Pete Gustin is voice actor and on-camera host and surfer. Two-time winner of the ‘Outstanding Movie Trailer Voice Over of the Year’ award, Pete’s voice can be heard on many major theatrical releases as well as on promos for TV networks. He also hosts the inspirational weekly series called Blind Surfer, yup he’s blind but that definitely doesn’t hold him back.
There are those movies that come along and capture the moment, the magic, the zeitgeist and Sweet Adventure, the latest offering from multi award winning filmmaker Peter Hamblin, is one of those rare gems.
Combining jaw dropping surfing, stunning cinematography, secret spots, new discoveries, good times and more, Sweet Adventure follows ground breaking surfers Albee Layer and Matt Meola, plus skate megastar Nora Vasconcellos, from the thumping waves of Maui to the jungle point breaks and empty beaches of El Salvador in search of the perfect wave. And it’s all tied together by the grand, all-seeing, all-knowing narrator, Selema Masekela.
Innovative South African Director Peter Hamblin, who brought us Let’s Be Frank and Riss, has once again lent his trademark blend of Hollywood flair and witty irreverence to the surf film genre. At its very core this is a movie about adventure, but it’s about more than that; it’s about travel and friendship and great waves – it’s about the things we’ve been missing, the things that matter.
Sweet Adventure wears its heart on its sleeve, it has the soul of a surf-travel classic. For many Endless Summer 2 is a landmark of the genre, imprinted on their grommet-hood, and it isn’t long before legends Pat O’Connell and Wingnut appear. Their timeless chemistry sets the hook – through bowl riding, barrel riding… helicopter riding… in fact on this trip, nothing is off the table. There’s a certain sprinkling of magic dust that’s hard to describe. It’s like turning the dial up to 11. Before the end credits even roll you’ll be inspired to assemble your crew and pack your bags, ready for your own Sweet Adventure…
Sweet Adventure Dir. Peter Hamblin has scooped awards at festivals from London to Australia and is now headed off on a world tour with stops in USA, South Africa, Europe and Australia coming up… You’re not going to want to miss this!
Sweet Adventure World Premiere Tour
NEXT DATES:
14th July – Brain Dead Theatre, Los Angeles – TICKETS
21st July – Syndicated Theatre, New York – TICKETS
Stay tuned to @peter.h.hamblin for the next release of dates!
• South Africans Joshe Faulkner and Matthew McGillivray Ready for Competition Start at Home Break
• World No. 2 Johanne Defay and No. 3 Lakey Peterson Eager to Lock into WSL Final 5 at Corona Open J-Bay
• More Available at WorldSurfLeague.com
The holding period for the Corona Open J-Bay, Stop No. 9 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT), will open today, Tuesday, July 12 and will run through Thursday, July 21, 2022. As the second-to-last stop before the Rip Curl WSL Finals, this competition will be pivotal in the World Title race, as only the Top 5 men and Top 5 women on the CT rankings will be eligible to compete in the Rip Curl WSL Finals.
Jeffreys Bay is revered as one of the world’s best right-hand point breaks. Supertubes will play host to the world’s best surfers throughout the next 10 days with promising swell on the way for the first half of the competition window. Additionally, the Eastern Cape boasts unspoiled picturesque coastlines, rolling hills and valleys, incredible wildlife, and the traditional Xhosa culture.
South Africans Joshe Faulkner and Matthew McGillivray Ready for Competition Start at Home Break
Joshe Faulkner (RSA, above) grew up in Pellsrus, Jeffreys Bay, a stone’s throw away from the world-class Supertubes break. After being inspired by friends coming home with trophies from local surfing competitions, Faulkner learned to surf and instantaneously fell in love with the sport. This year he is competing on the Challenger Series to try and qualify for the 2023 CT, but this week Faulkner will realise his lifelong dream to compete at his home break in front of family and friends.
“I’m over the moon, I still can’t believe I got this wildcard,” said Faulkner. “I’m feeling amazing and ready, let’s do this! I’ve watched this event every year since I started surfing. It’s been a childhood dream for me and I’m super stoked to get this opportunity to be competing in this event. The response has been amazing, there’s so much support from the local crew. I’m excited to put on a show for the locals.”
Matthew McGillivray (RSA) first competed in the Corona Open J-Bay in 2018 as a wildcard and has been dreaming of coming back ever since.
“J-Bay has always been my dream event,” said McGillivray. “My family and I would come and watch the event every year. I was always so amazed by what everyone was doing, trying to get their autographs on the beach. I don’t think I even dreamed of being in the event one day, but it slowly became a reality when I got a wildcard entry back in 2018. Now we’re back and we have an amazing forecast, the setup is amazing and so many people from around the country are so excited to come to this competition.
“The forecast is looking promising, I can’t wait. Coming from Jeffreys Bay, it’s always been a dream to compete in this event. There was a big motivation for me to make the Mid-season Cut and it meant a lot to me when I made the cut. It means so much to surf at my home break in front of my home crowd and I’m really excited for this week.”
World No. 2 Johanne Defay and No. 3 Lakey Peterson Eager to Lock into WSL Final 5 at Corona Open J-Bay
Johanne Defay (FRA, above) sits at World No. 2 on the CT rankings and could clinch her spot in the WSL Final 5 in South Africa. The 28-year-old locked in the 5th spot last year, but a favorable result at the Corona Open J-Bay could afford her a higher seed this year and give her a better opportunity to claim her maiden World Title. Despite still missing her luggage and most of her surfboard bags, Defay is staying positive ahead of opening day.
“I’m super motivated,” said Defay. “I live in Reunion Island and it’s not that far from here, so being back in the Indian Ocean, I’m hoping it will give me some good luck! I’m super happy to be here. I’ve had some luggage issues, but it’s part of the journey. I’m happy to see the forecast and I look forward to enjoying it. When you get caught up in the rankings, it doesn’t really work for me, so I’m going to focus on surfing and enjoying it. I hope everyone gets good waves and that we can put on a good show.”
World No. 3 Lakey Peterson (USA) is looking to go all the way this year and lift the coveted trophy. The Californian has been runner-up at the Corona Open J-Bay twice before and has yet to take the win. Peterson’s love for right-hand point breaks shows through her CT success and after a runner-up finish in El Salvador, Peterson demonstrated how close she is to victory in 2022, with J-Bay possibly being her event to win.
“I’d love to get a great result here and solidify my spot to get into the WSL Final 5,” said Peterson. “I love a right-hand point break and J-Bay is not easy, but it feels familiar. The pace of the wave is incredible, it’s such a big open canvas, you can create whatever you want and I love that about it. Hopefully, third time’s the charm.”
Wildcard and Injury Updates for Corona Open J-Bay
Jeffreys Bay local Faulkner has been awarded the men’s event wildcard, and Tia Blanco (USA) will be the women’s wildcard, the last of three wildcards from her Ultimate Surfer prize. The 2019 Corona Open J-Bay winner, Gabriel Medina (BRA), will not be surfing in J-Bay after he injured his knee during the Oi Rio Pro pres. by Corona in Saquarema. He will be replaced by the 2023 wildcard and 2022 injury replacement, Yago Dora (BRA). John John Florence (HAW) also withdrew from this competition following his knee injury at the Quiksilver Pro G-Land and will be replaced by Luke Thompson (RSA), the highest-ranked male South African surfer on the Challenger Series rankings.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
Corona Open J-Bay Women’s Opening Round 1 Matchups:
HEAT 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Brisa Hennessy (CRI), Courtney Conlogue (USA)
HEAT 2: Carissa Moore (HAW), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Tia Blanco (USA)
HEAT 3: Johanne Defay (FRA), Isabella Nichols (AUS), Caroline Marks (USA)
HEAT 4: Lakey Peterson (USA), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Tyler Wright (AUS)
Corona Open J-Bay Men’s Opening Round 1 Matchups:
HEAT 1: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Matthew McGillivray (RSA), Jadson Andre (BRA)
HEAT 2: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Jordy Smith (RSA), Yago Dora (BRA)
HEAT 3: Jack Robinson (AUS), Kolohe Andino (USA), Luke Thompson (RSA)
HEAT 4: Filipe Toledo (BRA), Nat Young (USA), Joshe Faulkner (RSA)
HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS), Barron Mamiya (HAW), Jackson Baker (AUS)
HEAT 6: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Caio Ibelli (BRA), Seth Moniz (HAW)
HEAT 7: Callum Robson (AUS), Samuel Pupo (BRA), Jake Marshall (USA)
HEAT 8: Miguel Pupo (BRA), Connor O’Leary (AUS), Kelly Slater (USA)
Watch LIVE
The Corona Open J-Bay opens on July 12 and holds a competition waiting period through July 21, 2022. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL app, and on WSL’s YouTube Channel. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL’s broadcast partners.
Chopes is beauty and the beast, light and dark, yin and yang. How many boats, surfers are scrabbling around that insane spot, all jockeying for the best position, shot, or take-off. Take a moment and fully take in what it’s really like to be in the firing line at one of the most awe inspiring surf spots on the plant, Teahupo’o, end of the road.
Full report from Surfing England.
Action was off the charts in Bristol on Thursday 7th July at the 2022 English Adaptive Surfing Open. A record day for Surfing England and the Adaptive surf community as 2022 marked the first year we ran the contest with the 9 ISA Para Surfing Classes. We are firmly supporting the global drive to see surfing included in the Paralympics as this inclusive sport goes from strength to strength. The ripple effect from this event will carry on for many weeks and years as we inspire a whole new crew of adaptive surfers to join the sport. How did it unfold…
With travel back on the agenda, we welcomed home legend and the force behind adaptive surfing in England Spike Kane back to the contest after a couple of years out. A fantastic international presence, surfers made the journey from Israel, France, Canada, Argentina and more. It was epic to welcome some of the top athletes on the scene to the contest and show those competing for the first time what can be achieved on the waves.
Contest heats ran for 6 hours on both sides of the lake, with a phenomenal crew of volunteers supporting the event – a huge thank you to you all. A record year saw 10 surfers competing in the Prone Assist and scoring epic waves racking up the points on the score table. Stand out surfing from Andy Guy, his first-time surfing in the lake since last year & tearing up the advanced, he’s one to watch. At the crunch, Mark Hagger took the title, and Hannah Dines came 2nd, the highest scoring woman in this class. A strong Scottish attendance for the first time ever also saw their surfers performing exceptionally. This event is scored by the top wave on the left and right combining to give a score out of 20 and forming a leaderboard (results below – individual scores viewable on LiveHeats).
With every division, competition was fierce in the water and the focus was on. The Visually Impaired 2 division saw Melissa Reid showing her style, taking the top spot, adding to her run of wins! In the Visually Impaired 1 division, two surfers went head-to-head, with Thomas Da Silva from France taking Champion.
In the kneel, the crowd were going wild. Martin Pollock nipping at Llywelyn ‘Sponge’ Williams tail on the waves, Martin was stoked to see his scores ‘closing the gap’ on Sponge, who, in the end, claimed the champion position for a consecutive year, racking up his English Champ titles. Victoria Feige from Canada placed third and was the highest placed woman in this class.
Stand three and Sit only had one surfer in each class – we took the decision to run these and blended with other heats to give the competitive experience. The surfers gave it their all, and we hope to see more surfers join from these classes in future years. We have to mention Alon Avisar who travelled from Israel and went booking straight onto some expert sessions at The Wave, fantastic surfing!
In the Stand one division, 3 surfers charged hard, two entering the contest after surfing in the Waikiki Participation session that took place last year, a sign of the growing appetite for adaptive surfing in England. With the Adaptive Surf Club running at The Wave, we expect to see more surfers coming through year on year. Back in the event after a couple covid years break, Benoit Moreau from France came back with his firm attention on the Champion title, his surfing was mesmerising to watch, and the judges rewarded the waves and he took the top spot.
Another busy division with some seasoned athletes, Stand two, saw Pegleg Bennett and Nachman Yariv Balulu in another close contest, with some friendly rivalry reenergised that started last year. Nachman pinched the Champion title, he really surfs with flair. Zoe Smith who started surfing last year placed 3rd and highest woman, her development in surfing has been rapid and you can see how hooked she is on the sport.
Finally prone one was an international head-to-head class, as we welcomed Nicolas Gallegos (Argentina) and Parker Olenick (USA) to England! These two kept a close race, Parker just nipping top – incredible surfing and we hope to see you next year.
A standout mention and additional award went to Jade Edward, 10 years old surfer from Scotland, who got the hearts of the crowd all week at The Wave nipping around on her skateboard, and more importantly shredding on the advanced waves.
Surfers – check out the photos, all free to download here.
Our huge thanks to all 37 surfers that travelled from near and far with their families, friends & supporters to compete. The event would never run without the incredible support of the surfing community, and the 50 plus volunteers that gave their time to provide water safety, pushing, catching, land support and beach marshal support. We are so thankful to you all!
Thanks to the Event staff for delivering another sterling contest, Pauly Jeffrey Contest Director on the day, Hannah Brand and Zoe Gowers heading up the Surfing England operational planning & delivery, working closely with Nick Rees from The Wave, in what is a fantastic partnership.
Finally, it is our event partners that enable us to deliver events such as this. Thank you to The Wave who host us for a third consecutive year, and to korev Lager, who attended & provided post event korev Caravan and Motorhome Club, dryrobe, Decathlon UK, Wild West Jerky, Cutty Sark, Clarke Willmott, Vospers, The Wave Project, Surfability UK CIC
Inspired by what you’ve watched & read, every membership to Surfing England supports events such as this. Just £25/year for adult (£18 for Under 18), including worldwide personal accident insurance & discounts. Be a part of our community & help drive our sport forward. Sign me up!
Contact
For all event enquiries, please contact [email protected]
For more information on The Wave & to book a surf, visit: thewave.com
The World Surf League (WSL) announced the official winners for the 2022 Red Bull Big Wave Awards. $350,000 in prize money has been awarded across three categories for men’s and women’s divisions: Ride of the Year, Biggest Tow, and Biggest Paddle. The winning photographers and videographers were also awarded prize money.
This year’s Red Bull Big Wave Awards received over 300 submissions with some of the heaviest and most amazing big waves ridden throughout April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022 Big Wave Awards season window. All submitted waves were evaluated by a comprehensive judging panel formed by WSL judges, former pro surfers, and big wave specialists.
“Huge congratulations to this year’s Red Bull Big Wave Awards winners,” said Jessi Miley-Dyer, WSL SVP of Tours and Head of Competition. “The level of commitment we’ve seen this season has been amazing and I’ve been really impressed with all the nominated rides. Justine Dupont has to be the standout for me this season, with two award wins and nominations in every category, she’s really cemented her dominance on the big wave world!”
Ride of the Year
The Ride of the Year is awarded to the surfers who demonstrate the most advanced and committed level of big wave surfing during a successful ride, as judged by available video footage. While raw size is taken into consideration, it is ultimately the level of performance that is rewarded.
Justine Dupont (FRA), who was nominated twice in this category, won the women’s award for her ride at Teahupo’o, Tahiti on August 13, 2021. Francisco Porcella (ITA) is the men’s winner for his ride at Jaws, Hawaii on November 2, 2021.
Women’s Winners:
1 – Justine Dupont at Teahupo’o on August 13, 2021 (photo and video captured by
2 – Paige Alms at Jaws on January 9, 2022
3 – Justine Dupont at Teahupo’o on October 6, 2021
4 – Annie Reickert at Outer Reef Kahului on December 5, 2021
5 – Michelle des Bouillons at Nazaré on February 10, 2022
Men’s Winners:
1 – Francisco Porcella at Jaws on November 2, 2021
2 – Billy Kemper at Jaws on November 2, 2021
3 – Mikey Brennan at Shipstern Bluff on March 26, 2022
4 – Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca at Nazaré on February 25, 2022
5 – Pedro Scooby at Nazaré on December 13, 2021
Biggest Tow
The Biggest Tow Award goes to the surfers who, by any means available, catch and ride the biggest wave of the year.
This year’s winning rides were both from Nazaré in Portugal, where Dupontclaimed her second award this year in the Biggest Tow category for one of three waves on January 8, 2022, while Mason Barnes (USA) took the men’s award for his wave on February 26, 2022.
Women’s Winners:
1 – Justine Dupont at Nazaré on January 8, 2022
2 – Michelle des Bouillons at Nazaré on December 11, 2021
3 – Justine Dupont at Nazaré on January 8, 2022 (wave two)
4 – Justine Dupont at Nazaré on January 8, 2022 (wave three)
5 – Michelle des Bouillons at Nazaré on December 13, 2021
Men’s Winners:
1 – Mason Barnes at Nazaré on February 26, 2022
2 – João Macedo at Nazaré on February 25, 2022
3 – Pedro Scooby at Nazaré on January 8, 2022
4 – Nic Von Rupp at Nazaré on January 8, 2022
5 – Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca at Nazaré on January 8, 2022
Biggest Paddle
The Biggest Paddle Award goes to the surfers who paddle into, and successfully ride, the biggest wave of the year.
Both winning rides were from Jaws, Hawaii on November 2, 2021 and the winners were Annie Reickert (HAW) and four-time Pe’ahi Challenge Champion Billy Kemper (HAW).
Women’s Winners:
1 – Annie Reickert at Jaws on November 2, 2021
2 – Justine Dupont at Nazaré on November 19, 2021
3 – Katie Mae McConnell at Himalayas on January 22, 2022
4 – Paige Alms at Jaws on November 2, 2021
5 – Raquel Heckert at Himalayas on January 22, 2022
Men’s Winners:
1 – Billy Kemper at Jaws on November 2, 2021
2 – Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca at Nazaré on January 12, 2022
3 – Pedro Calado at Nazaré on January 12, 2022
4 – Jamie Mitchell at Nazaré on February 9, 2022
5 – Ben Andrews at Mavericks on January 11, 2022
As part of the 2022 Red Bull Big Wave Awards, the WSL officially announced the new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ Title for Men’s Largest Wave Surfed (Unlimited) for Sebastian Steudtner (GER) for his award-winning 86 feet (26.21 meters) ride at Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal on October 29, 2020.
To watch all the winning rides, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com/redbullbigwaveawards.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
