Articles by Tracy

For Immediate Release          

Mormaii Pe’ahi World Cup

Tow-In Surfing Championship 2008/2009

Holding Period: December 31, 2008 - March 31, 2009

$50,000.00 Purse

LAGUNA BEACH, CA NOVEMBER 26, 2008, The Association of Professional Towsurfers (APT) is proud to announce that Mormaii, a Brazilian based surf clothing and product company has signed on as the Title Sponsor of the Mormaii Pe’ahi World Cup Tow-In Surfing Championship. This will be the last event of the 2008/2009 series and with this event, the APT will crown its second annual World Champion tow-in surfing team.

“We are gaining momentum with the APT World Tour and believe the support we have from the athletes has been crucial to our success” says APT Founder and President Eric Akiskalian.   Eric went further to say, “We are blessed by an incredible sponsor in Mormaii and we have a solid Event Director in ‘Handsome Bugga’ Rodney Kilborn, APT’s Vice President who has directed tow-in events at Pe’ahi in 1997 and in 2002.”

APT Invite List:

1. Koby Abberton / Ryan Hipwood - AUS

2. Danilo Couto / Rodrigo Resende - BRA

3. Evarldo 'Pato' Texeira / Yuri Soledad - BRA/HI

4. Sylvio Mancusi / Edilson Assuncau - BRA

5. Diego Medina / Critobal Gonzales - CHI

6. Grant 'Twiggy' Baker / Greg Long - SA/CA

7. Jamie Mitchell / James Watson - AUS

8. Scott Chandler / Chuck Patterson - CA

9. Carlos Burle / Eraldo Gueiros - BRA

10. Alastair Mennie / Andrew Cotton - IRE

11. Tyler Fox / Shane Desmond - CA

12. Makua Rothman / Ikaika Kalama - HI

13. Mike Parsons / Brad Gerlach - CA

14. Garrett McNamara / Kealii Mamala - HI

15. Jamie Sterling / Mark Visser - HI

16. Sion Milosky / Dustin Barca - HI

17. Myles Padaka / Felipe Espiritu - HI

18. Archie Kalepa / Buzzy Kerbox - HI

19. Ross Clark Jones / Tony Ray - AUS

20. Ian Walsh / Shane Dorian - HI

21. Jamie O'Brian / Troy Alotis - HI

22. Kaleo Amadeo /  Nalu Wallace - HI

23. Anthony Tashnick / Darryl 'Flea' Virostko - CA

24. Wild Card

Alternates:

(in alphabetical order by first partner name)

Cambell Ferrell / Doug Young - HI/NZ

Carlos ‘Coco’ Nogales / TBD – MEX

Dan Morre / Mark Anderson – HI

Dylan Longbottom / Laurie Towner - AUS

Ed Guzman / Juao Jabour- CA/BRA

Kalani Chapman / Ezira Sitt – HI

Ollie Richardson / Dan Hasselschwert - OR

Peter Mel/ Ryan Augenstein – CA

Ramon Navarro / Christian Merrello - CHI

Russell Smith / Tyler Smith - CA

Titus Kinimaka / Kalani Vierra - HI

Official Title Sponsor Website:

MORMAII.com

Official APT Event Website:

APTWorldTour.com

Official Event Forecast Provided By:

Surfline.com

Pre Event YouTube Promo Clip:

www.youtube.com/watch?v#198D05F

Presenting Sponsor Opportunity:

For information on becoming the Presenting Sponsor of the Mormaii Pe’ahi World Cup Tow-In Surfing Championship, contact: Eric Akiskalian / 805-455-7073 or EricAkiskalian@mac.com

Official Associate Sponsors:

Towsurfer.com, HandsomeBugga Productions, FlechaSurf, Powerlines Productions and Surfline.

About the Association of Professional Towsurfers, Inc. (APT)

The Association of Professional Towsurfers, was Founded on March 6, 2003 with the charter to support the responsible growth and development of Tow-In Surfing. The Association of Professional Towsurfers, is dedicated to sanctioning and promoting world class competitions, dissemination of safety and technical information to athletes, and technical direction to event organizers. The Association of Professional Towsurfers embraces corporate sponsors and media entities that provide the support necessary to increase its events and goals. The Association of Professional Towsurfers has goals to expand its support throughout the world, lobby government agencies and municipalities to provide more certified tow-in access to ocean venues, and be ever attentive to the unique technical and safety needs of this evolving sport and its constituents.

About Mormaii:

Mormaii´s company is very proud to celebrate it's 30th Anniversary and becoming the Title Sponsor for the Mormaii Pe'ahi World Cup Tow-In Surfing Championship.

Mormaii is the pioneer with thirty years of innovations in the sector, the greatest mix of products and the highest income among the brands in the surf market and water sports in Brazil. It all started with this differentiated wetsuit made especially for surfers. After that, clothing was produced for diving, jet-skiing, triathlon, windsurfing, and many other sports where the athletes adopted the Mormaii neoprene as the official equipment while in the water. Today, Mormaii has a enormous mix of products and exports for more then seventy countries.

APT Administration and Sponsorship Contact:

Eric Akiskalian

APT Global, Founder/President

(805) 455-7073

For the 3rd year in a row, GFH Skateboards brought a little Holiday Cheer to children through the Toys for Tots program. GFH has been involved in many community outreach programs and even is a top supporter of the malaria efforts in Indo with Surf Aid International. During these hard economic times, we feel fortunate to have the resources to donate skateboards and GFH apparel to kids that might not otherwise be receiving gifts this Christmas. For more information on donating to the Toys for Tots holiday drive please visit www.toysfortots.org

Fulcrum Surf School and GFH Skateboards held our first Movie and Skate Night this past Friday with great success. We had the ramp going, surf movies, free pizza and drinks, giveaways and a spray paint station where you could make your own GFH lid. Come join us when we premier the new Kelly Slater/Andy Irons film, A Fly in the Champagne. Time TBA. Check out the photo gallery for some great shots. http://surf.transworld.net/tag/kelly-slater/

GFH Boards Supports SurfAid International Swimming to Save Lives: West Coast 2009

-Humanitarians Join Together to Raise Money for SurfAid International -

On Saturday March 21, SurfAid International is starting its 3rd annual Swim 4 Life fundraising events.

GFH Boards is sponsoring the event by donating skateboards for the event’s important fundraising milestones. Teams and individuals participating in Swim 4 Life will work to gain sponsors for their 30-minute swim. The money raised goes to SurfAid International and its efforts to improve the health, well being and self-reliance of people living in isolated regions connected to us through surfing. Get a team together, raise some money and maybe you’ll even win a GFH Board.

Register for Swim 4 Life today at www.surfaidinternational.org/swim4life09

Come show your support at one of the following events:

Saturday, March 21, 2009 @ 12:30PM: Coggan Aquatic Complex, 800 Nautilus Street, La Jolla 92037

Sunday, March 29, 2009 @ 12noon: Pepperdine University, 24255 PCH, Malibu, 90263

Saturday, April 4, 2009 @ 11AM: Golden Gateway Tennis & Swim Club, 370 Drumm Street, SF 94111

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UNCW Entrepreneurs Try New Idea to Save a Stranger’s Life

A group of UNCW entrepreneurs have organized a one of a kind charity event aimed at saving a child’s life. The event features a benefit concert led by the band Rehab, an amateur pro skate contest, and an artist exhibition, all in one day.

WILMINGTON, NC – MARCH 6, 2009 – A group of young entrepreneurs have teamed up with Gift of Life International to raise the thousands of dollars necessary to treat a child dying from a terminal heart disorder. Surprisingly, they are using music, art, and extreme sports to reach their goal.

A group of UNCW graduates has stepped forward and created a unique charity event as the main source of funding to pay for this dying child’s medical needs. They plan to raise thousands of dollars to bring this child from his home in The Republic of Uganda to North Carolina for the proper diagnoses and life saving treatment he desperately needs.

The event, dubbed “Live for Life,” will be held on April 4^th, 2009 at Ogden Park off of Gordon Rd. in Wilmington. It includes a multiple band concert led by Rehab (“Bartender Song”) and followed by Almost Kings, Kepteclectic, Psycho Rainbow, and I-Junk. “What’s better than going to concert and helping save a kid’s life at the same time?” asks Chris Kluesener, Promotions Director for the event. “Even in our first year, we’ve attracted such talented bands that it proves how worthy this cause really is” Kluesener continues. In addition to the concert, everyone in attendance will enjoy an amateur pro team skate competition to be held on a skate park built exclusively for the event. Teams of three will be made up of sponsored skaters from all over the South East, all competing for bragging rights and to show their support for the cause.

Spectators will also have the privilege to witness the artist exhibition happening live alongside the concert and competition. A crew of fifteen artists from all over North Carolina will each paint a separate mural piece throughout the day, with the final pieces going to auction afterwards. The money generated from the auction goes to the child’s donation.

In addition to saving a child’s life, this event was designed to help support North Carolina businesses, musicians, athletes, and artists, who are all struggling during these difficult economic times.

About Gift of Life:

Gift of Life International, founded in 1975, is a non-profit organization with a vast global network of people dedicated to finding and helping children with terminal heart conditions. The country of Uganda lacks the necessary medical technology to perform certain cardiac life saving treatments, and as a result has become an area of interest for GOL. This particular child’s family doesn’t have the money to send their child abroad for life saving treatment, and therefore we are his only hope.

About Thrust:

Thrust is an event development company that originally started out producing surf/skate clothing. Founded in 2003 by a group of UNC Wilmington alumni, they specialize in unique and innovative action sports, music, or art related events and promotions, and have prior experience working with non-profit organizations and local municipalities for charity causes. For tickets or to donate directly to Gift of Life, please visit www.thrustclothing.com.

Contact:

Chris Kluesener, Promotions Director

Thrust Worldwide LLC

20 B Channel Avenue

Wrightsville Beach NC, 28480

(631) 375-0865

Chris@thrustclothing.com