Cornish birthdays galore / Newquay surfing celebration

Last weekend saw a memorable set of birthday celebrations as Rock’s Sharp’s Brewing Co joined with Carve Magazine, Newquay Boardriders and Lusty Glaze to celebrate all of their collaborative milestones.  2024 is Sharp’s and Carve’s 30th birthdays and it’s the 55th year of Newquay Boardriders and the 25th for the team at Lusty Glaze Beach.  So, the Cornish surf community joined together to celebrate the 140 years of milestone success.

Whilst the sunbeams worked their Cornish magic, the surf wasn’t quite as epic as hoped. However, several local teams were undeterred, and they took to the waves for some fun challenges in the Carve X Sharp’s Offshore Pilsner Tag Team Surf Competition, organised by Newquay Boardriders.

Looe and Newquay ruled the results tables with the following placings overall: 1st Looe A (Captain Ed Smith), 2nd Newquay Boardriders A, 3rd Looe B and 4th Newquay Boardriders B.

Then from 6pm onwards, the joint Birthday Social kicked off with the surf comp prizegiving followed by DJs Pete Isaac of Jelly Jazz and Bude’s B Side Social Club taking to the decks.  Partygoers enjoyed a mix of funk, soul, breaks, and beats, alongside the stone baked pizzas and hot and cold drinks that were available all day and night for those on the beach. 

Tracey Griffiths of Lusty Glaze said, “This was a rare opportunity for the Newquay and Cornish surf community to come together and celebrate, and everyone involved had a really brilliant time.  It was great to stand back in the sunshine, with the surfers in the water, and reflect on everything we’ve achieved with our brilliant team here over the last 25 years. It was also great to be with the awesome people from Carve, Sharp’s Brewing Co and Newquay Boardriders and just feel the good vibes. Thanks to everyone who joined us.” 

Steve England, Editor of Carve Magazine, says, “We can hardly believe it’s been 30 years that we’ve been producing and printing the mag.  Over those three decades we’ve published 224 editions and also a whole load of books.  Sometimes you do need to stand back and consider all the work, faith and investment that’s gone into all that – and to take time to celebrate.  When we heard it was also Sharp’s 30th celebratory year, it just became the no-brainer thing to get us all together on one of the Newquay beaches for a surf contest.  Then we found out about the Lusty Glaze and Newquay Boardriders’ anniversaries too and it just all chimed! What a day!”

Nick White, Brand Activation Manager, at Sharp’s Brewing Co, says, “We’ve loved working in partnership with Carve, and its sister magazine SurfGirl, over the decades and we’ve got the same love for what we do in common, so it just made perfect sense to come together with the Cornish surf community on one of our favourite beaches – Lusty Glaze.  We are stoked that the crew at Lusty Glaze Beach suggested hosting an event to celebrate our birthdays in style. It was a super-fun contest with Newquay Boardriders and an epic night with our friends from B Side Social Club and Pete from Jelly Jazz providing the beats.”

Zoe Sheath of Newquay Boardriders said, “We may not have had the most momentous surf ever, but we certainly made the most of it and all our involved surfers had an utterly brilliant day and night.  55 years of club surfing is certainly an achievement and Newquay Boardriders has a lot of very exciting news and happenings to come in our 55th year.”

No alcohol drinking whilst surfing occurred during this event. 

Gallery Photos: Ben Hartley

UK premiere of The Cigarette Surfboard

Cambridge Film Fest will be showing the multi award winning The Cigarette Surfboard – a feature documentary using ciggy butts and surfing to build ocean mindfulness and stewardship 30/21 October.

The film explores the surfer’s responsibility to protect marine life, and also showcases what one can do to counter pollution in an age of greenwashing and shoulder shrugging on behalf of those responsible for pollution.

Director Ben Judkins will be there for a Q&A after the screening on 30th October, as well as an introduction before the screening on Thursday 31st October.

The film features a chat with two of Surfers Against Sewage founding directors Chris Hines and Steve England on the early days of the campaign and legends like Hugo Tagholm, Jack Johns, Easkey Britton, Rob Machado, Feargal Smith and many more.

“The Ciggy Board represents taking a problem and finding out how you can be part of the solution, but enjoying that process” – Jack Johnson

Full story here

More info here.

Tales from 10/10 – South Wales

10/10/24 a swell that had everything – size, period, reach and longevity. It made a lot people either very happy, “sick’ or question their jobs worth!

Will Bailey packed up his groms and his camera to intercept the swell down this local in south Wales.

Opening my shop early each morning is a familiar ritual, but today there was something special in the air. The sky had light shades of indigo, the trees deep with reds and oranges and the air was still with a sharp crisp smell of fallen leaves.

The espresso machine screeches to life and soon the quiet tranquil morning turns into the usual rat race of the morning rush. One of my first customers was a good friend of mine. He was on his way to work and had stopped off for a coffee. Over the usual chit chat, quietly and through gritted teeth, he mumbled ‘It’s pumping!’

PLD laying one down.

He was correct, and in fact it wasn’t just our local, the entire southwest coastline of the UK was alive, receiving the first solid swell of the autumn. With the water still warm enough for two or three surfs in a 3/2, a big period, small tides, sun shining and no wind, it was going to be a good day.

I was planning on surfing but as I left the house I caught sight of a camera, so I wrapped it in a towel and threw it in my bag. I knew Carve would like the coverage from up here, and I’ve recently brushed the dust off it.

Guff enjoying one of the best days ever down his local.

As I reached the beach, the regular local crew were already there. Some already on the point trading lefts and rights, and a few huddled around a small fire on the rocks, sipping coffee and cheering on each wave. Here tucked away in our little corner of Wales, it doesn’t happen often but when the stars align this wave is world class. The surfing standard at this spot is always really high, the local crew have it wired and they all rip. The usual familiar faces were all present, all getting their fair share of waves, and among them Eli Perrins Davies and Patrick Langdon Dark.

Elliot Beynon testing one of his hand shapes.

I’d watched Eli and Pat in the Boardmasters this past summer. I was there with my two boys, I wanted to show them some world class surfing and with Eli and Pat they also had some local talent to cheer on. They both put on an incredible display, and it was amazing to see them pushing Welsh surfing to the front of British and European competitions. Pat made the final, coming a close second to Lukas Skinner, in what is the first ever all UK final, and Pat being the first Welsh surfer in a QS final I think since Carwyn Williams. Truly showing how the level in UK has risen onto the world stage.

Eli Perrins Davies goes the right

As I turned my camera on a set loomed on the horizon, and before I had a chance to position myself, Eli took off on a perfect right-hander. My first thoughts were “ Fu** me! How does this camera work?” I used to be able to work it with my eyes closed. So I had to just watch his first wave. His style was smooth and effortless, a product of years of honing his craft at this very spot. He set a high line, flew down into a text book bottom turn and smashed the lip, landed it, and straight into another bottom turn top turn combo. I let out a little cheer and then got myself reacquainted with my camera.

Pat had been ill with the lurg, but he couldn’t miss out on the day’s conditions. He’d casually cruised out, chatted for a bit, let all the boys have a wave before him while waiting his turn. His first turn was outrageous! I’m not sure if it was the angle I was looking from, but he should not have rode away! They both looked a league above and in another gear.

Having been away from the surf scene for so long it struck me how strange it was that neither Pat nor Eli had a sticker on the front of their boards. I know times are hard in the surf industry (apparently) but here are two athletes who represent the core of the sport, are at the top of British and European surfing, who live and breath the lifestyle, and are excellent role models for our youth. Pat and Eli represent everything that surf companies value, authentic, grassroots surfers who spend every spare moment in the water, pushing themselves and their craft. Pat is the highest rated British surfer on the Euro QS, ranking in at no10 in Europe.

Jamie Bateman working from home.

Since watching the Boardmasters, my two boys, who are 12 and 9 have been idolising Pat, Eli and Lukas. In the past, kids would normally be worshiping the unreachable Kelly’s, Andy’s and Italo’s. But today’s youth really do have home grown surfers to aspire to, and it’s amazing to see. Yet, despite their undeniable talent, results and influence on our youth, they have no sticker on the front of their boards, and have full time jobs, it’s baffling!

Throughout the session, the waves kept coming, and the usual local crew got their fair share, but there was no denying that Pat and Eli were the standouts of the day. Their surfing wasn’t just good for Welsh or British standards, it’s world class!

Before getting a proper job Will was one of the UKs top surf photographers. He’s now decided to pick up up camera and dust off the fins and get back n there, You can follow him here @willbailey

If you have tales or shots from sessions around our coast let’s see them! Email [email protected]