Second Life Surfing Association Election Reminder

Tomorrow, March 1, 2010, is election day to fill two open Director seats on the Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) Board.  Find out about the candidates in their four in-depth SurfWatch interviews and  their intent notices on the SLSA website.  You can also search on their names in SurfWatch and find out additional information.

To find out if you are eligible to vote in the March 1, 2010, SLSA Director election, see the updated list of eligible voters posted at http://www.surfslsa.com/.
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Thank You!!!

SurfWatch wants to give a big hug and thanks to the following people for helping to make our 2 Year Anniversary Celebration such a unique event:

Emma Portilo for every detail of an extraordinary fashion event and our own Jimbo the Cart Boy for all his hard work, excitement and efforts in making this fashion event happen; as well as all the designers and models who contributed and participated;

Desne Aabye for courageously pulling together our first wild and wooly, anything goes, SurfWatch SL surfing competition and officials VW Sands, Marianna Monentes, Rayzza Rubble and rain Tigerfish; and the brave surfers who split first place seven times!

Bobbi Laval for her tireless efforts on the SL photo art display contest and the judges that assisted her and those that took the time to enter;

Mick Lunasea for hard work in sponsoring our surfboard art design contest and those that took the time to enter;

Heather Goodliffe for her time and participation in speaking at this event;

Singer/entertainer extraordinaire Tone Uriza for another amazing performance;

Comedienne Lauren Weyland for a hilarious good time;

DJs Ashleigh Dickins, Trance Moonites, Splash Kidd, Cladestino Milena, Tanya Sideways for keeping us rawking;

Leogarto Burt for his demo waves and board and all the vendors who took the time to set up a display booth;

Kelly Goombah and Dani Idigo of Goombah Estates for allowing us to have this event at Southend and for all their time and help and cooperation in putting this event together at 36 of the most beautiful sims in SL.

And as editor-in-chief, I personally would like to thank our staff that have spent considerable time and effort towards the success of this event:

Marianna Monentes - Event Director who graciously worked on this event and whose enthusiasm, efforts and energy kept it on track;

Ashleigh Dickins - Editor, In World Edition, who juggled SLSA Director duties, put together the 4th volume of SurfWatch In World, opened Bella's Cafe; and DJ'd at the event and made it look like a piece of cake;

Barchan Paderborn - Founding Editor, for his support in so many ways towards making this event possible and for creating SurfWatch;

Countess Decosta and Moontan Valeeva, Official SurfWatch merchandisers, for their hard work and creative talents and bringing ideas to virtual reality;

and Col Brennan, Rhett McMahn and Noie Jinx for supporting the event and always being there to help!

And we especially want to thank the members of the surfing community for your support and readership!  Stay tuned for pictures from the event, a reprint of Heather GoodLiffe's presentation, a follow up on our contest winners, and more!
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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Schedule of Events


Very special thanks to Joppem Tulip for helping us make this schedule!

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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration!



Surf's Up!  Join us at Southend to celebrate 2 years of SurfWatch watching the surf!  9 AM to 9 PM SLT!
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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Tomorrow!


Get a good nights sleep tonight cause tomorrow is
Surfwatch's 2 Year Anniversary Celebration!  Join us at Southend from 9 AM to 9 PM SLT!
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Second Life Surfing Association Director Nominee Questionaires

From the editor-in-chief:

Addressing any concerns readers have about Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) candidate interview postings, please see the following:

We deliberated about how to present this election's information while at the time same juggling information on the upcoming SurfWatch event and other news. Instead of timed postings as in the last election - setting each questionaire to post at specified times separated by a non-related story - we set them all to post simultaneously; however, they were posted first come, first serve, and this information was provided to the interviewees. The blog itself normally allows 4 items to have top page - we increased it to 5 to allow all candidates equal time and access. We also posted them Tuesday night and let them all sit top page all day Wednesday, so they all had equal exposure for an equal amount of time for 24 hours. At some point, the candidate interviews begin cycling thru as new postings appear. They remain accessible to viewers, but not all on the top page.   Interested readers may cycle thru the blog to read all 4 candidate responses:  Bobbi Laval, Colleen Brennan, SexyBoy Oh and Desirae Beaumont.
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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Presents DJ Tan

DJ Tanya Sideways, or DJ Tan as she's known to her many fans and followers, came onto the surf scene dedicated.  She would wake at bat hours to compete in the Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) competitions.  She spins pure energy when she DJs, spinning over 100 surf hits!

DJ Tan will be spinning the tunes at SurfWatch's 2 Year Anniversary Celebration at Southend on Saturday, February 27, 2010. This is a 12 hour event, from 9 AM SLT to 9 PM SLT, with DJs, speakers, singers, comedians, contests, demos and competition going on throughtout the day! Come celebrate 2 years of Second Life surfing with SurfWatch and don't miss DJ Tan at 6 PM SLT at Southend (204, 197, 21)!
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Velvetori Twine Wins Prestigious Design Award

Creating some of the most innovative and beautiful clothing designs, Ms. Velvetori Twine was recently honored with the prestigious Second Life (SL) Best Designer Award.  Covering everything from formal gowns to swimwear, Velvetrythms new main store is located at Elemental Wishes (131, 195, 23).  Vel is one of the featured designers at the SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Fashion Show at 11 AM SLT at Southend (204, 197, 21).  Be there, and see why Velvetori Twine was awarded SL's Best Designer!
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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Presents DJ Cladestino Milena

DJ Cladestino Milena comes to us from Portugal. He is a former musician that is a DJ in Second Life (SL). He plays several genres but rock is his favorite. This is a Dj that believes in less talk and more music. He started DJ-ing March `08 and has performed over 1000 gigs! He puts on an excellent show thats lively. He has performed in several top locations - you have probably heard one of his many shows. If not check him out ...he is great!

DJ Cladestino Milena will be spinning tunes at SurfWatch's 2 Year Anninversary Celebration at Southend on Saturday, February 27, 2010. This is a 12 hour event, from 9 AM SLT to 9 PM SLT, with DJs, speakers, singers, comedians, contests, demos and competition going on throughtout the day! Come celebrate 2 years of Second Life surfing with SurfWatch and don't miss DJ Cladestino Milena at 4 PM SLT at Southend (204, 197, 21)!
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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Presents DJ Ashleigh Dickins

Ashleigh Dickins joined SurfWatch in 2008 as a reporter and moved in to the SurfWatch In World Edition Editor position in 2009, getting ready to publish her 4th Volume of SurfWatch In World. She started Second Life (SL) surfing in 2007 and was instrumental in organizing the Triple Crown Surfing Championship in December of that year. She is currently doing a second term as a Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) Director, having served as an SLSA Advisor between terms. She has been a popular SL DJ since 2007 and is currently managing Bella's Cafe.

DJ Ashleigh Dickins will be spinning tunes at SurfWatch's 2 Year Anniversary Celebration at Southend on Saturday, February 27, 2010. This is a 12 hour event, from 9 AM SLT to 9 PM SLT, with DJs, speakers, singers, comedians, contests, demos and competition going on throughtout the day! Come celebrate 2 years of Second Life surfing with SurfWatch and don't miss DJ Ashleigh Dickins at 3 PM SLT at Southend (204, 197, 21)!
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Second Life Surfing Association Director Nominees

SurfWatch is posting all four of the Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) Director Nominee Questionaires simultaneously in the order received.  Any spelling and punctuation errors are the responsibility of SurfWatch.  While we have attempted to correct obvious spelling and punctuation, we may have missed some and are solely responsible for those and apologize to the candidates.
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Director Nominee - Bobbi Laval

On March 1, 2010, the Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) will be electing two new candidates to fill two Director seats who have just completed their six month terms.  The four candidates have already stated their intent to run, their SL surfing affiliations, and their vision for the SLSA at http://www.surfslsa.com/.  SurfWatch conducts more in-depth interviews of the SLSA Director nominees to help voters get a clear picture of the candidates that are running for the Board and gives candidates an opportunity to introduce themselves and their views to the voters. SurfWatch will not begin posting the interviews until all of the candidates that are participating have turned them in. This is a voluntary process for the benefit of the candidates as well as the voters. If a candidate declines to participate, SurfWatch will note as such when the other interviews are posted.

Candidate Name: Bobbi Laval

SurfWatch: You are currently ranked # 10 for last season's SLSA surf rankings, and you've been SL surfing since before the first SLSA competition in 2007. We understand you have announced your intent to run for SLSA Director this term. What qualifications, skills, competencies, traits, etc. would you bring as a director and why are you running?
Bobbi Laval:  I will start with the easy question.  I'm running out of a sense of duty, really. I have been surfing in the SLSA for so long that I feel it's time to give something back. What I would bring to a director position is experience. Experience in the sense that I have been involved with SLSA almost since the beginning. I have seen all the changes, and I know I have promoted or advocated at least a few of those changes. I have always been a bit technical minded.  Half of my education was in science and engineering, the other half in education. So I have always been interested in boards and the technical side of SL surfing. I have taught so many people to surf in SL and have coached a few, so have always thought about things like lesson plans and how to teach people to surf in SL. As far as traits, I have always liked to think I am a somewhat thoughtful person, that I try to understand the point of view of others from their paradigm before making my own opinion.

SW: What areas of improvement do you currently see related to SL surfing?
BL:  I know people are not always happy with the pace of change and improvements, and others that would be happy to just leave things the way they are. But there have been so many improvements over the seasons. Each improvement maybe not so significant by itself but collectively, when you look at it, SL surfing is so much better than it was in 2007.  Things are better now than they ever have been. That's not to say that there is no room for continued improvement. I think we should build off the improvements that have been and are being made by the current and past Boards. SLSA's new sim was a great idea, and we need to do everything we can to use it to its full potential. The Board now is diligently working on updating rules which have been outdated for so long. We have always struggled with the lack of qualified judges and consistency in judging and with qualified people to help run events. The training programs that have been started are beginning to show positive effects.  We need to make sure this continues and even accelerate the training of new judges. Gosh, there is so much, but basically I feel that small continuous improvements is the best way to maintain and grow a strong organization.

SW: What do you see as the top issues facing SL surfing and what would be your first priority?
BL:  There will always be issues that will need attention, and many are being worked on now. The SLSA survey that was recently completed has defined and clarified some issues for us to work on, also. If it hasn't been completed by the time the new Board members are elected, I think the first priority would be to finish the updates in rules, etc., that the current Board is now working on. The issue about boards needs to be worked on. If we are going to continue to allow modifiable boards, then we need to come up with some definition of what a surfboard in SL is. I feel we need to come up with a definition that will allow innovation and creative development but still have some basis to actual surfing. Though SLSA surfing has grown, I have always been concerned about how much turnover there is. People come and go in SL, but there are many who have stopped being active in the SLSA who are still active in SL. I think we need to try and find out why people leave the SLSA and see what we can do to keep the SLSA an organization that people want to continue to be a part of. The other difficult issue that I don't think has ever really been resolved is a basic philisophical difference among SLSA membership. There are those that strongly feel SL surfing should emulate RL surfing, and then there are those that are not as much concered about emulating RL surfing and try to get as much out of surfing as the waves, boards and scripts allow. There are lots of opinions and we know that really there is some balance. Some people have ideas of what that balance is, but we have never really had a full open discussion about this. We have never really come to a consensous about what good SL surfing should be. I think the membership and especially new members want to see this. In the same sense, we have not even developed a language to describe what we do. There are bits and pieces, but what one person calls a barrel roll is something else to someone else, for example.

SW: All the candidates are qualified - why should voters elect you over any other candidates?
BL:  Of course all the candidates are qualified, and everyone has something to offer the SLSA. I feel there is only one reason to vote for me, or for any candidate for that matter. Members should vote for the candidates that they feel share their values and ideas of what they want the SLSA to be for them.  Those candidates will be the ones that best represent them.

SW: What were you most satisfied with as an SLSA member last season? What were you most dissatisfied with?
BL:  I really liked what the SLSA did to mix up the events and kinda keep things fresh. The mixed waves at Mori, the pier at Sol, the single wide pipes and fluffies at the HOF Challenge. Not since Boneyard have we seen something really new and challenging. Even though the single pipe and fluffies at the SLSA sim isn't new, we hadn't seen a comp like that in awhile, and it was a great challenge to get back on the unsynced pipes. I was most dissatisfied with the lack of respect among members and the infighting within the organization. It really takes the fun out of it, and I hate seeing people get hurt.

SW: Anything else you would like voters to know about you?
BL:  I'm not sure what else to say. Besides surfing, I stay busy with my SL photography and art. I think I am the only SLSA member who is not a former director to be invited to be an SLSA Advisor. But other than that, I invite any member who wants to know more about my thoughts and views to IM me to chat about it. I would be more than happy to talk.

SW:  Give us a brief statement or opinion on some of the major issues the SLSA faced in 2009 and possible issues moving into Season 1 of 2010:
Removal of scripted HUDs and attachments for competitions:
The removal of scripted HUDs and attachments is fair and helps make the competitions fair for everyone. It has been shown how scripts affect sim performance. Not to mention that there are always whisperings and rumblings that such and such has to be cheating, is using scripts or whatever. I don't know if there is any truth to such rumors or not, but this rule lays those rumors to rest.

The disciplinary committee structure and penalties:
It's sad that we have to have a disciplinary committee but it's a neccessary evil. It's part of the enforcement process and is a position I would not wish on anyone. I know the decisions they have made were not taken lightly. The last penalty personally I thought was maybe a bit harsh, but it's not really my place to say that. I was not one of the committee members struggling with the issue and do not have all the relavent facts. But for so long, SLSA did not enforce anything at all.  I think this, in part, is why some things got so out of hand. So maybe we have gone from one extreme to the other. But I believe the rules need to be enforced fairly and consistently.

The SLSA sim and funding :
I think the SLSA sim is a great idea.  I know some people didn't like the way and how quickly it happened. But the Board acted quickly when there was an opportunity. I know that tier for the sim will always be somewhat of a drag on funding, but so far I have been told that the sim has been doing okay and seems to be supporting itself. I only hope that we can continue and improve what has been started.

The SL surfing Hall of Fame (HoF):
I guess being a member maybe I am a bit biased, but the HOF is part of SLSA history now. It's as much a musem as it is an HOF and maybe should be treated more like one. There has been a lot of history since SLSA was created.  HOF would be a good place for it.

Anything from the SLSA survey results that surprised you?
I didn't think anything was so surprising. It did help quantify what the membership is thinking. And it was obvious that a lot of newer members participated.  It's pretty cool that they are showing an interest.

Competition board/script restrictions:
I believe modifiable boards should be legal, though as it stands right now, I think there should be some standards in place that insure our boards maintain some resemblance to a surfboard. I know in Real Life (RL) boards, over time boards have gotten quicker and lighter.  That has always been the trend, but they are not surfing on reinforced cardboard either. That is pretty much the equivalent of what some boards are now. But under the current rules, there is nothing to prevent anyone from surfing on broomsticks, toothpicks, or any number of things. Some people have advocated stock boards or competition boards to help level the playing field. In the past ,this has been done, and I would not advocate that is something we should do all the time. But I think it would be fun and interesting to do it one time a season or so.
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Director Nominee - Colleen Brennan

On March 1, 2010, the Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) will be electing two new candidates to fill two Director seats who have just completed their six month terms. The four candidates have already stated their intent to run, their SL surfing affiliations, and their vision for the SLSA at http://www.surfslsa.com/. SurfWatch conducts more in-depth interviews of the SLSA Director nominees to help voters get a clear picture of the candidates that are running for the Board and gives candidates an opportunity to introduce themselves and their views to the voters. SurfWatch will not begin posting the interviews until all of the candidates that are participating have turned them in. This is a voluntary process for the benefit of the candidates as well as the voters. If a candidate declines to participate, SurfWatch will note as such when the other interviews are posted.

Candidate Name:  Colleen Brennan

SurfWatch: You are currently ranked 4th for last season's SLSA surf rankings and you've been SL surfing for almost 4 years. We understand you have announced your intent to run for SLSA Director this term. What qualifications, skills, competencies, traits, etc. would you bring as a director and why are you running?
Colleen Brennan:  I ended last season ranked 4th in the SLSA. I surfed in every competition the SLSA has sponsored since its inception. My main motivation in running is that I care about the SLSA and want to do my part to give back to the surfing community which has been very good to me along the way. What I value most is the friendships that have been established through my association with surfing in SL. I want to make sure this league thrives so that many others will benefit from the same great experiences I have had. I previously served one partial term as a director and one full one. I believe we accomplished a lot during those terms, and I enjoyed helping introduce innovations to meet league growing pains such as the split format we use now in competitions. I fought hard to make sure that the solutions we adopted would ensure that SLSA competitions are always open to all members with a desire to particpate and that anyone registering has a chance to win. We also significantly boosted league sponsorship during that time and again through innovation such as full season sponsorships and partnership deals with non-traditional sponsors, we succeeded in putting the league on a more substantial economic foundtion. I know what this job entails. I look forward to working as a team with fellow Board members , league advisors, the team captains group, and all SLSA members. We will innovate when needed while always protecting what makes the SLSA special. That is that the SLSA is a league by surfers and for surfers. The mission of the SLSA is a simple one and that is to promote surfing in SL. We all share that mission and with a properly focused Board leading the charge, we can all work together and have fun while achieving our goals. Most of my qualifications, skills, competencies, etc., have been demonstrated through these prior expriences. However, anyone can become "qualified". What is more important to me in your question is the part about traits. I think the best candidate has to like people at heart. It is imperative that a Board member serve showing respect for all and ill will toward none. If you like people, this is easier to do. I love seeing people happy and interactively participating on any level they choose and working toward and accomplishing their goals. The SLSA priovides an opportunity for people to do that and have fun along the way. The role of the Board is to preserve and protect that opportunity. It is up to the members to take advantae of it ,and I hope that they will.

SW: What areas of improvement do you currently see related to SL surfing?
CB:  I have seen some really great waves and boards either recently released or on the drawing board. That is always exciting. I also have been blown away by some of the new set ups I have seen at various surf sims. I love a good challenge and some people seem to have a talent for making them. Also, just tonight, I received a notecard regarding a rule change where season rankings will be based on a surfers 4 top events. This made me happy to see as I have long been in favor of doing this. I originally suggested we implement this rule at the time we adopted the split format. It recognizes that our member desire to participate in helping run events through roles such as judge or marshall . Now they will be able to do so without threatening their season standings. Additionally and as importantly, the new rule recognizes that Real Life (RL) comes first sometimes and a surfer will no longer have to sacrifice their season standings in order to attend their sister's wedding or some other unavoidable RL concern. I also love the fact that surfing continues to spread. I love seeing waves where before there was a shopping mall, and I love that new leagues are growing and spreading . I personally have had the honor of surfing in Surfjams, the ABSSL league (Brazilian), and the new ASA League (Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!). May all the good things continue!

SW: What do you see as the top issues facing SL surfing and what would be your first priority?
CB:  Focusing in on the SLSA rather than SL surfing in general, I believe the top issue is one of group morale. My first priority will be to do what I can to improve communication from and to the Board. I am always just an IM away from any member who has a good idea or a pressing concern. More formally, I would like to see the Board have a designated primary communications officer who responds to forum posts on an official proffessional level. This person could also publish the official minutes of Board meetings. I also would implement a more active advisory council with regular meetings, and I would be available to meet with teams and members who would invite me to do so. People need to know that the Board is not "in charge" - it works for them. I believe people want more involvement in the SLSA and want to know that their opinions matter.

SW: All the candidates are qualified - why should voters elect you over any other candidates?
CB:  I whole-heartedly agree that all the candidates are good candidates. In addition, they are my good friends. I have complete faith that any two of them would do a good job. The main reason to vote for me, I guess, would be that you believe I also would do a good job and perhaps might just be able to do it a slight bit better. I know that whoever wins , the SLSA wins. The other candidates share my passion for surfing in SL and the well-being of our SLSA group.

SW: What were you most satisfied with as an SLSA member last season? What were you most dissatisfied with?
CB:  As always, I was most satisfied in getting to see and surf with my old friends a well as to make quite a few new ones. I did like that the SLSA experimented with the multi wave comp and had some interesting sims to surf in. The main thing I was dissatisfied with was the drama. We come to surf. The formula is simple....show up...surf...have fun...win, that is nice...lose, it is not end of the world....got a high score? great , maybe I was lucky today.... got a low score, oh well, that is just some judge's opinion.... life goes on. SLSA should be a drama free zone. The Board needs to lead the way and at all costs avoid being party to any drama that does exist.

SW: Anything else you would like voters to know about you?
CB:  I am in possession of Grandma Barnside's secret cupcake recipie...and I'm not sharing!

SW:  Give us a brief statement or opinion on some of the major issues the SLSA faced in 2009 and possible issues moving into Season 1 of 2010:
Removal of scripted HUDs and attachments for competitions:
Not a bad idea but should have been communicated in a better way. I believe that script removal benefited everyone and should be encouraged. Most of us old timers have always removed our scripts. Having the policy in place reinforces the importance of doing everything we can to keep lag down. Unfortunately, removing some basic scripts built into the avatar of a furry is a stress and a hardship for someone like Socks (Clawtooth) who rides as a furry. Really, the stress was not from the policy but rather only finding out about it when he showed up that day. Better communication would have simply stated, "We are experimenting today to see if having zero scripts will help with lag and hope you will try your best to remove what you have". The situation with Socks actually represented an opportunity and did not have to be a showdown. The opportunity was to discover a possible issue before adopting the experimental policy as a hard and fast rule. The SLSA would then know that furries could have an issue and could then explain that they may be required to make an extra effort to have an avatar for surfing in comps that does not have blinking eyes and a tail that wags. Overall, the policy seems like a common sense one to have but the issue that day and reason this is being brought up here is because there was miscommunication between the league and some surfers. Also, we can not have a policy that discrimintes against the furry surfer or anyone else. More eveluation has to be done and decide whether a script has any significant impact before there is a ruling it can not be atached. The rule was good but its roll out cost us one of our best surfers.

The disciplinary committee structure and penalties:
This is another controversial subject and has been the focus of recent attention. Unfortunately, the disciplinary committee and its penalties to many members sound a lot like the Star Chamber. This is more than a little unfair as I know from previous experience on the Board that the last thing you ever want to do is to have to form a discipline committe. In fact, considerable amounts of time and energy were consumed practically begging people to not push things to that level. The unfortunate fact, however, is that when they are used, there is negative fallout for everyone. There is usually the accompanying perception by the members who may not be privy to all the facts that the league has gone overboard with formal proceedings and any ruling on penalties. The most recent penalty of a one year suspension seemed extremely harsh. It is unfair for me to comment on the facts in dispute as I was neither a witness to the infraction or a member of the committee. I will comment on what I do know, however. One: no one ever wanted things to come to this, not the Board, not the people involved in the dispute, and not our members. It is never a good thing. Two:  if such a penalty is issued, I would prefer it be accompanied by a way for a person to redeem themselves with honor. By that I mean simply that there should be a path back to the community. All too often, these situations are just the tip of the iceberg and are usually a case of being the straw that finally broke the camel's back. My observation is that the clearest path to such an escalation is when each party backs the other into a corner. Every effort should be proactively sought to avoid this. Whether I am elected or not, I would like to see healing within the community. I would like to see greater effort on the part of all members as well as the Board to find a way to release some steam before things have to get so drastic. The whole community has to be engaged in stopping bad behavior from the start. Peer pressure can be good pressure. Most things start from someone having a lack of respect at some point. It is my hope that if we all have self respect and respect others and treat them as we would like to be treated, that so much time will pass before we need to have another disciplinary committee that we will have to blow the dust off the structure and penalties section of the rule book just to see how to have one.

The SLSA sim and funding:
I am in favor of the SLSA sim for as long as the members are willing to fund and support it. Support can be in the traditional form of direct financial contributions. Also, all members who desire to run an event there that would raise money and promote surfing should be encouraged to do so. The one thing that must never happen is that the sim become a drain on the SLSA general budget. If it comes up short and has no support, I would pull the plug on it. However, that should not happen if the members value it. In the recent poll, an overwhelming amount of members support the idea of the SLSA having a sim. It is up to us now to put our money and or work where our sentiments lay. The key to this sim being a success seems to be that we need to get to the point where members start to think of it as "our" sim and not "the SLSA's" sim. It belongs to the members, not the Board. I hope people will make great use of it as a place to meet, a place to surf, a place to train, a place to have fun. I would love to see members organize events for new people, perhaps on the sim. If I am elected, I will be open to any ideas and support any efforts to use this sim to promote the SLSA and surfing in second life.

The SL surfing Hall of Fame (HoF):
I read with interest many of the comments about the SLSA HOF. I personally was very honored to surf my way in during the first SLSA season. The HoF is not the property of the SLSA, but it does honor us. There is a special relationship, and I believe there should be one. I know some contend that admission could or should be changed. Some even suggested it should be as hard to get in as the baseball Hall of Fame. To those people, I would suggest not getting caught up in the name. Maybe it is better to think about it as the Hall of SL surfing history. Many of my closest friends when I started surfing for various reasons are no longer participants. For me, it is comforting to go in the Hall and relive some of the memories. I am happy we have it. I just do not see how it is a bad thing.

Anything from the SLSA survey results that surprised you?
Yes, I was surprised how popular the mixed wave format was in competition. I personally enjoyed it a lot. I am happy others did as well.

Competition board/script restrictions:
In a nutshell, the 'controversy' over mod boards is founded in a fallacy. The fallacy states that if we were all the same size and weight and all ride the same exact board, the playing field would be level, and we would all have the same exact experience. In actuality, nothing could be farther from the truth. The playing field would then be anything but level. The best computing power and connection speed would have a distinct advantage. Having the ability to choose the best board for yourself or modify one on your own makes a huge difference. If I surf in a comp, I want all surfers to have the best ride they can get. Severe restrictions on modifications or standardized boards does not accomplish the intended result.  I am in favor of looking at all advancements in boards. I do not believe in the "magic board" that is modded and takes a person who can barely ride to the podium. It just does not exist. I would like to see simple requirements such as that the invisible prim must be identical in dimension to the visible so that we all have an idea of what you are riding. Other than that, I see no threat from people with modifications. Really all they are doing is finding what is best balanced for themselves. We all have different computers. I happen to have a slow one. There is no benefit to me to ride the same modification that someone with a new computer may love. Rather, I would prefer a "slower" board so my modifictions would be focused on how to make the most controllable board in lag. When seen in that light, modified boards are actually equalizers more than anything. Having said this, I do not believe you will find me riding a mod board in a comp. I am very happy with the off-the-shelf ones available now. I do reserve the right to change my mind, though, if I happen to come up with something that feels a little better.
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Director Nominee - SexyBoy Oh

On March 1, 2010, the Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) will be electing two new candidates to fill two Director seats who have just completed their six month terms. The four candidates have already stated their intent to run, their SL surfing affiliations, and their vision for the SLSA at http://www.surfslsa.com/. SurfWatch conducts more in-depth interviews of the SLSA Director nominees to help voters get a clear picture of the candidates that are running for the Board and gives candidates an opportunity to introduce themselves and their views to the voters. SurfWatch will not begin posting the interviews until all of the candidates that are participating have turned them in. This is a voluntary process for the benefit of the candidates as well as the voters. If a candidate declines to participate, SurfWatch will note as such when the other interviews are posted.


Candidate Name: SexyBoy Oh

SurfWatch: You are currently ranked 2 for last season's SLSA surf rankings, and you've been SL surfing for 1 year. We understand you have announced your intent to run for SLSA Director this term. What qualifications, skills, competencies, traits, etc. would you bring as a director and why are you running?
SexyBoy Oh:  I'm a surfer and know almost everything on the side of the surfer.  I have created moves, I'm a very good tweaker, and as a surfer in competitions, I have spoken to a lot of members during my first year to know what they like and what they don't like. People who know me know I speak the truth, and I say it how it is.

SW: What areas of improvement do you currently see related to SL surfing?
SB: Everything can be improved.  "Success is not final, and failure is not fatal, the importance is to keep up": Winston Churchill

SW: What do you see as the top issues facing SL surfing and what would be your first priority?
SB: Strict script and board checks must be applied.

SW: All the candidates are qualified - why should voters elect you over any other candidates?
SB: I represent the surfer, and I'm not competing this year because of my Real Life (RL) schedule. The fact that I'm not surfing will mean my judgement will not be impaired.

SW: What were you most satisfied with as an SLSA member last season? What were you most dissatisfied with?
SB: The fact that I brought the scripting issue to Tauri's (Tigerpaw) attention and that it was adhered to was good for our community, but the way that Sock's (Clawtooth) avatar was dealt with was totally inappropriate.

SW: Anything else you would like voters to know about you?
SB: I'm here to try to solve all the issues the surfing community have spoken to me about during the past year and to make the SLSA better for them.

SW:  Give us a brief statement or opinion on some of the major issues the SLSA faced in 2009 and possible issues moving into Season 1 of 2010:
Removal of scripted HUDs and attachments for competitions:
Totally agree, can't say more, else not just one look after it at start of a heat, but someone to keep an eye along the length of the heat .

The disciplinary committee structure and penalties:
The structure is okay.  The penalty maybe need some review.

The SLSA sim and funding:
I do believe if people want an SLSA sim, why not.  And if they do, maybe we should use it more for competitions, I mean every comp, otherwise, if people do not realy care, why pay for a whole sim just to hold the Hall of Fame (HoF).  Funding is important to pay who work on comp day and the surfer money prize, but most will say they don't surf or work for money but because they want to get involved into the community.  Maybe some priority should be reviewed.

The SL surfing HoF:
I think it's good to keep track of our personnel who actually apply change to the SLSA and win season.

Anything from the SLSA survey results that surprised you?
No.

Competition board/script restrictions:
Yes totally
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Director Nominee - Desirae Beaumont

On March 1, 2010, the Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) will be electing two new candidates to fill two Director seats who have just completed their six month terms. The four candidates have already stated their intent to run, their SL surfing affiliations, and their vision for the SLSA at http://www.surfslsa.com/. SurfWatch conducts more in-depth interviews of the SLSA Director nominees to help voters get a clear picture of the candidates that are running for the Board and gives candidates an opportunity to introduce themselves and their views to the voters. SurfWatch will not begin posting the interviews until all of the candidates that are participating have turned them in. This is a voluntary process for the benefit of the candidates as well as the voters. If a candidate declines to participate, SurfWatch will note as such when the other interviews are posted.

Candidate Name: Desirae Beaumont




SurfWatch: You are currently ranked #1 for last season's SLSA surf rankings and you've been SL surfing for more than 2 years. We understand you have announced your intent to run for SLSA Director this term. What qualifications, skills, competencies, traits, etc. would you bring as a director and why are you running?
Desirae Beaumont:  I have an in depth knowledge of SL surfing and understand the issues that the members face, both beginners, pro's and staff.  I have served my full six month term as Director with many accomplishments, training a stream of new staff and ensuring appropriate funding of our sim.  I am Head Judge for a long time, judging many competitions and coaching new judges together with Sally LaSalle.  I have proven my skills by running several very successful fund-raising concerts and events, and I was a key organizer of the acquisition of the SLSA home sim 'Archipelago'.  In terms of traits, I'm a perfectionist, I like things done right and on time with no nonsense.

SW: What areas of improvement do you currently see related to SL surfing?
DB: 
- revision of surfboard standards, to set limits of what surfing really is.
- continuing the good work keeping the SLSA funded and operational.
- helping to grow the member base with socials and surf trainings
and, every candidate will write this for sure :) ... Ensuring everyone has a fun and friendly environment for competitive and social surfing.

SW: What do you see as the top issues facing SL surfing and what would be your first priority?
DB:  The top issues for me are fund-raising, encouraging more people to volunteer and setting new board standards.

SW: All the candidates are qualified - why should voters elect you over any other candidates?
DB:  I am decisive and make carefully considered decisions in the interests of the members. I'm not up for endless debate, and I'm not in to shameless self promotion.

SW: What were you most satisfied with as an SLSA member last season? What were you most dissatisfied with?
DB:  I am happy that we started to enforce our rules and showed that rule-breakers have to face the consequences of their irresponsibility.  Second: The SLSA home sim. It is amazing to have a permanent home for the SLSA and the SLSA Hall of Fame.

SW: Anything else you would like voters to know about you?
DB:  Over the previous 4 seasons, I have been season champion and runner up 2 times each, 4 time inductee to the SLSA Hall of Fame. I was Captain of the Reef Riders Surf team for more than 1 year, leading the team to two Team Championships.  I like SL surfing because I don't have the opportunity to do it in real life.

SW:  Give us a brief statement or opinion on some of the major issues the SLSA faced in 2009 and possible issues moving into Season 1 of 2010:
Removal of scripted HUDs and attachments for competitions:
It was necessary, and the last two competitions showed that the removal of all scripted attachments helped a lot with lag issues.

The disciplinary committee structure and penalties:
Like I said before: We can't tolerate the rule breakers and let the fun and enjoyment of the whole community be compromised by them.

The SLSA sim and funding :
The last months showed that the members want the sim and the fund-raisers I organized covered more than 50% of the tier.  It's amazing to have a home for our association and a permanent place for the SLSA Hall of Fame.

The SL surfing Hall of Fame (HoF):
The question is wrong, because it is the SLSA Hall of Fame and we should keep it like this.

Anything from the SLSA survey results that surprised you?
Not surprised but pleased that the members showed support for the SLSA Home Sim 'Archipelago'.  It is interesting that people were interested in video streaming, but I believe it should be done on the SLSA's own terms so that it doesn't cost us in time or money or that it interferes with the competition. In my opinion, it would be ridiculous to watch a virtual event on tv :)

Competition board/script restrictions:
We need to set board standards but still give surfers the chance to modify their boards within a sensible range. I don't want surfboards looking like a piece of paper or a Frisbee.
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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Presents Tone Uriza

Big Daddy Blues, Tone Uriza, performs traditional and contemporary blues with his voice and guitar. His music has been heard regularly in Second Life (SL) since February 2007 and is available on CD from his website at: http://www.tonystorpedoes.com/.  Tone takes his music seriously. Every note is honest and heartfelt, burning with passion. This is contemporary blues, built on a foundation of respect for tradition. On this foundation, and out of this respect, Tone has developed a style all his own: a style with style. I mean style like a ’58 Buick ragtop has style. That’s class!

Tone Uriza will be performing live at SurfWatch's 2 Year Anniversary Celebration at Southend on Saturday, February 27, 2010. This is a 12 hour event, from 9 AM SLT to 9 PM SLT, with DJs, speakers, singers, comedians, contests, demos and competition going on throughtout the day! Come celebrate 2 years of Second Life surfing with SurfWatch and don't miss Big Daddy Blues, Tone Uriza, at 5 PM SLT at Southend (204, 197, 21)!
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The Surf Watch




Elegant, sophisticated, the curl and spray of a blue wave set in a jeweled silver band, SurfWatch is proud to announce the Surf Watch created especially for SurfWatch by Moontan Valeeva, an official SurfWatch merchandiser.  The Surf Watch will be available for purchase at SurfWatch Headquarters and other fine retailers.
Moontan Valeeva designs and creates handcrafted prim jewelry as well as small furniture and is available for custom work.  The main shop of Moontan Jewelry is located at her sim, Moondust, a romantic and natural environment open to the public.

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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Presents DJ Splash

DJ Splash Kidd:  I take my DJ craft very seriously (but fun, of course!) and provide a very high level of professionalism to my work. I'm a team player and know how to work within a club environment to make an event is as successful as possible. I have a very good voice for Dee Jaying and use it to make sure my sessions are well delivered.

Music Styles: Wide range of music styles and good selection of songs: Classic Rock, Current Rock, Alternative, Blues, Country Rock, & Dance, House, Progressive & Trance style of music. I'm very eclectic and approach each set from the stand point of a mood or theme I want to get across.

DJ Splash Kidd will be spinning tunes at SurfWatch's 2 Year Anninversary Celebration at Southend on Saturday, February 27, 2010. This is a 12 hour event, from 9 AM SLT to 9 PM SLT, with DJs, speakers, singers, comedians, contests, demos and competition going on throughtout the day! Come celebrate 2 years of Second Life surfing with SurfWatch and don't miss DJ Splash Kidd!
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Guess the Asses and Win Linden!

Think you recognize these buns of steel?  Guess both these asses and win 300L on the spot!  Just enter your guesses in the comments section of SurfWatch - no ifs, ands or butts!!  If you're the first one to guess both correctly, you win, it's that easy!
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Dee Waverider's Surf Shop

Nestled in the West of Ireland (WOI) amidst other shops, one shop stands out to the avid Second Life (SL) surfer.










Surfboards clustered around a neon Open sign in the shop window, Dee Waverider's surf shop, DW Surf, sits on the pier located at the quaint and beautiful West of Ireland (23, 227, 24) shopping district.












Syx Toshi writes in detail about the special quality of Dee's boards (click the Surf Shop 6 sponsor logo along the right of the SurfWatch page to reach Syx' blog).









Dee will tell you about herself, "I'm an experienced real life surfer, ex Lifeguard and total child of the 70's. I surf all sticks, but my real love is for the longboards.  (Laughs)  I like to cruise. I also have a passion for sea planes and vintage motorcycles. I have an aversion to ponies, chocolate and the colour pink so suffice to say I'm not a girly girl.






I like to chill out on SL at my local break at Monkey Cove and enjoy some tunes with buddies. I don't do the surf comps because I'm too busy surfing and burning rubber. (Laughs) I'm really not a very complicated person. ~ Peace."


You can check out Dee's blog at http://deewaverider.blogspot.com/





Devinna Toll, SL Hall of Famer, showing off her new DW Surf Yellow Decker board.

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Second Life Beach and Surf Photo Contest

The entries for the SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Second Life (SL) Contest are now closed. There are 10 beautiful photos to vote for - come check them out at Stables (51, 205, 22) and cast your vote for your favorite photo! Voting is free and the top 3 winners receive linden, prizes and exposure! Stop by and vote!

Check out Stables while you're here - SurfWatch Headquarters currently running a 2 panel epic wave and Southend next door running Joaquina, open for surfing. Voting will be open all week and winners will be announced at the SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration event on Saturday, February 27!

Addendum (Thanks, Sunshine!):  We have added a small voting cube on top of each entry - click that box to vote!
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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Presents Comedian Lauren Weyland

Lauren Weyland: LaurenLive, a stand-up live comedy routine on the peculiarities and quirks of living in SecondLife and Firstlife!

Lauren was born on Sandbox Island on October 1, 2006, into a relatively modest family. Poorly educated and half naked, she was turned out into the world.  Unable to learn the craft of building or scripting, Lauren instead made watercress sandwiches for those that could build and entertained them with her jokes. Since then, she has moved on and performed at dozens of Clubs, Corporate Events, and enumerable Benefits, written and performed in Theater Plays, and maintains a regular show night at her club "Lauren's Place" on Cookie Island.

She has one child, Lula. In a quirk of SecondLlife, she lives in the sim Old Wives, although she has never been married. When not working on comedy, Lauren can be found landscaping at her home, making a gourmet meal or just kicking back on her dock reading a good novel. She is also writing an autobiography called, "Beneath The Skin: Second Life Exposed" and " Laughter - The orgasm you don't have to worry about if your partner is finished."

Lauren Weyland will be making you laugh at SurfWatch's 2 Year Anninversary Celebration at Southend on Saturday, February 27, 2010. This is a 12 hour event, from 9 AM SLT to 9 PM SLT, with DJs, speakers, singers, comedians, contests, demos and competition going on throughtout the day! Come celebrate 2 years of Second Life surfing with SurfWatch and don't miss comedian Lauren Weyland's performance at 1 PM SLT at Southend (204, 197, 21).
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SurfSide Hideaway's Schedule for Week 2/21/10

Come join us at our great new Tai location for at a fun, relaxed time at Surfside Hideway and dance in the beach's tide pool. Come in your favorite beach wear, come dressed casually, come dressed formally, come as you are..... just come!  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tai/201/135/21


Sunday 2/21

1:00 PM SLT Kitzie Lane

Monday 2/22

1:00 PM SLT  SLavE Girls DJ Band
2:00 PM SLT Tauri Tigerpaw
3:00 PM SLT Cree Cybertar

Tuesday 2/23

3:00 PM SLT Hayduke Schnook

Wednesday 2/24
12:30 PM SLT Maia Chrome
1:00 PM SLT Lexie Luan
2:00 PM SLT Zorch Boomhauer
3:00 PM SLT CharlieO Michigan

Friday 2/26

3:00 PM SLT Clairede Dirval
4:00 PM SLT NANCE Brody
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Druids Design Shop

submitted by Nadja Revnik



We are looking forward to seeing you and your friends at the official opening of the Druids Design Park. We will open the Gallery with a new exhibition and the Druids Design Shop, as well.









Free drinks, free barbeque; free sauna - bring a bikini if you'd like to spend some time in our spa!

When:  Sun, Feb, 28th at 12:30 PM SLT/PST (21:30 german time)

For more information, contact Nadja Revnik or Zenon Parnall



Druids Design Park, tuli Bahari (108, 229, 40)
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Second Life Surfing Association Mori Invitation Results

podium photo courtesy Bobbi Laval, stand photos courtesy Colleen Brennan, judge photo courtesy Lissa Pinion


Results of the Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) Mori Invitational:

FINALS:

1st Place: 
Yendor Destiny ' 18.16667
2nd Place 3 way tie: 
Desirae Beaumont ' 18.00000
Harbor Piers ' 18.00000
Bobbi Laval ' 18.00000
3rd Place:
Abel Halderman ' 17.00000

Maren Macarthur ' 16.33333

HEAT SCORES:

HEAT 1 SCORES: (color order)

Desirae Beaumon ' 17.33333
followingwaves ' 14.83333
Abel Halderman ' 16.50000
Velvetori Twine ' 16.50000
sven Homewood ' 14.00000
Dixson Martian ' 13.83333

HEAT 2 SCORES: (color order)

Colleen Brennan ' 15.50000
GiavannaMarie M ' 15.83333
Harbor Piers ' 17.66667
Kait Seetan ' 13.33333
Snapple Sneerwe ' 15.50000
Mick Lunasea ' 16.16667

HEAT 3 SCORES: (color order)

Wilfrid DeCuir ' 15.33333
Maldrul Morris ' 16.00000
Desne Aabye ' 14.33333
Yendor Destiny ' 17.33333
Coolkat Delicio ' 15.50000
Angelle Aluveau ' 14.16667

HEAT 4 SCORES: (color order)

Sally LaSalle ' 15.50000
Sunrize Morning ' 14.66667
Rhett McMahn ' 15.83333
Bodhi Lowtide ' 15.33333
Maren Macarthur ' 16.16667

HEAT 5 SCORES: (color order)

kimmy Jigsaw ' 13.50000
MarkFoo Waverid er' 16.83333
Lacy Rossini ' 15.50000
Rayzza Rubble ' 13.66667
Noie Jinx ' 14.33333

HEAT 6 SCORES: (color order)

Bobbi Laval ' 17.16667
Wickedv Carver ' 14.83333
Triston Mayo ' 16.00000
Buffy Munro ' 15.50000
Painless Skytower ' 12.16667

SEMI'S

HEAT 1 SCORES: (color order)

Desirae Beaumont ' 17.83333
Harbor Piers ' 17.83333
Maldrul Morris ' 16.83333
MarkFoo Waverider ' 17.50000
Triston Mayo ' 15.33333

HEAT 2 SCORES: (color order)

Abel Halderman ' 15.66667
Mick Lunasea ' 14.50000
Maren Macarthur ' 16.16667
Lacy Rossini ' 14.83333

HEAT 3 SCORES: (color order)

Velvetori Twine ' 15.16667
Yendor Destiny ' 17.33333
Rhett McMahn ' 16.33333
Bobbi Laval ' 17.00000
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Surfboard Art Contest

The entries for the SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Surfboard Art Contest are now closed.  There are 10 incredible, beautiful designs to vote for - come check them out at Stables (51, 205, 22) and cast your vote for your favorite design!  Voting is free and the top 3 winners receive linden, prizes and exposure!  Stop by and vote! 

Check out Stables while you're here - SurfWatch Headquarters currently running a 2 panel epic wave and Southend next door running Joaquina, open for surfing.  Voting will be open all week and winners will be announced at the SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration event on Saturday, February 27!
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SurfWatch 2 Year Anniversary Celebration Presents DJ Trance Moonites

Trance Moonites has been DJing since November 2008, not restricting herself to a single genre, playing anything from classic rock and Aussie rock through to trance and dance. Her sets are always entertaining and unique, one never knows what to expect with her wicked sense of Aussie humor.







Trance is enthusiastic and often called ‘Crazy’ by her beloved followers. You can find her djing at Club Corrosion, The Shed and Four Moons Pub throughout the week if you want to hear her. She loves to make people laugh, and absolutely loves to mix that all in to the best music you can find.







DJ Trance Moonites will be spinning tunes at SurfWatch's 2 Year Anninversary Celebration at Southend on Saturday, February 27, 2010.  This is a 12 hour event, from 9 AM SLT to 9 PM SLT, with DJs, speakers, singers, comedians, contests, demos and competition going on throughtout the day!  Come celebrate 2 years of Second Life surfing with SurfWatch and don't miss DJ Trance Moonites at 2 PM SLT at Southend (204, 197, 21) and Stables!
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Second Life Surfing Association Mori Invitational Heat Draws

Updated 2/17/10  10:57 PM surfslsa.com

Heat Draws for the Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) Mori Pwani Invitational:

HEAT 1

Desirae Beaumont (RED)
followingwaves sirbu (BLUE)
Abel Halderman (GREEN)
Velvetori Twine (ORANGE)
sven Homewood (PURPLE)
Dixson Martian (BLACK)


HEAT 2

Colleen Brennan (RED)
GiavannaMarie Melody (BLUE)
Harbor Piers (GREEN)
Kait Seetan (ORANGE)
Snapple Sneerwell (PURPLE)
QUENCH Spotter (BLACK)

HEAT 3

Wilfrid DeCuir (RED)
Maldrul Morris (BLUE)
Desne Aabye (GREEN)
Yendor Destiny (ORANGE)
Coolkat Delicio (PURPLE)
Angelle Aluveau (BLACK)

HEAT 4

Sally LaSalle (RED)
Sunrize Mornington (BLUE)
Rhett McMahn (GREEN)
Bodhi Lowtide (ORANGE)
Maren Macarthur (PURPLE)

HEAT 5

kimmy Jigsaw (RED)
MarkFoo Waverider (BLUE)
Lacy Rossini (GREEN)
Rayzza Rubble (ORANGE)
Noie Jinx (PURPLE)

HEAT 6

Bobbi Laval (RED)
Wickedv Carver (BLUE)
Triston Mayo (GREEN)
rain Tigerfish (ORANGE)
Painless Skytow (PURPLE)

WAIT LIST

1 Mick Lunasea
2 Crusader Arado
3 Buffy Munro
4 Countess Decosta
5 Jordan Mendle
6 Aurora Jacks
7 Avidward Flagon



A special Kantbe Thursday pre-comp video production:

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Surfing 101 - Regular Brain Goofy Brain

Mick Lunasea is a long time surf instructor (editors note: See High on a Wave, SurfWatch March 17, 2009), former SLSA Director, competative surfer, and owner of SurfCrazy surf shops. Mick will be periodically sharing his knowledge and expertise with the readers of SurfWatch.

I've always wondered why the bulk of surfing breaks in Second Life (SL) and contest venues are designed for right wave entry, meaning paddling into it from the right as opposed to paddling into it from the left. I've not taken a poll on it but i do have a theory. I beleieve it has to do with regular and goofy brain.

Real Life (RL) surfers preference in riding is most often facing the wave face. Looking at the wave over your shoulder has certain disadvantages. Looking diretly offshore to incoming waves, a wave that peals from right to left, is known as a 'right'. Malibu is a 'right' point as is Rincon and Kirra in Australia. Hawaii's pipeline is the best example of a 'left' it breaks from left to right.

A surfer riding Malibu faces the wave if his left foot is forward of their right, the right leg is dominant and usually stronger. The left foot rider is know as 'regular foot'. A surfer riding pipeline faces the wave with right foot forward of their left, known as 'goofy foot'.

The majority of surfers in the world are 'regular' foot, The right foot forward minority have been known as goofy since the 50's if not earlier. There are the gifted few who are switch stance, they can ride easily with either foot forward - a rairity.  Know it or not, ALL AVATARS surf as REGULAR FOOT! Were the animators of ALL surfboard poses currently in SL regular foot?  To find out if your regular or goofy foot hop on a skateboard. Which foot is forward?

What's this got to do with SL surfing? Being goofy foot is associated with being left handed but not always. I'm no doctor or scientist but there's definately a brain perception thing going on here, at least in my case there is. I'm a regular foot in the recent PCX tandem contest.  When Sexyboy Oh asked me which side I wanted to enter wave from, I didn't hesitate saying the right. I cared nothing about short or long board choice. I'm also thinking it may be an advantage not having RL surfing experience in SL. The wave facing preferences would not be an issue.

Ok until next time regular or goofy... Just GO SURFING!
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Bridge Party!

submitted by Sienna Velinov

You've heard of playing bridge, walking across a bridge, building a bridge.....so I guess it's not surprising to hear about a Bridge Party at Tuli Bahari on Tuesday, February 16. 









Sienna Velinov, to celebrate her one year anniversary of living on Tuli and to give something back to her friends and neighbors, rezzed a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge on the Tuli Beach.  Fat Tuesday fell on this same day, so the party developed into a Mardi Gras party complete with a float and a King and Queen, Mojo Manamiko and Luckymoon Jiago.






Guests danced the night away on the bridge......and then Lissa Pinion and Sienna demolished the bridge and, of course, Sienna got the last laugh by removing the float Lissa had perched herself on, sending her down to the waves below. Look for this tradition to continue in the future!
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Moolto

We'd like to welcome a new sponsor, Moolto, to SurfWatch!  Click on the Moolto sponsor logo along the right side of SurfWatch, and check them out!  Moolto is "Designed for Avatars. Meeting People,sharing videos & photos. Forums, Blogs. Talk about your Second Life. All Languages. "
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Second Life Surfing Association Announces Changes

The Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) announced a change to ranking calculations for this season.  A new event rules document is in the discussion and finalization stages, but the Board has agreed unanimously to the following changes to increase event officer sign ups and ease the strain on personal schedules.

The main changes are: 
1.  One competitive event may be discarded, so only 4 of the 5 season competitions will count toward season rankings.
2.  A reversal of the ranking point system so surfers get points equal to their placing, for example, 1st place gets a 1, 2nd place gets a 2, etc. The lowest overall point total will determine the season champion.

For a more detailed explanation of these changes, see http://surfslsa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1014.
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Second Life Surf and Beach Photo Contest

Saturday, February 20, 2010, is the deadline to get your Second Life (SL) surf and beach photo entered into SurfWatch's Photo and Beach Art Contest!  Win linden, prizes, and exposure in Surfwatch!  Contact Bobbi Laval to submit an entry or for more information! 
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