Pat and Tanner Gudauskas are currently battling the world’s best surfers on the ASP Dream Tour, while Dane is making his way through the World Qualifying Series.

This site is more than about what kind of waves the San Clemente surfers are scoring, and how they are doing in their heats. It gives us a look at what life is like on the road. There’s some fun videos, and for you Twitter fans you can find out what the bros are eating and all kinds of random other stuff.

Check it out at vanssurf.com/gbros/

Follow Gudauskas bros on new Website is a post from: OC Beach Blog

The memorial – which is open to the public – is set for 9 a.m. on April 18th at Surfside, which is between Seal Beach and Bolsa Chica State Beach. There should be plenty of parking available.

Adler, a longtime glasser who was working with Tim Stamps most recently, was a well-known fixture in the surf community. He was also making his mark in the Stand Up Paddle culture, where he was winning races and helped business partner Jodie Nelson start The SUP Spot, where beginners and people wanting to improve technique sought assistance.

Read more about Adler here.

At the  paddle out, memorial t-shirts will be sold for $20, with proceeds going to an account set up for his 13-year-old son Clark’s college fund. If you cannot make the paddle out, the fund is set up at Farmer’s and Merchants bank, just write the check in Clark’s name.

Paddle out date set for surfboard glasser Steve Adler is a post from: OC Beach Blog

Need I say more?

Sucks for you if you are stuck in the office today, cause it’s going off out there! Don’t worry, a bit of combo action is on the way …

Check out these Surf Shots snaps from this morning in Huntington:

And some snaps of the pros out in Huntington Beach from photog John Salanoa.

Pinch me, the surf is perfect on Paddies Day is a post from: OC Beach Blog

OC’s Pat Gudauskas is interviewed, with his insane Rodeo Clown last year – the first one successfully pulled off during a pro contest – cited as an example of how the sport is changing.

Fellow San Clemente surfer Christian Fletcher is also talked to, about how he pushed for change back in the day, only to get snuffed in contest results with scores like 2’s and 3’s.

It looks like the judges are finally catching up with the surfers. If you have a few seconds, check out the article here, and don’t miss the video, with interviews with Gudauskas, Fletcher and Kelly Slater.

OC surfers get props in New York Times article is a post from: OC Beach Blog

The 41-year-old, who recently made a name for himself in the Stand Up Paddle circuit, was glassing a board and called out to partner Tim Stamps in the front room before collapsing. Stamps called 911 and the paramedics worked on him and revived him slightly, but he passed away in the ambulance. An autopsy is forthcoming, but it’s believed to be either a heart attack or aneurysm, according to the Surfline article.

Here’s more from the article:

Adler had always been involved in the SoCal surf scene. In 1989, when he was 18 years old, he started a surfboard glassing shop in Orange County called the Surfboard Factory. It grew into one of the busier shops in SoCal, glassing over 100 boards a week for such shapers as Rusty, JC, Stamps and others. Eventually, Adler sold the business and started The Surfboard Factory clothing line, which he ran for several years before selling to his licensor in Japan. Most recently, Adler glassed boards for Tim Stamps and was business partners with Jodie Nelson in The Sup Spot.

Adler leaves behind a 13-year-old son.

A college fund has been set up for his son Clark at Farmers and Merchants Bank.  Checks should be made out to Clark Adler, and please still write in the memo Clark Adler.  All payments can be mailed in or dropped off at any Farmers & Merchants Bank.

“We all know that this is what Steven would have wanted instead of flowers,” writes his mom Kathy.

Local surfer and shaper Steve Adler dies is a post from: OC Beach Blog

Pro surfer and commentator Jodie Nelson is about to embark on a major  journey in an effort to help raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness.  The Southern California local will attempt a historic mission to become the first woman to stand up paddle 38.9 miles from Avalon in Catalina to Dana Point Harbor.

The grueling mission has only been accomplished by a few men, one of them being legendary waterman Laird Hamilton.  With a goal of raising $50,000 to benefit The Keep A Breast Foundation and Boarding For Breast Cancer, Nelson will tackle the feat, coined “Paddle With Purpose” during the annual Catalina Challenge race.

Nelson’s mother is a breast cancer survivor, her aunt is a cancer survivor and one of her closest friends is currently battling the deadly disease.  “I’m tired of sitting around, feeling like there is nothing I can do,” says Nelson.  I know that paddling almost 40 miles isn’t going to heal my friend or cure cancer, but I know that I can make a stand against this terrible disease that affects so many people.  And I am determined to raise money towards research, education and prevention!” 

Jodie Nelson completed the Catalina Challenge race in 2009 as a relay with another woman.

Pro surfer Jodie Nelson to attempt grueling paddle is a post from: OC Beach Blog

Nearly fifty pro and amateur extreme athletes from around the globe are expected to compete in the big event.  Some of the surfers include:  Christian Fletcher from San Clemente, Laguna Beach’s Mike Morrissey and Nathan Carroll from Hawaii.

Skaters include: Omar Hassan from Newport Beach, Huntington Beach’s Tosh Townend and female skater Lyn-z Adams Hawkins who is the only girl competitor in this year’s event.

Some of the notable name snowboarders are Todd Richards from Encinitas, William “BJ” Linne from South Lake Tahoe and New Zealand’s Kristian Phillipp.

The one week long competition will start with the surfing at Seaside Reef in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Saturday, March 13 through Tuesday, March 16, followed by the snowboarding which happens at Northstar Lake Tahoe, Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19.  Then to wrap up the event the competitors will head to Reno, Nevada for the skateboarding which takes place at Grand Sierra Resort on Saturday, March 20.  For more info. check out ultimateboarder.com.

When: March 16-20, 2010

Where: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Lake Tahoe and Reno, Nevada

Ultimate Boarder Championship is a post from: OC Beach Blog

The 39-year old San Clemente local started doing huge airs in the early 80’s and that grabbed the attention of just about everyone in the surf industry except the contest judges who really didn’t know how to score these futuristic maneuvers.

ChristianFletchersurf.com includes: photos, videos, a blog, a Q&A with his mom and a place to purchase CF items.

Christian Fletcher launches website is a post from: OC Beach Blog

Surfers from Orange County – and from San Clemente in particular – own the state of California in scholastic surfing for 2010.

At the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s annual state tournament on the south side of the Huntington Beach pier last weekend, O.C. surfers captured 11 or the 12 available state titles – with eight of those going to San Clemente surfers.

The NSSA contest starts off with 40 teams, and 21 of the top teams made it to the State Championships in Surf City. In June, the National Championships will be held at the same spot. Waves in the 2-to-4 foot range came in, with sets up to 5 foot for the final day.

San Clemente High captured its second straight NSSA state team title. Shorecliffs Middle School of San Clemente took its fifth straight NSSA state title. San Clemente High also took the state JV title.

Doug van Mierlo, a San Clemente High grad now at San Diego State, won the college men’s title.

Scott Brandenburg, a San Clemente High grad now at Saddleback College, took the longboard title. Chloe Buckley of Mira Costa College was the women’s champion.

In high school surfing, Christian Saenz of Huntington Beach High was the men’s winner, Taylor Pitz of Laguna Beach High the women’s winner and Jeff Newell of Edison High the longboard winner.

For Saenz, the change of venue from Church to the south side of the Huntington Beach pier was a good thing.

“I’m so stoked to have the Nationals on south side,” he told contest organizer Janice Aragon. “It’s just comfortable for me in front of a hometown crowd. It’s just good to have that vibe. It pumps up my confidence to perform and I love this wave.”

Christian Saenz, of Huntington Beach, took home the win for the high school men's division. Photo by Fred Swegles.

This was a first–time entry for the University of Southern California, which just re-formed its surf team after a long hiatus. Many of the surfers are from beach cities like Newport and San Clemente.

“For our first year up, we’re in the top half of all the teams,” said team captain Mark Lathrum. “We’re a super-young team, so we have room to grow. We have the talent, it’s just a matter of getting contest experience.”

The NSSA is a non-profit organization that focuses on helping young surfers develop the skills of competitive surfing. It has been around for more than 30 years and requires surfers to maintain good academic standing to participate. NSSA holds more than 80 events on the west coast, east coast and Hawaii.

- OC Register reporter Fred Swegles contributed to this article.

OC surfers dominate at NSSA State contest in HB is a post from: OC Beach Blog

One of the most well-known shapers of today just signed a deal with a major surfboard manufacturer.  Stretch Surfboards from Santa Cruz has teamed up with Surftech, the maker of composite construction surfboards to distribute Stretch’s boards worldwide.

Stretch was named shaper of the year in 2006 by Surfing Magazine and really became popular once innovative surf star Nathan Fletcher started riding his boards.  The San Clemente native’s popular quad-fin bat tail design was very instrumental in bringing back the 80’s four fin setup over the last few years.

 ”Our ability to meet worldwide demand for boards has been limited.  With our factory located just down the street from Surftech headquarters and seeing their success, the choice to partner with them was obvious.  Now the entire Stretch boards line can be found in shops around the world”, said William “Stretch” Riedel, Owner-Shaper of Stretch Surfboards.

Besides surfboards, Stretch is also making tow-in boards, SUPs, kite boards and wakesurfboards.  To check out all of his latest shapes, go to Stretchboards.com or Surftech.com.

Stretch Surfboards teams up with Surftech is a post from: OC Beach Blog