A slight chill was in the air, and the autumn waves were firing along the Oregon Coast as the Newport surfing community showed up big for the first stop of The Inertia’s Hometown Hype Tour presented by White Claw. Local filmmaker Casey Felton created a fantastic tribute to the community, and all the local legends were in attendance to help celebrate this cool little Pacific Northwest surf scene.
“It was an excellent event,” said local surfboard shaper, Ryan Leboss, who donated a custom keel-fin fish for a raffle at the party, benefiting the local Surfrider chapter. “That was a lot of great energy for our little town.”
Newport, which is about an hour west of Corvallis, is the Dungeness crab capital of the world, with a healthy surf scene, pulling an eclectic group of wave riders together. Felton’s film illustrated that perfectly, showcasing the waves, the interesting characters, and the city of Newport itself – all aspects that make the region a hotbed for surfing in the Pacific Northwest.
Kirk Tice, a former pro surfer, QS warrior and local teacher, was one of those legends profiled in Felton’s film. He was overwhelmed by the adulation his local community showed him. “What a great night,” he said after. Tice has two sons, Trevor and Taylor, who also appeared in the film. Taylor is working to qualify for the Challenger Series (and perhaps the World Tour beyond that).
But the night belonged to the town of Newport and all of the city’s legends. A big shoutout to Ossies Surf Shop and Tastee Tiki for hosting a fantastic night. As well as Surfrider Oregon and Leboss Surfboards. The Inertia will premiere the full Hometown Hype Newport, Oregon film online this Thursday, October 16.
Next up, The Inertia heads to Sheboygan, Wisconsin on October 22, followed by Traverse City, Michigan on the 23rd. Stay tuned as we traverse the country during the Hometown Hype Film Tour presented by White Claw.
All photos by Jeremy Burke.
Find the dates for the six remaining events here and RSVP to attend our next premiere.
