the Op / J-Lo Connection
Saturday, day 90-something-or-other
I took one look at seventeenth street and knew that we were going to Newport. The tide was super high like the morning before. If we wanted to paddle after small waves all morning without catching anything, seventeenth street would have been the place.
Brett's car pulled in as I was crossing pacific coast highway in the dark.
I pointed south. He understood.
Brett prefers to stay in Huntington whenever he can. "I feel like an outsider bringing my longboard to Newport." he said. But sometimes, even he can see that we need to leave Huntington to find breaking waves with any power.
In the water, we meet a judge for the Op Newport Classic, the tents of which were set up on the sand. I asked him how one comes about getting the job of judging a contest.
"Experience." he said. He told me that he used to surf a lot of contests and now he makes surfboards. But, he said, he's got major back problems his contest days of surfing.
"I really have to take it easy." He said with a concerned look. "This is my third time surfing in two weeks. That's about all I can do."
We talked about the Tuesday which had just passed, when Brett and I surfed that very beach in the midst of stand-up barreling waves.
"I had to stay on the shore and watch that." the former pro said sadly.
For a moment I think about asking if his former sponsor helped him out with disability when he got injured - but I then thought better of it.
When 7:30 rolled around, the loudspeaker told us all to move so the guys in colored jerseys could compete.
Brett and I paddled over to the north. High tide had made the surf pretty mushy, and we got out after a few sets. We stoppeed by the stands and sat down for a spell next to a kid and his dad. The kid had recieved a promotional packet with a copy of SG (Surf Girl) mag, and a surfing coloring book.
The guys in the water were the "masters" finals. "Masters" is anyone over thirty.
"So, how does that make you feel about when you started surfing, Brett?"
"Yea, right. I guess we're master beginners."
The announcer attempted to make commentary on the action going on. "There's white dropping in and trying to get some maneuvers in on the old funboard.." A photographer from a surfing magazine sat in front of us, chuckeling. "Well folks as you can see, these masters just don't have all the pop and style like they used to..."
We all laughed at that one.
"What a dick." I mumbled through my laugh.
Brett and I got up and grabbed our boards to leave.
"Well, have you seen enough of the world of competitive surfing?" I asked Brett.
"Quite."
I remind myself that Op is now a subsidiary of Warnaco, a New York clothing company responsible for Spedo suimsuits (really cute on european tourist guys), Calvin Klein Jeans, and Jenifer Lopez lingere line.
Warnaco bought Op earlier this summer for $40 million, agreeing to also assume Op's debts. Op had been an industry giant, peaking with over $400 million in sales. Their downward spiral began in 1986 when riots broke out at the Op Pro contest in Huntington Beach. In 1992, Op
filed for Bankrupcy Court protection. Op has been rebuilding ever since, and had apparently rebuilt to the point of being an attractive purchase for Warnaco.
Op shorts and J.Lo lingere....Great combination of products. Imagine the synergies. J.Lo could marry Joel Tudor. Send the surfing press and the tabloids.
More Later.
-Trav
Copyright 2004 Travis R. English
I took one look at seventeenth street and knew that we were going to Newport. The tide was super high like the morning before. If we wanted to paddle after small waves all morning without catching anything, seventeenth street would have been the place.
Brett's car pulled in as I was crossing pacific coast highway in the dark.
I pointed south. He understood.
Brett prefers to stay in Huntington whenever he can. "I feel like an outsider bringing my longboard to Newport." he said. But sometimes, even he can see that we need to leave Huntington to find breaking waves with any power.
In the water, we meet a judge for the Op Newport Classic, the tents of which were set up on the sand. I asked him how one comes about getting the job of judging a contest.
"Experience." he said. He told me that he used to surf a lot of contests and now he makes surfboards. But, he said, he's got major back problems his contest days of surfing.
"I really have to take it easy." He said with a concerned look. "This is my third time surfing in two weeks. That's about all I can do."
We talked about the Tuesday which had just passed, when Brett and I surfed that very beach in the midst of stand-up barreling waves.
"I had to stay on the shore and watch that." the former pro said sadly.
For a moment I think about asking if his former sponsor helped him out with disability when he got injured - but I then thought better of it.
When 7:30 rolled around, the loudspeaker told us all to move so the guys in colored jerseys could compete.
Brett and I paddled over to the north. High tide had made the surf pretty mushy, and we got out after a few sets. We stoppeed by the stands and sat down for a spell next to a kid and his dad. The kid had recieved a promotional packet with a copy of SG (Surf Girl) mag, and a surfing coloring book.
The guys in the water were the "masters" finals. "Masters" is anyone over thirty.
"So, how does that make you feel about when you started surfing, Brett?"
"Yea, right. I guess we're master beginners."
The announcer attempted to make commentary on the action going on. "There's white dropping in and trying to get some maneuvers in on the old funboard.." A photographer from a surfing magazine sat in front of us, chuckeling. "Well folks as you can see, these masters just don't have all the pop and style like they used to..."
We all laughed at that one.
"What a dick." I mumbled through my laugh.
Brett and I got up and grabbed our boards to leave.
"Well, have you seen enough of the world of competitive surfing?" I asked Brett.
"Quite."
I remind myself that Op is now a subsidiary of Warnaco, a New York clothing company responsible for Spedo suimsuits (really cute on european tourist guys), Calvin Klein Jeans, and Jenifer Lopez lingere line.
Warnaco bought Op earlier this summer for $40 million, agreeing to also assume Op's debts. Op had been an industry giant, peaking with over $400 million in sales. Their downward spiral began in 1986 when riots broke out at the Op Pro contest in Huntington Beach. In 1992, Op
filed for Bankrupcy Court protection. Op has been rebuilding ever since, and had apparently rebuilt to the point of being an attractive purchase for Warnaco.
Op shorts and J.Lo lingere....Great combination of products. Imagine the synergies. J.Lo could marry Joel Tudor. Send the surfing press and the tabloids.
More Later.
-Trav
Copyright 2004 Travis R. English
posted by travinator @ 1:48 PM
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