A proud day for Hawaiians, Keanu Asing Wins the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure

Like a silent assassin, Keanu Asing of Ewa Beach Hawaii claims the Nike 6.0 Pier pressure.  With a come from behind advance during his semi-final heat, Keanu went on to a commanding win during the Finals.  Fresh from his Quiksilver ISA world championship title win this last April in Ecuador, Keanu is doing more than his fair share to bring world championship titles back home to Hawaii.  

 One of the benefits of living in a surf town is that the access to the event and athletes are a mere walking distance.  With the surf barely hanging in at a mere 1-2’, with barely a 3’ set wave, I chose to watch the event from the comfort of my laptop while lounging at home. 

 As the quarters and semis approached, I noticed that Keanu was silently taking charge.  Having lower wave counts but garnering higher scores by maximizing with powerful turns and consistent “to the beach’ surfing.

 As the finals wrapped and Keanu named champion, I grabbed my camera and hopped on my bike for a quick ride to the beach.  I said to myself… “This kid may one day bring the ASP world title back to Hawaii, I’d better document his path every step of the way…”

Official ASP Press Release

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Monday, June 29, 2009) – Keanu Asing (Ewa Beach, HI), 16, won the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Grade-4 Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure presented by Jack’s Surfboards at South Huntington Beach Pier this afternoon over fellow finalists Dillon Perillo (Malibu, CA), 19, Evan Thompson (Jacksonville Beach, FL), 17, and Chase Wilson (Newport Beach, CA), 18.

The Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure is the only ASP Grade-4 event on the 2009 calendar, making the premier contest an integral stop in all surfers’ campaigns in their quest for qualification for the ASP World Junior Championships. All regional surfers are out to compile their top four results this year in hopes to finish within the top three on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series to earn their shot at an ASP World Junior Title.

Asing battled through the tough conditions on offer at South Huntington Beach Pier this afternoon, blasting strong outside turns on the set-waves and managed to work his way through the infamous reform, finishing each wave with strong maneuvers.

“There weren’t too many waves, but I just tried to wait my turn and get the best waves I could,” Asing said. “Luckily it worked out.”

Asing, who was a finalist at the ASP Grade-3 Arnette Pro Junior last month, earned his first ASP Pro Junior victory of the year, cementing him as the top Hawaiian in the regional ratings.

“I’m really happy with my results this year,” Asing said. “I’m getting on a roll this year and I just want to keep it going.”

Asing’s victory was almost cut short. The talented regular-footer earned his Final berth with a last-minute effort to advance out of his Semifinals heat, which proved to be crucial in his Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure victory.

“I’m so excited,” Asing said. “I never thought I’d make the Final, but I just kept chipping away and did what I had to make the Final. I was a little bit frustrated, there were no waves, and I knew there had to be one wave. Everyone had low scores and I knew I could get what I needed to advance. I just did what I had to do to make that heat.”

Perillo overtook the lead early in the Final with two massive fins-free forehand turns on a Pier bowl right which earned him a seven-point-score, but was unable to find a backup wave to overtake Asing for the win and finished runner up at the premier event.

“You had to make sure to get the set-waves and be in the right spot,” Perillo said. “If you’re too far to the left of the bowl, behind the bubble, you can’t get the waves,” Perillo said. “I was in position for the set waves, but I just didn’t get in to them, it’s my fault.”

The impressive result by the stylish regular-footer marks his third Final appearance of the 2009 ASP North America Pro Junior Series season. After missing the Arnette Pro Junior due to unfortunate circumstances, Perillo has now been a finalist in every event he’s entered this year.

“This result will help me because I finished above everyone that was ahead of me on the ratings,” Perillo said. “It’s good to have made the Final in each event so far. I’m hoping I can do well again at the U.S. Open.”

Thompson was a top performer throughout the event’s entirety, but was unable to find a rhythm in the Final, finishing third overall and the Floridian talent was thrilled to capitalize on the heightened points available at the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure.

“I’m super stoked to have made the Final in a Grade-4,” Thompson said. “It’s hands down the biggest event of the whole year and to make this Final, you’re guaranteed to walk away with so many points. To make the Final in this event, it’s really hard, there are so many good guys and I never thought I would have made it.”

The explosive east-coaster utilized his familiarity of the small mushy conditions on offer in Huntington reminiscent of his home in Florida to earn the crucial result while topping standout performers such as defending ASP North America Pro Junior Series Champion Cory Arrambide (Ventura, CA), 20, on the way to his crucial result.

“These conditions remind me of home,” Thompson said. “It’s small and mushy and it’s really a dogfight for waves out there. There are not many waves and everyone is scratching for them when they come. I guess I’m pretty used to it, the small waves and the bumpiness, but it’s hard for everyone. No matter how good you are it’s really hard.”

Wilson also turned heads on the way to his fourth place finish. The Newport Beach local earned his first ASP Pro Junior Final at the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure, significantly helping his cause on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series after a Semifinals finish at the ASP Grade-3 Arnette Pro Junior last month.

“This is my first Pro Junior Final ever and it’s a Grade-4, so I’m so stoked,” Wilson said. “I made the Semifinals in Newport and now I’m in the Final so this is really going to help my rating. Hopefully I’m up there now.”

For all of the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure pres. by Jack’s Surfboards highlights look below.

For additional ASP information log on to aspworldtour.com or aspnorthamerica.org.

Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure Final Results: 1- Keanu Asing (HAW) 13.00 2- Dillon Perillo (USA) 11.00 3- Evan Thompson (USA) 10.20 4- Chase Wilson (USA) 9.50

Having fun with an assortment of Pentax cameras. The Pentax K7 deep in the jungles of the Mentawai Islands

I got a chance to shoot the Billabong Malaysia Team Riders in the Mentawai Islands. Good waves, Good times, and Great food!

Most of the images shot with the new Pentax K7 with a variety of lenses. The K20 and Optio w60 were also used. These are a sample of teaser images. I will upload full resolution samples as soon as the production firmware is released.

Optio W60 mounted on the original Joby Gorilllapod. A group shot of the boys from California and Singapore the morning prior to our departure for Padang, Indonesia.

In any adventure, the quickest way to start is to dive headfirst. Luis getting it started. Pentax K20 & DA 10-17

The machine like perfection of the Mentawai islands. "Icelands" at a solid 10' face. Pentax K7, DA* 300 with intentionally long shutter to soften the lines of the wave.

Billabong Malaysia's Mamat Daud, doing an effortless air re-entry at "Bang-Bang's"

Frolicking in the small surf. On our last day, we chose to relax and have fun surfing smaller waves at "telescopes." Mamat spraying Khairil and Laurie on the multipurpose air mattress. The beauty of the K7 is it's speed. I was able to reel off 6 frames in a little over 1 sec to yield the precise frame that i wanted to display the peak moment.

The best way to experience any surf destination is to live among the indigenous people. Most people use charter boats and stay at sea. We wanted to immerse ourselves and exchange culture. Dr. Ed and Luis gomez strolling through town, Sipura Island, Mentawais. Pentax K7 DA* 16-50 f2.8

Locals stroll through the Main street. Pentax K7 and DA* 60-250

Keene going native, and harvesting a few coconuts. Pentax K7 & Da* 60-250

View of the local suburb. Pentax K7 & DA* 60-250

Khairil Satusuku initiating a laid back snap. Another example of the K7's speed and ability to precisely capture the most decisive moment. Pentax K7 & Da* 300 f4, taking in all the splendor of "bang-bangs" near Siberut island, Mentawais.

One of the rare photos of the "surfdoc" while trolling for Giant Trevally and Big tuna. The beauty of this trip was that we surfed all day, Fished by nightfall, and ate our catch over dinner.

Khairil exiting one of the deep tubes at "Icelands." Pentax K7 DA* 300 f4

Uh-oh, Luis getting snaked by Morgan. I like the compression achieved from using telephoto lenses. Pentax K7 with DA* 300 f4

Some kook from new zealand who wasted a perfect barrel. I didn't bother to post the wipeout sequence (it looked too painful) Pentax K7 with DA* 300 f4

An empty perfect tube at Icelands. K7 & DA* 300
Joel Maguire staring deep into the teeth of the dragon. Nipussi's Giant right hander Pentax K7 & DA* 300 f4

Local security guard watching over the boards. Pentax K7 & DA 10-17 fisheye

The Mentawai Islands are deep Malaria Country. Thanks to Surf-Aid and their instruction of proper prophylaxis, the incidence of Disease has been well managed among the local population. Here the boys are using mosquito nets to deter the wicked Anopheles.

The dreaded Anopheles mosquito characteristically bites during dusk and dawn, coincidentally the best light for photography. Hence, there are limited shots during the Golden hours. Pentax K7 & DA* 16-50

Local Surfer. Pentax K7 DA* 16-50

Khairil's great catch. The Giant Trevally made for some delicious steaks!!

Morning breakfast at the homestay.

A Bintang celebration.

This was just a teaser, more action and lifestyle images to follow displaying the Weather sealed utility of Pentax Cameras and lenses. A big thanks to the boys at Billabong Asia, the beautiful people of Sippura, Mentawais and Pentax for delivering on the K7, a mold breaking camera that may ultimately cause a paradigm shift for professional photography as we know it. - the surfdoc, Mark Dimo Dimalanta

Initial Impressions of the Pentax K7

It's the eve of my biggest photo/surf trip.  I'm uncertain if the insomnia is from the worldwide press release of the new Pentax K7,  or the excitement of the upcoming trip.  

A classic look of the K7 mounted to the FA Limited 77 f1.8,  supported by the Joby SLR Zoom Gorillapod.

Pentax K7 mounted to DA 15 Limited

Well it seems many “in the know”, or related to those in the know have taken the liberty to break embargo earlier than usual. Globally, as the official announce time neared, many sources started to leak info like that of a flood. I chose to break news at the official time. Discussion forums were buzzing, and servers were getting jammed up, and you could sense a New Era for Pentax.

 By now, there are many sources (like DPR), which show size comparisons, detailed angles, and discuss specifications. So to avoid being redundant, I will make a few comments about my initial impressions, provide only web scaled small images, and highlight what I enjoy most about the new “K.”  The info you find here is “official”  and over the next few days, I will blog about how I intend to utilize this camera as I float through Los Angeles, Singapore, Japan, Sumatra,  on into my final destination of Kandui and the Mentawai Islands.

Simplified setup for travel editorial assignments: Pentax K7, DA 15, DA* 60-250, DA 35, DA 70, Joby SLR Zoom Gorillapod, Tamrac Express 7 messenger bag, Tamrac N25 shoulder strap

I usually travel with 2 setups, one for water use and the other for land based shooting.  This usually amounts to about 40 pounds of excess gear and a sore back.  On this trip I will streamline the equipment to complete a travel assignment while in Singapore and using only water-based equipment for the Surfing end of the trip.  I intend to use mostly the DA* lenses for their weather sealed designs which are a great utility whole shooting from the channel in a boat. In lieu of a traditional tripod and to save on weight,  I will use Joby Gorillapods.

 

What I really enjoy:

 1. The shutter is well dampened, nearly silent, and solid in its operation

2. 5.2 FPS (40 JPG Continuous Hi /15 Raw PEF, 14 RAW DNG)

3. Viewfinder with 100% field of view

4. Improved low light AF performance and AF algorithms 

5. “Green” almost subdued focus assist lamp (it operates quick and efficiently and more subtle than a bright white light)

6. AF tracking in AF-C is vastly improved

7. The AF point selector toggles faster than on K10/K20

8. The mode dial locks in place with a centrally located release button

9. When in portrait mode, the rear LCD will orient itself in the portrait view as well.  (No more tilting of head to read info.)

10. The dust removal system is now “hypersonic”, no longer a vibration, but a high frequency shake that is almost inaudible.

11. 3” TFT IPS LCD (it’s the same LCD technology used in the best color proofing monitors) improved clarity, anti-glare, and with 921,000 dot resolution

12. Longer battery life 900+ shots per charge

13. Magnesium alloy shell over stainless steel chassis (can operate at temps 14 – 104 degrees F)

14. 77 Multi Segment metering

15. EV comp is +/- 5

16. HD video recording at 720p (1280x720 resolution with 16:9 aspect ratio) at 30 FPS

A sample of speed & focus accuracy:

Sample shots with K7 & DA* 60-250

More to follow...

A Day at Disneyland with an Arsenal of Pentax Glass

Since the waves have been flat,  I took my family to "the Happiest Place on Earth"  and shot casual family photos with a variety of lenses...

Rather than shooting brick-walls, or focus charts,  I simply put the gear through its paces and if it suits my needs I am happy,  if not I either synergize, adapt, or move on.

These are just random samples of the kind of shots that are usable for me in order to preserve the important events that happen in our lives.  The one thing that makes Pentax a pleasure to use is the smaller size and compact nature of the equipment.  I can see myself in the future taking along simply a K-? with an all new Weather Resistant Kit lens to suit all my shooting needs on a typical fun filled family day,  especially for all the Water rides!!  Happy Summer!

All images shot with a Pentax K20 and the various lenses listed

DA* 60-250, 1/250 f4.5 iso 560

DA 35 ltd, 1/125 f3.5 iso 400
DA 35 ltd, 1/1000 f2.8 iso 400
DA 35 ltd, 1/60 f3.5 iso 400
DA 35 ltd, 1/125 f3.5 iso 1100
DA 35 ltd, 1/250 f2.8 iso 800
DA 35 ltd, 1/45 f4 iso 800 + built in flash
DA 35 ltd, 1/45 f5.6 iso 800 (this was malia's expression after being told she was "too short" for the ride)
DA 15 ltd, 1/45 f5.6 iso 800
DA 15 ltd, 1/15 f5.6 iso 800 SR
DA 35 ltd, 1/10 f4.5 iso 800, built in flash
DA 35 ltd, 1/8 f4 iso 800, SR (HANDHELD)
DA 15 ltd, 1/8 f5.6 iso 1100, SR (HANDHELD)

Image Samples with Pentax's DA* 60-250 f4

I have been playing around with my new all weather sealed DA* 60-250.  Yes, this mythical lens does exist.  I've actually had it for a while now,  but only recently started viewing the images shot with it.  

First off,  it has excellent build quality, in-line with all of the DA* lenses,  smooth rotating barrels with the perfect dampening feel, accurate and swift AF (I find the AF start to finish from near to infinity quick and responsive,  much faster than the DA*300) and a useful tripod collar when the weight begins to bare down.

The gem about this lens,  is its functional zoom focal length,  perfect for outdoor sports,  and for me it gives me more flexibility when shooting surfing from an elevated vantage point,  such as a pier.

Being a telephoto zoom allows you to really take advantage of "compression"...

"Modern meets Classic"

Comparison of focal length extremes

60mm:

250mm:

AF tracking,  and action photos to follow...

The Man who can unify the Philippines...

Manny striking a pose “a la Bruce Lee” (my 2 all time heroes in one)

 “Pound for pound, the greatest fighter of all time”.  Prior to last Saturdays mega fight, (which apparently jumpstarted the American Economy, at least for Las Vegas and if only for a weekend) there were mixed emotions on such a bold statement.  However, after seeing the “single greatest knockout punch of all time” –Emanuel Steward/HBO, it is far too hard to dispute this obvious fact.

 

Manny Pacquiao single-handedly saved the sport of boxing, revived pay per view, and gave Las Vegas an Economic boost as never seen before in previous fights.  You have to consider that despite the economic slow down, a time for Americans to conserve, Manny was able to pack Sin City in a way like no other.  For those who made the journey this past weekend, the traffic to and from could be an indicator of the weekend’s success.  Even the CES, Consumer Electronic Show, the largest convention in the world couldn’t sell out Vegas, like what the Manny-Hatton fight achieved.

 

 “Manny’s ability to land a punch and slip a punch at the same time, shows unbelievable coordination and timing... utterly amazing…” –Emanuel Steward/HBO Boxing.  

One thing I noticed about Manny's recent training sessions beginning with the final of the Pacquiao-Morales trilogy until present was that he was attaining technical perfection.  Not only is he the smartest fighter out on the mat,  but he seems to be the most technically perfect boxer,  and at his prime.  As witnessed here,  Manny successfully lands a punch while slipping one at the same time.  It was the type of offense/defense combination that floored Hatton. If you get a chance to watch the HBO replay,  or catch an online upload, watch the first knockdown punch in slow-mo.  The way that he landed his knockout blow perfectly,  and slips away from Hatton's left hook with finesse is utterly amazing.  

 I have been following Manny’s career since the 90’s during my medical years training in my home country of the beautiful Philippine Islands.  I always thought to myself,  “if I only had enough Capital, I would promote this guy, myself…” It’s amazing to see the kind of fighter, but better still, the kind of Man that Manny has become.

more subtle details you might not know can be read here:

The Pac-Man "Ripple" Effect,  Mark Dimalanta for Philippine Star Lifestyle

more to come in a series...  "Manny Lights up Vegas"

Official Pentax K Images...

With all the web-leaks prior to the official announcement, I keep being bombarded by images from people's workspace revealing the latest cameras.  I know we are all eager for the next DSLR release, so much so, that it is the hottest topic over at Pentax Forums.

Some clues are intentionally blurred, some are laid in a series with prior Pentax models, and some are just hiding in corners of all places, like a jacuzzi from some fine chap's reading chair, amidst California's sunny skies.  

Well, I said to myself... "Self... don't leave yourself out of the drama :)" So here goes, here are my additions to the leak pool.  

"My Official K photos" 

As you can see: "Pentax K" a retro-analog looking DSLR.

Rear view reveals a 2x2" LCD perfect for taking passport style pictures.

No, in all seriousness, I couldn't help but fuel the fire. I hope i didn't anger anyone. Lets just sit back and relax and wait for the new announcement. Something tells me its gonna be a whopper. In the meantime, lets get out there and shoot!

On a side-note, I apologize for not being too active over the web forums, because I have been enjoying all the precious moments with my 1 yr. old daughter. 

Lately, I have been getting back into the swing of things.  Some of us photogs. are working out there, but i do get a chance to browse the forums from time to time. In 3 weeks, I will be leaving for the Mentawai Islands to shoot for Billabong Asia and will post more landscape and extreme action surfing. Stay tuned...

Here is a shot taken today (4/27/09) of my all time hero who has been revered as the "best fighter pound for pound", the champion of champions, and the pride of the Philippine Islands, Manny Pacquiao. He fights Ricky Hatton this weekend in VEGAS. GO MANNY!

Pentax K20d, Pentax FA 35 f2.