danny on board: Rip Curl Search comes to San Fran the photos

So I made it to the beach two days to watch the contest. While there I snapped a few shots. Of course there were more cameras than have ever been assembled on OB and I most folks had bigger lenses than me (yes, I had lense envy) so there are certainly better photos out there (Nor Cal Surf Photos has some great ones of day 1 at: http://norcalsurfphotos.smugmug.com/SurfPhotos2011/11111-Rip-Curl-Pro-SF/19864597_nk9B98#P-1-12) than the ones I took, but here are mine...

Rip Curl Store - Santa Cruz West Side

Dawn Day 2

free surfin down the beach

Classic view with Marin Headlands in background

Some of "The world's greatest surf" can happen at Ocean beach.

At OB, surfing is not usually a spectator sport. Debe Durbidge surfing.

If a wave goes unridden...did it break?

Those who chose to surf rather than watch, scored!

The pros did not stop their air travel when they arrived in San Fan.
Dane Reynolds here.

There were some killer floaters, and on some critical waves too.

Finding a backside barrel

It takes a contortionist to get barreled at OB sometimes

A classic turn - there were MANY of these witnessed this week!
Mick Fanning.

The dawn patrol spectators

The pros proved their skill in finding barrels in a variety of conditions this week. Here was a classic that Kieren Perrow made it out of:

I love this shot as the wave looks like the one on the poster..

No jet skis allowed in the park, unless you are advertising...

I like this photo as it shows the countless peaks breaking down the beach. On this day it was going off everywhere on the beach all day long. The contest was held in the smallest surf on the beach - it breaks almost twice as big in the middle, I suspect some of the pros made it down there for a free surf.

A committed turn by Travis Logie.

They pulled many of these airs off during the contest although Josh Kerr did not quite pull this one - but he was very close.

The grommets making a go of it, the pros of the future.

Pro surfers need both flexibility and strength.
Damien Hobgood warming up.

Brett Simpson

An impressive backside air by Josh Kerr

Damien Hobgood Killing it.

Digging it in.

Some locals came to the beach with their boards and could care less there was a contest going on.

a close look will reveal the nose of Bret Simpson's board, he came out of this barrel into the turn below.

great turns come in a variety of styles, Bret Simpson showing his versatility - he pulled this turn off to clinch the heat.

another classic turn by Bret.

powerful and committed

Damien getting pitted but it wasn't enough to win the heat.

Bret with the winning smile.

San Francisco receives both swell and cheap Chinese goods from across the Pacific.

One of the rising Brasilian stars, Miguel Pupo - Brasil is gonna be taking some world titles soon...

Dusty Payne super committed but couldn't get it back under him.

This was a sweet backside barrel by Raoni Monteiro, I had to include the whole sequence...

JJ Florence

On Sat I planned to take Anke and Noah to the contest. The contest was not held that day but the Rip Curl team was at Wise signing autographs we went there. Noah was FIRED up to meet the best surfers in the world. The excitement of meeting surfing celebrities really kicked in his interest in surfing - he now goes to bed reading surf mags and has surf posters in his room. His parents are proud.

With Dillon Perillo and Gabriel Medina (this 17 year old Brasilian won the event, making him 2 for 4 on the tour so far! - his surfing was outstanding - very diverse)

With Taylor Knox (holding it down for us old guys) and Dean brady

Owen Wright (number two in the world I believe) and Mick Fanning

My personal favorite, Matt Wilkinson, this guy was at home in San Fran for sure. And he was ripping it in his tie died wetsuit.

Noah was fired up by the contest but he had not even seen it yet. I thought it would be pretty lame for him to have his only memory of the contest a rainy day poster signing session at Wise Surfboards, so when they announced they would wrap up the contest on Monday there was only one thing to do, call in sick for Noah and I and take the family to the beach.

Hendrik looking like a little surfer dude!

The waves were bigger than the other day I watched, not the best of the contest but good enough for these guys to put on an impressive show. Joel Parkinson killing it here. This wave was heavier than it looks in this photo and this floater was insane.

another rad Parko turn, this one after the buzzer.

Even some of the crabby locals came out to watch the show.

It is not everyday we are graced by the likes of Parko at OB. Noah chased these guys as they came out of the water to add autographs to his hat. He got another 6 or 7 autographs this day, Parko was especially friendly but I gotta say most of these pros were exceptionally friendly people. You can see it the faces of the guys with Noah at Wise.