• Velzy dead • Waimea wins two in Friday night KYBA • Prince of Sumo dies Velzy dead MISSION VIEJO, Calif. — Dale Velzy, a surfing pioneer who helped popularize the sport along the California coast and was once the
• Velzy dead
• Waimea wins two in Friday night KYBA
• Prince of Sumo dies
Velzy dead
MISSION VIEJO, Calif. — Dale Velzy, a surfing pioneer who helped popularize the sport along the California coast and was once the world’s biggest surfboard maker, has died at the age of 77.
He died Thursday of lung cancer at the Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo, hospital administrative supervisor Brian Noakes said Monday.
Velzy also helped launch the surfing-movie genre by providing money for the 1957 film “Slippery When Wet.”
“Velzy’s lasting legacy is the billion-dollar surf industry,” said Sam George, global editor for Surfer Magazine. “He created the archetype and everyone has followed it: Get the hottest guys to ride your equipment, get a photo of it, and market it.”
Velzy built his reputation by putting a brand on his surf-board designs.
His most famous board was the “Pig,” which debuted in 1955 and is now a collector’s item priced at more than $3,000.
By the late 1950s, Velzy was considered the world’s largest surfboard manufacturer, operating five shops and two factories that sold as many as 200 custom-built boards a week.
He made boards for such legendary surfers as Duke Kahanamoku, George Downing and Mickey Dora.
Waimea wins two in Friday night KYBA
The Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association (KYBA) Waimea girls took two in Friday night’s games at Kalaheo as the GU12 squad was led by Jayme Jacinto‘s 11 points in beating Gee’s Angels, 33-15.
Lauren claypole and Jessilyn Aki each finished with four points for the Angels.
In the GU14 contest, Aiko Grande netted a dozen points to lead the Minihune to a 29-25 showing over Team Swish who got a game-high 13 points from Kelsey Cadiente in the effort.
Justin Ramos netted 18 points as the Lihu‘e On Fire roared past the G-Unit, 66-13 with Alex LaMadrid leading the G-Unit with seven points.
Prince of Sumo dies
TOKYO — Mitsuru Hanada, the “Prince of Sumo” who hailed from one of the sport’s most to the second-highest rank of ozeki, died Monday at 55.
He died at a Tokyo hospital, the Japan Sumo Association said. NHK public broadcaster said the cause of death was oral cancer.
Hanada, more commonly known by his title as stablemaster Futagoyama, spent a 16-year career in the ring.
He was the father of the immensely popular brothers, former yokozunas Takanohana and Wakanohana, who dominated the sport in the 1990s.
Hanada also fought under the ring name of Takanohana.
He rose to sumo’s top makuuchi division at the record early age of 18 under the training of his elder brother, Katsuji, the first Wakanohana and also a grand champion.
But he never reached sumo’s top rank of yokozuna despite winning two Emperor’s Cups. He retired in 1981 and became director of the Japan Sumo Association.
