GoodVibrations:FokaiJapan

GoodVibrations:JustAddWater

When Southern California surfer Jodie Nelson set out Sunday to standup-paddle nearly 40 miles from Santa Catalina Island to Dana Point, she hoped it’d inspire her best friend, who has been involved in a long and exhausting struggle with breast cancer, to keep fighting.

Nelson, 34, whose mother and aunt are cancer survivors, also hoped her nine-hour test of endurance would raise money for two cancer charities and heighten awareness about a plight affecting millions of women.

What Nelson could not have known was that a 30-foot minke whale would swim alongside her 14-foot board and accompany the surfer as she stood and paddled for two of those nine hours, thus joining the cause.

“It was a day that all of us involved will never forget,” Nelson said, in reference to Angela Robinson, her best friend, and the rest of a crew aboard an escort boat.

Minke whales are not commonly seen off Southern California, and those spotted by boaters are often elusive. So when a mammal Nelson named Larry joined her endeavor to become the first woman to make this long paddle, she took it as a sign.

“To me it was a total God thing,” the San Clemente resident said. “We prayed at 4 that morning that God would reveal his beauty and creation and nature, and allow me to endure this long trek, so for me it’s not such a huge surprise that this happened.”

Larry did not merely swim close to Nelson. He rolled around repeatedly alongside her and blew bubbles beneath her board. A film crew was on the escort boat and CNN, Fox News and ABC are just some of the networks she says are interested in the story and footage.

Alisa Schulman-Janiger, an American Cetacean Society whale researcher, said minke whales can be friendly but added: “This type of quality encounter is highly unusual.”

Nelson raised only about $6,000 in advance of the paddle, disappoingtingly short of her target of $100,000 for the Keep a Breast Foundation and Boarding for Breast Cancer. A few of her celebrity friends let her down, she said, but when this story reaches a national audience she expects the pool to grow considerably.

“I thought, ‘I don’t need so-and-so,’ ” she said of a particular celebrity, whom she declined to name. “Because I honestly feel like Larry is going to help us reach the $100,000 mark with our fundraising effort.”

Larry or no Larry, completing a standup paddle over 39.8 miles of ocean and sharks speaks volumes about Nelson’s strength, stamina and determination.

Larry took her mind off the task for two magical hours, but her mind never strayed from the cause. “I can’t even begin to compare what I did to what cancer patients are going through,” she said. “But I wanted to put myself out there in a dangerous and scary, overwhelming situation; something that was big and just to show people that you can win that battle with that big, scary thing called cancer.

“I wanted to draw some kind of parallel and just encourage people to keep fighting.”

Those wanting to help Jodie with her mission can do so via her page on the Keep a Breast Foundation website.

http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/16812/california+surfer+receives+whale+of+an+escort+during+marathon+paddle/

FokaiAmphibiousDivision:Pohnpeii2010

http://www.pohnpeisurfclub.com/

GoodFridayAndGoodVibrations

FokaiFutbol:CongratulationsGuamShipyard

2010 GFA CUP CHAMPIONS –> GUAM SHIPYARD!! FOKAI FUTBOL 1008! Add another star!

NewStuffInAtTHeFokaiShop

ONRA:March25th,2010

Hafa adai.
Congratulations to the new 155-pound Desert Rage champion Herman Torrado, and to Frank Camacho, who won four matches on the way to a gold medal in the 183-189 pound division of last weekend’s Grapplers Quest.
Also of note, the Guam Amateur Boxing Federation will hold an amateur boxing competition at 6 p.m. March 27 at Rudy Raval’s gym in Harmon. It is part of a series of qualifying tournaments for the Pacific Games in New Caledonia.
Trench Tech will be holding its second MMA Clinic in Tinian this weekend, while the Marianas Open BJJ and NoGi Championships is on the schedule for May 8 on Guam. Trench Tech has set the date for the Art Of War Grappling tournament for June 18 in Saipan.
While Saipan has set the date for Trench Warz 12 for May 21, Guam fight fans and competitors cross their fingers as Premiere Xtreme Combat is on standby for the questionable Guam Unarmed Combat Commission to give the go-ahead for another professional event.
With the stoppage of the recent Preba Hao, the GUCC exercised its power to regulate professional and amateur combatives. It seems that the public hearing with the commission on March 16 has only left promoters and athletes even more frustrated as the newly formed and industry-inexperienced commission has shamelessly stepped in to include all amateur combatives under its supervision. Peculiar.
Now, considering the dynamics of a collection of combat sports that has earned Guam competitors an impressive and fruitful legacy, and bearing in mind the understanding of the positive by-products that have risen from its ventures COMPLETELY unassisted by the past or current commission, here’s some thoughts to ponder for the guys coming in to take the driver’s seat.
In effort an to gain a better understanding, I got some words from major players in some of Guam’s combat sports milestones.

•Steven Shimizu, of the Marianas Open: “Make yourselves more accessible to promoters and try to learn the game and industry before seeking to regulate it.”

•Tony Bashaw, of the Marianas Open: “Show the people some credibility.”

•Cuki Alvarez, promoter of Trench Warz Saipan: “Try to transition slowly into an established venture in Guam combat sports. Don’t try to stop it. You’re supposed to work with the sport, not against it.”

•Eli Monge, promoter of PXC and PrebaHao: “Put people in charge who have been in the game, or at least even know it.”

•Steven Roberto, head coach Purebred Jiujitsu Guam: “Why get involved now? Your ignorance in our sport is displaying for Guam an ignorance in sport as a whole.”

What exactly are you bringing to this table? And what do you hope to accomplish with this commission?
Are you gathering notes from things you find in the Internet and cutting and pasting bits and pieces because you think it empowers the GUCC and makes you look structured and official? Or, are you cutting and pasting because you offer a well-calculated masterpiece in materializing your version of a Guam combat sports bigger picture?
Without any industry credibility of its own — it is very difficult to see any value that the commission will offer for an entity that has, in its hard work, been established across the globe. No disrespect intended here, but the sanctioning and approval that this inexperienced and questionable commission offers will not in any way make Guam more attractive in competitive martial arts or the competitive martial arts industry.
If protecting the fighters from flagrant promoters is your goal, how will the island see or feel the benefits of the commission stepping in to regulate or oversee jiujitsu tournaments and other amateur competitive martial arts when it hardly even know what jiujitsu is, when you don’t know where it has been and Let’s face it– when you don’t even know where it’s going.
From an educated fan’s perspective, we understand that it can’t be easy to piece together a commission intended to regulate a venture so wide, large and deep. But how can this commission help our sport to better establish itself when the commission itself is not sure-footed?
There is definitely room in the vehicle for Guam combat sports competition to have a commission, but my suggestion would be to get out of the driver’s seat and jump into the back of the truck, because not only does the wind feel good on your face but you can see a lot more.
and most importantly–so your hands will be free so you can take notes!
Power to the People.

Thanks for dropping by.

SincereThanksForIT&E

 

Photos By JohnathanBarber.

Thanks IT&E for providing me not only with superior products that keep me connected and streamlined with work and play–but also with the island’s proven leader in mobile communication service.

ConnectionIndeed.SainaMa’ase

RomanDelaCruz

Spotted:Cpt.F

So I was at a local MMA fighting event sponsored by Matt “the Wizard” Hume (AMC Kickboxing & Pankration out of Kirkland, WA). I was proudly wearing my Fokai shirt (one with large mask, CAPTAIN). One of the promoters at the fight stopped me and said my shirt was cool and asked if it was Fokai. I asked if he was from Guam and to my surprise he wasn’t. He is familiar with the brand, but thought it was out of Hawaii. I had to correct him so our little island can get props. Anyhow, you guys are recognized even at the smaller MMA events, just an FYI.

Cris Castro, P.E.

Familia:RestInPeaceVinniePeredo

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