2025 Para Surfing Roadshow

2025 Para Surfing Roadshow

Ever wanted to try surfing?
Now is your chance, the Surfing England Para Surfing Roadshow is back for 2025.
After welcoming 70 new surfers with disabilities to our sport last year we are back for 2025 with the support of Saltrock. Come along to a taster day where you will join a session led by current Team England coaches and world championship medal winning athletes.

We are so stoked to launch the Para Surfing Roadshow and to have Saltrock onboard as our headline supporter.

“We’re honoured to be supporting such an important roadshow in the Surfing England calendar; helping people with disabilities give para surfing a go and highlighting the pathway for those who want to take it further.  Surfing is part of our brand DNA, and to help this side of it grow, we hope will bring smiles to a lot more faces.”
Head of Brand, Marie Clarke

A cost of £10 will secure your place and all money will go to the newly opening para surf clubs across England which you will be invited to join post roadshow.
No previous experience required and all equipment (including wetsuits) will be provided.

More details below and please fill in the sign up form if you want to join us on any of the sessions. Please contact Surfing England directly for further information, do not contact any surf centres.

Locations and dates:
• Saturday 10th May, Bournemouth
• Wednesday 2nd July, The Wave
• Saturday 12th July, Scarborough
• Saturday 19th July, Bude
• Saturday 16th August, Croyde
• Saturday 27th September, South Shields

Timings:
We will be at the beach all day, so you are welcome to come along from about 9am. We will run up to 3 sessions throughout the day depending on numbers.
Sessions will run at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Please arrive 1 hour before your session for an introduction and so that you can get kitted up in your wetsuit. Sessions will be 90 minutes long, which will include around 60 minutes in the water.
You can specify on the sign up form which time would work best for you. In advance you will be allocated a session before the day so you can plan accordingly. You can arrive early and stay to watch other sessions if you want to make the most of the whole day, but the volunteers and coaches will only be available to assist you during your allocated session.

Beach facilities:
All locations will have parking, toilets and changing areas available for you. These vary by location. We will send more details, including a specific meeting point nearer the time so that you can plan your day accordingly.
Beaches can be quite difficult to navigate particularly if you have a mobility device such as a wheelchair. We will do our best to make the day as accessible as possible and will provide beach wheelchairs to give access onto the beach and into the water.
If you need assistance with any personal care needs such as getting changed into a wetsuit, please bring someone with you.

Equipment:
You do not need any specific equipment for the day, but please make sure to have swimwear to wear under a wetsuit. If you have your own wetsuit, feel free to bring that to wear.
We will provide boards, buoyancy aids/life jackets (as needed), helmets (as needed), rash vests, beach wheelchairs and surfboards.
There will not be a hoist available to transfer you into the beach wheelchair but there will be coaches and volunteers around to help lift you as needed.

What to bring:
Please make sure to bring swimwear, a towel and warm clothes for when you finish your session. Please also remember to bring water and snacks to keep you fuelled throughout the day. It is likely you will be quite tired after you finish your session.
If it’s a sunny day, remember to bring suncream and a hat. Ideally make sure you have waterproof suncream for your face during the session.
Don’t forget to bring any medication that you require or may need throughout the day.

Final notes:
Remember to sign up for one of the sessions. You will not be able to take part unless you have registered for a session.

A huge thank you to Saltrock who are headline supporters of the roadshow.
A further thank you to all the fantastic surf schools who we are partnering with for the roadshow. To AdSurf in Bude, South Shields Surf School CIC in South Shields, Coastal Concepts X Wave Project in Scarborough, The Wave in Bristol, Surf South West X The Wave Project in Croyde, North Devon, and to Shaka Surf School in Bournemouth.
For all enquiries, please contact [email protected]

Madeira: Biggest Swell of the Decade?

Madeira: Biggest Swell of the Decade?

Jardim do Mar in Madeira has earned its reputation as one of the most intense spots for big wave surfing. The waves there are legendary—huge, powerful, and very unpredictable. When you get someone like Nic Von Rupp and his crew involved, you know it’s going to go off. They’ve been pushing the boundaries of big wave surfing, and the recent swell was nothing short of epic.

Madeira’s coastline is known for producing some of the heaviest waves in the world, often hidden away from the mainstream media. This recent swell was one of the heaviest in years makes it even more monumental. These waves aren’t just about size—they’re about raw power and the sheer intensity of what it takes to take them on.

Filmed by: Kenneth Kemp, Kristjan Taal, Hugo Almeida, Mendo Dornellas
Edited by: @iantavares

SURF! National Maritime Museum Cornwall

SURF! National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Making waves this spring, SURF! opens at National Maritime Museum Cornwall – a major new exhibition exploring the history and cultural impact of surfing in Cornwall.

Celebrating the culture, craft, art and activism of Cornwall’s surf scene, the exhibition documents a century of Cornish waveriding. From the wooden bellyboards of the 1920s made by local coffin makers, to charismatic stand-up surf pioneers of the 1930s and 1940s, through to the birth of the surf industry in the 1960s, iconic longboard artworks in the 2000s, to the para surfing World Champions of today, SURF! provides a unique deep-dive into how Cornwall has evolved into ‘the California of the UK’, becoming a breeding ground for world champion surfers and multiple creative industries, from board-building to wetsuit production, magazine media to filmmaking and fashion.

Surfers in Bude in 1950 Photo: Alex Williams collection SURF NMMC

Curated by surf academic Dr. Sam Bleakley, the object-rich exhibition will feature a vast array of artefacts with exciting human stories and hidden histories sourced from private collections around the UK. Many of the objects, including some of the world’s most valuable surfboards, original tools, photographs, videos and artwork, have never before been on public display.

Highlights include 100 surfboards that collectively tell the story of 100 years of Cornish waveriding, from early 4-foot wooden bellyboards to pioneering eco and adaptive boards of the future. Among them will be boards that have played a key role in Cornish surfing history, including those used by global surfing champions, such as Robyn Davies, Pegleg Bennett, Charlotte Banfield and Ben Skinner. Measuring in at an impressive 37-feet, the original record-setting world’s biggest surfboard will be displayed, able to carry 15 surfers at any one time. A testimony to the impact of surfing on culture more broadly, there will also be a display of original artboards, including the first-ever public exhibition of Damian Hirst’s stunning butterfly board on loan from the Maia Norman collection. Other artboards from renowned artists, such as Polly Morgan, Paul Smith, Julian Schnabel and Nina Blake, will also be featured, alongside a beautiful poetry-engraved wooden board from award-winning Cornish boardmaker James Otter.

BSA women’s surf club Photo: Ester-Spears BSA, courtesy of Alex Williams collection SURF NMMC

Harking back to the surf industry’s emergence in the 1960s, audiences will be invited to step inside a recreation of Newquay’s original Bilbo Surf Shop, a hub of the Cornish surf scene, before peeping into an original 1965 VW Transporter campervan brought to life with the sounds and smells of the 60s. Further surf ephemera will include a selection of iconic surf posters from the past 100 years, spanning everything from sport to travel and tourism to cinema; a selection of vintage swimwear and wetsuits from the 1930s-1960; an array of surf magazines; iconic vintage surf photography. There will also be a presentation of the first and only surf film narrated in Cornish, made by musician, filmmaker and champion bodyboarder, Mickey Smith.

As well as surf culture and aesthetics, the exhibition will also explore the politics of surfing. While tensions once existed between surfing and wider tourism, with surfing banned on some Cornish beaches (thought to attract the ‘wrong kind’ of tourist), today waveriding is hugely significant to Cornwall, generating £150 million per year for the county. Surfing is also playing a key role in driving blue health and surf therapy initiatives, as well as environmental activism.
Cascading into the exhibition space will be a specially commissioned six-metre wave sculpture by artist Abigail Falls, made of recycled plastic bottles, a homage to Cornish marine conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage and their work fighting to protect the oceans.

Izzy Henshall Photo: Luke Gartside SURF NMMC

Running until 2027, SURF! is a celebration of a unique pastime that has transformed Cornwall over a hundred years into a place of aspiration, art, and the buzz of the new. The exhibition will be accompanied by an ambitious programme including Museum Lates, lectures, film events, and surf art and craft workshops. Sam Bleakley, surf academic and curator of SURF!, said: “Cornwall has been shaped by the ‘cool’ of surfing for over 100 years. With its convoluted coastline, wide open to Atlantic swells, the region has become a breeding ground for blue health, art and activism. Cornish surfers were pivotal in founding Surfers Against Sewage in 1990 and in 2010, the NHS piloted the world’s first surf therapy programme in Cornwall, The Wave Project, which helped progress world champion para-surfers like Charlotte Banfield. It is no longer simply surfers against sewage, but surfers for sustainability and for public health, spearheaded by the blue health movement that calls for us all to reconnect with ocean-based activities and keep our shared coastline clean. SURF! will not only be an inspiring journey through Cornwall’s surfing heritage, but a sensory feast, celebrating the enormous impact of waveriding in Cornwall”.

Grishka Roberts Photo: Alex Williams SURF NMMC

Richard Doughty, Director of National Maritime Museum Cornwall, said: “SURF! explores how surfing has shaped Cornwall’s coastal communities and perceptions of Cornwall’s identity, how it is challenging stereotypes of disability and how it is changing public attitudes to water safety and the marine environment. At its core, the exhibition extends and deepens our commitment to genuine cultural co-creation, platforming different and diverse stories which celebrate the rich cultural, social, and environmental impact of surfing in Cornwall, as an innovative form of sustainable leisure, tourism, fashion and blue health.”

Grab a copy of the latest issue of Carve, issue 226 for more on the exhibition.

Click Here for more info
10 Out Of 10

10 Out Of 10

The Capítulo Perfeito powered by Billabong, the tuberiding competition taking place in Portugal every year, is celebrating its 10 editions with the release of the documentary “10 OUT OF 10”, featuring unseen behind-the-scenes footage and the most remarkable moments in the history of the event. The premiere will take place on March 13 in Carcavelos and will then be submitted to renowned surf film festivals around the world.

Directed by António Matos Silva (Boa Onda Produções) and co-produced by Fantasticbox (Capítulo Perfeito), the film lays on an extensive archive of original footage highlighting the unseen side of the competition. Including legendary surfers such as Rob Machado, Cory Lopez, Bruno Santos, and Nic Von Rupp, as well as key institutional players in the history of Capitulo Perfeito such as Miguel Luz and António José Correia, “10 OUT OF 10” offers an inside look at the complexity of organizing such an event and the countless variables that go into making the call.

“An event as complex as Capítulo Perfeito goes far beyond a day of surfing. It involves a challenging process of decision-making and logistics that we believe deserves to be documented. We invest significantly in visual storytelling, and we are thrilled to share this exclusive content with the public. After 12 years and more than 10 editions, we are proud of our history and wanted to translate it into a documentary abundant in never-before-seen footage and statements,” said Rui Costa, promoter of Capítulo Perfeito.

“10 OUT OF 10” is a tribute to a decade of intense emotions, challenges overcome, and epic waves. A must-watch documentary for all who are passionate about surfing and the authenticity of Capítulo Perfeito.

The premiere will take place on March 13 in Carcavelos and will then be submitted to renowned surf film festivals around the world. 

MORE INFO HERE
Registration Opens Soon

Registration Opens Soon

Registration to compete at the Caravan and Motorhome Club English National Surfing Championships opens on Monday, 24th March at 7 PM via liveheats.

The event, set to be held at Watergate Bay in Newquay, will feature England’s finest shortboard surfing talent competing across multiple age divisions.

Contest Information
Watergate Bay, known for its top-quality waves and vibrant surf community, will host the 2025 English National Surfing Championships, bringing together the country’s best young surfers.

Surfing England is focused on raising the bar for competitive surfing and will introduce priority judging at this year’s event, reflecting its commitment to advancing the sport.

The competition will feature Elite Shortboard U14 and U12 divisions, giving young surfers the chance to compete for the 2025 English National Champion title. It will be a one-day, single-peak event with live scoring.

With strong interest expected, Surfing England recommends early registration to secure a spot.

More details will follow as the countdown to the 2025 English National Championships at Watergate Bay begins.
Event Date: 17th May 2025 (Backup: 18th May/ 24th/ 25th May)

Divisions:
• Shortboard:
• Under 14 Girls & Boys (max 14 years by 31st December 2025)
• Under 12 Girls & Boys (max 12 years by 31st December 2025)
Age categories follow the ISA rulebook.

Registration Process

Review the full Event Format before registering HERE
Entry opens on Monday, 24th March at 7 PM via Liveheats.
Fees are £35 for U14 and U12 divisions. As this event typically oversubscribed, early registration is advised.

Membership
You must be a Surfing England member to compete at the event. You can check the status of your membership or set up a membership HERE

We welcome all new members to Surfing England; memberships start at just £18 – £25 a year. Included in membership is worldwide personal accident cover, including wave pools, and some great discounts!

For any Event enquiries, please contact [email protected]
For any membership enquiries, please contact [email protected]

Partners
A big thank you to our fantastic headline partners Caravan and Motorhome Club,
and to our amazing partners korev Lager, The Wave, dryrobe, Clarke Willmott, The Hangout, Kukuna, Moulded Earplugs and Surfline.

Thank you to Watergate Bay Hotel who will host us for the May English National Surfing Championship event, and to Era Adventures for covering our water safety.

Superbank 5000

Superbank 5000

“Many out there, bro?”

Just yourself and a few friends going for a nice quiet chilled surf…

The combination of perfect swell and large crowds can lead to a chaotic atmosphere. Challenging might be an understatment, so take a ticket and wait in line, you might just get the wave of your life, with or without added guests.