Ho & Coffin
Effortless style as Mason Ho and Parker Coffin trade off some brown waves surfing on the North Shore Of Oahu. Click into the pits with the sons of fun…
ISA World Para Surf Champs
The first finalists were decided in multiple divisions on the third full day of competition at the 2021 Pismo Beach ISA World Para Surfing Championship. Challenging onshore conditions and driving rain couldn’t stifle the excitement of the athletes as they prepared for action.
Second qualifying rounds in each Men’s Stand classification, along with Prone 1 and Kneel, brought clarity to the rankings. Certain divisions will next head into semi-finals, while others are prepared for their final.
The Pismo Beach pier sets the stage for the 2021 WPSC Photo: ISA / Sean Evans
Many standouts of the early days of competition solidified their leads, with Mike Richards (BRA), Pablo Aguilar (BRA) and Mark “Mono” Stewart(AUS) holding forth in Men’s Stand 1 and 2, and Men’s Kneel respectively.
In Men’s Prone 1 Bruno Hansen (DEN) reclaimed his place atop the rankings. The only surfer in history to have won the classification, Hansen is looking strong to take out an incredible sixth gold medal.
A single women’s classification was held to decide who would move on to the final of Women’s Stand 2. Costa Rica’s Jimena Ruiz made a solid charge up the leaderboard, but it was defending champion Malu Mendes of Brazil who retained first place.
After an anxious start Dariel Melendez takes the lead
It came right down to the wire in the second qualifying heat for Dariel Melendez as he sought to book himself a place in the final for Men’s Stand 3.
Catching just one low-scoring wave in the first half of the heat, Melendez was nervous till the very end. In the final few minutes, the Costa Rican managed to lock in two high scores and take the lead in the rankings.
“I’m really, really happy to be here,” he said. “This is my first Para Surfing championship and I’m so excited, the environment here is super cool. To see the adaptive surfing community all together is the best thing in the world.”
Dariel Melendez from Costa Rica on one of his high scored waves. Photo: ISA / Ben Reed
Surfing provided the confidence Charlotte Banfield needed to grow as an individual
Competing in her fourth ISA Para Surfing World Championship, England’s Charlotte Banfield is happy to be back amongst the international Para Surfing family.
“The other girls surf really well. There’s a lovely atmosphere between us all. We’re all really good friends so it’s really nice.”
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Banfield learned to surf at the age of 12 and it quickly became her favorite thing to do.
“I started surfing with a charity called Wave Project, which takes kids with disabilities out surfing to improve their confidence,” she said. “I was very shy and didn’t have many hobbies when I was younger and the project gave me the confidence I needed to succeed as a person and grow as an individual. Since then I’ve been surfing and I absolutely love it.”
Charlotte Banfield from England in action. Photo: ISA / Ben Reed
Nicolas Gallegos experiences the strength of the international community spirit within Para Surfing
Team England could be heard cheering loudly during the first heat of the morning. They rallied their support in the cold rain not for one of their own, but for Nicolas Gallegos. The sole Argentinian has been taken in by the English as an unofficial teammate.
“More than anything, I want to highlight something that happens in our community because it thrills me,” he shared. “Last night I was going to have dinner with the English team and in today’s planning, they were already assigned as the people to assist me on my heat as if they were the Argentine team. That fills my soul.”
Nicolas Gallegos from Argentina gets close to the top 3. Photo: ISA / Ben Reed
ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:
“One of the most fulfilling elements of the World Para Surfing Championship is witnessing the unity it brings to the international surfing community. Not only does the ocean provide joy and healing to surfers, but it also bonds people of all nations together in peace.”
“I’m excited to see how this elite competition unfolds as we head into the finals weekend.”
Nazaré Comp On Standby
The World Surf League (WSL) has put the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge presented by Jogos Santa Casa on standby to potentially run on Sunday, December 12 or Monday, December 13. With a large WNW swell and favourable winds headed toward Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal, there is high confidence that the event could run over one of these two days.
Event officials are closely monitoring the upcoming swell, watching for the conditions that will produce waves in the competition range. The next call for a potential Green Alert will be made on Saturday, December 11 at 12:00 a.m. GMT. Once the call is made by the event officials, competitors will have approximately 34-hours’ notice to be ready to compete.
“We are expecting waves in the 40-to-60-foot range on Sunday and Monday, and we are closely watching the forecast over the next few days,” said Jessi Miley-Dyer, WSL SVP of Tours and Head of Competition. “If we see this forecast continue to track the way we are seeing now, we will make an updated call on Saturday, December 11 at 12:00 a.m. GMT for a potential Green Alert. We are working with Garrett McNamara on the ground at Nazaré and utilizing all of his expertise and knowledge to help inform when we will run the competition. We will check back in over the weekend with more updates.”
The TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge presented by Jogos Santa Casa will be a one-day, specialty event with tow-in surfing teams. There will be nine teams made up of two competitors in each team. The teams will be divided into three groups with three teams in each group. The competition will have a total of six 60-minute heats, where each group will participate in two heats, with each team alternating between surfing and driving the team’s jet ski.
A surfer’s best two waves after surfing both heats will count to an individual total score, with the best wave counting as double points. In total, a surfer’s maximum individual score will be 30 points, as each wave is scored from 1-10 points. Surfers will be awarded across multiple categories at the end of the competition day.
TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge pres. by Jogos Santa Casa Invitees:
Team 1: Kai Lenny (HAW), Lucas Chianca (BRA)
Team 2: Nic Von Rupp (PRT), Pedro Scooby (BRA)
Team 3: Rodrigo Koxa (BRA), Eric Rebiere (FRA)
Team 4: Andrew Cotton (GBR), Will Skudin (USA)
Team 5: Axier Muniain (EUK), Francisco Porcella (ITA)
Team 6: João de Macedo (PRT), Antonio Silva (PRT)
Team 7: Maya Gabeira (BRA), Sebastian Steudtner (DEU)
Team 8: Justine Dupont (FRA), Pierre Rollet (FRA)
Team 9: Michelle des Bouillons (BRA), Ian Cosenza (PRT)
For more information, visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
Carve Magazine Issue 210
Carve Magazine Issue 210
The new issue is out. You can get it delivered to door for by hitting this link here.
Winter
A little while ago you may recall that I wrote our ‘Exit’ about winter’s powerful hold on our coldwater souls. Last issue, in fact. Well, I’ve changed my mind now. Call me fickle, but while we did have one spectacular swell this autumn, the dark nights and northerly wind chop have me yearning for warmer climes. I mean, I did like winter, and indeed gave a speech on how cool coldwater surfing was to a puzzled surfing industry a decade or so ago. But now, every time I go down to the beach there are wild swimmers jumping into rips and trying get coldwater shock. And ice cream headaches. What are they about? Wim Hoff may like them, but it’s not for me. No we, well more ‘I’, should be a surfing nomad chasing endless summers! Well, more winter swells with warm water. I’m thinking Indo. Maldives. Barbados. Sunstroke, dehydration, burned calves, wax rash on your inner thighs. Warm water surfing is in! Squeezing lime into reef cuts… Yeah, too far? Anyway, onto this issue and what a start to winter it has been. We have a full gallery from right around the UK and Ireland, plus young Ben Larg charging Scottish slabs, and we interview the winner of our 2021 photo comp. Travelwise we have a chap who toured the coast of Europe by bicycle, a trip to Baja, and the culmination of a seven-year ocean adventure by yacht in search of uncharted islands. We also get the rundown of Bude from one of its ubiquitous locals, Joss Ash, and catch up with Ben Skinner – who got us all staying up late to watch him place second at the mighty Malibu!
Enjoy!
Steve
Editor
The winner of the Carve 2021 British and Irish Surf Photo Comp is…
Yet again we had an amazing response to the Carve photography comp. Thank you so much for all your entries! We loved seeing them all!
We are very pleased to announce that Holywell Bay ripper, lifeguarding legend and a bloke who has done so many Indo trips he personally knows the Denpasar luggage handlers (see above for proof), Lee ‘Trigger’ Griffin, was our unanimous winner!
Not only is Lee a great photographer he has his full ‘legend waterman’ black belt and his whole life revolves around surfing and the beach.
He has been shredding for many years and has visited Indo more times than anyone we know for decades. Usually in winter he is found in Bali pretending to ‘work’ on his brand ‘Kernow Boardriders’ which seems to involve a lot of time getting shacked at Keramas… Strange…
Lee has been saving lives as a member of Holywell Surf Life Saving Club and a Head Lifeguard at Holywell Bay for 40+ years and last year saved a man who suffered a heart attack during one of his surf lessons using a defibrillator and performing CPR to keep him alive.
He also is a surf coach running Holywell Bay surf school, with brother Andrew.
He also is a surf coach running Holywell Bay surf school, with brother Andrew.
You keeping up?
Lee took up photography 20 years ago when he got a little pickier about the conditions he wanted to surf in (Too much time ‘working in Indo’ mate! lol)
What all the judges loved about the photo and moment captured was that it seemed to sum up the surfing experience a lot of British and Irish surfers share. Cold, steely, windy, raw beauty.
Lee wins £1200 of prizes including the Rip Curl Ultimate Anti-Series – Jacket, a Flashbomb 4/3 Chest Zip Wetsuit, Carve T and Hoody and a nAxisGO 12 Action kit including a ,Waterproof Case leash, Bluetooth pistol, and a protective case for the AxisGO, everything you’d need to shoot surf with your phone.
You can read a full interview with this years winner Lee Griffin and see the winning photo and his portfolio in the new issue. Order here or on newsstands next week!
Can no think of a better winner! Well done!
You can read a full interview with this years winner Lee Griffin and see the winning photo and his portfolio in the new issue.
Order here or on newsstands next week!
WIN RIP CURL PRIZES INCLUDING.
*A RIP CURL ANTI SERIES JACKET
*A RIP CURL 4/3 FLASH BOMB
AQUATECH AXISGO 12 ACTION KIT!
YOUR SHOT IN A CARVE FEATURE AND AN INTERVIEW FOR THE WINNER!
That you so much for all your entries! We loved seeing them all!
Team Carve.
Lee gets the prize bundle below for the winning shot:
Ultimate Anti-Series – Jacket
£349.99
Rip Curls highest quality AntiSeries jacket. Three layers with an inner insulated jacket is connected to outerwear jacket. Equipped with a chin guard, a raised neck, an adjustable hood, and is enforced with DWR treatment. Perfect for cold water photographers.
£349.99
Rip Curls highest quality AntiSeries jacket. Three layers with an inner insulated jacket is connected to outerwear jacket. Equipped with a chin guard, a raised neck, an adjustable hood, and is enforced with DWR treatment. Perfect for cold water photographers.
Flashbomb 4/3 Chest Zip Wetsuit
£399.99
No need for any introductions to one of the best wetsuits on the market.
£399.99
No need for any introductions to one of the best wetsuits on the market.
Carve Package
An interview in Carve
A framed version of your photo
A Carve subscription
A Carve book pack
Carve hoody and T
An interview in Carve
A framed version of your photo
A Carve subscription
A Carve book pack
Carve hoody and T
AquaTech
AxisGO is an easy to use Waterproof Case for your iPhone. You can shoot stills and video in the water like a pro and capture beautiful images and stunning video with your phone down to depths of 10m/33ft!
AxisGO is an easy to use Waterproof Case for your iPhone. You can shoot stills and video in the water like a pro and capture beautiful images and stunning video with your phone down to depths of 10m/33ft!
Hossegor on the limit
Hossegor was hit by a big swell and the spots were still holding. KG was charging!
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