SurfAid's Wave of Compassion Winner Announced
October 9th, 2006: Paul Bryan of Santa Barbara CA, announced as the lucky winner of a dream Mentawai boat trip w/ Indies Trader Marine Adventures.
Encinitas, Ca (October 9th, 2006). Paul couldn't believe his ears when he heard the news that he and a lucky guest won the grand prize in SurfAid's Wave of Compassion Sweepstakes; sponsored by Indies Trader Marine Adventures and Surfline.
Paul, a Newport Beach local now residing in Santa Barbara, will be going on an all expense paid boat trip with Brad Gerlach, Will Tant, Dane Ward, Chris Waring on a surf/cultural expedition to the Mentawai Islands and North Sumatra for 10 days.
Bryan also took home a performance thruster, compliments of Aloha Surfboards, as well as an Indo Board, and other goodies from our sponsors.
Paul not only gets a chance to surf the Mentawai and North Sumatra with four legends for ten days, but will also have world famous surf explorer Martin Daly guiding the way, with acclaimed film maker Sonny Miller behind the camera for a TV special. The entire trip will also be captured by the evocative and progressive photography of Steven Lippman, and covered by an A-List editorial crew from Surfline, who will provide live updates to their audience of over one million surfers strong throughout the duration of the adventure.
The Wave of Compassion ( WOC ) experience will encompass an upriver visit to a Mentawai village to learn about the Mentawai people and their culture, a look at a traditional Nias cultural celebration, a visit with Dr. Dave Jenkins to witness and participate in SurfAid's frontline efforts to combat malaria and disease on the islands; an intimate look into the areas directly affected by the recent string of earthquakes and tsunami activity; and of course, we're striving to intermix great surf sessions with four of the best surfers on the planet, the most experienced surf charter captain in the world making the calls, and one of the best cinematographers capturing it all.
In addition Reef's Brad Gerlach, Jedidiah's Will Tant, Ocean Minded's Dane Ward and Chris Waring of No Fear will also be active participants on the trip.
Brad is a truly diverse character; legendary pro surfer, progressive big wave surfer, actor, stuntman, TV personality, coach, musician, comedian, host, inventor, and humanitarian - the list is almost never-ending. His impressive performance on everything from modest to massive waves has established him as one of the best surfers of all time. Although he has become known as the man who conquers the biggest waves ever ridden, his career highlights definitely go deeper than water - his inclusion in Wave of Compassion proves just that and speaks volumes about the true nature of his character and his innate desire to give back.
A year in the life of Will is filled with exotic locations and moves that inspire photographers. It's no wonder all the major surf publications have been after him such as Aaron Chang who said, "he's my favorite surfer, not just to shoot but to watch." Will may be one of the most underrated guys in the business. He's one of the hardest working faces in the lineup and it shows when you watch him lay into a turn for the first time, he's absolute magic. Beyond his surfing lies the most important aspect of Will. Relief work is not strange ground when speaking of Will. Whether he's in Sri Lanka on tsunami relief or Nicaragua building homes for the needy, Will has used his time as a professional surfer to help others who aren't as fortunate. It's no surprise to find him aboard Wave of Compassion, thanks to his sponsors Jedidiah, Cobian, Anarchy and Wave Riding Vehicles.
Dane Ward, although being the youngest surfer on the trip at only 18, is no stranger to getting wet in international waters. At the age of fourteen, he left his hometown turf of San Clemente , Ca for a solo surf trip to Australia while also tackling the big surf at Todos Santos, near Ensenada , Mexico . Supported by Ocean Minded, Hurley, Oakley, and Nixon will bring a youthful perspective to the Wave of Compassion trip and the cause behind it.
Our final rider is Chris Waring of Seal Beach , California . Chris is an up coming star who has had a very accomplished a mateur career and is moving onto the professional ranks. Son of former NSSA National Team member and California pro Scott Waring it is easy to see that surfing runs in the genes, especially after his domination of the 2005 NSSA Season winning 3 season titles: Open Mens, Explorer Mens, Explorer Juniors. Chris has an extensive travel record bringing him to Mainland Mex., Fiji , Australia , Hawaii , up and down the Californian Coast , and next on the roster, the Mentawai Islands with SurfAid. Thanks to No Fear for sending Chris.
Huge thanks to our sponsors : Indies Trader Marine Adventures, Surfline.com, Reef, Jedidiah, Cobian, Anarchy, Wave Riding Vehicles, Hurley, Oakley, Nixon, Ocean Minded, No Fear, Ocean/Earth, and Aloha Surfboards!
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Wave of Compassion is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the everyday surfer to make history. One grand prize-winner will win an all expense paid boat trip with Brad Gerlach, Will Tant. Dane Ward, and Chris Waring on a surf/cultural expedition to the Mentawai Islands and North Sumatra for 10 days. The winner not only gets a chance to surf the Mentawais and North Sumatra with four legends for ten days, but they will also have world famous surf explorer Martin Daly guiding the way, with acclaimed videographer Sonny Miller behind the camera for a FUELTV special. The entire trip will also be photographed and covered by an A-List editorial crew from Surfline including acclaimed photographer Steven Lippman who will provide live updates to their audience of over one million surfers strong throughout the duration of your adventure.
Did we mention the trip is on one of the most incredible surf charter boats in existence - the Indies Trader III and is worth over $8000 per person?
Wave of Compassion>2004: FUEL TV clip
The following clip is an excerpt from the Wave of Compassion FUEL TV show from our first trip in 2004. Special thanks to FUEL TV, Roughcuts Productions, Sonny Miller, Strider Wasilewski, Ben Bourgeois, Keith Malloy, Conan Hayes, David Rastovich, and our 2004 winners Jack and Dani Bunnell for their participation. This clip should give you a great idea about what you can expect to experience if you make a donation and win the trip!
For more information about purchasing our Wave of Compassion 2004 DVD please visit www.surfaidinternational.org or enter to win our sweepstakes this year and be a part of history yourself!
Witness the journey of two, lucky Wave of Compassion, sweepstakes winners as they get to experience a boat trip in the Mentawai Islands of Indonesia. The two winners will be accompanied by a group of the world's best professional surfers, journalists, and photographers to help expand awareness about SurfAid International.
Watch as the documentary captures this unique voyage and the cause that is behind its creation, stopping the spread of Malaria and other major helath issues in the Mentawai's.
Witness island life as our crew gets inside access to the villages around some of the most famous surf spots in the world. Hear first-hand accounts from the surfers and locals alike on how Wave of Compassion is affecting the region.
Get the low down on life aboard a surf charter and of course, watch as these guys go ballistic in some of the best surf in the world. Enjoy, as these surfers get a unique opportunity to give back to the lifestyle they love in Wave of Compassion.
Click the image to start the movie!
If you'd like to make a donation and become eligible to win one of our monthly donated prizes including the Grand Prize trip with some of the best surfers in the world please click here to view our donation categories. Otherwise, please send in your donation/entry or written requests to:
WAVE of COMPASSION c/o SurfAid International
191 Calle Magdalena, Ste 290b
Encinitas, CA 92024
USA
TEL +1 (760) 753 1103
FAX +1 (760) 753 1167
PLEASE NOTE: Participation in Wave of Compassion is open to any individual capable of goodwill and compassion for the people of the Mentawai Islands and North Sumatra.
ALL SURFERS: There is no obligation to donate. Click here for official rules and regulations. Thank you.
The Line-Up: Wave of Compassion>2006
Reef's Brad Gerlach is one of the most popular and recognized surfers in the world today. Former top ranked surfer, big wave aficionado, Carveboard master, NSL Game founder, SurfAid ambassador - Brad is more active than ever and amped to participate in this years event!
Will Tant is one of the most giving and hard working professional surfers in the world. Hailing from Florida Will can rip the small stuff but truly comes to life when the waves start to pump. He is a perfect addition to this years line-up and we're honored to have him on the trip!
Ocean Minded's Dane Ward is the third installment in the line up of pro surfers participating in the Wave of Compassion sweepstakes. Dane will bring a youthful perspective to the Wave of Compassion trip and the cause behind it.
No Fear's Chris Waring is our final added surfer to the event. He's intent to make the move from standout amateur to highly regarded young professional, yet at the same time he's enthusiastic to be a part of this trip to benefit the people of North Sumatra and the Mentawai Islands.
Indies Trader Marine Adventures Owner and Captain Martin Daly essentially created and developed the concept of a "boat trip"; remarkably, he's still out there finding new waves today. He'll be your Captain and guide on the Indies Trader III this October.
Sonny Miller is one of the most distinguished and acclaimed surf cinematographers in the world today. From "The Search" days to his recent expolits with Laird Hamilton Sonny's body of work speaks for itself. It's a given Sonny will add some energy to the trip!
Steven Lippman, a former pro surfer and pro skateboarder, will be onboard capturing the heart and soul of the trip with his camera for Surfline. Steven's imagery evokes a clean and progressive attitude that is uniquely American and we're excited to have his tremendous talent onboard!
Our 2006 Wave of Compassion winner is Paul Bryan from Newport Beach, California. Paul will be with us on the Wave of Compassion trip with his friend Greg Briggs - stay tuned on Surfline to read about Paul's adventure!
What more can you say about Surfline? By far, the most popular and recognized surf related website in the entire world, and only getting better! We are excited to have Surfline onboard promoting the trip and documenting it this October for their viewers!
The team at FUEL TV are ardent supporters of SurfAid and are even running an event right now called "FUEL TV matches your gift". This is the third SurfAid related FUEL TV show and we are excited to show them another incredible experience!
The Indies Trader III is basically the benchmark for high quality surf charter boats. Be prepared to travel in style, eat like a king, and visit places you never thought actually existed...this boat is beyond comprehension!
The grand prize winner and their guest not only get a chance to surf the unparalleled Mentawai's with four unbelievable surfers for ten days, but the entire trip will be photographed and covered by an A-List Surfline editorial crew. The winners , will be the featured attraction alongside Brad Gerlach, Will Tant. Dane Ward, and Chris Waring in the Surfline article(s) and FUEL TV special.
The good folks at Surfline have also agreed that if one of the grand prize winners scores a prize-winning photo they have a realistic chance at getting their shot on the homepage of Surfline.
The trip will include an upriver visit to a Mentawai village to learn about the Mentawai people and their culture, a look at a traditional Nias cultural celebration, a visit with Dr. Dave Jenkins to witness and participate in Surf Aid's frontline efforts to combat malaria and disease on the islands; an intimate look into the areas directly affected by the recent string of earthquakes and tsunami activity; and of course, having your mind utterly altered for 10 days of perfect surf with four of the best surfers on the planet giving you pointers.
Winners will be chosen on September 1, 2006 and announced on September 7, 2006; actual trip dates will be October 18 - October 29, 2006 on board Indies Trader Marine Adventures' Indies Trader III vessel. The winner will have roughly six weeks notice before the trip's departure. Click here for official rules and details.
In addition to the Grand Prize give-away we will also be giving away a variety of insane donated prizes. These prizes will be chosen on the last day of the sweepstakes period and be distributed during the month of September.
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Donations are tax-deductible in the United States and can be purchased as a gift for a friend, family member or anyone who might be interested in helping a great cause and winning a surf trip to the fabled Mentawai Islands of Indonesia.
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Wave of Compassion would not be possible without the incredible amount of help support we've received from Robin, Dave, and the entire Surfline crew. Surfline's commitment to our efforts and willingness to help us promote this event on their website has been a huge factor in our overall success. From all of us at Surf Aid, Terima kasih! Check out their website: Surfline.com
