Gerard Butler admitted to hospital after Mavericks surfing stunt went wrong

Gerard Butler was rushed to hospital after escaping death in a surfing stunt, it was revealed yesterday.

Gerard Butler and (right) a surfer riding Mavericks in northern California Photo: 

Getty Images/AP

 

9:14AM GMT 20 Dec 2011

The 42-year-old star was trapped underwater after being hit by a succession of waves while filming in California. He has been shooting 'Of Men and Mavericks' based on the true life story of a tragic young surfer Jay Moriarty. Butler has been training all summer on the coast to recover the six-pack physique he developed for 300.

The near fatal accident happened on at Maverick's, the infamous Northern California surf spot south of San Francisco. Butler who plays the role of champion surfer Rick "Frosty" Henson, was caught in a 12 foot swell when he was hit by a freak wave.

He was pulled from the water onto a jet ski and then brought to shore helped from the water and taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Eye witness surfer Fran Quirarte said: "Butler was held down for a solid two-waves and took four or five more waves on the head.

"He was then washed through the rocks on the inside before he was finally able to be plucked out.

"Even on small days the inside at Maverick's can push ten-foot plus and really tear you up.

"When they brought Butler in he had that 100-yard stare that surfers get after a two-wave hold [down] or near death experience.

"After almost 20 years at Mavericks I've seen a lot of it, but at least he was standing on his own two legs.

"He was then carted away in a waiting ambulance."

He was taken to Stanford Medical Center and detained for observation overnight, where yesterday there was no statement on his condition. Quirate said Butler and film crew were impatient after waiting several days to get in the water.

"With Maverick's and the entire Northern Hemisphere big-wave season off to a slow start surfers and the film crew were chomping at the bit to get a few days of surfing and filming in.

"Waves were running at 12ft, but some large ones had got through."

Quirate had turned for the beach, when sirens went off. "We could here the faint sounds of sirens in the distance. And as the sirens got closer they turned down the road and headed straight for us.

"One of the film crew's radio cracked and I heard they were "bringing Gerry (Butler) in."

"No sooner did I hear that transmission then a ski and Zodiac turned the corner at the Half Moon Bay harbour mouth and were coming in fast. I ran down to the dock, help tie off the Zodiac, and noticed Gerard on board."

It was the exact spot where almost eight months ago 35-year-old Hawaiian surfer Sion Milosky died in a near identical accident at Maverick's, a big wave haven 25 miles south of San Francisco.

Quirate, Water Operations Director of The Jay At Maverick's Big Wave Invitational surfing event, said yesterday: "Butler had no business near the bowl or taking a Maverick's set on the head."

POW Gloves Extends Partnership With GORE-TEX®

By Kailee Bradstreet

POW Gloves extend the partnership with GORE-TEX® , and WINDSTOPPER® technologies to include the brands in the 2012 winter line. The company will feature GORE-TEX® gloves to the North, and South American market for the first time this upcoming season.
Read the official words from POW Gloves on the extended partnership.


Seattle, Wash (October 15, 2011) – POW Gloves is excited to announce a partnership with W.L. Gore & Associates to use GORE-TEX® and WINDSTOPPER® brand technologies worldwide with the launch of its 2012 winter lineup. GORE-TEX® product technology will be featured in many of POW’s models, including its popular Mega GTX® and Royal GTX® gloves, pictured below.

“This season we delivered GORE-TEX® gloves to our North American and Southern Hemisphere customers for the first time, and we’ve seen explosive growth,” explained POW Sales Director Maxx von Marbod. “We’re now ready to take the technology global; our distributors are hungry for the same quality and performance.” Graeme Fuller of Surf Sales – POW’s UK distributor – commented, “It is very good news that POW will feature the GORE-TEX® brand worldwide as GORE is recognized by UK riders as the premium membrane technology. Combined with the excellent fit and function of POW, these new gloves will provide riders with the quality required for the conditions that we tend to face in Europe.”

POW Founder and CEO Dustin Goss commented, “The license extension is valued very highly within the walls of POW. Our team worked hard to plan, execute and deliver the implementation of GORE-TEX® brand technology into our latest offering, a technology that has become the leader in high performance durable waterproof technologies. Side-by-side with POW’s “Built to Last” mantra, these new GORE-TEX® gloves are the utmost in high-performance hand-wear.”
To view the entire 2012-13 POW Gloves line, visit Luxus Accessories - Pow Gloves Canada

About POW Gloves
Since 2002, POW Gloves has remained committed to producing the finest performing hand-wear for the activities we love. Based in Seattle, Washington, POW is a global glove-specific brand with products for winter sports, biking/cycling, and golf. POW is one of the fastest growing glove brands with distribution in over 37 countries worldwide. POW Gloves are “Built to Last”. For more information on POW Gloves, visit http://www.luxusaccessories.com/pow-gloves

About W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc
Gore is a leading manufacturer of thousands of advanced technology products for the electronics, fabrics, industrial and medical markets. Perhaps best known for its waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX®® fabric, the company’s portfolio features a diverse array of innovations, including everything from guitar strings to life-saving cardiovascular devices. Gore is headquartered in Newark, Del., posts annual sales of $2.6 billion, and employs 9,000 associates in 30 countries worldwide. It is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. “100 Best Companies to Work For” lists since the rankings were introduced in 1984. Visit www.gore.com to learn more.

GORE-TEX® is  a  trademark of W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. ©2011 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., 295 Blue Ball Rd., Elkton, Maryland, 800-431-GORE, GORE-TEX®.com

Tribute to Jim McNeil

Long time rider and well respected man inside freestyle motocross world, Jim Mcneil, recently crashed while practicing for an upcoming event,  he was air lifted to hospital and later pronounced dead.

The event was one stop on the 2011 Boost Mobile FreestyleMX.com Worldwide Tour; McNeil had been a member of the Boost FMX team for the last nine years.

Jim took part in many events over the years including notable ones like the X Games, Dew Tour and Red Bull X-Fighters.

We wanted to post this tribute video to remember Jim ...

OGIO golf wins gold and silver awards in 2011 ‘Golf Digest’ Hot List

Velocity Carry Bag Wins Gold; Sultan Cart Bag Wins Silver

SALT LAKE CITY (May 11, 2011) – OGIO, the designer of uniquely styled bags infused with intelligent design, is proud to announce a gold award for its Velocity UltraLite bag and a silver award for its Sultan cart bag in the 2011 Golf Digest Hot List. Included in the publication’s June 2011 issue, both bags received high marks for their light weight, design and strategically-placed features.

“We are extremely pleased with this recognition and achievement,” said Tom Gocke, vice president of golf, OGIO. “The Golf Digest Hot List is one of the most comprehensive guides for the best equipment in the sport. At OGIO we consistently strive to create stylish and innovative bags designed by golfers for golfers, so these accolades are a wonderful acknowledgement of fulfilling our mission.”

A part of the new UltraLite series, the Velocity bag weighs a mere 4.4 pounds, with straps included. Encompassing more technology and storage space than its predecessors, Velocity provides golfers with a seven-way Woode™ UltraLite Performance Top with full-length dividers, O-Shox™ suspension strap system and the AFS air flow system shoulder straps for maximum comfort on the course.

Featuring a 14-way diamond UltraLite Performance cart top, the Sultan offers dual magnetic side flip-up pockets, large insulated cooler pocket and an easy-to-use, magnetic ball pocket. Weighing in at 7.4 pounds, the Sultan also features four ergonomic handles to ensure easy lifting while riding a cart through 18 holes.

Check out the full line of Golf Gear at Ogio.com and in Canada at Luxus Accessories Ogio Golf - Click Here

Riding First Class with Ogio Travel Bags

Ah... another boring, lifeless, black, boxy bag rolls down the conveyor belt onto the carousel at the airport luggage claim. Each one just like the next, mirrored by the equallt boring uptight business type shamefully heaving them to the ground. Oh, but not you, you've got style, and a swagger all your own. You're carrying OGIO luggage. Check it out here, OGIO Travel Bags

The Kikkor Story...

For the low down on these awesome golf shoes we turned to the guys who can tell us best. Google. Only Kidding, Here is the low down on the coolest thing to happen to golf shoes since 1876 when Albert Spalding started a sporting goods company with $800. Manufacturing the 1st official: baseball, tennis ball, basketball, golf ball and football.

Kikkor Who?
Kikkor was started by 25 year old professional golfer James Lepp. James grew up in Abbotsford, British Columbia where he started golfing at the ripe age of 4 years old. He enjoyed much success both as an amateur player and professional, but in 2008 his passion for golf was slowly replaced for his passion as an entrepreneur. With the help of some friends and business consultants, the brand was officially launched in April of 2010.

What?
Kikkor is an alternative golf footwear brand targeting the younger players at heart. The shoes are built with comfort and style first in mind, without ignoring the important technical attributes, such as grip, stability, waterproofing, and durability.

When?
The brand concept was conceived late in 2008, and was officially launched April of 2010.

Where?
The roots are grounded on the West Coast of Canada, near Vancouver, BC; however, right now Kikkor products are readily available all over North America, and will soon be worldwide.

Why?

A few reasons why Kikkor is here:

1. It doesn’t matter what age you are, 10, 25, or 45, nobody truly wants to wear the same stuff as their dad.

2. The golf shoe industry consistently designs shoes that are targeted only for the older demographic, leaving younger players with very few options that match their personal style.

3. Do we really have to wear dress shoes on the golf course?

4. The need for really comfortable golf shoes.

Check out the full line of Kikkor Shoes Click the Link Below or check them out online www.kikkor.com

Kikkor Shoes shipped anywhere in Canada, Click Here

Ogio Layover Bag Review

Traveling can be a big hassle for anyone, especially if you have crappy luggage. Making a solid, long term investment in travel bags usually isn’t a top priority for most folks. I mean, how often do you travel anyway? You can probably get by with the $20 rolling suitcase you picked up at Ross, right?

Well the thing is, crappy travel bags don’t reveal themselves right away. You’ll be on like three or four trips before disaster strikes. But when your cheap bag goes, it goes bad quick. A busted wheel. A broken zipper. It could be a simple, how-the-hell-did-that happen rip, but before the end of your trip, you’ll be cursing the fact that you took such a low budget approach to your travel needs.

We’ve all been there. So when we got our hands on an Ogio travel bag for review, we accepted gladly. I’ve had some pretty sorry luggage in my day, so I was curious to see what these guys had to offer. Ogio sent us one of their OGIO Layover travel bags, and we tested the thing out.

The first thing you notice is that the bag looks like it’d be in the closet of a BMX biker or professional Moto racer or something. There’s a reason for this. Here’s what Mark Kuryak, Vice President Global Action/Performance/Sport had to say:

“OGIO’s designs are inspired from the various sports that we actively participate. We seek the input of our athletes so that can design uniquely styled collections that are both rugged and intelligently designed with features that help them in their lifestyle. The layover is a prime example. While it is part of our travel collection,” Kuryak said, “the styling of this bag comes from our roots in Moto.”

We looked up this connection. It turns out that Ogio produced a motocross film called Global Addiction in 2002 that featured some of the biggest names in freestyle MX like Travis Pastrana, who continues to work with the brand. Ogio produces high performance bag gear for a variety of uses. When designing these gear bags, the company gets a ton of input from top athletes in moto, BMX, skate, snow and surf.

“Most of all our bag features and unique styling comes from our top athlete input,” Kuryak said. “They use OGIO products on daily basis thru toughest conditions which is our best testing ground for superior quality and inspiration for new features and designs.”

That input is evident when you put the Layover bag to the test. The thing just looks rugged and sporty, and those wheels aren’t going to crap out on you while you’re running through the airport.

“The lines are fast and unique,” Kuryak explained. “The materials that we use are tough to stand up to the most grueling conditions, the sled and wheel system is a reflection of the SLED system of our acclaimed 9800 Moto Gear bag. And the organization compartments allow our athletes to stay in control of their travels while they are on the road.”

That SLED system is legit. The Layover bag has these gliding, urethane wheels that rest on a heavy duty chassis. It doesn’t matter what kind of terrain you need to drag this thing through, those wheels can power through anything.

“The SLED technology feature is on many of our top selling gear bags came right from our athletes,” Kurayk told us. “They wanted the most durable/heavy duty wheeled bag that would survive all rider conditions – practice, race day, and travel.”

That’s the main take away from this Ogio operation. They design their gear for extreme use, but it’s the everyday utility and surefire functionality that appeals to average consumers.

When asked about other athlete-inspired features, Kurayk mentioned all the compartments the bag has. These “intelligently designed compartments” were crafted for “organization of all gear – from helmets, gloves, goggles, lenses, apparel, and now neck brace compartments for easy access,” Kuryak said.

“Each pocket is specialized to protect their valuable equipment.”

So in addition to the sleek styling, you get extreme usability and convenient storage features. Not bad for a bag that retails for $199.99. You probably won’t need to pack for the X Games or some other extreme sports event, but if your bag can handle the needs of top extreme athletes, it’s going to work just fine for your weekend trip to Vegas.

Brand Bio: MyPakage

KnowShow Blog
Monday, March 21, 2011

MyPakage began in July 2009 as a casual conversation between Dez Price and Dustin Bigney, two good friends lamenting over the lack of men’s underwear that was well-made, supportive and, above all, super cool.

While the women’s underwear market was constantly getting reinvented, Dez and Dustin quickly realized the big boys were getting left behind.

Taking their issue to heart, the two spent months designing a prototype. Using soft, no-pill fabrics that breathed better than cotton, and washed well without any shrinkage, both their patented “Comfort Keyhole Technology” and three-dimensional pouch were finally perfected and ready for the world.

The Vancouver 2010 Olympics proved to be huge for MyPakage, as they handed out pairs to snowboard athletes at events and parties. Distributors like Rampion began to express interest, their first order came by late summer and, as NHL hockey players and other athletes became loyal fans, their entourage of brand ambassadors was born.

In January 2011—after many meetings and a few hockey games—MyPakage joined forces with one of the top design and development firms in Vancouver. Our new partners have worked with the top brands in the industry including Lulu Lemon, Arc’teryx, Polo RLX, and Aether. We are moving into the vertical world of design, development, sourcing of fabric, and apparel manufacturing, giving us total control. We get to be a part of the entire process, sharing MyPakage’s values in sustainable practice. The partnership was the ideal fit.



With the new year in full swing, MyPakage shows no signs of kicking back. Outdoor recreation, sporting goods, men’s fashion and pretty much anything below the waist are categories they look to conquer. To them, it’s all about breaking down retail and marketing barriers, creating and innovating, while always being rad, and well regarded.



MyPakage is always going to be dedicated to giving back to the sports we love. Watch for an epic launch at the Whistler Ski and Snowboard Festival in April, as well as in major cities across the United States later this year.