This winter the Portuguese coast has been relentless and the continuing quest for the ultimate ride never stops. Here is a little recap of a perfect dark winter day on a slab known only to a few. The atmosphere was electric, and the barrels were simply mind-blowing – These are the days we live for. – @nicvonrupp

The first stop of the 2024 Caravan and Motorhome Club English National Surfing Championships concluded this weekend at the iconic Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall. We celebrated a huge 10 years of partnership with our event headline sponsor, The Caravan and Motorhome Club. And we also celebrated the best of English surfing talent across various divisions, drawing surfers and spectators alike from all corners of the country.

Competitors battled it out in challenging 6-10ft surf conditions, displaying exceptional skill and determination throughout the competition. From thrilling aerial manoeuvres to powerful wave rides, each heat was filled with excitement and showcased the incredible talent within the English surfing community. As the crowds cheered on their favourite surfers it was truly exceptional to witness the development in skill of our athletes. Our surfers will no doubt be a force to reckon with in worldwide competitions.

Epic Finals Unfold at Fistral Beach – Champions Emerge

In the heart-pounding finals, the surfing world witnessed an epic showdown of skill, determination, and pure adrenaline. Spectators held their breath as the ocean churned with anticipation, setting the stage for an unforgettable display of athleticism and prowess.

The Men’s Open division saw Stanley Norman carving through the waves with unmatched precision and style. His execution of flawless manoeuvres left the crowd in awe, leading him to the Mens Open Win.

Not to be outdone, Alys Barton took 1st place after dominating the Women’s Open division with her grace and power on the waves.

Belle Betteridge (competing in the Girls Under 18’s) and Lila Skinner (competing in the Girls Under 16’s) showcased an incredible blend of technique, power and finesse in the Junior girls’ divisions, both taking home the wins in their age respective category.

Meanwhile, in the boys Junior divisions, Arthur Randell (Under 18 boys) and Lukas Skinner (Under 16 Boys) stole the spotlight with their fearless approach showing determination and performing aerial manoeuvres with the confidence of seasoned veterans.

Honouring Champions and Dedication – Recognising the athletes’ journey

As the final horn sounded and the last wave rolled to shore, champions emerged from the surf. Their names marked out in English surfing history. Each wave ridden, each manoeuvre executed, represented the years of training and dedication, giving testament to the development of professional athletes of the English surfing community.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club English National Surfing Championships had once again delivered a spectacle of unparalleled excitement and intensity. This leaves no doubt that the spirit of surfing burns brighter than ever in the heart of every competitor and spectator alike.

Our Support and Gratitude for all involved – A Heartfelt Thank You

The success of this event would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our headline sponsor of 10 years, Caravan and Motorhome Club for their invaluable contribution. All helped make this championship a memorable and thrilling experience for all involved.

We would like to say a big thank you to all involved. A huge thank you to all surfers, supporters, media team, judges and event team for being a part of this epic weekend. A big congratulations also to our Contest Director, Ester Spears, who excelled in his role throughout the contest. It was a phenomenal weekend for English Surfing, and we cannot wait for the next one!

FULL RESULTS

U16 Girls

1- Lila Skinner 2- Sunny Ingram 3- Willow Smith 4- Harlyn Sykes

U16 Boys

1 – Lukas Skinner 2 – Asbjorn Gwenin 3- Jago Tasker 4- Isaac Friend

U18 Girls

1- Belle Betteridge 2- Lauren Sandland 3- Georgie-May Hicks 4- Ocearna Peres

U18 Boys

1- Arthur Randell 2- Fynn Gillespie 3- Malakai Hagley 4- Finley Donovan

Women’s Open

1- Alys Barton 2- Ellie Turner 3- Belle Betteridge 4- Charlotte Mulley

Men’s Open

1- Stanley Norman 2- Lukas Skinner 3- Noah Davis 4- Fynn Gillespie

• 11X World Champion Kelly Slater Gets Honorable Chair-up After Loss in Margaret River and Shares Emotional Message Following His Elimination
• Mid-Season Cut Relegates Eight Surfers from the 2024 CT Season
• World Champions Gabriel Medina and John Florence To Face Off in Round of 16
• Bubble Surfers Survive Another Chance to Make the Cut at Main Break, Plus Nine Surfers Confirmed

Celebrated as the greatest surfer of all time, Slater has 56 event wins over his incredible 32-year career on the Championship Tour. With 11 World Titles, he holds the record for the most World Championships of any surfer and is both the youngest and oldest World Champion in men’s history. 

Although the surfing GOAT hinted that he doesn’t plan to hang up his jersey at the moment, he’s missed the Mid-season Cut, meaning that he has not requalified for the remainder of the 2024 WSL CT nor the start of the 2025 WSL CT.

The 52-year-old shared that he plans to compete in events as they come, and the WSL Commissioner’s Office will release updates to the event wildcards for the back half of the season as those event windows draw closer.

After being chaired up at Margaret River, Slater shared an emotional message following his loss:

“As far as emotions, it’s almost hitting me. It’s right there bubbling. I couldn’t quite pull a miracle off this week. I’ve pulled a few off over the years and I still had that hope out there. Even with a minute to go, I thought, ‘One might pop up.’ But to lose to the world number one. Griff is the number one guy and I’ve been close with him for a long time. It’s been fun to be over 50 and still mixing it up with the guys and still feeling like I’m there with them. Seeing this new crop of guys and to finish with Griffin, as a full-time competitor that’s cool.

“I’ve had a fight with this wave my whole career, so it’s not necessarily the wave I want to end on. I have put in for a wildcard for Fiji so I’ll see how that goes. But I do feel like, if I get a wildcard into Fiji, I could end up against Griffin again so I’ll get to pay him back.

“But yeah, it is what it is, everything comes to an end and if you don’t adapt you don’t survive and my motivation just hasn’t been there to really put in that one-hundred percent that everyone else is now.

“I’ve got a couple weeks here, Renato asked me if I want to surf on the Goldy [Challenger Series Event]. If Snapper looks good, we’ll see. Just for some fun.”

Colapinto is one of the next generation’s promising hopes to be the World Champion and his current World No. 1 standing has put the surfing world on notice. His win over Slater signals a changing of the guard and continues to solidify his presence as one of the world’s best surfers. Colapinto will continue his charge through this event and the season to the WSL Finals, as well as representing the United States in the upcoming Olympic Games at Teahupo’o, Tahiti. 

“It’s pretty mind-blowing – when I saw him getting chaired up the stairs I was like whoa, is that for real? That’s a sign in surfing that someone is retiring and the fact that he did that after a heat with me, I was pretty blown away and was just trying to take it all in,” Colapinto said. “It’s crazy, he’s given me and everyone on this tour so much, we owe him so much, we make a living because of how far he has taken surfing. It’s pretty incredible. I used to watch his video parts and imagine myself being like him.”

Mid-Season Cut Relegates Eight Surfers from the 2024 CT Season

Alongside Slater, eight surfers were unable to progress through the Round of 32 and were eliminated from the competition, falling below the Mid-season Cut line: Ian Gentil (HAW), Eli Hanneman (HAW), Frederico Morais (POR), Kate Matson (USA), Callum Robson (AUS), Deivid Silva (BRA), and Jacob Willcox (AUS). 

Margaret River local and 2024 CT Rookie Willcox was unable to back up his 8.50 and went down to good friend Liam O’Brien (AUS). Another CT Rookie who lost in the Round of 32 and was relegated to the Challenger Series was Hanneman, who narrowly lost his heat against Jake Marshall (USA). San Clemente’s Matson was the last rookie of the day to experience the heartbreak of missing the Cut, after his loss to Italo Ferreira (BRA). Matson, with this equal 17th-place finish, was unable to move above the Cut line and will return to the Challenger Series for the remainder of 2024. 

Silva put everything he could into his matchup with Florence, posting his best heat total of the 2024 season. Unfortunately for Silva, it wasn’t enough to overcome Florence who posted the highest two-wave total of the event so far and will be sent to the Challenger Series to once again battle to regain his spot at the elite level. 

Morais fell victim to the Mid-season Cut for the second consecutive season after he lost his Round of 32 matchup with Jordy Smith (RSA), while Robson suffered the same result with his loss to hometown favorite Jack Robinson (AUS) in the last heat of the day. 

Nine More Surfers Confirmed To Make the Cut

Coming into the round of 32, Rio Waida (INA), Ramzi Boukhiam (MOR), Imaikalani DeVault (HAW), and Italo Ferriera (BRA) needed to progress through their heats to make the Mid-season Cut. All except for Waida were able to get the job done, progressing into the Round of 16 and securing their spots on the CT for the second half of the season. Fortunately for Waida, with other results going his way, he was able to also secure his spot beyond the Mid-season Cut. 

Other surfers to clear the Cut line after further eliminations today included Gabriel Medina (BRA), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Leonardo Fioravanti (BRA), Matthew McGillivray (RSA), and Liam O’Brien (AUS). 

Pupo V. Pupo Matchup to Come, Bubble Surfers Survive Another Chance to Make the Cut at Main Break 

The men’s Round of 16 will be a battle of the Pupo brothers, Miguel and Samuel, as they face each other in a critical heat for both of their CT careers. The loser of that heat will be relegated to the Challenger Series, while the winner will have the opportunity to continue to fight to save their spot on the Tour for the remainder of the year and into the next season. 

Also claiming critical wins to improve their qualification hopes include Seth Moniz (HAW) and Caio Ibelli (BRA). Their CT fates will depend on the results from the upcoming Round of 16 and the Final Series. 

For highlights from today’s competition at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Elimination Round Results: 
HEAT 1: Callum Robson (AUS) 12.84 DEF. John John Florence (HAW) 11.37, Otis North (AUS) 10.73
HEAT 2: Reef Heazlewood (AUS) 14.93 DEF. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.63, Barron Mamiya (HAW) 11.43
HEAT 3: Cole Houshmand (USA) 13.10 DEF. Kelly Slater (USA) 12.50, Yago Dora (BRA) 10.20
HEAT 4: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 14.00 DEF. Deivid Silva (BRA) 12.54, Rio Waida (INA) 7.13

Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Round of 32 Results: 
HEAT 1: John John Florence (HAW) 17.13 DEF. Deivid Silva (BRA) 16.70
HEAT 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.66 DEF. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 12.40
HEAT 3: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 15.27 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 13.77
HEAT 4: Samuel Pupo (BRA) 12.77 DEF. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 11.50
HEAT 5: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.87 DEF. Kelly Slater (USA) 6.17
HEAT 6: Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 13.06 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 12.43
HEAT 7: George Pittar (AUS) 13.26 DEF. Cole Houshmand (USA) 12.87
HEAT 8: Liam O’Brien (AUS) 15.00 DEF. Jacob Willcox (AUS) 14.17
HEAT 9: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.33 DEF. Reef Heazlewood (AUS) 11.37
HEAT 10: Seth Moniz (HAW) 10.60 DEF. Connor O’Leary (JPN) 10.10
HEAT 11: Jordy Smith (RSA) 13.77 DEF. Frederico Morais (POR) 12.83
HEAT 12: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 13.50 DEF. Crosby Colapinto (USA) 10.97
HEAT 13: Jake Marshall (USA) 11.84 DEF. Eli Hanneman (HAW) 11.33
HEAT 14: Imaikalani deVault (HAW) 13.73 DEF. Ian Gentil (HAW) 13.70
HEAT 15: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 10.93 DEF. Kade Matson (USA) 10.33
HEAT 16: Jack Robinson (AUS) 13.83 DEF. Callum Robson (AUS) 10.77

Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Round of 16 Matchups: 
HEAT 1: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
HEAT 2: Miguel Pupo (BRA) vs. Samuel Pupo (BRA)
HEAT 3: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR)
HEAT 4: George Pittar (AUS) vs. Liam O’Brien (AUS)
HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW)
HEAT 6: Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. Caio Ibelli (BRA)
HEAT 7: Jake Marshall (USA) vs. Imaikalani deVault (HAW)
HEAT 8: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Jack Robinson (AUS)

Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Round of 16 Matchups:
HEAT 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) vs. India Robinson (AUS)
HEAT 2: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Isabella Nichols (AUS)
HEAT 3: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Alyssa Spencer (USA)
HEAT 4: Brisa Hennessy (CRC) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA)
HEAT 5: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Sophie McCulloch (AUS)
HEAT 6: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)
HEAT 7: Caroline Marks (USA) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
HEAT 8: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Sawyer Lindblad (USA)

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

My 1st official surf edit. I filmed PRE-KERRSOR in the last 6 months of 2023. This edit is very special to me. I have always wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps by filming a few edits. We scored some amazing waves and it was fun having a few of my friends apart of it. I hope you all like it! @sierrakerr

Let ‘The Fun Boys Second Summer of Love’ transport you back to a simpler time, a time when the surf pumped almost non stop for about 6 months, a time Creed was experimenting with comically large Dahlberg’s and making them look weirdly functional a time when the session of all sessions went down which you’ll see for yourself if you make it to the end.