WARNER BROS.
Chelsea Georgeson of Australia is the world's fifth-ranked woman surfer and was chosen to live with six other surfers in "Boarding House: North Shore."
‘North Shore’ breaks
TV viewers will get a glimpse
of the world of competitive
surfing, and it ain't all stoke
"Boarding House: North Shore": Debuts at 7 p.m. tomorrow on KFVE/WB
ONCE upon a time surfing was for fun, not money. Becoming one with the wave was more important than becoming No. 1 in contests, which were considered to be more social event than career builder.
The one-hour reality series "Boarding House: North Shore," premiering at 7 p.m. tomorrow on KFVE/WB, shows in part how money and ego has turned the "sport of kings" into fierce competitions involving thuggery by a few athletes who believe public waves are there for personal gain, going as far as to physically threaten non pros who get in their way.
The teaser opening the first of six episodes filmed last year during the Triple Crown competitions on Oahu's North Shore shows heavy partying and drinking; a female surfer wrestling with a counterpart; and Sunny Garcia, at 32 the oldest resident of the "Boarding House," shoving, then hitting a surfer who deigned to catch the same wave as the former world champion.
"Sunny gets in trouble again," the voiceover teases. "The surfing mecca where once a year there's surfing all day, partying all night ... chaos, fights, the whole deal ... (the North Shore) is a tight-knit community living right on the edge where the locals make the rules."
WARNER BROS.
Seven surfers were chosen to board at a North Shore house while training for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing competitions for the latest in reality TV. Clockwise from top left are Myles Padaca, Veronica Kay, Sunny Garcia, Danny Fuller, Chelsea Georgeson, Damien Hobgood and Holly Beck. The series debuts tomorrow on KFVE.
In the "Real World"-style series, or a real-life version of "Blue Crush," seven professional male and female surfers live in an oceanfront house near Sunset Beach while competing in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing contests. A camera crew follows the surfers training, surfing, playing and in the competitions.
Tonight's show introduces the heroes and villains:
>> Myles Padaca (Kauai): The reigning Vans Triple Crown of Surfing champion, is modest and honest about his desire to win contests to gain the prize money and sponsors he needs to support his fiancée and their expected baby.Garcia is trying to regain his surfing stature after suffering a serious leg injury last year while riding a motorcycle. In yet another surfing incident in the series, a surfer briefly drops in front of Garcia on a small wave and Garcia orders the man out of the water. On the beach the surfer attempts to apologize but Garcia turns Mike Tyson in striking the man.>> Damien Hobgood (Satellite Beach, Fla.): The 14th-ranked male surfer in the world.
>> Danny Fuller (Kauai): The young, mild-mannered rising star qualified for the semifinals of the Banzai Pipeline Masters last year
>> Veronica Kay (Encinitas, Calif.): The international face of Roxy surfwear, Kay is more inclined to party than prepare for the North Shore contests.
>> Holly Beck (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.): The top female extreme athlete in the Teen Choice Awards is the founder of International Women's Surfing (the women's union).
>> Chelsea Georgeson (Avalon, Australia): A young and of solid character in and out of the water, Georgeson is the fifth-ranked female surfer in the world.
>> Sunny Garcia (Oahu): Five-time Vans Triple Crown of Surfing champion is the self-appointed pit bull likely to keep viewers watching due to his temper. "In this sport it's every man for himself," he says. "I may be injured but I'm still dangerous."
Ironically, there's a later shot of Garcia dropping in a wave in front of a female surfer.
"I'm not a bad boy ... intimidation can always be played," Garcia says after punching a local surfer sitting in a truck. "I've been fined for abusing judges and breaking rules more than any surfer in the ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) history. You name it, I have done it. But ... I sure have a good time!"
The female surfers here have the most honest relationships and explain intelligently how their gender has been stereotyped by advertisers as beach bunnies rather than athletes.
Beck is serious about her surfing, going to bed early and waking before sunrise to train. Kay, however, prefers partying.
"Veronica is so different," Beck says. "She has no goal in life."
COMPETITION BEGINS at Haleiwa where Padaca, in his quest to repeat as Triple Crown champ, gets off to a poor start when he loses a heat and is eliminated from the competition. Garcia, bad leg and all, wins his heat.
WARNER BROS.
Kauai's Myles Padaca must do well in the surfing competitions in order to support his wife and baby on the way.
"I'm out to prove that I'm not washed up and that I'm not too old," says the age-sensitive Garcia. "I want people to understand that I am still dangerous."
And vicious.
During a dinner at the North Shore's Taste of Paradise, Garcia confronts a man he believes is flirting with his wife, Raina, 23. Garcia tells the tourist "This is my f...g place."
The man's apology angers Garcia further.
"I don't appreciate people f...g with my wife," he says.
The man then warns Garcia to end the discussion or "I'll wup your ass." The police arrive and the confrontation is defused.
"This is me ... this is how I am," Garcia says, defiantly into the camera.
"I hate stupid people," he says. "The North Shore is the place for the biggest idiots in the world."
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