Digital Soldier Blog

Photo credit: Bo Bridges

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., (March 27, 2008) − Freestyle, the original action sports watch manufacturer, would like to congratulate pro team riders Shane Dorian and Tyler Fox on their nominations of the 2008 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards presented by Monster Energy.

The 2008 Global Big Wave Awards will honor elite international surfers for their best photo or video captured within the past 12 months. Over 500 images were entered and nominations were secured by votes from the surfers, photographers and videographers who produced them. Being nominated for such an exclusive and prestigious award is an accomplishment in and of itself. Awards will be given in six categories, including: “Billabong XXL Ride of the Year Award”, “Billabong XXL Biggest Wave Award”, “Monster Paddle Award”, “Monster Tube Photo Award”, “Surfline Best Overall Performance Award” and “Billabong Girls Best Performance Award”.

Freestyle’s Shane Dorian has been nominated for the “Billabong XXL Ride of the Year Award”. The award will be won by the surfer with the best performance on a big wave caught on video. Dorian’s epic session on November 1, 2007 at Tahiti’s Teahupoo break was caught on video by Gustavo Camarao. The surfer/videographer duo to win this award will walk away with $50,000 and $5,000, respectively. Other surfers nominated in this category include Michael Brennan, Carlos Burle, Manoa Drollet and Ian Walsh.

Tyler Fox has secured a nomination for the “Billabong XXL Biggest Wave Award”. Should he win the award he will receive $15,000 and a Honda Aquatrax watercraft with HSA sled. Photographers Mike Jones, Bart Keagy, Wayne Kelly & Dave Nelson along with videographers Bruno Lemos and Graham Nash could also win the photo/video prize of $4,000.

Winners will be announced on April 11, 2008 at the invite only award ceremony held at the Grove Theater in Anaheim, CA. Be sure to watch the live webcast at 7:00pm PST, airing on www.BillabongXXL.com and also on www.EXPN.com, to see if Freestyle’s team riders have what it takes to win.

To check out Dorian and Fox’s Freestyle profiles check out: www.FreestyleUSA.com.

Big thanks to our friends over at Heavywater Magazine for hooking up the product feature on the new Tide 3.0 and Tide 3.0g.

The issue also has some great pictures from Hawaii’s epic winter. Go get you some!

Congratulations to our top Grominator Andrew Doheny for putting the beat down on the competition in the Open Juniors Division of the NSSA Southwest Conference.Dropping a score of 17 out of 20, Andrew topped Kolohe “Brother” Andino, Luke Davis, and Taylor Thorne to claim a convincing win. Really no surprise to us, Andrew surfs 54 just about everyday he’s there and rips it like nobody else can. All this NSSA contest stuff is getting me really fired up for NSSA Nationals coming this June. Gromination Domination!

NSSA SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE
OPEN SEASON EVENT #9
NEWPORT 54TH STREET
MARCH 15-16, 2008
CONDITIONS: Bombing 5-8 foot rights.

OPEN JUNIORS
1. Andrew Doheny-Newport Beach 17.0

2. Kolohe Andino-San Clemente 15.5

3. Luke Davis-Capistrano Beach 12.0

4. Taylor Thorne-Newport Beach 5.0

Time to free up your schedule for Saturday Night, March 29th 2008 - you do not want to miss this one! Our friend Chad Towersey is premiering surf his new film titled, Sons of Sickness – A Surf Flick Generating Radness Globally. This is totally rad because we just launched The Return of the Raddest Watch Ever. Plus Freestyle’s number one grom Andrew Doheny has a part in the film and is featured on the cover artwork and flyer! To top all this Radness off the fricken Pricks are headlining the nights musical action including Castaway, Sons of Sickness, The Japanese Motors and Will Crum and the Blue Maroon. Do you know what time it is? That’s right, time to rock out with your clock out! See you there!

Big Freestyle shout out to Sports Illustrated for Kids for hooking up a product feature on the Shark Classic 80’s in their GearHead Blog.

It’s amazing that this watch first came out 20 years ago, but you know what they say…if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! Heck the kids reading SI for kids weren’t even alive when this watch first came out. That’s why we call it The Return of the Raddest Watch Ever! Shall we say Shark to the Future!!!? YES!