Carve Launch Party

Carve Launch Party

Long Live Print!

On April 10th, Carve returns after winter with Issue 231, and we’re marking the start of the season properly. Join us at Boardmasters Beach Bar in Newquay for an evening built around surf culture, community, and the stories that keep British surfing moving forward.

What’s Happening
  • 100 free pints of Korev — first come, first served (one per person)
  • Music, drinks, and a packed room of the UK surf community
  • First look at Issue 231
  • Raffle on the night (details below) 
Inside Issue 231

Kicking off the season, Issue 231 lands with a standout cover from Luke Gartside and Sam Hearn — a visual that sets the tone for everything inside.

This issue blends heavy water, honest storytelling, and the raw edges of surf culture:

  • A moment with Lowey as he commits to a beautiful, intimidating Mullaghmore drop
  • A road-level perspective drifting through Europe’s car parks with Luke Gartside
  • The Saltburn crew, holding it down by the pier and keeping things grounded
  • Pheobe Strachan, one of Britain’s most committed surfers, stepping into focus
  • Sean “Frank” Harris reflecting on 25 years in the UK surf industry
  • Toby Donachie’s journey — a reminder that surfing is rarely linear, but always worth it
Supporting City Kids Surfing

We’re proud to support City Kids Surfing, a charity creating opportunities for young people who might not otherwise access the ocean.

They work with children from inner-city backgrounds, offering surf therapy programmes that build confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging through time in the water. It’s about experiencing the coast, developing life skills, and finding a new environment where they can thrive.

We are running a raffle with seriously good prizes with the proceeds supporting their work.


Key Details

  • Date: 10th April
  • Time: 6-9pm
  • Location: Boardmasters Beach Bar, Newquay
  • Entry: Free

 

GET THE LATEST ISSUE HERE
Enthusiasts Now Playing

Enthusiasts Now Playing

Everyone surfs now. Everyone travels. Everyone performing for the scroll.

Enthusiasm is a strange disease. Missing flights. Breaking boards. Hitting the same section again and again. Chippa Wilson and Eithan Osborne are not normal surfers.Two high functioning surf savants. Occasional geniuses.

This film is a small hit of that condition. Long days filming. Warm water delirium. Bintang admirers.

A short document by Jackson Jones on modern enthusiasm.

Press play.

Carvemag’s Bells Beach Hot Watch

Carvemag’s Bells Beach Hot Watch

It’s been a long 7 month break since the WSL season wrapped up.

Crowing Yago Dora and Molly Picklum as champs in Fiji. There’s a bunch of key changes to the tour this season, notably no mid year cut, an expanded Women’s field and no final 5. The fact that the season starts in Australia and ends on the North Shore at Pipe just feels right. While arguments roll about whether Raglan for J Bay is a good swap, there’s universal excitement at the return of a bunch of real kings and queens of our sport. Alongside them we find a whole bunch of super exciting rookies getting ready to kick things off at Bells Beach. Here’s some of our key focal points.

World Champ legends back in the game?

Gabriel Medina, Stef Gillmore and Carissa Moore are all back which is enough to get most eyeballs tuned in. With a room full of world titles between them and status as greats already established we will get to see really soon whether they have they still got IT! Carissa stepped away to start a family and will be in the athletes area with husband and baby in tow. Stef was seemingly  sailing into the stylish sunset of the world's finest point breaks the last couple of seasons and has spent a bunch of time on alternative craft. Will she be refreshed and energised with new lines or a little off the high performance mark? 3 time world champ Gabe Medina - a man who’s titles were all won on untameable competitive belief, brute force and incredible generational performance lifting performances. After being on tour since he was a kid he’s had some personal issues and injuries leading to a bit of a break but is now back. Does he still have it or have the Yago’s, Griffins and Leo’s caught up?

Rookies

The Women’s Euroforce is here! All 5 rookies on the women’s tour came from the European tour. That in itself represents its own story. The youngest qualifier Tya Zebrowski (she’s just turned 15!) and oldest Yolande Hopkins likely represent the best bets for success. Tya represents the pinnacle of new age female surfing with all the air and rail game power sitting alongside her unflappable attitude. Untested at this level there’s a lot of attention on this young girl who has qualified with ease. Yolanda on the other hand has had a harder route to the top coming close to qualifying several times but with some success against the top women with a number of wildcard appearances in her native Portugal. Yolanda’s bottom turns and rail work is her trademark, along with her smile and this very popular surfer and her British coach John Tranter will be a fresh addition to the tour.

Of the mens qualifiers our eyes are drawn to Olympic gold medalist Frenchman Kauli Vaast from Tahiti. Known for his top drawer tech in big and hollow waves, Kauli also has an incredible record and skill set in more ‘normal’ waves and fully expect his winning attitude and experience to see him come in as a contender at Bells straight away.

Brazilian Mateus Herdy has been lighting up air shows and video edits for years alongside coming close to the top tour. One of the worlds most exciting surfers we finally get to see how this freakishly talented Brazilian will do with a full season in the big leagues. Bells is not the sort of wave you might associate with Matteus but expect to see fresh lines and airs at any opportunity.

Ramzi gets his chance

Ramzi Boukhaim is back for a full year on tour after receiving the season long wildcard due to John John Florence’s continued absence. For Ramzi this represents a chance to bed some bad demons and memories from Bells and really get his elite career in motion. It was at the 2025 event here where he suffered a freak leg break in the shorebreak coming in form a heat. A lengthy, serious  rehab ensued and finally the goofy footer gets the chance his surfing deserves. There’s no better place for Ramzi to start his campaign then a righthand point for the rocking Moroccan.
 

Isreal has a voice at the top table

Anat Lelior is a popular and powerful goofy footer that has come through the European system as part of a strong Isreali presence. A powerful goofy footer with a strong backhand and recent success at Pipeline, Anat is a two time Olympian with a lot of successful campaigns at ISA Worlds. While attention will focus on her surfing there’s no doubt that proudly flying the Israeli flag will gather attention. At last years’s Morocco Pro event Anat was designated as representing ‘World’ for safety reasons and it will be interesting to see what happens at the Abu Dhabi Wave Pool event in the Middle East later in the year. With Israel’s military action in the Middle East over the last couple of years any heat win interviews will certainly open up opportunities for questions and attention that other surfers will not face.

Event Wildcard

Dane Henry represents the future for Australian surfing and is one of event sponsor Rip Curl’s big hopes for the future. A seemingly gapless skill set with a penchant for Backflips, this good friend and sparring partner of Lukas Skinner while be aiming to show he’s is not here to get some warm up repps in but is a challenger ready here and now. Few will be surprised to see him pound through the field at Bells

 

The Forecast

Swell size, direction, wind and the tide all make a huge difference to the waves you’ll be surfing at Bells Beach. While it looks like a straightforward right hand point the various sections of Centreside, Point, Rincon, the bowl and the alternate venue of Winkipop all represent very different canvas’s, challenges and opportunities. Most fans have fingers crossed for a big clean swell and the famous Bowl to light up and right now after a small opening day the forecast does suggest some pretty healthy swell on tap. Expect to see surfers using a variety of local experts to work through the various faces of this iconic break.

Taghazout Bay Winners Crowned

Taghazout Bay Winners Crowned

Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) and Adur Amatriain (EUK) won the World Surf League (WSL) Pro Taghazout Bay Qualifying Series (QS) 4,000, after a long drawn-out week of competition and overcoming a deep competitive field. Finals Day saw a new swell fill into Anza, with three-to-four-foot surf and plenty of scoring opportunities on the left and right. Wave selection was crucial, and big, critical maneuvers were rewarded with the highest scores. The Pro Taghazout Bay was co-sanctioned by the Africa and Europe regions, and it was the final event for Europe’s 2025/2026 QS season, while it was the penultimate event for the Africa region.

Redemption for Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri, Wins European QS Title

There’s nothing quite like redemption, and Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) finally stood on top of the podium at the Pro Taghazout Bay after her runner-up performance in 2025. Etxabarri came into this event ranked third on the rankings, and she delivered some of her best results this season, with four finals appearances, a third at the Saquerema Pro Challenger Series and a gold medal at the World Surfing Games in El Salvador. However, it hasn’t been since Pantin in 2023 that Etxabarri hoisted a QS trophy. With this win, she earned the WSL Europe QS title for 2025/2026 and secured her ticket to the 2026 Challenger Series.

“I’m really happy to get this win,” said Etxabarri. “Coming from injury, I couldn’t compete on the last two Challenger Series events of the year. So coming here to win the event and win the title is amazing, and I’m ready to start the work for the new season. We’re a really good team of Basque surfers on the Challenger Series and I’m happy to be back full-time, I’m really enjoying the process.”

Coming up against an in form Alys Barton (GBR), Etxabarri built her score with big, one turn maneuvers into critical sections, but she turned up the intensity when she found a great right-hander and dropped an excellent 8.00 (out of a possible 10) for three strong backhand turns. Barton struggled to find her rhythm in the Final, and could never catch up to Etxabarri. In a defensive move with priority, Etxabarri kept Barton off a good left and improved her score with a 6.83 for a winning total of 14.83 (out of a possible 20).

Barton has been incredible this week, securing her first QS final since Caparica last year. Coming into Morocco ranked 12th, Barton made the biggest moves on the rankings to No. 5.

Adur Amatriain Earns Career-Best Result, Wins European QS Title

Adur Amatriain (EUK) has been on a tear this whole week with excellent scores and smart surfing. Coached on the Challenger Series by the legendary Basque surfer Aritz Aranburu, Amatriain showed his composure under pressure to defeat Justin Becret (FRA) in a nail-biting Semifinal. This gave Amatriain an incredible boost of confidence, and it showed with his performance in the Final against Conor Donegan Dos Santos (ESP). Coming into the event ranked 25th, Amatriain’s win also earned him the European QS title.

“I knew I had to get a good result to qualify for the Challenger Series,” said Amatriain. “I never knew the European title could be possible, so I never even thought about it. That’s amazing news, I’m so stoked. I’m very excited for the new season. Last year I learned a lot, so I want to use this experience now in the new season and I’m very excited for what’s to come.”

It was an electrifying matchup, with Amatriain and Dos Santos staying very busy and trading waves back-and-forth. The lead changed multiple times, but Amatriain started to create a gap when he scored a 6.80 on a great right-hander with lightning fast turns. Amatriain surfs with incredible speeds and intensity, and this was the point of difference between him and Dos Santos. After a superb wave from Dos Santos in the dying seconds, it was a few tense moments after the buzzer, waiting for the scores, but the win went to Amatriain.

Dos Santos earned a career-best result with his first QS final. The Lanzarote surfer enjoyed a great season in his final year as a junior in 2025, and with performances like today, he could be a real QS threat in the near future.

Europe Challenger Series Qualifiers Determined

As the Europe QS season comes to an end, the region’s Challenger Series qualifiers have been determined. The top seven men and top four women on the rankings automatically qualify, with one wildcard for men and women to be decided.

The 2026 Challenger Series qualifiers for Europe are Adur Amatriain (EUK), Guilherme Ribeiro (POR), Ido Hagag (WRL), Yago Dominguez (EUK), Sean Gunning (ESP), Conor Donegan Dos Santos (ESP), Tiago Carrique (FRA), Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK), Maria Salgado (POR), Alys Barton (GBR) and Ariane Ochoa (EUK).

While the European region enjoys a bit of a break, the Africa region’s next and final event will be the Royal St Andrews Rip Curl Cup QS 4,000 in Port Alfred, South Africa from April 3-6, 2026. 

Relive The Pro Taghazout Bay

The Pro Taghazout Bay ran from March 22-29, 2026. Catch all the highlights and more on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. 

The 2026 Pro Taghazout Bay is supported by the Wilaya of the Souss Massa Region, Taghazout Municipality, the Souss Massa Region, the Souss Massa Regional Tourism Development Company, the Moroccan National Tourist Office, Taghazout Bay, Afriquia Gaz, Marsa Maroc, Seat Maroc, Radisson Blu Resort Taghazout Bay Surf Village, Aïn Atlas, Butec, 2M, 2M Radio, Hit Radio and Radio Mars.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com. 

Brit On Tour? Not Quite, But The Flag Is.

Brit On Tour? Not Quite, But The Flag Is.

Photo: @isasurfing

Yolanda Hopkins - the Portuguese 2 times Olympian has finally qualified full time for the World Tour after a few near misses over the years. ‘Yo’ is really popular amongst her fellow competitors and fans alike with her work rate, carve based approach and outgoing nature much respected by those at the top tier of the sport and beach fans alike. With family in the UK and a full time British coach in John Tranter, Yolanda has always maintained especially good relationship with us Brits. Winning Boardmasters at Newquay 3 times helps too.

On the eve of her first season on the tour we had a quick catch up with Yo.

Interview Joel Gray

What are you most looking forward to about being on Tour?
I think actually it is to prove myself against the best surfers in the world in the best waves. Im also looking forward to renewing friendships too.
You are famous for being the first up every single day at competitions. Will that continue?
Absolutely, it has worked so far. Mostly we like to be up so early so that I can catch more waves with less people and we always try to be the first out no matter what.
Is there anything you are changing this year after stepping up from the Challenger Series?
The whole programme with John (Tranter - Coach) remains very similar. It is always evolving such as constantly testing different brands and designs of boards but I have a great relationship with my shaper (Fatum Surfboards). I feel my boards evolve perfectly in sync wit my surfing. My psychologist, nutritionist and physical conditioning crew all remain the same.

Photo: @isasurfing

When did you first believe that you could qualify for the Tour?
This was about 7 years ago when I first started working full time with John.
Which surfers are you most looking forward to surfing against?
Carissa is the one for me although I also like to go up against Stef. Although veterans they are the real benchmark still and you have to really push yourself in those situations.
They just released your comp jersey. You have number 98.
Why’s that? Thats the year I was born, simple as that.
Also looks like you have a Portuguese and a Union Jack flag on your vest?
That’s right. Obviously I am Portuguese and represent this country but my mum’s family are from Wales so the Union Jack is to honour my British family.

Photo: @prosurfmedia

What do you think are the biggest differences / challenges you’ll face on the World Tour?
The wave quality I think is the main one closely followed by the highest level of performance.
You’ve qualified for the Olympics and now the World Tour. Which one feel best?
Making the Tour was always our goal and dream. When the Olympics came a reality it was a ‘must do on the way’ experience. Achieving our initial dream after a lot of gruelling hard work was insanely satisfying. I feel sad for those surfers who qualified easily as they never got to feel the joy I did.
Any messages to younger surfers reading this?
My hopes are to inspire younger generations and for them to see that hard work with get you there. It does not matter what stickers you have but how much work you put in in order to fulfil you dreams.
Thanks and good luck.