Check out article and photos of celebrity surfers on the Daily Beast – “Lady Gaga took surfing lessons in Mexico last week, to the delight of the paparazzi. See photos of David Beckham, Reese Witherspoon, Gerard Butler, and other celebrities who are surfing this summer—or just making a splash.” Click here for pics and more info!

Lindsay Steinriede has been a face in the women’s longboarding scene in Southern California for  over 10 years-  sponsored by Orange County local surf company Toes on the Nose. Her powerful style and elegance has lead her to many victories in countless longboard competitions. Her recent victory and the most beneficial to her longboard career came in July at the Roxy Pro in St. Biarrtiz, France- Where she took first place against San Diego, CA local and Roxy team rider Jen Smith. Lindsay is now leading the Women’s ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) in points and has a position at the Swatch Girls Pro in China!  I had a chance to catch up with Lindsay, when she returned from France:

CB: When did you learn how to surf and how long have you been competing?

Lindsay: My dad taught me to surf when I was about 6 or 7 and i was hooked. I did my first Menehune (kids) contest at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, CA when I was 12.

CB: Since being bit by the surfing bug, where have you traveled to surf?

Lindsay: I have been surfing in obviously Mexico, because it’s so close…but my first real surf trip was Costa Rica, and from there I was hooked. I then travelled to surf in Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and of course just recently France.

CB: What fears do you have in surfing and how have you overcome them?

Lindsay: As far as fears in surfing, I guess it would be when I find myself paddling out in big waves and being stuck with a 9 foot board when a big set comes through. It’s hard to get through big waves with a 9 foot floatation device! To overcome it, I just try to keep myself in good shape so I am more likely to make it through the set, and work on keeping myself calm. Not that I surf giant, gnarly waves, but it still happens.

CB: What inspires you to keep pushing the limits of women’s longboarding?

Lindsay: I would like to push women’s longboarding to new levels to create more buzz around the sport, thus creating more support, and more opportunities, which could include bigger sponsorships and contest winnings.

CB: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to progress down from a longboard to a shortboard?

Lindsay: Transiting from longboard to shortboard, it a whole different game, but one worth trying! You have to have a different mind set. For me, Its more of a get up and go, I am going to rip this wave a new one type of mind set. So I like surfing both long and short, that way depending on my mood, and the waves, I can surf accordingly.

CB: What advice can you offer to beginning women surfers?

Lindsay: My advice to beginning women surfers is to keep with it! I think the older you are when you learn to surf, the harder it is to get going, but it is so worth the hard work once you finally get it!!!

A thanks to Lindsay for taking the time to chat and a huge CONGRATS  for her win in France- and good luck in China. Lindsay is definitely missing the World class waves we have down here in Nicaragua, hopefully she can travel down and show us a thing or two in longboarding!!

~Candace Pattillo

Nicaragua has been receiving good press now for quite some time. With articles in all of the major newspapers and magazines, and the two most recent seasons of Survivor filmed here – we are stoked that our lovely home is getting the recognition it deserves as a wonderful place to live, visit, surf, and, well… just be! We were especially stoked to see this recent feature in “D Magazine” about Nicaragua! The author does an amazing job transporting you to the sites, sounds and vibe of Nicaragua through her descriptive and enjoyable editorial!

Click here to see the full article!

You can also download the Nicaragua, the New Frontier pdf file by clicking on the link.

We’ve long known that Nicaragua is THE place to be for the summer – it’s still nice to have international recognition sometimes! We’re stoked that Nicaragua was chosen as Surfline’s BEST BEST for May!!! We’ve got several camps this month and are super happy for all of the chicas who will be joining us this season… to Get Stoked… in Style! Click here to see the Nicaragua feature including siiick surf pics on Surfline!

The Rip Curl “Search” Team has discovered what many are calling the “best surf discovery in 20 years” – a tidal bore found on a jungle river in Indonesia – turning out killer waves with machine-like perfection. Rip Curl released the FULL STORY of this amazing discovery today on their website. They’ve named the spot “Seven Ghosts” after the jungle village where the river is located.

Click here to see the full story on the “Seven Ghosts”. If you have any troubles viewing the link, visit Rip Curl’s site directly by clicking here.

This past weekend, I took a trip up the Californian coast to see and surf the majestic waves of Santa Cruz. On the agenda- Surf (of course!), catch up with a former ChicaBrava student Katie Williams and attend the Sacred Craft Surfboard Expo!

For those of you that are not familiar with the Sacred Craft- this show was created to re-influence the surf community about the craft it takes and took to create what surfing is all about today.  Simple to say, this show is all about the BOARDS! So many technologies have developed, new eco-foam is available, and even recycling plays a part in advances of surfboard shaping. Check out the shows website: sacredcraftexpo.com

During the show we got to meet a few women that are shaping the path for women surfing, music and art. First we met Julie Cox and Ashley Llyod. Both of these women have been on the Womens Pro Longboarding Tour and and have now developed their own collection of surfboards. Julie Cox has created the Jule Collection with the collaboration of Jed Noll- son of legendary surfer/shaper Greg Noll.  The  Jule Collection is specifically designed for women with 5 models of boards that suit each body type. Check out her collection at: Julecollection.com I recently purchased the “Opal” model to get into some bigger surf with a longboard feel! Ashley Llyod has been developing and expanding her collection for 10 years and continues to expand. Offering a different variety of progressive quads to single fins, she has the classic “soul surfer” approach! Ashley was featured in the recent womenʼs surf movie “Dear and Yonder” not only for her surfing craft and skill but her musical talent as well. Check out her collection and music on Ashleyllyodmusic.com We also had the chance to meet the fantastic artist Susan Wickstrand from Encinitas, CA. Susan will be the new RipCurl “Artist of the Search” for the upcoming ʻ11-ʼ12 seasons. Check out her website at: SusanWickstrand.com We fell in love with all her prints so get ready for see her artistic clothing collection at the ChicaBrava storefront!

And as we are all trying to help in our part of saving the planet and going green, check out rerip.com These guys are a newer company that is devoted to reusing surfboards for art, reselling, and using broken boards foam to re- use as a filler in making cement!

Muchas Gracias to Katie Williams for being a fantastic tour guide and spreading the ChicaBrava stoke in Santa Cruz, CA!!

Loving to spread the ChicaBrava word!!

Candace

Check out the latest styles from Billabong. Click here. Coming soon to CHICABRAVA’s beachfront surf shop in San Juan del Sur!!! Stop by after January 1st to check out the latest styles!

Click here to view the latest edition of the CHICABRAVA Newsletter. Enjoy!

Every October our camp in San Juan del Sur closes for the rainy season in Nicaragua. While we are sad to go without new chicas in our camp for the month, we are stoked that it gives us the chance to travel and see new spots around the world. This time off each year allows our staff to travel to great surfing destinations around the world including Indonesia, Baja California, Mexixo, and Puerto Rico! This year, owner, Ashley Blaylock, was able to travel to Ireland. The water there is freezing but it doesn’t stop the locals apparently. Check out the pic of stand up paddlers at Lahinch on Ireland’s West Coast, as well as the massive waves brought in by an early winter swell on Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula. In addition, our surf camp manager, Charity Barkwell, was able to travel to Puerto Rico, in search of perfect October waves. Charity is still there now getting stoked but will be back in time for November to welcome the upcoming camps!!! CHICABRAVA keeps on proving that you can get stoked around the globe!

This year’s National Surf Circuit in Nicaragua drew to a close with the final event at Playa Madera just outside of San Juan del Sur this past month. CHICABRAVA was present and representing in full force! Our very own surf instructor extraordinaire and local of San Juan, Elsi Marin, brought home the 4th place trophy for the final event and owner, Ashley Blaylock, claimed the title for National Champion again this year for 2010.    We congratulate our chicas and look forward to the start of a successful contest season in 2011. Until then… we’re still here getting stoked in style in Nicaragua!