Sun Kissed Beach Bum: Chick Sticks - Girls Only Chick Sticks Interview by Sun Kissed Beach Bum
Read the Full Article here... http://www.sunkissedbeachbum.com/2012/10/chick-sticks-girls-only.html
Chick Sticks Girls Performance Surfboards
Where Beauty meets Performance
Monday, October 22, 2012
Sun Kissed Beach Bum: Chick Sticks - Girls Only
Sun Kissed Beach Bum: Chick Sticks - Girls Only: I have recently been trying out lots of new surf boards, trying to find a shape and size that suits me - I want to find one that is good ...
WWW.CHICKSTICKSBYLOLA.COM
US Shaped Girl Friendly Performance Surfboards
WWW.CHICKSTICKSBYLOLA.COM
US Shaped Girl Friendly Performance Surfboards
Sun Kissed Beach Bum Chick Sticks Interview ~ Chick Sticks Girls Only!
http://www.sunkissedbeachbum.com/2012/10/chick-sticks-girls-only.html
Chick Sticks - Girls Only
Monday October 22, 2012
I have recently been trying out lots of new surf boards, trying to find a shape and size that suits me - I want to find one that is good for my current skill level, but also helps me progress faster... much, much faster! It did not occur to me that I might consider looking for a board that was custom made for girls... until that is, I spoke to Lola Blake.
Lola Blake is the owner of Chick Sticks - the only
surfboard brand in the US that offers performance boards specifically designed
for women. Chick Sticks provides a whole range of shapes - a Grom Thruster,
Competitive Thruster, Fish, Egg, Fun Shape and Mini Longboard shapes. And they
all include a 5 fin option set up, for versatility. Chick Sticks also produces skate boards for girls. Take a look at what they offer at the Chick Sticks website, and Facebook pages - Chick Sticks and Chick Sticks Bomb Squad.
I asked Lola why Chick Sticks Surf Boards are more suitable for girls than other brands... and here's what she said:
Chick Sticks starts with the highest quality blanks and offers the cutting edge board designs that the top guys' brands offer. Besides being Performance Shapes that cater to every wave condition and surf ability, from the beginner to the competitive surfer, Chick Sticks has made every board model 'Girl Friendly'. Softer noses, narrower tails for easier duck dives, a little more foam in all the right places for easier paddling and to get in to the waves. The deck widths fit a girl’s body better. My brand has been R&D tested by girls. My shapes were developed by me and my shaper. I’m a Girl brand making shapes designed for Girls and they work.
When did you start the business? What gave you the
idea?
I started
having custom boards shaped for me in 2010 - they were turning out really sick
and working really well for me. I wanted the 5-fin egg shapes and the fun
fishes, but the guys' brands I was buying were too wide, too big or too thin in
the tail. I’m super petite and just carrying them was a drag.
My friends loved my boards and wanted them too. One thing led to another and I decided to offer other girls what I had figured out. Sick looking performance surfboards modified for Girls, so they are easier to surf and look awesome. It was never supposed to be a business, it became one officially January 2011. I am just super Stoked to share Chick Sticks with Girls wanting to get in to surfing or take their surfing to the next level. My brand is all about Girl Power, empowering Girls to be the best they can be through surfing and skateboarding.
My friends loved my boards and wanted them too. One thing led to another and I decided to offer other girls what I had figured out. Sick looking performance surfboards modified for Girls, so they are easier to surf and look awesome. It was never supposed to be a business, it became one officially January 2011. I am just super Stoked to share Chick Sticks with Girls wanting to get in to surfing or take their surfing to the next level. My brand is all about Girl Power, empowering Girls to be the best they can be through surfing and skateboarding.
How long have you been surfing?
I
have been surfing only 5 years and am still a work in progress. I did my time on
the long boards and learned to surf on my surf instructors 5.9 fish. Everyone
told me I couldn't learn on a Shortboard but I could ONLY learn to surf on a
Shortboard. The whole reason I started having custom boards made with all these
changes was so that I could learn to surf on a shorty. And that's the whole
motivation behind Chick Sticks and how it came about. You can learn to surf on
all my boards except the Little Screamer. But I might have to take that back
because I just had a 10 year old go from an 8.0 foamie to my Little Screamer and
she is tearing it up in the white wash and moving to open face waves. She was
up on it the first time out. That's what makes what I do so rewarding, my
boards work. When I get an email from a girl thanking me it seriously touches
me so much, because I love and believe in what I do with all of my
heart.
Living at the beach in Costa Rica, I will not get a
chance to try one of Lola's boards any time soon. So, if you've tried a Chick
Sticks surf board I would love to hear about it - send us a message to tell us
what shape you have ridden and what you thought!
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Jetty Girl Magazine 21 Questions with Carrissa Moore and LOLA BLAKE ~ Chick Sticks
Posted by: Chris Grant Tags: amee donohoe, ashley beeson, asp women's world champion, bilandra chase, carissa moore, cori schumacher, di mattison, hayley gordon, heather hudson, jessi miley-dyer, kassia meador, kelly nicely, kim mearig, kim wooldridge, lauren otonicar, lola blake, margaux arramon-tucco, sara taylor, savannah fliers, serena brooke, shea hodges Posted date: February 19, 2012 | Comment
February 19, 2012
Presented by InsuranceSurfers.com
In Carissa Moore’s first full year on Tour, she accomplished what so many have predicted for her over the years of her young life, an ASP World Title. It’s difficult to imagine the kind of pressure she was under to accomplish the goal. While most surfers are given a number of years to find their footing in the pro ranks, you could almost feel the industry’s expectations that anything short of a world title would be a letdown. But there would be no slip-ups, no letdown, no unfulfilled goals …Carissa charged through the Tour schedule, pushed performance boundaries in a groundbreaking film and did so with Hawaiian grace and style.
After Carissa won her World Title, we planned to interview her as quickly as possible …but so did every other surf media outlet on the planet. By the time our turn came around, all my questions had been asked numerous times. Instead of rehashing what had already been said, we asked a group of former world champions, legends, filmmakers, industry folks, free surf pioneers and local groms to post up some questions for the new World Champ. I don’t think this has ever been done before …so thank you to all who participated. You have my deepest appreciation! –Chris
1. Asked by Heather Hudson, Executive Producer of The Women and the Waves
Heather Hudson: If you could go back to any era in surfing history and surf with anyone, who would you want to surf with and why?
Carissa Moore: I would probably want to go back two years and have a surf session with Andy (Irons) or go back to the early 90′s and surf with Rell (Sunn). Both people are great ambassadors to our sport and role models to me.
2. Asked by Kelly Nicely, Current #13 on the ASP Women’s Longboard World Rankings
Kelly Nicely: How has the tour changed for women in the past few years and how do you think the future of the women’s tour is headed as far as equality with men and women?
Carissa: I think the talent on the women’s tour has come so far the past few years. The girls are definitely pushing the limits of their performance. Unfortunately, the state of our tour is in what seems to be the worst it has ever been. I can only hope that one day we will have the same kind of following that the men have and we will gain more support and events.
3. Asked by Kim Mearig, 1983 ASP Women’s World Champion
Kim Mearig: Since you’ve won the world title so young, are you content or do you want to beat Kelly’s record?
Carissa: Haha, I don’t know if I will ever beat Kelly’s record or even come close but I would love to give the world title a run every year I am on tour.
4. Asked by Serena Brooke, ASP legend & owner of Serena Sportswear
Serena Brooke: What type of diet and training do you do to keep in shape, do you think it is important to your surfing?
Carissa: I think it is so important to eat right and train to perform at your best. You definitely could just surf and be amazing but for the overall package and piece of mind it’s great to be on top of those things as well.
5. Asked by Sara Taylor, freesurfer & video star of Circus Tricks, Illegal Turns, and Hayley Gordon’s Empty Lowers
Sara Taylor: If there was something you could change about the tour what would it be?
Carissa: If there was something that I could change about the tour it would be to have more events at amazing venues!
6. Asked by Cori Schumacher, Writer & 3x Women’s Longboard World Champion
Cori Schumacher: Within the realm of surfing, the sponsorship dynamic is one of the most influential socializing agents for young surfers. How old were you when you were first sponsored and can you remember if how you felt about yourself changed then? If so, how? When you made the shift from being sponsored by endemic surf companies to your current sponsors, did you feel a shift in yourself as well? If so, what did that feel like for you?
Carissa: I was very lucky and got sponsored when I was seven by Roxy. I was very naive and didn’t think much of it, just how cool it was to get a box of clothes every month! Also, when I made the shift from being sponosred by endemic surf companies to my current sponsors I didn’t really make a big deal of it. I think my family did a really good job of keeping things simple on the sponsorship end so I could just enjoy surfing.
Frontside carve at the US Open in Huntington Beach. © Chris Grant/Jettygirl.comKassia Meador: What is your favorite post shred snack?
Carissa: I love a nice green smoothie.
8. Asked by Shea Hodges, Hawaiian freesurfer & star of Shea Hodges: Freedom in Motion
Shea Hodges: It’s apparent that in the last few years the level of women’s surfing has increased dramatically. The widespread use of the internet and social media has helped create more of a “do it yourself” attitude for the aspiring surfer that doesn’t have the means to travel the tour and compete. Do you feel that women (like men) should have the option to be professional free-surfers and not only Tour surfers?
Carissa: Yea, I definitely think that women should have the option to be a professional free surfer.
9. Asked by Hayley Gordon, filmmaker & owner of Leashless.tv
Hayley Gordon: What was your greatest or funniest misadventure/disaster on your surf travels?
Carissa: Funniest misadventure was ….
10. Asked by Di Mattison, blogger, surfer & surf instructor extraordinaire
Di Mattison: What do you think about the “marketing image” available to women professional surfers? Why do you think it is that the guys are able to be marketed with a wide range of types – jock; punk; gangsta; artist; hippy; intellectual – and that there’s only one type for women: happy, sporty, beach babe? I do see that Steph plays her guitar and Sally is really into sports, but I don’t see their overall image(s) being far from the mark that the surf industry has set for women (image-wise).
Carissa: I know. I think it’s crazy that guys seem to be way more marketable when women are the ones who are way more into fashion and the way they look. I think all the women on tour have awesome personalities and something unique and special about them and just need to be marketed in the right way.
11. Asked by Lauren Otonicar, owner & creator of Tonic Haircare
Lauren Otonicar: What is your animal amalgamation? (If you could be a combination of 2 animals what would you be and why?)
Carissa: Bird and dolphin so I can fly and swim underwater for long periods of time.
12. Asked by Ashley Beeson, middle school shredder in the Western Surfing Association
Ashley Beeson: Do you have any tips on how to do those “sliding 360’s” frontside and backside? I want to learn how to do them myself.
Carissa: Just keep messing around with it and eventually you’ll figure it out. It is a shift of weight from the front to back to front again. The key to spinning is getting the fins out of the water. To get the movement down, take the back center fin out, that’s what I did in the beginning, shhhh.
13. Asked by Kim Wooldridge, 14-year veteran of the ASP Women’s World Tour
Kim Wooldridge: Which women surfers did you look up to or were inspired by when you first started surfing?
Carissa: Layne Beachley, Rochelle Ballard, Megan Abubo…
14. Asked by Amee Donohoe, ASP Women’s World Tour veteran and contest director of the annual RA Girls Surf Show
Amee Donohoe: Being the most progressive female surfer ever and inspiring generations, how are you keeping yourself inspired to continue to push your level of surfing? I watch your free surfing and your contest surfing and you go big with such flare but are you secretly attempting “sex change varials” now that the judges know what they are?
Carissa: Haha, well thank you, I am so flattered. My dad is definitely the one to thank for pushing my level of surfing. He is the one who helps me think out of the box, challenges and encourages me to go bigger. Also working with guys like Shane Beschen, Myles Padaca and Pancho Sullivan have inspired me so much. Being around their male energy is so new and exciting.
15. Asked by Lola Blake, President & CEO of Chick Sticks by Lola
Lola Blake: Do you have a pre-heat ritual that you do or think to yourself before your competitions?
Carissa: I always sit down and have a quick chat with my dad before paddling out, listen to some Eminem and Bieber and say a little prayer.
2011 ASP Women’s World Champ, Carissa Moore, ripping onshore peaks in HB. Photos © Chris Grant/ Jettygirl.com16. Asked by Cori Schumacher, writer & 3x Women’s Longboard World Champion
Cori Schumacher: How important has your heritage as a Hawaiian been in your approach to surfing and what is the most important aspect of this heritage for you?
Carissa: It’s definitely motivated me to want to do my best to represent my heritage. The most important part is being able to do something I love and having fun everyday. A lot of hardwork but it’s all worth it.
17. Asked by Jessi Miley-Dyer, ASP Tour veteran & 2012 ASP Women’s World Tour Manager
Jessi Miley-Dyer: You’re one of the only girls on tour I’ve seen donate their prize money to charity. We used to donate our time to various causes when we have been overseas but I’ve never given money (would love to but not exactly rolling in it, haha). Do you think that we should do more community work around the contests that we go to? Would you like to see more of it?
Carissa: I think we definitely should and I would love to see more of it. As professional surfers we get to travel the world and do something we love, how lucky are we?! I think it is important to give back to the communities that aren’t as fortunate but have given so much to us.
18. Asked by Margaux Arramon-tucoo, French artist, longboard stylist. Star of Hayley Gordon’s film, “This is Margaux”
Margaux Arramon-tucoo: Does surfing for a living, traveling, now being world champ and all that comes with it, inspire you in other areas of your life?
Carissa: Yes of course! I realize that my life is amazing and in order to keep it I just have to keep working hard at everything. It is all so worth it.
19. Asked by Savannah Fliers, local ripper & huge fan of Carissa Moore
Savannah Fliers: Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
Carissa: I hope raising a family, married, a teacher or a coach and of course still surfing!
20. Asked by Savannah Fliers, local ripper & huge fan of Carissa Moore
Savannah Fliers: What advice would you give to girls who want to catch more waves when surfing in a lineup surrounded by wave-hungry guys?
Carissa: Patience and time. If you put your time in at any spot and are respectful you will gain respect yourself and will catch waves. And as you improve the guys will want to watch you rip!
21. Asked by Bilandra Chase, Mom, installation engineer & the better half of NK Surfboards shaped by Raz
Bilandra Chase: You two have worked so closely for so many years. What did your dad say to you when you won the world title?
Carissa: My dad and I are best friends and seriously there is no person in the world that I would have wanted to share that journey with than my dad. He was stoked. When I won in France he gave me a huge hug and then said, “Knuckles. You did it!” Pretty awesome moment. One for the memory books for sure.
*Video courtesy of Red Bull
Additional Resources:
Carissa Moore’s Red Bull Profile Carissa Moore – Official Website, Biography, Surfing Photos & Videos Carissa Moore on Twitter
WSSM Magazine Meet the Designer LOLA BLAKE & CHICK STICKS
WSSM MEET THE DESIGNER ~ CHICK STICKS AND LOLA BLAKE
http://issuu.com/wssm/docs/wssm-smr-fll2012preview/3
==========================================================================
MEET THE (SURFBOARD) DESIGNER... Lola Blake
Designer’s name: Chick Sticks by Lola
WEBSITE: www.chicksticksbylola.com
1. Tell us about yourself, and how you got started in the surf-- and now, surfboard design business? (Did someone help you, did you got to school for it, what were some hurdles you had to clear, etc.)
MEET THE (SURFBOARD) DESIGNER... Lola Blake
Designer’s name: Chick Sticks by Lola
WEBSITE: www.chicksticksbylola.com
1. Tell us about yourself, and how you got started in the surf-- and now, surfboard design business? (Did someone help you, did you got to school for it, what were some hurdles you had to clear, etc.)
I eat, sleep and breathe my Chick Sticks and I Love every minute of
it!! I went from Racing PWC on the National Circuit to learning how to Surf and
was instantly hooked. Im pretty small so right away the bigger boards werent
working for me so I learned on my Surf Instructors little 5.9 shortie! I was
always the Kook with the Cool boards, painted, stickered, named, designs on the
deck with neon wax, you name it. I wanted to make boards that were the shapes
guys were riding designed for Girls. Ezera gave me my start in 2010. Dave's
(Pearson) in Nicaragua
2. Your surfboards are no ordinary boards with a few token flowers sprinkled on them-- making them "girl friendly". Tell us what makes your boards especially unique?
My boards are all Performance shapes for sure. Five of my eight
designs are 5 fin options. Every one has attention to the rocker, rails and
each shape offers something unique and specific for each skill level. I wanted
a full line up so I offer a Grom, Thruster, Fish, Egg, Fun Board, Mini Longboard
and traditional 8.0 and 9.0 longboards. I didnt want to leave any girls out.
3. What do you consider the top 3 most important things to consider when designing your surfboards?
The most important thing has always been that my boards WORK. And Girl
Friendly to me means, easier to paddle, narrower tails so easier to duck dive,
softer noses so a little more forgiving and lastly that they are beautiful. I
have 20 paint designs and more to come. I draw up my paint designs and take
them to my painter, I try to offer Girly Girl and Tomboy designs and things no
one else has ever done like Plaid.
4. What is your favorite design to date and why? (need high resolution photo of this one)
Definitely my Hoochie Mod. That design was a Custom 5 fin option
mini egg that I had shaped for me as a personal board and it turned out to be
such an Amazing board I added it to the line up at the last minute. It was a
modified version of the Hoochie Mama, so I started calling it Hoochie Mod. That
is really my flagship board now. It suits beginner to advanced, slop to heavy
surf. If I had know it would be the Queen of the Quiver I would have given it a
much better name!!
5. Future plans and goals?
I have 3 Chick Sticks Skateboards and I'd like to add a couple
Hybrid Boards, something Fun and Easy for Girls to Ride. Im introducing Snow
Boards this Fall. Im working with a Factory on my own designs for Board Shorts
and down the road my To Do List includes adding SUP Board to my Brand. Growing
my Surf School
6. Contact info for readers to buy your surfboards, follow you (twitter, FB?), etc?
My website is so fun please visit www.chicksticksbylola.com but I do
need to stop adding products LOL My twitter is @chicksticksgirl and Chick
Sticks FB page is http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/ChickSticks
Surf Sister Austrailia CHICK STICKS Interview
Narani
Henson
Producer
0410 837 854
(02) 6685 9651
We Love To Surf
|
Surf Sister Magazine
Chick Sticks ~
SURF
SISTER: Can you tell us the story behind
the start up of Chick Sticks? You talk
about your boards being " A full line of girls and womens
Performance surfboards with girl friendly shapes" can you talk about this
in more detail please?
LOLA: I was always buying ‘guys’ boards
because I wanted a performance board.
The selection for girls is terrible.
All the girls’ boards I saw had no shape whatsoever and you can barely
turn on them and they weren’t even cool looking. When I was first starting out everyone was
trying to put me on a 9.0 longboard, which I did and I hated it. I’m five feet tall and a little over a
hundred pounds and when I stopped listening to everyone and starting riding the
little fishes and thruster shapes the guys were riding I finally felt in control. I got sick of being stuck on the inside with
a huge heavy board. Once I learned how
to duck dive on the smaller boards Surfing got really fun and started to feel
more comfortable to me.
When I stopped buying used boards and I started
having customs made I knew what I wanted.
I wanted a board with a little more foam so I could catch waves easier,
not as wide so I could carry it, a softer nose and tail so it was more
forgiving and easier to ride and definitely some rocker so there’s less
pearling. The boards I was having shaped
were working so well, I was learning to surf on little 5.6 to 5.9 short boards. I never planned on Chick Sticks being a
company but once I started making them for myself, and my friends loved my
boards it was like, I have to make these for other girls. I started my business officially last year
and its growing like crazy. I have shops carrying them and sales reps and I
consider myself so blessed to be doing what I’m doing. Of course I’m not the shaper, Luiz Masuzzo is
my shaper. He and I took thruster, egg,
fish, fun board and longboard shapes, literally every shape you can make a
surfboard and with my input made them girl friendly and easier to ride. My board models are all my own programs, my
own shapes.
And by super performance, my shorties are the same
shapes the guys who rip surf. Five of my
eight board line up are five fin options including my 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 Bad
Betty longboard. I just love my boards,
they are Awesome!! And they all come
with full paint and you don’t pay extra.
I’m getting into some tomboy designs this year, I design my own paint
sprays it is so fun to be creative. I
have models for the Grommie Girl, a total beginner just starting out,
intermediate, advanced competitive surfer girls on up to 3 sizes of
longboard. I truly make a board for
every girl and every level of surfer.
SURF
SISTER: How long have you been
surfing/skating/snowboarding for?
LOLA: I’ve been Skateboarding my entire life,
that's my first love actually. When I was a kid I skated after school with my
friends and all day on the weekends. I Love Skating, it’s so fun!! And you can
basically do it anywhere. I grew up in Santa
Barbara
SURF
SISTER: Can you tell us a bit about surf
culture in CA?
LOLA: I honestly think that is so accepted here to
be a Surfer that its not uncommon for me to see guys, young and old, arrive
down at my Surf Spot in their business suits on their lunch break heading out
for a Sesh and then quickly changing and going back to work. Also, its tough getting boards made when theres
swell LOL shapers, glassers, painters, they are pretty much going to get a surf
in no matter what. And I love to see
families out with their little ones, teaching them how to surf. It’s awesome to live in a place (Southern California ) where the climate and the breaks are
so mild you can literally surf every day if you wanted to. And there’s literally a Surf Shop on almost
every corner, I love it.
SURF
SISTER: How many ladies are in the water
at your local break?
LOLA: I do see more Girls down at my break during
Summer. The Girl there that is the most
rippingest and surfs almost every day I recruited to run my Chick Sticks
Surf School
Your
Bio:
Lola Blake
Owner, Chick Sticks
Chick Sticks Factory
(760) 908-8600
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