After many many days and many, many Red Bull's, a number of meetings with the top surfers, coaches and industry peeps, we have officially finalized the list!  Here is the voting link for Red Bull Rivals.

Vote for your dream team of who you want to represent the NORTH SHORE (Country) and who you want to represent SOUTH SHORE (Town)on Saturday September 5th at Sandy Beach on Oahu!

Voting is open as of right......NOW!!!!!!! till midnight Wednesday the 12th.

WHAT: Red Bull Rivals is a one day surf event pitting Oahu's legendary shores (North Shore and South Shore) against each other.  Top Surfers from each shore will battle it out in a head-to-head surf competition for ultimate island bragging rights.  To keep things fair, the event will be held on the Eastside of Oahu at Sandy Beach (Neutral Territory).  No major surf event has been held at this popular surf hangout location since the Gotcha Pro back in the Early 1980s.  Besides bragging rights, teams will compete for a territory advantage in next year's competition and the losing team has to give the winning team their surfboards (similar to "racing for pink slips").

Ten surfers for each team will be chosen by online voting and teams must include at least one female surfer and 2 groms (17 or under).  A "ringer" will be allowed to be a part of each team and does not have to be disclosed until day of competition (this can be any surfer from anywhere in the world).

WHO: Twenty of Oahu's top surfers, trying to win bragging rights for themselves and their shore. Judging will be spearheaded by KaiBorg Garcia and his panel.

WHERE: Sandy Beach (Neutral Territory for competing teams) Eastside of Oahu, Hawaii
    
WHEN: Saturday, September 5.     10:30am - 4:30pm

Click here for all of the exclusive, high-action video...

By Sandy Stevenson

Words like "epic", "all-time", and "classic" are heard all too often around the island chain that is the Mentawais... these are the words that come way too easily on the tongue in this swell-pounded region. You'll be standing on the deck of a surf-charter boat sipping a cold one and the words might drift across the water to you..."awesome", "best session ever", "off-the-scale". Maybe this renders them meaningless for when the real deal comes along. So you might forgive me for pinching myself as I stand on the back of the Indies Trader IV chatting to Mick Fanning after a barrel-fest session at Rags Right when he says "That's got to be one of the top 5 barrel sessions I've ever had".

See the Red Bull Rising gallery right here

The ten surfers chosen for this year's Red Bull Rising Camp have flown into Australia from seven corners of the globe. Their ages range from 11 to 21 and they bring an eclectic mix of personalities and accents to the Casuarina training centre.

In common they share a love of surfing and an ability to dice waves apart like sou chefs. They all dream of surf stardom. They all hope to edge closer to that dream. Whenever Red Bull's Andy King urges them to listen they huddle forward and their faces crease in concentration.

"There's no such thing as luck in pro surfing," Kingy tells them during the second day of the 2009 Red Bull Rising Camp. "No one wins nine world titles because they were lucky or because the judges were on their side. It's how hard you work. How much effort you're willing to put in. When you surf on the WQS [World Qualifying Series] there will be 600 guys chasing the same thing as you. You've got to ask yourself - do you want it more than them? How far are you willing to go?"

The masses have spoken and once again Kelly Slater and Sofia Mulanovich reign supreme in the ultimate annual election. The two accepted their awards last night at the 2008 SURFER Poll and Video Awards presented by Suzuki Auto at The Grove in Anaheim, California. The venue was packed to the brim, with several being turned away at the door due to a record-breaking over-capacity crowd. The other big winner of the night, claiming both "Movie of the Year" and "Documentary of the Year," was "Bustin' Down the Door" featuring surf legends Shaun Thomson, Peter "PT" Townend, and Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew.

• Watch Episode 1: Finally On The Road
• Watch Episode 2: Lost In Lordsberg
• Watch Episode 3: Surviving Texas
• Watch Episode 4: Brownsville to Tampico
• Watch Episode 5: Vera Cruz
  
• Watch Episode 6: Vera Cruz to Puerto
• Watch Episode 7: The Conclusion
  

Words, Photos, and Video by Ariel Willeford
For Jamie Sterling chasing huge waves around the globe is second nature. He studies the Internet and pinpoints when and where the biggest waves in the southern hemisphere will be, while the northern hemisphere is asleep for the summer. There are a lot of logistics to chasing big swells, and since many of the waves Jamie aspires to surf require the assistance of a Jet Ski, he has to make sure there is always one available when he shows up.

"Last year I arrived at Mavericks on the biggest day of the year and had arranged a jet ski thru a friend and he failed to deliver the ski. It was a very frustrating day for me and my tow partner, Troy Alotis, to sit and watch my dream scenario unfold without being able to surf."

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS

Hawaiian surfer Gavin Gillette can’t remember a time when he wasn’t surfing. “I’ve been surfing since I can remember, I’ve always been on a board”, the smooth, lanky, natural footer said. “It’s in my blood, mom and dad who are my tow-in partners, are both amazing surfers”, says the 21 year-old from Kilauea on the northerly island of Kaua. “I grew up surfing Pinetrees on Kaua‘i's north shore.” Gillette says that he became fascinated with competitions as a youngster and that throughout his teens, he always ranked highly in the National Scholastic Surfing Association events. Last year Gillette withdrew from the WQS after his younger brother suffered a terrible motorcycle accident, he ranked 174th.   “It’s a job! But if your job is fun, you want to do it all the time”, he said of his surfing. “2008 will be great – I’m going to be great I’m aiming on making the WCT,” said Gillette. “Surf with your heart and keep your talent and ego out the equation”, he advises. With his priorities re-aligned, his big-wave act beyond question and his small wave and competition strategy constantly being worked on, look for Gavin's heart to be propelling him towards his ultimate goal of qualifying for the 2009 ASP Dream Tour.

Big things are expected from Wiggolly Dantas, the latest in the long line of hot surfers coming off the Brazilian conveyor belt. While his small wave act is typically electric, it was in the 2006 Monstor Energy Pro, held in big, epic and dangerous Pipeline, that Wiggolly showed he has the potential, talent and determination to be a star of the sport.   These characteristics shone through at he Red Bull Rising selection camp. “It was a great surprise to be selected,” said Wiggolly. “Among so many excellent surfers from different culture and countries, we all have the same desires to build friendship through surfing”, says Wiggolly.  “The most exciting part of the camp was Mick Fanning words to the surfers”, says Wiggolly, knowing words of advice from world champs is rare wisdom indeed. The goofyfooter’s surfing addiction started when he was just three. His older brother and sister taught him to stand on a board. In 2005, he was crowned Quiksilver King of the Groms in France. Now, living in Itamambuca Beach south of Sao Paulo, he says that winning that event was a fantastic feeling: “I was crying with happiness when I won the title!". In 2007 Dantas took out the American Billabong Pro Junior in Peru, and the quiet Brazilian, with the engaging smile, seems unstoppable for 2008. Dantas says that the surfers he admires most are Mick Fanning, Andy Irons and Kelly Slater. “My aim is to be on the WCT, it’s my dream," he says. “When there are no waves, I do boxing training and practice jiu jitsu."   Dantas also loves watching surfing movies for motivation. “I get ideas and inspiration from them," he says. When it comes to naming his favourite surf breaks, Dantas obviously loves the biggies. “I love Pipeline because it’s a nice left and Teahupoo, as I like the dangerous wave." Once again, his favourite wave choices indicate his desire to mix it in the most heaviest of surfing's cauldrons.

The nickname Spartan tells a lot us about Michael Bourez. His body is seemingly chiseled out of hard granite and his ability and courage is unquestionable. Destined to take over the mantle from fellow Tahitian Manao Drollet as the best surfer at the world's heaviest wave, Teahupoo, Michael is the complete surfer. Last year he beat world champion Kelly Slater in three feet French beachbreaks at the Quiksilver Pro and while his big-wave act is well established, it's his pure natural  talentthat  will see him reach the upper echelons of surfing. Quiet, respectful, funny and hard as nails, it is no surprise why he is the wild card in the Red Bull Rising pack.