Ladera Skateboards

In 2000, Ladera Skateboards began as an experiment in a high school wood shop class. With nothing more than a rusty jigsaw, a sheet of plywood and a passion for skating, they developed a skateboard that was vastly different from the cookie-cutter decks available at the local skate shops. Adorned with hand-painted art and a shape that merged style with function, the first Ladera skateboard captured an element of individuality and expressiveness that would eventually define the company in its entirety.

Ladera Skateboards is much more than a brand. It’s a tight-knit crew of local skaters from Santa Cruz, California who’ve formed an alliance based on countless skate sessions and endless good times. Over the years, the Ladera Skateboard crew’s grassroots efforts, guerrilla marketing tactics and unique image have helped to build name and increase brand awareness.
Get the low down on Ladera Longboards

Go Green with Smart Girls Who Surf

9 Questions with Jennifer Taylor, President of “Smart Girls Who Surf”

Being in the sun isn’t just about having fun — it’s about being safe, smart and protected. As beneficial as Vitamin D is for our skin, it’s even more important to keep our skin well hydrated while blocking the most harmful UVA and UVB rays. Smart Girls Who Surf and Surf-Vival know exactly how important this is to men, women, children, and families, so they created a premium line of earth-friendly sunscreens and products that protect the environment without using toxic chemicals or synthetic preservatives. Staying safe while playing in the sun has never been so fun — and easy!
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Filmer Profile – Steve Cleveland

NCS: How did you get into filming?

SC: I got into filming back in 1973 when I was taking photography at the University of Hawaii.

NCS: What was your first video camera?

SC: My first video camera was a Canon GL-1. Before the Canon, I was using film cameras.

NCS: What was your first surf flick?

SC: My first surf flick was called “On Safari to Stay”. We shot it in Super 8 film with a Beilu
Check out more of Steve Cleveland's Profile

Shop Profile – Prooflab

Prooflab, located in Mill Valley, CA, started in 2004 by Northern California ripper Nathan McCarthy. Prooflab provides a wide array of surf and skate products such as Cole, Stretch, Simon, Estrada, Channel Islands, JS, Chilli, Lost, Noe, Mark Richards, Firewire and Xanadu.  It is a unique shop because they carry surfboards from around the world but if you would like a local shaper, Pat Judah will shape a board for you in their shaping room in the back of the shop.
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Shaper Profile – Stretch Surfboards

William “Stretch” Riedel has been creating distinctive and innovative custom hand built boards for surfing, sailing, kiting, and tow surfing.  Born in Malibu, CA, he was taught to build boards by his father Mike Riedel, a shaper for Velzy Jacobs Surfboards in the 1960’s.  His multitude of craftsmanship and wave riding skills eventually landed him in Santa Cruz where a life changing windsurfing accident in 1988 left him with partial paralysis.  His enthusiasm for progressive wave riding continues daily with technological advancement, team feedback and a passion for building the best boards possible.

Go grab yourself a refreshment of your choice and enjoy the interview and photo gallery from Stretch Surboards factory!
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Filmer Profile – Ryan Moss

If your out surfing and you see someone floating around with a camera and a redbull there is a good chance that it’s Ryan Moss filming upcoming talent such as Nat Young, Matt Myers, Austin Smith-Ford, Kyle Buthman and many other already known surfers.  Norcalsurfers got a chance to take him out of the water and sit down long enough to answer a few questions about how he started filming, his current equipment, and experiences out in the water.  Check it out…

NCS: How did you get into filming?

RM: I was attending college at the University of Hawaii Manoa, when I met Ricky Lesser for the first time. Ricky is single handedly the biggest influence on me wanting to get into making surf movies. It all started when we took out one of his small digi cameras that happen to have movie mode on it to this really shallow reef break just North of Sandy Beach on Oahu. I vaguely remember the video looking absolutely horrible, but I remember just frothing on it at the time. I wanted to shoot more and more and just be the best at shooting water. I bought my first camera a year or so later. It was a Sony PC 1000. It really didn’t have an adequate enough zoom to shoot from land, and I thought sitting on the beach filming all day was boring anyway. So shortly after I came across (by means of Ricky) SPLWATERHOUSINGS.COM. Sean Labrie is the man, he has always been super supportive of my throughout my career. He has kind of been a mentor in a way. His housing are super lightweight and durable. So now that I got my SPL plug out of the way we can continue, THANKS SEAN. So I got my first housing but didn’t really know what I was doing. Ryan Beppu, another all around insane water photographer from Oahu took me under his wing for a while and taught me the ropes. Since then it’s been all a blur, pretty much constant routine of trying to film with the top guys around Santa Cruz, watching Taylor Steele videos, and editing.

Behind the lens with Ryan Moss

Rider Profile – Tyler Payne

After both Keith and Tyler got knocked out the first day of the Vans Pier Classic in Huntington Beach, they had a long drive home up Hwy 101 together so to pass the time Keith grilled Tyler with a few questions about his travels, the future of surfing, and his accomplishments.
Tyler Payne Pacifica local

Rider Profile – Brian Tognozzi

20 year old Brian Tognozzi from Pacifica, California has a plan in place for 2009.. Study hard, work hard, and take few surf trips to Mex. While most kids are on MySpace Brian has better things to do. When he’s not surfing for his sponsors Body Glove, Sol Life Surfboards, Bullys, Atwater Clothing, and Nor Cal surf shop you can find him under the hood fixing up his ride. It took some effort, but once we dragged Brian away from his beloved auto Keith Terriberry put him on the hot seat and interrogated him until he spoke. Here is what he had to say…
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Shaper Profile – Michel Junod

Renowned surfboard shaper Michel Junod explores his roots over the past 40 years from surfing the Pacific Ocean to the professionals who taught him the intricate art and skill of surfboard design, making him one of the most sought-out shapers in California.

NCS: Please tell us a little about your surfboard label?
MJ: Michel Junod Surfboards is in the business of client service. I understand the importance of taking the time to talk to people, to gauge their wants and needs. It’s a key ingredient to my business, especially since the bulk of my boards are custom jobs. I find that a lot of my customers are surprised that a shaper will actually talk to them about the design of their board. Everybody wants to surf better and get more out of their new board, but frequently they don’t reach their potential because they aren’t on the best design for the type of waves they ride. This is where my experience and my input produces a board they can take to new levels of performance and enjoyment. I have been shaping since 1966. I also co-founded West Cliff Surfboards in 1970 in Santa Cruz with Chuck Strelitz. But several years later, Hawaii beckoned on me and I made my way to the North Shore. While producing boards under my own label, I shaped for the Lightning Bolt, Dick Brewer, and Surfline Hawaii retail shops in Honolulu. In 1978, I left for Kauai. After a two-and-a-half year stint in Chile in the late 1980’s I returned to Santa Cruz in 1990 and have been building boards under my label ever since.

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Rider Profile – Colin Dwyer

At only 18 years old, Colin Dwyer has some big shoes to fill as his hometown breeds big wave chargers such as Shawn Rhodes, Matt Ambrose, and Colin’s dad Steve Dwyer just to name a few.  He is on the path to filling those shoes and then some with his skills of being able to surf anything from 2 ft to 20 ft.  Sit down, relax, and read up on Colin as this will be a name that you will definitely being hearing a lot more of in the surfing world!

NCS: Lets start with your stats?
CD: Colin Dwyer, I’m 18 and I live in Pacifica, Ca

NCS: How long have you been surfing and how did you get started?
CD: I think I started when I was like six or something but I wasn’t that into it I thought it was pretty lame. I started surfing everyday when I was like 10 or something, so probably 8 solid years of surfing.
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