Introducing the Bahrain Surf Park – Club Hawaii Experience a key component of the Bilaj Al Jazayer development, a sprawling 1.3 million square meters along Bahrain’s southwest coast. With major backing from Edamah (Bahrain Real Estate Investment Company), and GFH Financial Group, this project is about to become a new destination for surfers and water sports lovers worldwide.
At the heart of this Bahrain Surf Park lies our Wavegarden Cove technology. The development is shaping up to be a full-on destination. There will be a surf school to get customers started, restaurants for those feeling hungry after a session, beach bars for unwinding after a day in the water, a skatepark, retail stores, event spaces, and a panoramic terrace offering killer views of the park and the ocean.
What’s more, the Bahrain Surf Park is expected to be a major tourism draw, pulling in around 300,000 visitors a yearand hosting 140,000 surf sessions annually. It’s already earned props from the Arabian Property Awards as Bahrain’s Best Leisure Development. Not bad for a place that didn’t have waves to surf on before!
As Wavegarden’s Chief Commercial Director, Fernando Odriozola, puts it, “It’s a game-changer not only for Bahrain but for the entire Middle East.”
But Bahrain’s surf park isn’t just about catching epic waves – it’s about doing it sustainably. The park is designed with energy efficiency in mind, using 10 times less energy than comparable systems. In fact, each wave uses just 1 kWh of energy (which is roughly 0.10€ per wave) and the smart designs actually recover and reuse part of the energy. So, you can have fun while knowing that your environmental footprint remains as light as possible.
Bahrain Surf Park is set to make a splash not just in Bahrain but across the region. Whether you’re an experienced surfer or someone looking for a fun new activity, this park will have something for everyone.
Chris Calvert, CEO of Edamah, is confident that this project will redefine Bahrain’s leisure scene and help position the country as a top tourist destination. Meanwhile, Hisham Ahmed Al-Rayes, CEO of GFH, highlights how this project will elevate Bahrain’s tourism profile, offering a dynamic recreational space for both locals and international visitors.
There were no mirages in the deserts of UAE with remarkable performances from Steven Sawyer and Alice Lemoigne to claim inaugural, Abu Dhabi Longboard Classic wins. A true Cinderella story unfolded for former WSL Longboard Champion Sawyer. The South African needed a win to catapult into the Top 8 and he did just that after besting 2023 World Title runner-up Kaniela Stewart in the Semifinals before bringing his steezy style to the Final against in-form John Michael Van Hohenstein. An all-French battle unraveled for the women’s Final and Lemoigne saved her best for last with a brilliant 9.43 over Zoe Grospiron who put on a showcase all her own. But, in the end it was Lemoigne who reasserted herself among the world’s best with a major win heading into the World Title showdown. Now, the Top 8 men and women are settled and all that remains is the one-day, Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships beginning October 9 through 13.
Champions crowned at 2024 The Stable English National Longboard Championships!
It’s a double double for as Arthur Randall and Lola Bleakley take both Open and Under 18 divisions.
Arthur Randall is now 2024 English Longboard champ, Under 18 longboard champ and Under 18 shortboard champ.
2024 The Stable English National Longboard Championships hosted by Surfing England and the British Longboard Union, has successfully concluded at Fistral Beach in Newquay. Longboarding winners were crowned under a sunny September sky, all showcasing an impressive display of skill despite the tricky surf conditions in the morning. Fistral beach delivered some magic conditions in the afternoon. The surf cleaned up to beautiful 3-foot waves for epic high tide finals.
A day of unmissable action
With 45 surfers securing places in the contest, a busy 8 hours of surfing was scheduled to take place. The Men’s Open, a round of 32, was first to get in the water. In heat 1, junior surfer Arthur Randell scored a huge total of a 13.83 whilst in heat 5 seasoned pro Adam Griffiths put down the highest total of 14.67. Round 1 of the Men’s Open was dominated by surfers of all ages, the young talent chasing the heels of the more experienced competitors.
Throughout the rounds, the crowds were in full suspense on who was favourite to win. A close final, with only 3 points between 1st and 4th place. The horn sounded and Arthur Randell secured the title in the Men’s Open with a heat score of 15.33. The highest score of the contest. It was a tough final with talented surfers, Adam Griffiths, Ben Howey and Ted Pearson. Arthur also took the U18 National title, in a close heat between Ted Pearson, Kaz Phillips, and Isaac Dakin.
In the Women’s Open and Under 18 Girls division, we had stacked heats. World class surfers were in the mix with the likes of Beth Leighfield, Mali Harbour, Sylvie Puddiphatt and Lola Bleakley. The women displayed style and grace on their boards, hitting the judging criteria perfectly. In both the Women’s Open and U18 girls, Lola Bleakley was a force to be reckoned with, taking both National titles respectively.
Outstanding Athleticism
Anyone witnessing the surfing action will agree that our athletes displayed world-class levels of athleticism and skill. We saw a repertoire of elegant footwork, cross-stepping, hang 10’s and powerful turns combining both classic and modern styles of surfing. This year’s competition was, in the final rounds, dominated by young talent with both our winners Arthur and Lola winning the Open and Junior divisions.
A big well done to every competitor involved in this contest.
Full Results
U18 Girls
1st – Lola Bleakley 2nd – Mali Harbour 3rd – Sylvie Puddiphatt 4th – Lily Williams
U18 Boys
1st – Arthur Randell 2nd – Ted Pearson 3rd – Kaz Phillips 4th – Isaac Dakin
Women’s Open
1st – Lola Bleakley 2nd – Sylvia Puddiphatt 3rd – Beth Leighfield 4th – Mali Harbour
Men’s Open
1st – Arthur Randell 2nd – Adam Griffith 3rd – Ben Howey 4th – Ted Pearson
To check out all heat and wave scores, click here.
Special Thanks:
A huge thank you to all the Contest officials and media team for seamless teamwork to deliver an epic event.
Thank you to our fantastic headline partner The Stable. And to our brilliant partners Caravan and Motorhome Club, korev lager, The Wave, dryrobe, Muscle Food, Decathlon UK, Clarke Willmott, Vospers.
Thanks to The Hangout Watergate Bay for a delicious breakfast and The Stable for some incredible pizzas for lunch.
A huge thank you to ERA Adventures for the lifeguard cover.
The stage has just been set for the world’s Ultimate Junior Surfing Event. The Rip Curl GromSearch International Final, covered by Sun Bum, will see the planet’s best surfers aged 16 and under converge on the idyllic island of Bali from November 13th to 17th, 2024.
Established in 1999 and known as a launchpad for future surfing superstars, the GromSearch International Final has been the proving ground for an unequaled list of world champions and Olympic medalists. Past finalists read like a who’s who of surfing royalty, including Steph Gilmore, Gabriel Medina, Carissa Moore, Tyler Wright, Caroline Marks, Jack Robinson, Filipe Toledo, and many more. Incredibly, past GromSearch competitors have gone on to clinch the last 17 WSL Women’s World Titles and claimed 5 of the 6 surfing medals awarded at the past two Olympic Games.
The road to Bali is insanely competitive, with young talent from around the globe vying for a mere handful of coveted spots in the final. Only eight girls and eight boys will qualify, representing regions such as the USA, Australia, Indonesia, Europe, Brazil, and South Africa. Two international wildcard slots per division will also be announced, including winners from the #GromSearchOnline contest.
Finalists won’t just be competing for glory; they’ll also receive mentorship from ‘GromSearch Captains’ Stephanie Gilmore and Molly Picklum during the event. These current top pros will provide invaluable insights into heat strategies and share their experiences from the WSL World Tour, ensuring that participants not only compete but also learn and grow.
“The GromSearch International Final is more than a competition; it’s a celebration of the next generation of surfers and the vibrant community that supports them. With the help of Sun Bum, we’re stoked to bring this event to Bali, a place renowned for its phenomenal waves and rich surfing culture,” says Mark Flanagan, Rip Curl Sports Marketing Manager. “This is where future champions are made, and we can’t wait to see who will rise to the occasion this year.”
The event promises boundary-pushing surfing that will define the next decade of performance..
In Europe, the GromSearch final took place on Saturday, September 14th, at the iconic Chambre d’Amour spot in Anglet. The two U16 winners, who qualified for Bali, are the French surfer Tya Zebrowski and the Spanish Dylan Donegan Santos.
The road to Bali is insanely competitive, with young talent from around the globe vying for a mere handful of coveted spots in the final. Only eight girls and eight boys will qualify, representing regions such as the USA, Australia, Indonesia, Europe, Brazil, and South Africa. Two international wildcard slots per division will also be announced, including winners from the #GromSearchOnline contest.
