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Vans Pipe Masters 2024

Finals Day of the #VansPipeMasters was greeted by pumping Pipeline, including moments of insanity and perfection. Men's Round 3 took the water first in 8 - 12 foot waves. There were massive scores, massive wipeouts, huge shakeups on the leaderboard, and a perfect 30-point ride. Upon completion of the round, the Women's Final and Men's Final played out back-to-back to determine who would earn the coveted title of the 2024 Vans Pipe Master. Congratulations to this years champions, Nathan Florence and Erin Brooks!

Breaking News!

The Rip Curl Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational has officially gone Yellow Alert as of earlier today!

The event is potentially set to be run and won on Sunday, December 22nd, Hawaii Standard Time (HST).

The event will be streamed live via Rip Curl’s YouTube channel and at ripcurl.com.

Stay tuned—for updates with the latest event status as we approach Sunday!

Event Info:
The Eddie is committed to running only in the heaviest conditions, with a competition window from December 14 to March 13. For the event to be called on, waves must consistently reach at least 20+ feet (Hawaiian scale), with ideal conditions pushing 30-40 feet. The Eddie has only run 10 times in the last 40 years.

Southern Roads – A Moroccan Surfing Journey

Southern Roads is a surf and adventure film which takes you on a 3 months off-road journey, along the Moroccan coast and into the great deserts of the Sahara. Follow surfer and shaper Paul Duvignau at search for waves and desert landscapes, traveling the Atlantic coast aboard a prepared 4WD, crossing one of the most beautiful and diverse regions of West Africa.

Written and directed by Aurelie Guerin & Paul Duvignau

One Step

Originally from Anglet, France, Clément has been drawn to the challenge of big-wave surfing since his teenage years. This winter, he competed in the Nazaré Tudor Challenge, securing second place in the individual event at just 24 years old—a remarkable achievement that places him among the rising stars of big-wave surfing.

In "One Step," I followed Clément through his journey, capturing both the intense moments in the water and the behind-the-scenes preparation that led to this accomplishment. The film transcends the sport itself, offering viewers a human adventure defined by passion, resilience, and determination.

The documentary has already been well-received at festivals, winning two awards at the International Surf Film Festival in Anglet, which highlights its strong resonance with audiences and industry professionals alike.

Terra Das Esquerdas | Gabriel Medina | Land of the lefts

Got a strike mission on the cards but haven’t managed to the pull the trigger? The next four and half minutes might just be the nudge you need.

Join Gabriel Medina as he embarks on his own version of the Search and scores at a ridiculously long left-hand point break.

After a mammoth year competing on the Championship Tour and a podium finish at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the 3x World Surfing Champion has well and truly earned his off season. Putting the competition rashie aside, Gabe takes a more playful approach to surfing, embracing new cultures and riding (in his own words) “the best wave I’ve ever surfed”.

Filmed by Lucas Balbino, ‘Terra Das Esquerdas’, or ‘Land of The Lefts’ for the non-Portuguese speakers, is the result of a last-minute decision to jump on a plane to chase a swell.

At its core, this clip captures a feeling that every surfer can relate to; the urge to round up your crew, drop everything, and head out in search of good waves.

Hit play and prepare for some serious surf envy.

Welsh National Surfing Champs

Logan Nicol

Words: Steve White Photos: Jon Runnells

The Puravida MiPost Welsh National Surfing Championships 2024 was concluded at the end of November in Llantwit Major.

Both Men’s and Women’s Open titles changed hands from last year, as athletes across all divisions showcased superb surfing in the stormy conditions.

Channel Coast Surf Club’s Logan Nicol put in high-octane displays to win the Men’s Open, and Josie Hawke (Pembrokeshire Surf Club) topped the Women’s Open podium. The win helped Josie to a clean sweep at this year’s ‘Welsh’, a phenomenal achievement that highlights the talented grom’s dedication and progression in the waves.

Josie Hawke

Those first titles came on May 26 and 27, when a rare pulse of spring swell allowed the comp to run for Juniors only. Alongside Hawke's cross-category haul, Bryn Baker (PSC) took gold for the U14 Boys, Luca Owen (Welsh Coast Surf Club) won the U16s, and Euan Buick (PSC) claimed top spot at U18 level. Willem Beck (PSC) and Katie David (PSC) secured victory in the Longboard Boys and Longboard Girls.

Sinda Sosdian

Storm Bert’s grey skies set the scene for the latest-run Welsh Nationals to date, but the senior competitors lit up the breaks at Llantwit with some electric surfing.

Drama unfolded on the slab in the Men’s Bodyboard final, where Tai Jackson (Welsh Bodyboard Club) relieved George Bevan (WBC) of his 2023 crown. The action continued for the Men’s Longboard final on the dropping tide, with Elliot Dudley (CCSC) racking up an impressive 13.2 – enough to prize the logging title back from Tom Fisher (Langland Board Riders) who accrued 9.07.

In the Women’s Longboard final, Sinda Sosdian (Channel Women Surf Club) negotiated broken sections with style to register an 8.13 total and first place; Georgina Lewtas (PSC) came in second with 5.3.

Tom Fisher

PSC’s Ryan Thomas displaced bucket-loads of channel water on his way to winning the Over 35s with a final tally of 9.93. Just a fin’s width separated second-placed Craig Bright (PSC) and Harry Cromwell (PSC) who clocked 8.5 and 8.17 respectively.

Greg Owen (WCSC) put on a timeless display in the Men’s Over 40 final that played out on the left-hand side (that breaks right) at Llantwit. The Welsh Coast legend posted a combined total of 8.3 to beat second-place Mark Vaughan (CCSC) to the veteran silverware.

Ryan Thomas

Elliot Dudley

Josie Hawke hit the head-high surf with characteristic determination, going rail to rail and smashing inside sections to win the Women’s Open on a 12-point total. Sindia Sosdian (CWSC) nailed two huge turns in a buzzer-beater, her 10.5 tally securing second place.

Logan Nicol took time to open his account in the Men’s final, but patience and intricate break knowledge paid off when the local hacked a chunky right-hander to pieces, earning a 5.5. A classy 8.25 ride just before the hooter set the seal on a hard-earned victory for Nicol. Harry Cromwell almost took to the air on his final wave of the campaign, finishing with 11.2 and the silver medal.

Cromwell’s surfing was bang on the money in the Men’s Open quarter-final, where he won Barti’s Wave of the Welsh. A first for the Welsh Nationals, the award goes to the entrant who has the highest scoring wave of the event.

Tai Jackson

A full-blown back-hand assault on a left peeling wave exhibited seasoned rail work and top-to-bottom surfing that moved judges to the ‘excellent’ range of the score card. The total of 8.33 was well-deserved, earning Harry a prize purse of £500 courtesy of Barti Rum. Check out @welshsurfing_ on Instagram and judge the wave for yourself!

In summary, the Puravida MiPost Welsh National Surfing Championships ended a difficult year on a hugely successful note. Competitors enjoyed solid surf despite the tough conditions, and all athletes adapted admirably to the changing sea states.

Huge thanks to all involved.

FULL RESULTS

Juniors
U14 Boys
1st        Bryn Baker (PSC) 7.00
2nd       Max Davies (PSC) 3.67
3rd        Oliver Molyneux (WCSC) 2.97
4th        Fyn Bell (PSC) 2.14
5th        Ted Davies (PSC) 1.46

U14 Girls
1st        Josie Hawke (PSC) 9.70
2nd       Taylor Shelmerdine (LBR) 3.73
3rd        Indi Ward (CCSC) 1.60

U16 Boys
1st        Luca Owen (WCSC) 9.77
2nd       Arthur Buick (PSC) 7.70
3rd        Tomos O'Leary (WCSC) 7.07
4th        Coby-Jon Williams (WCSC) 6.80

U16 Girls
1st        Josie Hawke (PSC) 8.00
2nd       Indi Lynch (PSC) 4.27
3rd        Poppy Owen (PSC) 3.67
4th        Taylor Shelmerdine (LBR) 2.87

U18 Girls
1st        Josie Hawke (PSC) 7.56
2nd       Indi Lynch (PSC 6.43
3rd        Poppy Owen (PSC) 3.07
4th        Taylor Shelmerdine (LBR) 3.00

U18 Boys
1st        Euan Buick (PSC) 13.17
2nd       Willem Beck (PSC) 9.03
3rd        Tomos O'Leary (WCSC) 7.83
4th        Coby-Jon Williams (WCSC) 3.10

U18 Longboard
1st        Willem Beck (PSC) 6.34
2nd       Katie David (PSC) 5.90
3rd        Eddie Waring (PSC) 3.97

Seniors
Men’s Open
1st        Logan Nicol (CCSC) 13.95
2nd       Harry Cromwell (PSC) 11.20
3rd        Tom Sheldon (CCSC) 8.25
4th        Mark Vaughan (WCSC) 6.00

Women’s Open
1st        Josie Hawke (PSC) 13.00
2nd       Sindia Sosdian (CWSC) 10.50
3rd        Katie David (PSC) 3.20
4th        Georgina Lewtas (PSC) 2.86

Men’s Longboard
1st        Elliot Dudley (CCSC) 13.20
2nd       Thomas Fisher (LBR) 9.07
3rd        Blake Jones (CCSC) 8.13

Women’s Longboard
1st Sinda Sosdian (CWSC) 8.13
2nd Georgina Lewtas (PSC) 5.30

Men’s Over 35
1st        Ryan Thomas (PSC) 9.93
2nd       Craig Bright (CCSC) 8.50
3rd        Harry Cromwell (PSC) 8.17
4th        Mark Vaughan (WCSC) 2.63

Men’s Over 40
1st        Greg Owen (WCSC) 8.43
2nd       Mark Vaughan (WCSC) 6.24
3rd        Tom Anderson (CCSC) 4.57
4th        Gary Lewis (WCSC) 2.53

Men’s Bodyboard
1st Tai Jackson (WBC) 12.84
2nd George Bevan (WBC) 4.00