Ben is determined to learn to surf. In the rough North Atlantic waters near his home, only the tough can make it on the water. His first attempt is a disaster. Then he meets Ray, a surfing veteran from California. Ray promises to teach him to surf—and to face his inner demons. As Ben becomes more comfortable on his board he learns to face his fears and prove that he has what it takes to become a Wave Warrior.
'A classic tale of sporting rivalry' Observer 'The tales are gripping ... surfing emerges as a dangerous, solitary and potential fatal obsession' Telegraph 'A fascinating glimpse into obsession' Independent A gripping true story of a tragic and bitter rivalry in the world of surfing Winter. Mid-eighties. Hawai'i. Two surfers are battling for supremacy at Waimea Bay, home to the biggest waves in the world. Old-school, and some say too old, Ken Bradshaw commands respect with his fearlessness and fearsome temper. Mark Foo is the new kid on the block. Icon of the younger generation, this photogenic Chinese-American wows the crowds with his lightning repertoire of cool moves. One perfect day at Sunset Beach, Foo audaciously steals a wave from under Bradshaw's nose, sparking a bitter feud that is to last for over ten years and end in tragedy.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Alex Kershaw, New York Times bestselling author of Against All Odds, returns with an utterly immersive, adrenaline-driven account of D-Day combat. “Meet the assaulters: pathfinders plunging from the black, coxswains plowing the whitecaps, bareknuckle Rangers scaling sheer rock . . . Fast-paced and up close, this is history’s greatest story reinvigorated as only Alex Kershaw can.”—Adam Makos, New York Times bestselling author of Spearhead and A Higher Call Beginning in the predawn darkness of June 6, 1944, The First Wave follows the remarkable men who carried out D-Day’s most perilous missions. The charismatic, unforgettable cast includes the first American paratrooper to touch down on Normandy soil; the glider pilot who braved antiaircraft fire to crash-land mere yards from the vital Pegasus Bridge; the brothers who led their troops onto Juno Beach under withering fire; as well as a French commando, returning to his native land, who fought to destroy German strongholds on Sword Beach and beyond. Readers will experience the sheer grit of the Rangers who scaled Pointe du Hoc and the astonishing courage of the airborne soldiers who captured the Merville Gun Battery in the face of devastating enemy counterattacks. The first to fight when the stakes were highest and the odds longest, these men would determine the fate of the invasion of Hitler’s fortress Europe—and the very history of the twentieth century. The result is an epic of close combat and extraordinary heroism. It is the capstone Alex Kershaw’s remarkable career, built on his close friendships with D-Day survivors and his intimate understanding of the Normandy battlefield. For the seventy-fifth anniversary, here is a fresh take on World War II's longest day. Praise for The First Wave: “Masterful... readers will feel the sting of the cold surf, smell the acrid cordite that hung in the air, and duck the zing of machine-gun bullets whizzing overhead. The First Wave is an absolute triumph.”—James M. Scott, bestselling author of Target Tokyo “These pages ooze with the unforgettable human drama of history's most consequential invasion.”—John C. McManus, author of The Dead and Those About to Die
Like the ocean, the marketplace constantly changes and today's cresting?reward?becomes tomorrow's crashing?risk. Even the best surfers fall, but they learn from their wipeouts and paddle back out again, knowing that with big waves come big opportunities. Innovation expert Louis Patler explores why 8 out of 10 business ventures fail and offers lessons learned from elite athletes that apply to business.?Before you venture out, take some advice from unlikely experts: Big Wave surfers who ride waves the size of a five-story office building using only a 9-foot piece of styrofoam. Like successful entrepreneurs, they must rely on preparation, planning, patience, and passion--and they relish a challenge. Packed with stories of innovators, entrepreneurs, and legends, Make Your Own Waves reveals 10 Surfer's Rules that will guide entrepreneurs and innovators including: Learn to swim--the basics set the stage for everything Get wet--you can't succeed if you stick to the shore Always look "outside"--watch for what's coming or you may miss a better opportunity Commit, charge, shred--you have to go all out to be all in Never turn your back on the ocean--always stay in touch with the marketplace and the customer Stay stoked--desire drives success Discover the do’s and don’ts for innovators and entrepreneurs that will lead you to success.
For 50 years Heavy Weather Sailing has been regarded as the ultimate international authority on surviving storms at sea aboard sailing and motor vessels. The first edition was compiled by Kaines Adlard Coles himself in 1967. Since then technology may have improved, but the weather certainly hasn't. This is the seventh updated edition, edited by racing yachtsman Peter Bruce, ensuring that in its 50th year the book remains as relevant and as essential as it has been for the previous five decades. The book brings together a wealth of expert advice from many of the great sailors of the present, including fresh accounts of yachts overtaken by extreme weather, from Ewan Southby-Tailyour, Alex Whitworth and Peter Cook to Larry and Lin Pardey. It also includes a new Foreword by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Britain's most high profile yachtsman of the past 50 years. The expert advice section has been updated in line with current thinking, and there has been a major update to the chapter focusing on the use of storm sails as well as to the use of drag devices. The technique of taking refuge has been reviewed and updated, and the chapters dealing with preparations for heavy weather and its effect on yacht design have been overhauled. These revisions ensure that Heavy Weather Sailing is as relevant, useful and instructive for today's sailor venturing offshore as it ever was – perhaps more so in the light of tragic disasters like the loss of the Cheeky Raffiki mid-Atlantic on a delivery trip after her season racing in the Caribbean. This is the definitive book for crews of any size contemplating voyages out of sight of land anywhere in the world, whether racing or cruising. It gives a clear message regarding the preparations required, and the tactics to consider when it comes on to blow.
