The Weekender: Conlogue wins WSL Bells Beach title
Every Friday in The Weekender we take a look at the best videos from the week that was—like skiing park covered in pigment—and give you a preview of some of the most important events in the world of action and outdoor sports coming up this weekend.
Courtney Conlogue Rings the Bell
Needing a big score to come back in her final at Bells Beach against Sally Fitzgibbons, Courtney Conlogue found what she was looking for in this runner that gave the Santa Ana, Calif. native her first win at the storied event and the yellow jersey as she grabbed the overall points lead in the World Surf League’s Championship Tour. Conlogue has long dreamt of “ringing the Bell” and takes that lead into an event she won last year, The Margaret River Pro, which will finish out the Australian leg of the tour. Conlogue held the points lead last year as well before being overtaken by Carissa Moore. Time will tell this season but Conlogue continues to put herself in position.
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Titans of Mavericks
HBO’s Real Sports released its segment on Mavericks online this week, looking at the Titans of Mavericks contest and the culture of big wave surfing. “My girlfriend calls it ‘the mistress,’” says Australian Jamie Mitchell. No matter where they are in the world, if the wave goes, the world’s best big wave surfers congregate in Half Moon Bay, Calif., to ride one of the gnarliest surf spots on the planet and one that has killed a number of athletes. The in-depth feature looks at the forecasting process and the history of the storied wave as well.
• MORE EDGE: Cyclist conquers daunting Mt. Washington in winter
From iPhones to Black Pigment
Nicolas Vuignier has a thing for viral videos. A few months ago, he gave us this epic edit shot as he rode powder in Switzerland while spinning his iPhone over his head with a device he invented called the Centriphone. This week he released Painted Black where he covers himself in black pigment and flies off different terrain park jumps. The video is shot in black and white and the dust eerily floats off his body, creating a visual spectacle and an art project of sorts for this pro skier who certainly has an eye for the aesthetic aspect of his sport. Apparently, Vuignier could only take three runs off each jump before the pigment that came off his body would land on the snow and act as dirt, slowing up his run-ins to the takeoff.
NYC Street Edits are the Best
There’s something about riding the streets of New York that bring out the best in skaters and BMX riders. Here, 24-year-old Yaje Popson rides the rails and stairs around Houston Park. Popson is originally from Brazil but moved to the city when he was young so he knows this hood well. And he has a really interesting story: around 2011 the pro skater could barely ride anymore due to chronic knee pain. So he took a hiatus from the sport and moved back to Brazil to live with his mother, a naturalist, where he was able to heal himself through natural medicine. He has re-emerged in the NYC street skating scene in the last two years. “(My mom) wanted me to try and see a doctor (in Brazil) because she trusts the doctors down there more,” he said. “We’re naturalists so she didn’t want to deal with Western doctors. My worst fear at the time was having to get knee surgery.”
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What’s On Tap?
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
WorldSurfleague.com |5 p.m. ET, all weekend
With two heats left in round 5, the quarterfinals are nearly set at Bells Beach with rookies Caio Ibelli, Davey Cathels and Conner Coffin still in contention. The women ran in perfect conditions and WSL officials will look for the same to finish out the men’s comp.
Monster Energy Supercross
FS1 | Saturday, 10 p.m. ET
The Supercross series just came off its one break for the season with six races remaining in the chase for the overall title. Ryan Dungey takes his overall points lead and his 27 consecutive podium streak in the 450SX class into this weekend’s event in Santa Clara, California.
Freeride World Tour
Freerideworldtour.com | Saturday, 3:15 a.m. ET
The final, and some would say the best, event of the year for the Freeride World Tour goes off this weekend in Verbier, Switzerland and the contest has been confirmed for Saturday. Air, style, line choice, all part of the equation for the best big mountain skiers and snowboarders in the world.
