Channel Islands overnights a new quiver to the champ.
July 23, 2009, 3:25 PM
By: Jake Howard
Servais
Kelly and his overnight ride. [Note: That black strip on the bottom, it's grip tape, he surfed half his heat riding his board upside down.]
I admit it, Kelly's boards are getting to be a tired subject, but after bumming around the contest all day yesterday, anything different is good. With every pro's board in the rack looking nearly identical, when the nine-time world champ rocked up with what looked like a cross between a kneeboard and a pool toy, of course I took notice.
Servais
Kelly Slater, women love him, men want to be him, but the Channel Islands sander hates him.
By happenstance, when Kelly showed up at the U.S. Open yesterday I was standing with Travis Lee from Channel Islands. Not knowing how to approach the equipment question, or really where to even start, I simply put it to him, "How are the boards going?"
"Good," he answered, "but we'll see about the one he has today, he just got it."
Then Travis launched into a whole explanation of how Kelly had called up to the Channel Islands factory in Santa Barbara on Tuesday afternoon, told them he'd love to get his feet on something sort of like those manta ray boards he had in South Africa, but with a normal nose. He also wanted quasi-parabolic rails with dual wood stringers out towards the rails&and if possible he'd love to ride it for his heat in Huntington on Wednesday
Now, have you ever ordered a board from Channel Islands? You don't exactly get overnight service. Like any other shaping operation in the world, for slobs like you and me it's the standard "four to six weeks." But Kelly's Kelly, and as they say, membership has its privileges.
"We did it in 18 hours," explained Travis. With a warehouse full of foam and an in-house glass shop, the shapers and glassers got to work. And by the time Kelly'd recharged his iPhone, played a round of golf and kissed a few babies, he had a new, head-turning board under arm.
(I can not confirm that he has an eye phone, played golf, or even kissed any babies. And to quickly address recent rumors, I also can not confirm or deny that there is a Kelly/ESPN tour in the works...but we will say something on that subject one of these days.)
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Contributors
Jon Coen
Jon is from New Jersey and continues to reside there with his wife and dog—which means occasional empty barrels and the occasional session in the snow.The state isn't as dirty as people might think, but he'll let them keep believing that.
Jake Howard
Jake lives, writes and surfs in San Clemente, Calif. He spent his formative gremlin years surfing points north of San Francisco, and for the past 10 years has been contently surviving behind the Orange Curtain.
Kimball Taylor
Author of "Return by Water," as well as books on Jeffreys Bay and Pipeline, Kimball drives a red-hot Camero, and back in the '70s, he used to party with your dad.
Daniel Ikaika Ito
Daniel surfs like a hippie, but dresses like a homie. The Native Hawaiian originally hails from Hilo, but now resides in Honolulu. He enjoys twin-fins, new sneakers and being ESPN's "Cuz On The Scene" in the 50th State.
Jason Kenworthy
About as majestic as a turkey vulture, when he's not schlepping his lens around the world or looking for roadkill, Jason can be found at home in Dana Point, Calif., tending to his growing brood.
