Hossegor is as heavy and consistent as it gets in Europe. The sandbanks here shape waves that are fast, hollow, and unforgiving—more like mini-Pipeline than your average beach break. On a solid swell, the barrels get thick and intimidating, with heavy lips that punish any hesitation. Check out this latest edit by Adam Norris to see just how good Hossegor gets when it turns on.
Shot and edited: Adam Norris of Offshores Photo.
Words Demi Taylor
I’m speaking with Thomas Campbell on the eve of the World Premiere of his highly anticipated film Yi-Wo. “
I'm kind of a little bit of a lone wolf. I'm not super out in the public where I interact with people specifically that know even what I do, and that's on purpose,” he says. But if you’ve had even a passing interest in surfing and surf culture over the last 25 years, then you’ll be more than familiar with the work and influence of Thomas Campbell.
15-18 September, London Surf / Film Festival is bringing a special screening tour of Yi-Wo to the UK, hosting series one-off screenings in Cornwall, Devon, London and Newcastle. Details and tickets HERE
A surfer, skater, artist, photographer, sculptor and filmmaker, when Thomas Campbell’s seminal triptych of surf films first landed (The Seedling, followed by Sprout and The Present) they were hungrily devoured as a manifesto - a counter point for the counter culturalists. It was the reign of Layne. It was Occy’s comeback as he grabbed the crown vacated by Kelly Slater. Surfing was fast, furious and vertical. Thomas’s films slowed it right down, capturing the outliers, the avant-garde, the moments the moments in between. They catalysed a paradigm shift in the culture, that would see logs, fish and all manner of craft celebrated, redefining both the art of waveriding and the way we document it. Ten years in the making his latest audio-visual masterpiece Yi-Wo is set to do the same again.
Given the timing of this call, he’s surprisingly generous with his unhurried conversation. But it feels like this generosity of spirit has been a guiding force; the reference points for this latest opus are a nod to a life well lived. They are as broad and expansive as the resulting feeling you get from immersing yourself in the film. The idea was seeded with a 2014 trip to the firing points of Morocco with Dave Rastovitch, Lauren Hill and Trevor Gordon before spinning across the globe over the best part of a decade, collecting a cast of standout surfers revered for their style along the way – from Alex Knost and Karina Rozunko to Ryan Burch, Craig Anderson and more. “Everyone in the movie is just basically my favorite surfers,” says Thomas. “It’s a nice congregation of a group that has a lot of respect for each other and is excited to be together. I tried to relay that, and relay a sense of play and fun because, I think in a lot of times in surfing movies, you don't see that. It’s just all about performance, which is just such a small part of it.” There are costumes influenced by Cornish folkloric rituals and poetic prose, translated into Hawaiian by Cliff Kapono before being rendered back into English and transmogrified once again into a new form. Captured on 16mm by the world’s leading cinematographers and set to a mind-altering soundtrack, it’s art and surf movie all at once.
“With the first three films, I would say that those were more like educational films, at a point where people didn't have access to knowledge about riding different types of equipment or craft, “ explains Thomas. “And I kind of spelled it out like, ‘Hey, you could do this different stuff, you could surf like them. If you want to do that, ride this,’ That kind of stuff.” And as is often the way with the best stories, his ‘alternative’ perspective was driven by personal experience. “I grew up at Dana Point,” he explains, “My friends and I, we rode shortboards, longboards, 70’s single fins, we rode whatever, and that wasn't very normal, you know? But we had a very good longboard wave right by our house, and good shortboard wave and we’d go skateboarding in Laguna, so I just tried to document what I liked. (My first films) I felt they were set in a pretty traditional surf movie template - somewhat in the vein of like MacGillivray, Freeman, Witzig, Bruce Brown and stuff like that, but I tried to modernize it.”
But Yi-Wo is a departure, perhaps a more creatively expansive endeavour. “My last film, Ye Olde Destruction was a skateboarding film and I started to find a new voice, which I think parlays into this film,” says Campbell. “I would say that the intensity of life over the last eight or so years has inspired some deeper thinking. With this film I feel like that education part for me was done and I just wanted to go into a more creative space, it's more like that idea of it kind of opening up questions more than giving answers.”
“I played with different themes and stretched into places that can honour the depth of our existence…I feel like I'm kind of like a rock tumbler,” he explains with trademark underplay of the intensive creative process required to produce a film of this depth and level. “I just put the rocks in a long time ago, pretty jagged, and then they just tumbled in my brain for a long time, then they come out kind of smoothed out…”
On his hopes for the film, and what people take away from it, he says “I guess I would hope maybe people first off get inspired to go in the ocean and maybe, secondly, that it inspires them to just think about what they're up to, and what this life is, you know, hopefully in a positive, expansive way. But I surely don't know… I just feel like people need to have whatever experience they have, and I'm pretty sure they will.”
Don’t miss the Yi-Wo UK Tour - your only chance to catch the film on the big screen here:
15th SEPTEMBER > THE POLY, FALMOUTH, CORNWALL
17th SEPTEMBER > RIVERSIDE STUDIOS, LONDON
17th SEPTEMBER > TYNESIDE CINEMA, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Rewind to Sunday, October 20, 2024, when the necessary conditions were in place for one of the most incredible surf sessions in recent years in Mundaka. Two hundred people witnessed the event, and once again, everything was captured by the filmers present. Following the events, a dozen surfers were identified, detained, and interrogated to clarify what happened.
Film direction and edit: Jon Aspuru
Filmers: Paula Odriozola, Isio Noya, Edu Bartolome, Gaizko Fanarraga, Juan Lazkano, Joseba Larri, Gorka Ezkurdia.
Surfers: Aritz Aranburu, Diego Elejoste, Txaber Trojaola, Guille Amezaga, Jon Madariaga, Joseba Castresana,Álex Larrocea, Iker Acero, Eukeni Masa, Zumo , Ibon Yarritu, Ander Mendiguren, Natxo Gonzalez, Xan Atchoarena, Mike Dobos, Dani Alonso
The moment competitors were called from the water. Photo: Porthtowan surf photos
Our 2025 English Interclub Surfing Championships had to be cancelled on Sunday whilst surfers were in the water due sewage pollution.
Taking place in Porthtowan, with over 140 competitors from clubs across the country, we were informed by lifeguards that the beach was being red-flagged due to a sewage discharge. In response, we immediately called off the contest and asked all surfers to leave the water, as the health and safety of our competitors is paramount.
We were devastated to end the event early, especially with clean 3–5ft waves providing perfect competition conditions, and with such a high standard of surfing on display from the clubs.
As proud members of the Clean Water Sports Alliance, and in partnership with Surfers Against Sewage—who were also running a beach clean at the contest—we continue to call on the government to take urgent action on water pollution. Having to cut short such a major event only underlines the importance of ensuring our waters are safe and clean for everyone.
It was still an epic event & champions were crowned (see results post!). Here’s to hoping action is taken to clean up our water!
A huge thank you to all the clubs for the understanding. Thanks to all our sponsors, event staff, volunteers, competitors & everyone who had a part in making the weekend one to remember! See you in 2026!’
From sharks to seals to whales and everything in-between, Cape Town in South Africa is renowned for wildlife encounters in the water. But it’s rare for surfers to see a penguin, let alone share a few waves with one – until this little guy came along.*
(African Penguins are critically endangered. You can directly help efforts to save them by supporting organisations like SANCCOB)
“It was one the most incredible wildlife experiences I’ve ever had in my 25 years of photography. You know, down this beach, and around Cape Town, I’ve had interactions with whales, seals, dolphins, and even sharks, but I’ve never experienced anything quite like this…I’m pretty blown away to be honest.” Alan van Gysen
*It's important to note that the penguin interacted with surfers on its on accord, non of the surfers reached out to disturb this very curious little soul as it checked everyone out.
A short film by Now Now Media
presented by Monster Energy in association with O’Neill
Featuring Eli Beukes, Brendon Gibbens and others
Produced by Alan van Gysen
Written and Directed by Will Bendix
A surfer has escaped without injury after a frightening shark attack at an Australian beach. Helluva story to pass down the generations, thankfully no one was harmed.
Photo: @jamesonsurfboards_
Tweed Shire Council posted the following on their socials below.
At approximately 7.30am today, Surf Life Saving NSW was notified, via a 000 call, of an incident at Norries Headland, Cabarita Beach where a local surfer had a huge chunk bitten out of his surfboard. Lifesavers responded immediately. Drone monitoring was launched soon after and has continued throughout the day. Cabarita Beach has been closed since then as a precaution, while all other Tweed Coast beaches remain open and are being actively monitored.
A 5 metre White shark was caught and released from the SMART Drumline at Norries Headland, Cabarita Beach today at 9.52am and the shark was also spotted by Dorsal Shark Reports just after noon.
Last month, NSW Fisheries presented an update to Tweed Shire Council about their Shark Management Program and at that meeting, Mayor Chris Cherry asked if there were opportunities for additional drone surveillance in our shire - a call we have repeated today.
Tweed Shire Council is seeking additional funding from the NSW Government to support extended drone patrols beyond peak holiday periods. These patrols are a vital part of the NSW Shark Management Program, which also includes SMART drumlines and listening stations along the coast. Together, these measures allow for real-time alerts through the SharkSmart app, website and social media, helping to keep swimmers and surfers safe.
Dave Rope from Surf Lifesaving Far North Coast described the surfer as “very, very lucky” and urged caution. Surf Life Saving NSW is asking the public to follow the direction of lifesavers and lifeguards and avoid entering the water at Cabarita Beach until further notice.
Beachgoers are reminded to:
• Swim between the flags and obey lifesaver instructions
• Avoid entering the water when fish are schooling or seabirds are feeding
• Check the SharkSmart app before heading out
Council will continue working with Surf Life Saving NSW and NSW Fisheries to support these important safety measures for our community - and while we know that the surfer is 'rattled', we're very pleased that he got out of the water safely today.
