the best big wave riders in the world, has congratulated Carlos Burle and Maya Gabeira for their achievements in the stormy wave of Praia do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal.
After Laird Hamilton appeared on CNN saying that Carlos Burle's wave could only be considered the "wipeout of the year", and that Maya Gabeira lacked the necessary skills to ride big waves, Ken Collins decided to leave the wisest words.

"That's one of the problems of big wave surfing. Guys tend to not support each other. It's macho's sport. People get the chest out. Girls never get credit for charging", says Ken Collings.
"Everybody says she doesn't belong there, but there's a whole line of guys who almost drowned or drowned, and broke legs, and no one is telling them they don't belong there".

"Big wave surfers need to support each other to build the sport to the next level. If you sit there and break down that guy's accomplishments and discrediting him, you're the bringing the whole sport down", concludes Collins.


"SkinDog" is happy to watch his partners charging big waves. Whether they're Brazilians or women.

Ken Collins Responds to Laird Hamilton on Carlos Burle, Maya Gabiera

Montgomery "Buttons" Kaluhiokalani, one of the most influential surfers of all time, has passed away at 54, after a long battle against cancer.

Montgomery Ernest Thomas Kaluhiokalani was born on the 30th March, 1959, in Honolulu, Hawaii. His first contact with surfing only occurred when he was already seven years old, in Waikiki.
After experiencing the first waves in a paipo board, Buttons tried the first tricks, as his famous easy switch foot.

With his famous African hair, "Buttons" blew the 1970s with a set of innovative surf lines and maneuvers. He was the first to perform a carving 360 on film.

In 1973, at the age of 13, Buttons traveled to the US Championships in Malibu, California, as an amateur, where he placed second. Seven years later, Buttons won the Sunkist Open at Malibu.
Eddie Rothman has called him the "innovator of modern day surfing". In fact, he was also a true ambassador of Aloha.

Later, Montgomery Ernest Thomas Kaluhiokalani would experience the terrible world of drugs and addiction, which he fortunately defeated in 2007.

"Buttons" is a surf legend. At 51, he was towed into a Teahupoo bomb, in Tahiti. In the last years, he dedicated his life to the Buttons Surf School, where he introduced surfing to many groms.

Montgomery "Buttons" Kaluhiokalani is survived by his wife Hiriata Hart, eight children and nine grandchildren. The surfer of the crazy African hair died on the 2nd November, 2013, exactly three years after the loss of Andy Irons.

With a two month interim between World Tour events (Rip Curl Pro Portgual and the Billabong Pipe Pro), Kelly Slater hitched a ride on a 747 down to Fiji to spend time with friends and family. Then, a short helicopter ride after, he landed on the heart shaped island in the South Pacific, Tavarua. With a solid forecast on the horizon, it would be a perfect tropical warm up for the Pipe comp come December. The showdown between him and Mick will decide the title. Ironically, Mick choose the same week on Tavi and the two of them shared waves along with Parko and Reynolds.

Big waves storm again the Nazaré North Canyon, as surfers return to the most dangerous Atlantic waters in the world.

Prepare for impact. The second strike of the Atlantic wave armada kicked off early morning, on the 1st November, 2013, with spaced 30-60 foot wave faces.

Jet skis were ready and so were big wave riders. This time, surfers tried to paddle for the giants, instead of asking for jet ski assistance as the primary source of take-off power.
The misty morning, the 17-second wave period, and the light southern winds were keeping conditions perfect in Praia do Norte. You could also easily spot the tricky near-shore currents, hidden in the whitewater.


Up above in the cliffs, thousands of surf fans, inquisitive strangers, journalists and media crews invaded the rocky mountains of Nazaré. A few big bombs were caught and everyone cheered the daredevils.