Latest news with #SanClemente
The Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald
SA's Jordy Smith narrowly avoids elimination at Tahiti Pro
The 27-year-old from San Clemente had been relishing the even bigger surf in the lead-up to the event, charging waves he said were some of the best he had ever ridden. 'That's why I started surfing, was to have the potential wave in my life. This is so satisfying for the soul. And I love competition and competing, but when it comes to the opportunity to get the wave of your life, that's just as important to me,' he said. 'Now we're competing and I'm still healthy, my body's intact, and I won my first heat, so I'm psyched.' South Africa's Jordy Smith, ranked No 2 in the world, narrowly avoided a loss in the elimination round with a late, near-perfect 9.5 against trials winner Teiva Tairoa of Tahiti. But Japan's Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Kanoa Igarashi, ranked fourth in the world going into Tahiti, went down to local wild card Mihimana Braye in the elimination round, jeopardising his chance of making the finals in Fiji. Two-time world champion Filipe Toledo of Brazil also lost in the elimination round, putting an end to his hopes of making the top five. When the women's competition gets under way, probably on Friday, 12-year-old Kelia Gallina will make history by becoming the youngest ever competitor in a world championship tour event. Gallina, who started surfing Teahupo'o before she was five years old, won the trials event and will face Australia's world No 1 Molly Picklum and California's Lakey Peterson in the first round.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Record-Breaking 365,000 Pounds of Trash Removed from U.S. Beaches by 40,000 Volunteers in Single Year
83% of All Items Collected at 2024 Beach Cleanups Were Single-Use Plastics SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 11 million metric tons of plastic pollution enter our ocean each year — which is the equivalent of a trash truck dumping a full load of plastics into our ocean every minute of every day of the year. The Surfrider Foundation, an environmental organization dedicated to the protection of America's ocean, waves, and beaches, has been on the frontlines of protecting the ocean from the harms of plastic pollution for decades. Surfrider's annual Beach Cleanup Report highlights the organization's national beach cleanup efforts and reveals the items most often collected — exposing the growing threat that rampant plastic pollution poses to both our ocean and human health, and how Surfrider's activists are tackling this issue head-on. ACCESS SURFRIDER'S BEACH CLEANUP REPORT "Beach cleanups play a critical role in addressing the plastic pollution crisis. They allow our volunteers to learn about the types of plastic that are found on our beaches and provide an entry point to learn more about the impacts of single-use plastics on our environment," explains Jenny Harrah, Surfrider's Healthy Beaches Program Manager. Despite the record-breaking efforts by their nationwide volunteer chapter network last year, Surfrider knows that there is no way to beach cleanup our way out of the immense scale and explosive rate of the global plastic pollution crisis. So they've made their beach cleanups serve a brilliant secondary function: data collection. Last year, Surfrider volunteers logged the most number of individual trash items ever, with 870,000 itemized pieces of trash recorded into their national cleanup database, with 83% of it being plastic. This data provides an incredibly clear picture of what exactly is polluting our beaches and coasts, which Surfrider activists use to campaign for stronger plastic reduction legislation, such as "Skip the Stuff" bills that allow consumers to opt-out of single-use plastics in their takeout food orders, helping to stop plastic pollution at its source. Another powerful example is that in states where Surfrider-sponsored plastic bag bans have been successfully implemented, coastal plastic bag litter has dropped by 50% since the policies were first enacted in 2018. Not only does Surfrider's beach cleanup data continue to prove that plastic is the most commonly found material on our beaches, but it also shows how plastic behaves once it reaches the environment. Plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, becoming increasingly difficult to clean up and a bigger threat to the health of coastal ecosystems. Out of the almost one million items found during 2024 beach cleanups, one-third (32.5%) were plastic fragments. These fragments infiltrate coastal food systems, harming not only wildlife but also posing a danger to human health. Microplastics and plastic fragments bioaccumulate up the food chain — becoming more toxic the higher up the food chain you go. So even if you can't see anything wrong with a filet of fresh fish or the sushi roll on your dinner plate, your favorite seafood has an increasing chance of being contaminated by plastics and associated chemical pollutants once they've been ingested by marine life. Last week, a new report on nanoplastics in the ocean, microscopic fragments roughly the size of small bacteria, revealed that there are at least 27 million metric tons of nanoplastic pollution in North Atlantic seas alone — more than the combined weight of all wild land mammals. Because so much of plastic is nearly impossible for consumers to avoid, like plastic packaging for instance, which at 145,000 pieces accounted for the third largest category of trash, Surfrider is campaigning for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bills that will shift the cleanup and disposal costs back onto plastic packaging manufacturers. With over 140 EPR laws already on the books covering an array of hazardous and hard-to-dispose products in the U.S., it's time for plastic packaging producers to follow suit. Six states have passed EPR bills for plastic packaging, with more advancing annually. As a proven policy tool, EPR is essential to achieving a plastic pollution-free future, ensuring that producers — not communities — bear responsibility for the lifecycle costs of their products. At current rates, the amount of plastic pollution entering our ocean is doubling every six years. If these trends continue, the total weight of plastic pollution in our ocean could exceed the total weight of all fish in the ocean by 2050. Only by turning off the tap of single-use plastic production, through legislative intervention and industry innovation, can we ensure that a sustainable vision for a plastic pollution-free future becomes a reality. Surfrider's Beach Cleanup program is proudly supported by REEF and the Surf Industry Members Association through the Better Beach Alliance, which encourages all groups — individuals, organizations, and companies — to participate in the shared goal of ending plastic pollution. "Supporting Surfrider is REEF's way of supporting stewardship of our coastal communities and ocean planet. Our relationship with the Surfrider Foundation has been integral in striving to improve who we are and how we act as a brand," says Shea Perkins, Senior Marketing Manager at REEF. "This report is more than a record of trash collected; it's proof of the power of advocacy, community, and collaboration. The vital work led by the Surfrider Foundation and its vast chapter network shows how grassroots action can drive national awareness and real change," says Vipe Desai, Executive Director at the Surf Industry Members Association. "Coastal communities rely on clean beaches for their health, economy, and way of life. We're proud to support this effort and help amplify Surfrider Foundation's ongoing impact to protect our oceans, waves, and beaches." To learn more, and find out how you can join a beach cleanup near you, visit About the Surfrider Foundation The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world's ocean, waves, and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over one million supporters, activists, and members, with more than 200 volunteer-led chapters and student clubs in the U.S., and more than 900 victories protecting our coasts. Learn more at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Surfrider Foundation Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Columbus Sliders Making Moves And Subs Shining At Major League Pickleball San Clemente
CJ Klinger certainly had the hot hand all weekend, leading his team up the charts. Major League Pickleball (MLP), presented by DoorDash, rolled right into its sixth event of the 10-event season on the heels of last week's PPA Orange County Cup on the grounds of Life Time San Clemente for a critical mid-season match featuring some of the 'middle class' of the Premier League battling for playoff positioning, along with the entire slate of Challenger teams. Key Links for tracking the event this weekend, which featured livestreams from the two primary courts at the facility on MLP's YouTube channel and on Transaction Recap Ahead of the weekend, the following transactions were announced: - MLP held its second Premier Waiver period (and only Challenger Waiver period) in the weeks leading up to this event, which featured a slew of moves more completely covered in this space earlier this month. - Just after the Waiver period, we saw three significant trades: 1. St Louis acquired Judit Castillo from SoCal for Cailyn Campbell. Campbell immediately moved into SoCal's starting lineup in San Clemente and went 3-7 in her first MLP Action. Not bad for a 15-yr old. 2. New Jersey gets Mari Humberg back, acquiring her from DC for Gecheva and cash. I'm not sure New Jersey played this player moving gambit well; if their intent was to get Humberg back, they should have just dropped her and re-bid for her in waivers. Instead, they have to go half the season undermanned (so to speak) and are unlikely to regain a playoff-bye spot at this point. 3. Carolina gets Tuiotenoa, Texas gets Christian & cash. This is an interesting move by two teams idle this past weekend, but which may have decent ramifications for Carolina, Ben Johns' performance, and the tail end of the playoff race. Johns and Tuiotenoa were teammates on the strong 2023 Seattle Pioneers team, which won two of the three MLP events and made the Super Premier final before falling. Carolina has a long way to go, being dead last in the standings, but with a dominant weekend could push their way up the rankings. News and Noteworthy Ahead of the event, here's some news and noteworthy items for MLP. - The major organizational news was the general announcement by UPA that they are going to a prize money-based model going forward. MLP will see massive payday increases as detailed in the link here, which include an amazing $250k payday PER PLAYER to the MLP season winning team. I'm presuming we will see some major energy shifts in the league starting in 2026 with so much on the line. With all that said, let's recap MLP San Clemente: Premier League Recap Super subs AJ Koller (L) and Rafa Hewett (R) stepped up big-time for the injury-plagued Brooklyn ... More Team. Day 1 Observations Day 2 Observations LA's Quong Duong rocking the throw-back jerseys with a flying slam against Phoenix. Day 3 Observations Utah's Connor Garnett did his best to keep his team in playoff League Recap Day 1 Observations Day 2 Observations Day 3 Observations Day 4 Observations Team Standings Update post Event Here's the teams who made moves up or down the Standings in this event. Reminder, thanks to the unbalanced schedule I refer points per match (PPM) as the standings determiner, not total points earned. In Premier In Challenger Player Standings/Stats Analysis for the Weekend: Unfortunately, the resource we depend on for individual player analysis hasn't been updated in time for this publication. What did we learn this weekend? What were our top three Takeaways from the competition this weekend? Media Pick' Em Contest Update MLP Super-Fan Matty Pickles (aka Matt Klitch) runs a season-long Media MLP Pick'em Contest on Twitter, where all the pundits in the sport are participating. Summary for San Clemente: Klitch has introduced some new rules, which have leveled the playing field for sure. I went 5-3 for the weekend but somehow retain my top spot in the season long pundit competition. Next up on the Pickleball Calendar? According to my Master Pickleball Schedule, we're going right into MLP Event No. 7 next weekend, as the whole tour has to make a cross-country trip in just a couple of days to hold MLP NYC on the Holman Ice rink in Central Park. All match stats quoted in this article are courtesy of PickleWave. Visit for the premier source of Pro Pickleball data, including match replays, highlights, stats, and discussion. PickleWave has more than 22,000 matches in its database across all the pro tours. Also, a great thanks to The Dink's Erik Tice, who maintains a fantastic MLP detailed data breakdown and makes it publicly available at this Google XLS link. Tice's data has proved invaluable this year as MLP does not make match data available at this detailed level at present.
Washington Post
25-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
USA Surfing gets new financial backing in a bid to be recertified for its hometown Olympics
LOS ANGELES — USA Surfing says it has secured a multimillion-dollar endowment as part of its push to be recertified as the nascent Olympic sport's national governing body after losing its status four years ago over financial issues. USA Surfing executive director Becky Fleischauer told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the investment is a major step toward the organization's goal to return to the Olympic movement. 'We have a new board, new leadership, and we've been delivering more value to our surfers than has ever been provided in the past,' Fleischauer said. 'There's a lot of energy. This investment is a declaration of confidence in the future of surfing from those who know it best.' USA Surfing has struck multiyear deals for financial backing from Kamaka Responsible Development, which builds housing communities, and with Orange County-based surf company Resin Services. Kamaka also plans to develop a wave pool that can be used for year-round training for USA Surfing athletes. Fleischauer spoke from the USA Surfing Championship at Lower Trestles, the iconic surf break near San Clemente, California, that will also host the Los Angeles Olympics surfing competition in 2028. USA Surfing, which is based in San Clemente, has crowned its under-18 national champions at Trestles for decades. 'Trestles is our backyard,' Fleischauer said. 'It's where our surfers train. It's where our coaches coach. It's really a global hub for surfing, and we reside right here, so that puts us in a really strong position to know our surfers, know our break, and to be able to lift up the entire community by having the Olympics here.' Surfing made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021, but USA Surfing had already run into trouble with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee by then over numerous concerns about the organization's financial management. USA Surfing voluntarily decertified as the sport's national governing body in December 2021, although it remained the American representative to the International Surfing Association. USA Surfing is reapplying to be the NGB again, but the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Federation has also applied to manage the Olympic surf team. The well-funded winter sports organization is run by Sophie Goldschmidt, the former chief executive of the World Surf League. One governing body managing multiple sports is an accepted practice in some countries, but hasn't been the norm in the U.S. Olympic movement since the Amateur Sports Act in 1978. The USOPC is evaluating both groups' filings and is expected to resolve the situation within the next few months. While Ski & Snowboard has ample Olympics experience, USA Surfing has the backing of the ISA and even the World Surf League itself, according to its filing with the USOPC. U.S. Olympic gold medalists Caroline Marks and Carissa Moore were among several top surfers who submitted letters of support for USA Surfing. USA Surfing has kept operating without funding from the USOPC since its decertification, still staging competitions and aiding American surfers in their preparation for international events. The body has since made large changes to its leadership, appointing Fleischauer and adding several new members to its board of directors in January 2024. __ AP Olympics:
Associated Press
25-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
USA Surfing gets new financial backing in a bid to be recertified for its hometown Olympics
LOS ANGELES (AP) — USA Surfing says it has secured a multimillion-dollar endowment as part of its push to be recertified as the nascent Olympic sport's national governing body after losing its status four years ago over financial issues. USA Surfing executive director Becky Fleischauer told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the investment is a major step toward the organization's goal to return to the Olympic movement. 'We have a new board, new leadership, and we've been delivering more value to our surfers than has ever been provided in the past,' Fleischauer said. 'There's a lot of energy. This investment is a declaration of confidence in the future of surfing from those who know it best.' USA Surfing has struck multiyear deals for financial backing from Kamaka Responsible Development, which builds housing communities, and with Orange County-based surf company Resin Services. Kamaka also plans to develop a wave pool that can be used for year-round training for USA Surfing athletes. Fleischauer spoke from the USA Surfing Championship at Lower Trestles, the iconic surf break near San Clemente, California, that will also host the Los Angeles Olympics surfing competition in 2028. USA Surfing, which is based in San Clemente, has crowned its under-18 national champions at Trestles for decades. 'Trestles is our backyard,' Fleischauer said. 'It's where our surfers train. It's where our coaches coach. It's really a global hub for surfing, and we reside right here, so that puts us in a really strong position to know our surfers, know our break, and to be able to lift up the entire community by having the Olympics here.' Surfing made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021, but USA Surfing had already run into trouble with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee by then over numerous concerns about the organization's financial management. USA Surfing voluntarily decertified as the sport's national governing body in December 2021, although it remained the American representative to the International Surfing Association. USA Surfing is reapplying to be the NGB again, but the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Federation has also applied to manage the Olympic surf team. The well-funded winter sports organization is run by Sophie Goldschmidt, the former chief executive of the World Surf League. One governing body managing multiple sports is an accepted practice in some countries, but hasn't been the norm in the U.S. Olympic movement since the Amateur Sports Act in 1978. The USOPC is evaluating both groups' filings and is expected to resolve the situation within the next few months. While Ski & Snowboard has ample Olympics experience, USA Surfing has the backing of the ISA and even the World Surf League itself, according to its filing with the USOPC. U.S. Olympic gold medalists Caroline Marks and Carissa Moore were among several top surfers who submitted letters of support for USA Surfing. USA Surfing has kept operating without funding from the USOPC since its decertification, still staging competitions and aiding American surfers in their preparation for international events. The body has since made large changes to its leadership, appointing Fleischauer and adding several new members to its board of directors in January 2024. __ AP Olympics:
