Factor 54 Clothing Blog

F54 scores cover story in LA Times (Daily Pilot) section

factor54 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:01:51 +0000

F54 News & Events

F54 scores cover story in LA Times (Daily Pilot) section

Kids-only surfing

Dylan Melamed hits the lip of a wave during the Factor54 Freaks of the Peak Summer Surf Series at 54th Street on Thursday.

Former professional surfer Todd Miller hosts latest competition on the beach by 54th Street, made exclusively for youth.

By Daniel Tedford

The beach has always been a safe haven for Todd Miller. As a child, it was all smiles there, hanging out with his buddies, and the atmosphere of being at the beach for a competition was thrilling. To him, his family and the others around them, surfing was their version of little league, with dads, moms and kids having fun together.

So now, with his professional surfing career over, Miller helps sponsor a surfing competition in Newport Beach exclusively for kids with the help of his company Factor54.

The company hosted its latest competition Thursday morning.

“[Kids] always are amped and happy,” Miller said. “It doesn’t seem like they’re jaded. It brings back memories of when I used to surf here and Quicksilver ran contests like this.”

Miller, with his partner Ted Wueste, hosts the free competition near 54th Street — no relation to the company name — every year.

The contest offers cash prizes within two brackets of surfers, a 15- to 17-year-old group called juniors and a 14-and-under group called groms.

It started under an umbrella in 2003 and has grown to an event sponsored by numerous local surf companies, features many top-ranked youth surfers, and has competitors lining up before dawn to enter. And while Factor54 sponsors it — and no doubt gets some publicity out of it — the competition is more of a passion project to give thanks to the community.

“This doesn’t have any value,” said Wueste, tugging at his shirt and pointing at the Factor54 canopy.

“This [the community],” Wueste said of the families and children at the event. “That is the value in this,” he said, again pointing at his shirt.

It is an atmosphere and culture the company wants to create, rather than just a product line.

Wueste and Miller grew up surfing, and while they are still businessmen, they aren’t about to dismiss their roots. It may be the reason their competition is so popular.

“I did it last year and it was fun,” Chase Wilson, 17, said. “I like hanging out with everyone.”

But in the end, despite the camaraderie, it is still a competition. In a standard format, about 100 surfers go through various rounds and eventually dwindle down to the top competitors.

The surf was mostly in good condition for the event, despite some long walls that often made it tough for the boarders to make turns in the wave.

“A lot of people have been getting barreled,” Wilson said. “It’s been pretty cool.”

Miller was happy with the day. He and his partner stress the importance of making the event for the kids and leaving out the pros and masters. He felt it was a great opportunity for the youths rising in the sport to test themselves in challenging waters in a competitive format.

“These little kids, they get their start here,” Miller said. “Someday we can look back and say their first contest ever was here.”

COMPETITION RESULTS

Junior Level

1st-place winner for $150 prize: Chase Wilson, Newport Beach

2nd-place winner for $75 prize: Doug Van Mierlo, San Clemente

Grom Level

1st-place winner for $100 prize: Taylor Park, Newport Beach

2nd-place winner for $50 prize: Colin Moran, Costa Mesa

Best Gnar (best trick)

Nage Melamed, Hanalei, Hawaii

ShareThis

F54 Freaks of the Night Party goes off at Rudy

factor54 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:00:27 +0000

Photos by: Toby Sharp..fiatsurf.com

The crew from Monrovia Avenue, rolled in to Rudy’s Newport to kick off summer proper with their “Freaks of the Night” party to blow off some summer steam, honor the company’s local retailers and promote a season chock full of upcoming events. We just wrapped our first Skate film, and our annual “Freaks of the Peak” summer surf series at 54th street is coming in late July. One insane highlight was the epic giveaways F54 was throwing out. Typically it’s just cheap swag. Not this time. Killer giveaways from Oakely, Vestal, Becker, Surfside Sports, Green Room, Main Street Surf Shop, Elm, Pocket Pistol, Indie 103.1, Futures Fins insured everyone took home a prize. All kinds of gear was being passed out to all the rowdy’s in line, so no one went home empty handed.

Thanks to everyone who made it possible…much love to you!!

ShareThis

F54’s Timmy Knuth finishes 3rd at Maloof Cup

factor54 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 05:28:25 +0000

Pro Street Finals

1. Paul Rodriguez took 1st and won $100,000!!!
2. Nyjah Huston grabbed $40,000
3. Chris Cole $25,000
4. Ryan Sheckler $15,000
5. Darrell Stanton $6,250
6. Jereme Rogers $5,000
7. Terry Kennedy $4,000
8. Andrew Reynolds $3,000
9. Greg Lutzka $2,500
10. Dennis Busenitz $2,000

ZUMIEZ BEST TRICK
Lane 1 — Greg Lutzka Frontside-Flip Back Lipslide $2,000
Lane 2 — Jake Duncombe Bluntslide to Back Nose-blunt $2,000
Lane 3 — Greg Lutzka Frontside 270 Kickflip Nose-blunt $2,000
Lane 4 — Leo Romero Frontside Nose-blunt Upledge $2,000
Lane 5 — Nyjah Houston Big Spin Flip to Frontside Boardslide $5,000

VERT
1st — Pierre-Luc Gagnon $75,000, a New Ford Flex SUV and Nixon watch worth $10,000
2nd — Shaun White $35,000
3rd –Bucky Lasek $20,000
4th — Danny Mayer $10,000
5th – Sandro Dias $6,000
6th – Andy MacDonald $5,000
7th — Bob Burnquist $4,000
8th – Lincoln Ueda $3,000
9th – Rodrigo Menenez $2,000
10th — Rob Buster Halterman $1,000

WOMEN’S STREET
1st – Lacey Baker $25,000 and a Nixon watch worth $10,000
2nd – Rachel Reinhard $8,000
3rd — Vanessa Torres $4,000
4th – Elissa Steamer $2,000
5th – Leticia Bufoni $1,500

eS game of SKATE
1. Chris Cole for the second year in a row. $25,000
2. Eric Koston
3. Alex Mizurov
4. Billy Marks

WORLD INDUSTRIES U.S. AMATEUR STREET CHAMPIONSHIPS:
1st – Dustin Blauvelt
2nd – Scott DeCenzo
3rd — Timmy Knuth
4th — Taylor Smith
5th — David Loy
6th — Cody Davis
7th — Evan Smith
8th — Collin Hale

Timmy Knuth

WORLD INDUSTRIES U.S. AMATEUR VERT CHAMPIONSHIPS:
1st — Ronaldo Gomes
2nd — Pedro Barros
3rd — Dylan Taylor
4th — Ben Hatchell
5th — Chris O’Reilly
6th — Nolan Munroe
7th — Zak Miller
8th — Jordan Price
9th — Dalton Dern
10th — Morgan Burgess

ShareThis

F54’s Timmy Knuth selected to participate in Maloof Money Cup

factor54 — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:09:44 +0000

F54 News & Events

F54’s Timmy Knuth selected to participate in Maloof Money Cup

Countdown to the
Worlds Greatest
Skateboard Competition
10 Days, 16 Hours,
51 Minutes, 34 Seconds.10 Days, 16 Hours,
51 Minutes, 14 Seconds.


Pro	AM	Pro	Marissa Del Santos Lacey Baker Evelien Bouilliart Vanessa Torres Amy Caron Lauren Perkins Elissa Steamer Rachel Reinhard Lorena Lima Leticia Bufony
Chris Cole Ryan Sheckler Greg Lutzka Andrew Reynolds Rob Dydrek Eric Koston Paul Rodriguez Rick McCrank Jereme Rogers Erik Ellington Mark Appleyard Ronnie Creager Billy Marks Nyjah Huston Leo Romero Sierra Fellers Corey Duffel Bryan Herman Alex Mizurov Tommy Sandoval Dennis Busenitz Nick Dompierre Jake Duncombe Brandon Biebel Kurtis Colamonico Adam Dyet Sean Malto Darrell Stanton Zered Bassett Terry Kennedy Braydon Szafranski Mike Carroll	Cody Davis Taylor Smith Ben Hatchell Scott DeCenzo Ryan DeCenzo Louie Lopez Felipe Gustavo Chris Gregson Kristos Augustus Dustin Blauvelt Colin Provost Timmy Knuth Matt Berger David Loy Ronson Lambert Darell Weavers Jordan Price Colin Hale Mike Berdis	Shaun White Bucky Lasek Pierre Luc Gagnon Bob Burnquist Andy Macdonald Sandro Dias Jake Brown Rune Glifberg Alex Perelson Rob Lorifice Neal Hendrix Jean Postec Danny Mayer Buster Halterman Lincoln Ueda Colin McKay Darren Navarette Peter Hewitt
		AM	BOLD = link to bio
		Ben Hatchell Pedro Barros Ronaldo Gomes Chris O’Reilly Dylan Taylor Nolan Munroe Zach Miller Morgan Burgess Dalton Dern

ShareThis

F54’s Timmy Knuth wins 7th Annual King of the Park

factor54 — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:59:07 +0000

F54’s Timmy Knuth wins 7th Annual King of the Park

King of the Park 2008

Oakley, Red Bull and Progressive Skate Park played host to the 7th Annual King of the Park that went down this weekend in the good ole town of Canton, Georgia, just outside Hot-lanta. This year’s event line up consisted of Big A’s Mini Ramp Jam, King of the Park (main event) and the Red Bull Best Trick Contest.

Progressive Skate Park plays host to many great events and takes care of the local skate crews in style, from their sick park set-up to the great hospitality of Mike DeLuca (owner) and his family. Outside the Rolling O Lab was set up for educational tours that the riders, family, regional accounts and visiting crowd could all take part in. Big ups to Frank, Kyle and John for delivering as always with a great set up and providing a fun atmosphere in the Progressive parking lot with a mini-bike, cruiser bike, pogo stick, drinks and motorized skate deck for all to enjoy.

In a set up very similar to the NCAA Division One basketball tournament, 64 of the best (invited) Am skateboards came together to fight for the bragging rights of King of the Park 2008. The contest allowed for double elimination, taking place over a two-day period, with the day one winner Timmy Knuth of Coco Beach, Florida waiting until Sunday afternoon to find out his finals competitor.

As luck or fait would have it local boy Solomon Mosley, or JR as everyone calls him clawed his way back from the losers bracket to make it into the finals against Timmy Knuth. Only a machine like Junior could skate that much in one day. The finals were something straight out of the history books with Solomon having to beat Timmy twice to win the crown, but in the end Junior would run out of gas. But not to give credit where credit isn’t due, Timmy Knuth brought the hammers in his last finals run. Congrats to Timmy and his sponsors – World Skateboard, F54 Clothing and DNA.

Sunday wrapped up with the Red Bull Best Trick contest, which provided some absolutely insane skateboarding. Oakley was well represented with Manny, Tyler and Danilo being tapped by Kelly Walsh as the top competitors on the Red Bull Hubba. When it was all said and done Danilo De Rosario all the way from Brazil took home the $500 check and a chance to stand on the Red Bull Hubba element with the beautiful Red Bull Girls.

Timmy and Danilo now have the official bragging rights of King of the Park until next year’s event. Many people need to be thanked, but at the top of the list is the man who runs Progressive Skateboard Park – Mike and his entire family. Also on this list has to be Kelly, Scott, Mark, Longer, Dylan, O Lab Crew, Red Bull, and the great town of Canton, Georgia.

ShareThis

F54’s new window at Decked Out Skate Shop

factor54 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 06:06:55 +0000

F54 wants to give a big shout out to Pete and Mattie B at Decked Out for giving us the store front window of Andrew Thompson!

Thanks you guys rock!

ShareThis

F54 Party at Rudy’s in Newport Beach Thurs. June 26th, all 21 and over welcome!

factor54 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 05:59:59 +0000

F54 would like to invite you to their 3 annual Summer bash at Rudy’s in Newport beach. Tons of giveaways, dj and dancing…so come get your freak on!

See you there!

ShareThis

Gnarly Charlie Grom Surf Series Kickoff event at Jacksonville Beach, FL

factor54 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:38:39 +0000

Gnarly Charlie Grom Surf Series Kickoff event

F54 was on Jax Beach Florida, Saturday June, 7 2008, to witness and sponsor the Gnarly Charlie Grom Surf Series Kickoff event. Over 50 kids entered the Gnarly Charley, all under the age of 16. There were glassy lines in the morning around 2-3 feet, then it turned semi chop for the after noon times, but remained decent all day. It truly was a rad event for kids. One girl that was competing couldn’t have been surfing for more than 3 years, because she was only 3 year old! Another kid was smiling all day after a good heat as his dad said “were from Ohio and we just moved down here 2 years ago and he’s never done this before!”

Of course there were also the local beach youth crew ripping all day. This is it. The cream of the crop of the north Florida area of young surfers! Competitors can snag hundreds of pics at gnarlycharleysurfseries.com. Big shouts to Gnarly Charley for keeping the kids and parents hyped all day.

Thanks to Garrett at Sunrise Surf Shop, Jax Beach for keeping us in tune, and to Paco for helping pick out a hat at Sunrise!

Next event is June 21st at JAX Beach Peir. Be there! F54 will be. Adios.

ShareThis

F54’s Timmy Knuth Wins Damn Am at Minneapolis 2008 Street Best Trick

factor54 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:33:17 +0000

F54’s Timmy Knuth Wins Damn Am at Minneapolis 2008 Street Best Trick

Congrats to Timmy Knuth for winning the Best Street Trick at 3rd Lair in Minnesota.

1	Timmy Knuth Sponsors: Graffiti Skate Zone, World,F-54clothing, Ninja, Venture, S-One, DNA energy drink, getskatestuff.com, Pistol-Grip Griptape, Sentury Wheels Age: 16 Hometown: Melbourne FL Notes: Long gap kickflip to crooked grind

2	Andrew Pott Sponsors: Famous Stars and Straps, Venture, Oakley, Ninestar, Nike SB (flow), Kontrol Wheels (flow) Age: 19 Hometown: Inglewood CA Notes: Too many tricks

3	Dylan Perry Sponsors: Skatepark of Tampa, Etnies (flow), Alien Workshop (flow), Innes (flow), Bones Wheels, Emerge Water, Destructo (flow) Age: 19 Hometown: Tampa FL Notes: Gap to backside noseblunt slide

4	Luis Perez Sponsors: MIA, Fallen (flow), Red Bull, MIA Skatepark, Spitfire (flow) Age: 19 Hometown: Miami FL Notes: Long gap to noseblunt slide

5	Anthony Brunson Sponsors: Prophecy, Adio (flow), Silver (flow), FKD Age: 24 Hometown: Rockford IL Notes: Switch tailslide nollie heelflip out

ShareThis

Ten minutes with Nate Sherwood

factor54 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:32:22 +0000

Well folks, I managed to turn the tables on one of the greatest arbiters of the pressure flip, Mr. Nate Sherwood Esq. He is usually the one asking the questions and it’s fun to get to be on this side of the tape recorder and watch old Nate squirm a bit. Problem is, he loved my non traditional questions. I caught up with him in between takes of his show “American Misfits” and his gig running the Skate Team at Factor54. So- have a gander at ye-old interview with ElNato….

Ted- So Nate, first of all thanks for sitting down and talking with me about all things Nate Sherwood….and I do mean ALL THINGS

Nate- NO PROB TED. I AM STOKED TO CHAT IT UP MAN. SOME ADVICE TO ANY HUMANS COMING TO OCEANSIDE IF U GO TO THE RED ROOSTER BAR N GRILL DO NOT EAT THE FRIES. THEY WILL END YOUR LIFE.

Ted- Dude, Why’d you cut your hair? you looked pretty hesh when we first met and
frankly, that was part of the appeal when we hired you.

Nate- Laughing… OH CRAP, I HOPE I DON’T LOOSE MY JOB. MY GIRL ALMOST LEFT ME TOO WHEN I CUT IT. To be honest I had a fever and I was sweating real bad and the mop was bugging my dome, so I cut my hair myself at 2 in the morning. My girlfriend’s mother, who is a hairdresser came into town and I told her I cut my own hair and her reply was “No shit,” as she was looking my hair over. I think she was impressed (read: depressed). I had to bring the bowl cut back also, I was sick of getting ID’d and having to pay for drinks.

Ted- OK, Well I guess that answers that, you looked pretty rock starish with your bitchin locks. Wait? is that gay of me to say that? Wait is it wrong of me to ask if that was gay? Shit, I give up.

Ted- So, What does your day look like? Other
than your new awesome, coveted job as TM for Factor, what else are you up to?

Nate- First I’m going to edit the trailer for “more tricks less politics.” then i’m going to email Ian Hill over at Fuel(TV) and promise that I will fedex him 4 Latino women for a bribe to give F54 endless coverage on Fuel.The problem is the mail order bride sites are really hard to navigate and i don’t speak Spanish for shit. I tried to get a translator on mission street in Oceanside but the she/dude just kept smiling at me and nodding. It was crazy. So I just bought him a corona and he fixed my bike for me. (Editors note: Nates bike was a really fucked 3 speed but had cool grip shifters) It was cool. Anyway, where was I? So today I am going to go skate and walk my dog, Oscar the wild, he is a 6 week old puppy, who actually belongs to my mother and looks like Chewbacca (YEAH THE WOOKIE). When I talk to him like r2d2 he actually comes to me. After that i’m going to talk to Greg Hicks and get ready for an upcoming weekend for me and his army to shred. I feel like yao ming with a bunch of horse jockeys when I roll with his crew.

Ted Yeah, I Dig your pain man. Do you want to help me flush the radiator fluid on my Nova after this interview?

Nate- baffled.

Ted- Do you still have time to skate? Where do you like to go?

Nate-Oh hell yeah. I try to skate everyday. Weekends I go to Libby school or black box distribution. Weekdays its either a ditch or the Cassidy bridge. i’ve been filming and shooting photos with brooks fritz and Chad Jenkins a lot for more tricks less politics. I’m trying to be a renaissance man, do it all.

Ted- Hillary Clinton just conceded to Barak Obama for Democratic Nominee for President. Don’t you think Barak should demonstrate some skate prowess (like
say a simple lean to tail on a mini ramp or some crailed out ledge shit) to win over his younger, potential constituents?

Nate- Yeah man, he’d probably be better at skating than he is at bowling. I’ve heard he’s really good at shooting pool. Which is rad cause shooting pool is all about strategy and think about your next shot and that is exactly what I look for in a good president. I hope he wins because I don’t want another geriatric republican in office, EVER.

Ted- Werd Brother
Ted- You seem pretty popular with the Groms- Remember when we did that opening at one of our shops and you just up and took a bunch of kids to the local school to skate? They seem to be mesmerized by your abilities or is it some
zen, Voodoo mind meld you are warping on them?

Nate- No, i’m just a conceded, self centered bastard and when I shred around little kids it makes me feel like a god. (Lauaghing). No, but for real, I like micro-climates. I love going places and meeting the local people, skating with them, etc. cause every place has it’s own small culture. Not only spots and environment being different but mannerisms and etiquette. For instance, when I was up there with those kids I put my thumb on my forehead when I farted and they had no idea what the hell that was about. At first I thought it was a generation gap, but one of the kids recognized it as something his brother did but it was a different facial gesture. I feel like an anthropology major right now.

Ted- Baffled..
>

Ted- I hear you are working on some super secret movie or some shit. what’s that about? Will there be nudity? I’ve heard about you and your movies.

Nate- yeah man, happy you asked. I’ve been jamming Dr. octagon, descendants, adolescents and exploited a bunch as of late, but I’m a huge fan of backpack rap. Anything anticon, living legends, hieroglyphics, reason the citizen and of course, abstract rude & aesop rock. I love death metal but my girlfriend hates it. She doesn’t know but I put on my headphones and blast nile or morbid angel. I even have some corpse paint in the car. There’s nothing that will scare your neighbors more than getting you mail with corpse paint on your face. I like folk music too, I think Bob Dylan’s great. He and king diamond should cut and album with DJ shadow or DJ premier as a default if shadow isn’t available. and they should have Danny Sergeant as a roadie.
>
Ted- Who are some of the next level ams that you have an eye on?

Nate- Andrew Thompson is fucking blowing doors open as we speak. if he was a piano he’d be a Steinway. if he was a drink he’d be 18 year old Glen Fidduch. John hicks is killing it. the twins, pierce and Chris Brunner are both underrated as hell. This guy Jeff “blue” Wright, who I’m trying to get who rides for Surfride, is downright insane. not only on a skateboard but he’s crazy as hell. its alright though, I’ve got plenty of thorzine, just incase we need to put him in a strait jacket on the road. Trung Ngo from Sun Diego is rad. I used to torture him by making him listen really bad 80’s pop music like Debbie Gibson and new kids on the block. If I knew he was going to be a big as he is now i never would have done that. he can probably kick my ass now. Jamie Palomar is amazing as hell and Taylor Shuffield is now on flow with us and he just sent me some of the best footage for the video. So raw and rad.

Ted- Cool man, Well thanks for sitting down with me. Sorry if these questions
were stupid. This is my first interview of any kind of professional athlete.

Nate- Are you kidding me? These questions are 10 times better than every myspace interview i have ever done.

ShareThis