At the start of the 2015 season, we will change our name to the World Surf League (WSL).

To the ASP community

We’re making this change because we believe the new name is easier to understand, and gets us on a better track to serve our fans, athletes and partners, and to grow the great sport of professional surfing worldwide.

There’s been a lot of change in the last two years. Part of it you can see, such as new venues and enhanced live broadcasts. Some of it is behind the scenes. All of it is driven by the twin goals of preserving the heritage and culture of surfing while, at the same time, creating an even better foundation to grow our sport in the future.

We want you to know that changing our name was a carefully considered decision for us. We felt it was important to share this idea with as many people in the ASP community as we could, from athletes to past world champions to event partners. In the end, we were greatly comforted by the fact that not a single person we spoke with opposed changing names to the World Surf League. Not one.

This is a decision we’ve made with our community and you can see their reactions for yourself.

We understand that for many of you reading this, the letters “ASP” have significant meaning and that this news might be unsettling. We hope you will give us the benefit of the doubt and that, over time, you will come to see this change as positive for the sport we all love. At the end of the day, professional surfing’s DNA remains intact: we’re about the world’s best surfers in the world’s best waves. That will never change.

From day one, our commitment to you has been that we will do everything in our power to improve the overall experience for fans, athletes and partners. Of course, we still have a lot of work to do, but we are confident that we are heading in the right direction.

We want to salute everyone upon whose shoulders we stand, from the creators of the ASP to their forefathers at what was originally known as the International Professional Surfers (IPS). It was the hard work of all of these people that provided the platform that we all share today and it is with them, and with you, that we look forward to ushering in the new era of the World Surf League.

Sincerely,

Paul Speaker
Chief Executive Officer

Kristal Hernandez: Super Surf Girl And 2014 National Champion

By: Isaac Avila

Translation: Heido Sundstrom

Surfing has grown considerably in recent years and there are more and more children and young people starting to practice it. Many do it for sport, for fashion, or for the lifestyle, but then there are some that practice surfing as a vocation, for competition, for a challenge, for passion and for the love of the sea. Such is the case with Kristal Hernandez Bello, a dark-haired, petite girl with great skills and talent in this extreme sport. Originally from Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Kristal is an ocean girl with a great story that has motivated many. She’s the state champion, has been the national champion twice, and has also represented Mexico in world surfing championships. Today, Kristal shares part of her story with the readers of Planeta Surf.

FAMILY

My family has always been close to the ocean. Since I can remember, I’ve grown up around the beach. My grandparents worked in the ocean and my father is a fisherman, so I learned to love the ocean. I have a few uncles that are surfers and, one day, I got to watch them surf the waves with their boards and I became fascinated. Since then, at the age of thirteen, I wanted to learn how to surf. My mother’s name is Maria de Lourdes Bello Flores and my father is named Juan Manuel Hernandez Magaña. My sister’s name is Nelcy Saray and I have a 6-month-old daughter named Kelly Brigette Palacios Hernandez with my partner, Carlos Palacios Sanchez, who practices BMX.

MY FIRST BOARD

The day I got my first board was very special for me. I really wanted to learn how to surf and had told my dad but he refused because he knew or had seen surfers do some wrong things and it had created a bad image of surfing in his mind. So, I begged my mom and said that I wanted to learn how to surf and, one day, a few days before my Birthday, my mom told me that she wanted to give me something... After my Birthday, she gave me my first board and I cried from excitement because it was the best gift ever. I couldn’t believe it! I fell asleep that night hugging my board and had all kinds of dreams that night—a few of them have even come true. The next day, I took my board to Playa la Madera and from there, learned how to surf.

LEARNING TO SURF

I learned how to surf with a group of friends. I think everyone learned like that and I also watched a lot of videos and put them in slow motion to see how the surfers surfed. I asked those that did tricks for advice and they more or less told me how to do them.

THE CHALLENGE OF COMPETITION

You know, those who already knew how to surf gave me a hard time, and more so for being a woman, I imagine. They said I wasn’t going to learn and always tried to compete with me in the water, stealing waves. After that, I started trying harder and since there were more guys than girls in the water, I competed against them and sometimes even won.    

SEARCHING FOR WAVES

Kristal is a local from Playa Majahua and, in addition to enjoying different beaches in Zihuatanejo, has surfed the waves of Acapulco, Puerto Escondido and Huatulco, Oaxaca, San Miguel, Ensenada, Baja California, Michoacan, Mazatlan and Peru.

MY EXPERIENCE IN ZICATELA

I’ve surfed waves in various beaches around Zihuatanejo and when I went to Puerto Escondido for the first time, I went straight to Playa Zicatela to see its big and powerful waves. I saw it as a challenge, since, from where I’m from, the waves aren’t as big. As soon as I began paddling out, my fear became my dream and I said, “If I can overcome my fears, I will achieve my dreams.” I liked it because, even though I had never surfed something like Zicatela, I managed to do it.

FAVORITE TRICK

I like cutbacks, tubes, aerials, and especially the vertical and radical hits.

SURFING IS MY SPORT

I usually try to surf three times a week and, if there’s time, every day. Sometimes I stay all day and only get out to eat. 

NATIONAL CHAMPION

I’m the current national champion in the open category that I won in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan in 2014. I really liked this year’s National Games because I hadn’t really surfed in over a year and still challenged myself to compete and, luckily, won the national championship.

NATIONAL SELECTION

My first contest outside of Mexico was in Peru during the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in 2011, in Punta Hermosa. I really enjoyed representing my country and did it with a lot of pride and enthusiasm. Even though it was my first world contest, I was the last competitor on my team to get eliminated in the third round of the playoffs. Mexico ended up placing 17 out of 27 countries.

MY MOTHER—MY INSPIRATION

My mom is my inspiration, my pride, and my role model and has cheered my on and given me the best example of fighting for what you want. She is a sign painter, knows how to do many things and nobody has ever taught her. She has the capacity to face or be on par with an educated painter because, even though she hasn’t gone to school or anything, she knows a lot. 

In surfing, I admire Kelly Slater and Carissa Moore.

MY DREAMS

My dream is to be among the best surfers in the world. Also, to travel and surf different waves around the world, have a surf shop and school where kids or people that want to surf can come and find support so they can get motivated and develop as a surfer. 

AN ANECTDOTE

One day, I went to Las Gatas to surf. It was pretty bad weather and they had closed the port for the boats. I really like to surf there and there were really big waves that day. I had a great time surfing but the trouble was, I didn’t ask my dad for permission and he came looking for me with his belt and I got in trouble. [Laughs]

SPONSORS

Pargos Bikinis and Orozco Surfboards, who are going to send my two boards, sponsor me.

Raul Medina: National Champion (Open Category)

Interview by: Mario Dillanes

Translation: Heido Sundstrom

It hasn’t been an easy road for Raul Medina. Out of those that have surfed beaches like Zicatela or Sayulita, he’s found it hard to receive the attention that his surfing deserves. Thanks to his determination to become the best, however, Medina takes advantage of every opportunity presented to him and this year, after sixteen years since gaining his first National Surf Champion title, the crown has been returned to him and, once again, he is the National Surf Champion in the Open Category. This is a good example of how Medina lives his life: without fear and ready to give it everything he’s got, despite everyone telling him that it’s too late. Medina achieved his championship title once again, thanks to his tenacity and never giving up on his beloved sport of surfing. 

Planeta Surf: What’s your full name?
Raul Medina: Jorge Raul Medina Morales.

PS: Your date of Birth?
RM: August 17^th, 1981.

PS: Where were you born?
RM: Playa Azul, Michoacan

PS: Where did you start surfing?
RM: In Playa Azul, Michoacan.

PS: Years surfing?
RM: 24 years.

PS: When was the first time you were crowned National Champion?
RM: In Acapulco when I was 18. It was 1998 or 1999; I can’t remember the exact date.

PS: What did it take to become National Champion?

RM: Working hard every day, training, a good diet, effort, dedication and the desire to be champion.

PS: What are your future plans?
RM: Go to the world surfing championships and do a good job representing Mexico, and taking advantage of this opportunity. I’d also like to attend upcoming international events.

PS: Has being the National Champion opened up new doors?

RM: Yes, it’s a good achievement, where everyone knows who you are. People get to know you and you can find new sponsors and respond to those who are already sponsoring you.

PS: Who are your current sponsors?

RM: Fish Mazatlan, Olea Surfboards, El Roots and El Yate Nightclub. A big shout-out and thanks to them for believing in me and for all their support. 

PS: What do you think Mexican surfing need to really take off?

RM: More support is needed for athletes to be able to attend events like the WCT, the WQS and high-level events that motivate Mexican surfing. As in previous events, like the contests in Los Cabos and Acapulco, it makes us realize the good level that exists.

PS: Who makes up your family?

RM: My two sons, Jorge Raul and Andy Kale (ages 10 and 5), my eternal girlfriend and life partner, my dogs, my boards, my leashes...

PS: What’s a normal day like for you?

RM: I wake up at 6am, go jogging on the beach with my dogs, observe the waves, have a little chat with friends to decide the place we’re going to surf that day, eat a light breakfast, then go surfing for a few hours. After surfing, I go pick up my kids from school and we return home to make lunch for the three of us. We eat, take a little nap to rest and in the afternoons, I hit the beach again. If the waves are good, I go surfing. If not, I go fishing or exercise, or hang out at the beach with my kids, who are also drawn to this sport and are starting to surf. 

PS: Do you do any other sports?

RM: Soccer.

PS: Where do you dream of surfing one day?

RM: Indonesia.

PS: Have you ever been injured in the water?

RM: I’ve hurt my knee twice. It’s a pain that I wouldn’t wish on anyone, but fortunately, I’ve never been in any super dangerous situations, except maybe escaping from drowning in big waves or seeing sharks up close before a contest, but, thankfully, nothing too serious.

PS: How are the waves in Playa Azul?
RM: The best time to surf is during September, October, and November. The beach is open water, with a sandy bottom, and there are all different types of waves that are constantly changing. 

PS: Where do you normally go surfing?

RM: Playa Azul, Rio Nexpa and El Rancho.

PS: Where’s your favorite place to surf in Mexico?

RM: Barra de la Cruz and Scorpion Bay. 

Escocia Epic

Filmmaker Chris McClean, photographer Al Mackinnon, and surfers Noah Lane and Matt Smith had been shooting a project for the brand Finisterre on the mainland of Scotland when the forecast turned bad. Not ones to be discouraged, they hopped in a boat and headed out to the islands, tiny outposts in the raging north Atlantic that gets massive swells and insane conditions when the winds line up just right. Under the glow of the northern lights they set out in search of heavy surf and great pubs. They were not disappointed on either account. The islands have an ever-changing climate and notoriously fickle set ups where winds and tides limit the optimum surfing window to torturously short stretches. Friendly islanders shared waves, farmers shared farmyards and paths to coastal crooks, the hills told stories and fishermen offered beds.

Seven boards were snapped amongst the skerries, Al Mack had to guard his treasured bonzer from Matt and Noah’s advances. Chris' trusty 6’3 was even called into action before the whole crew finally retreated to the mainland, broken with hangovers and fatigue. It wasn’t Chris' first trip to the isles but it was certainly the most memorable.