I have always loved skateboarding and ever since I was a grom, I've always dreamt of having surfing and skateboarding come together. With the support of @redbullau I have been having some fun bringing this to life! The possibilities are endless with this thing...what next!?
Considering the rapidly changing, life altering current situation the WSL has wisely put things on hold further than cancelling the ‘what are the odds’ named Corona Pro.
PRESS RELEASE
Due to the continued evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Surf League (WSL) is postponing or canceling all events, at all levels of competition, through the end of May. This includes the postponement of the remainder of the events in the Australian leg of the Championship Tour, Bells Beach and Margaret River, as well as the WSL Big Wave Awards. The Quiksilver Pro G-Land – scheduled to take place in a remote part of Indonesia in June – will either be canceled or moved to an area with more infrastructure.
While full details about the impact these changes will have on the 2020 Tour are not yet available, the WSL is working diligently to land the best solution for surfers and fans alike.
In a video released on all WSL channels today, WSL’s CEO Erik Logan said to WSL fans and supporters: “We have every intention of commencing the 2020 Championship Tour season, and all our tours, as soon as possible. We are already hard at work doing scenario planning for what a reimagined 2020 tour might look like.”
The current and quickly evolving changes to international travel are making it extremely challenging to determine an appropriate time to recommence and get surfers to and from event locations safely.
In the video, Logan also said: “I’m a fan, like you, and I want to see the world’s best surfers battle it out on the best waves in the world. However, the WSL’s primary concern right now is for the health and safety for our athletes, fans and global employees.”
Based on the information the WSL is receiving from global experts and agencies regarding the pandemic, June feels like the most likely time to kick off the 2020 season safely, thus the decision made today.
Logan continued, “We are a truly global sport. Moving tours and events between countries is challenging under the best of conditions. Under current circumstances, it’s just not possible, and will not be for some time to come. As a league that organizes public gatherings, we are also extremely conscious of our social responsibility not to enable and accelerate the spread of the virus.”
In the meantime, the WSL is continuing to drive new and fresh surfing content through all of its channels. The WSL is also engaging fans to share how they would like to see the WSL celebrate surfing during a time when we need to see and experience more of what we love.
According to Logan, “We are going to increase the volume of content we are producing from WSL Studios, deepen our editorial, and find new ways to stay connected all while we wait for that next opening horn to sound.”
“The love of surfing is the bond that holds our global community together,” said Logan. “We want to share positivity during these anxious times, by continuing to celebrate that bond, and our shared passion for this sport, the ocean, our athletes and one another.”
The WSL will continue to provide updates as they are available.
Ryan Callinan in one of the last WSL events for a while. Photo by Matt Dunbar/WSL
The UK response is currently very much ‘Good luck!’ mixed with ‘Keep calm and carry on’ but the wider world is shutting down borders and sports events a rapid rate. The latest to go is the fittingly named Corona Pro, the opening event of the WSL big league season. That’s cancelled and a bunch of other events have been postponed to hopefully be rescheduled down the track. Uncertain times mean it’s the wisest course of action.
PRESS RELEASE
Due to the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19 and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of athletes, fans, and staff, the World Surf League (WSL) has made the decision to cancel all events yet to commence at all tour levels, worldwide for the remainder of March, including the opening event of the 2020 Championship Tour (CT) on the Gold Coast in Australia. Additionally, the WSL has canceled the Papara Pro Open Tahiti.
This decision is based on guidance from the World Health Organization, who has declared that COVID-19 is now a global pandemic, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, governments and local public health authorities where events are being held.
“Coronavirus is having massive consequences for sporting events and gatherings of all kinds around the world, and we are no different,” said WSL CEO Erik Logan. “We did not take this decision lightly as we are aware that it has a significant impact on the surfing community. However, the health and safety of our athletes, fans, and staff are paramount. From the standpoint of social responsibility, we also take very seriously the role our events might play in accelerating the spread of the virus. We’ve been in close contact with our athletes and we feel strongly that this is the right thing to do right now.”
“The fluid nature of this situation is forcing us to evaluate things day-by-day, and even hour-by-hour,” Logan said. “As this continues to evolve, we’ll continue to adapt, endeavoring to make the next right decision each day.”
Based on the information available at this time, the WSL is not currently canceling any additional events beyond this time frame. The situation continues to evolve, and the league is closely monitoring and evaluating the status of upcoming events, including the next CT event at Bells Beach in Victoria, Australia.
The WSL is carefully considering the impact of these cancellations on its tours and will provide further information in due course.
For all events currently in progress, the WSL has implemented a range of safety protocols as well as protective guidelines for athletes and staff. These include information on travel advisories and restrictions so anyone traveling can plan their travel routes to and from events to best limit their potential exposure; additional hand-washing facilities and hand sanitizer at events; and minimizing surfer and fan interactions.
List of currently canceled or postponed events:
Papara Pro Open Tahiti, French Polynesia – canceled
Piha Pro Junior, New Zealand – postponed
Corona Piha Pro, New Zealand – postponed
Seat Pro Netanya, Israel – postponed
Barbados Surf Pro, Barbados – postponed
Corona Open Gold Coast, Australia – canceled
WSL Awards – postponed
Red Bull Airborne Gold Coast, Australia – canceled
Jack’s Surfboards Pro, USA – postponed
Longboard Pro Espinho, Portugal – postponed
Caparica Surf Fest Pro, Portugal – postponed
Central Japan Open, Japan – postponed
Krui Pro, Indonesia – postponed
If you’ve got the new issue of the mag you’ll have seen that our winner for our writer’s comp last year was Pat Rowhan and his Insta Apocalypse piece (from issue 196). You can read it below and see how to submit for this year’s comp below that.
INSTA APOCALYPSE by Patrick Rowhan
It was a crisp, winter’s morning when the pair embarked on a dawny. They had been frustrated that their previous vlog posts were in crowded lineups and they wanted to give their fans and followers a glimpse of being in tune with the ocean and nature. They’d need three cameras to achieve this.
Jed had filmed the moment he had awoken Kayla, shaking her shoulders in the dark while giggling – classic clip he thought. And Kayla had filmed Jed packing the truck and making the flask of coffee – excellent content she thought.
They had 50k subscribers on their YouTube channel and five times as many Instagram followers. Things were going pretty well. Until that morning, the world ended that is.
They approached the car park overlooking their home break, it felt strange arriving in the dark, and they didn’t recognise the area lit with the headlamps for this reason. Their spirits were buoyed by the fact that their vehicle was the only one present. They rushed to get ready, Kayla was constantly taking photos, the flash helping Jed see his kit, he’d leave the drone footage for sunrise.
The surf forecast was mellow, but it sounded bigger as they waded up to their waists tentatively before jumping on their boards. Their senses were heightened, the crashing of the waves on the shore echoed around the bay, and they could make out where the peeling whitewater would intercept them. It was invigorating as they ducked and rolled, but they lost that moment as they scrabbled to switch their cameras on to start recording. They spoke to each other in their vlogging voices (something they were unaware of) to set up the scene for their prospective viewers.
Kayla and Jed had surfed competitively as groms, but they had lost interest pretty quickly once their social media profiles began to ‘blow up’. And as a couple, their popularity as “surf lifestyle” influencers flourished and afforded them a jet-setting existence others could only envy.
Once out back, Jed splashed Kayla in the face, and she laughed and sat up – great clip they both thought.
They sat together and began to film the script they’d discussed the night before. They talked about having the whole bay to themselves and panned along the horizon and then back to the beach. The emerging sunlight was starting to give texture and composition to the silhouetted hills and headlands. All alone they’d hoped to feel at one with nature, but they weren’t feeling any different – not that they’d admit that to each, or the camera.
Their filming stopped abruptly as a blinding light brighter than the rising sun immediately took their attention to the sky, and in a moment of total disbelief, a meteor broke through the Earth’s atmosphere.
In a split second, the flaming rock of destruction lit up the landscape like the midday sun and hurtled towards their hometown. The explosion was immense, and parts of the hills and cliff were tossed into the ocean like skimming stones.
Kayla and Jed dived under the surface and swam deep, the fire lighting up the sea bed and debris shooting through the brine. They both dropped their cameras in their panic to stay underwater.
When they came up, they saw a shoreline on fire, the headlands aflame too, and houses flattened. The smoke billowed thick and black over the hill from where their town used to be, and that’s when it dawned on them that everyone they knew would be dead. Even their beloved Cockapoo Kerouac was gone.
They held onto each other while slumped over their boards and sobbed. They sobbed for almost an hour before Jed suggested they paddle back in to find survivors.
As they paddled together the first of a set wave arrived, it was still shaped perfectly clean, but the water colour had changed, and the face of the wave was filled with sticks and branches. Jed caught the wave, but Kayla missed it so paddled into the next wave,
There was no point in staying prone, so they both popped up on their respective waves and worked the face. Jed bent his knees and pumped to make the first section then he put in a big sweeping carve, the rail digging in and sending a plume of spray behind the lip. A strange feeling of exhilaration took over him. Kayla felt it too as soon as she walked up her board to grasp the toes of her right foot of the nose of the board, the board sped up in the pocket, and she shot along the face only thinking about the positioning of her feet and enjoying the ride.
It was the first time they’d surfed a wave in over ten years without photographing or filming it.
They both worked their waves to the shallows and rode the whitewater onto the scorched sand.
‘Surfing makes us one with the ocean. Everything else is just noise’ was Kayla and Jed’s Instagram bio.
It’s just a shame that it took the end of humanity for them to remember this.
ENTER THE 2020 WRITER’S COMP
We ran a Writer’s Comp across our 25th anniversary year in 2019 and every issue ran a story from a fresh writer across all kinds of topics. The stories were illuminating, honest, funny and added a great mix to the mag.
So we’re happy to say we’ll be running it again in 2020. Articles are best at between 400 and 1000 words so we can run over a single or two pages upfront. Anything goes as long as the piece works in the context of a surf magazine. Check last year’s issues for a flavour of what was submitted.
As for who won the title for 2019?
Take a bow Patrick Rowhan (@curled_in), Insta Apocalypse was our favourite of the year. A timely tail of social influencers, the ‘look at me’ generation and urging folks to look up from their devices. Check out issue 196 for his thought-provoking submission.
There’ll be a prize back of Orca books, a mag subscription and some gear winging it’s way to you. And of course, an open invitation to send more words in.
So there you go get your thinking caps on and get writing. Email your entries, preferably as a Word document or in Apple Pages, or even in the body of the email, no pdfs as they’re totes annoying, to [email protected] small print below.
Rules for entry
400-1000 word articles are ideal. We can’t respond to all emails, because we get loads, but you will get an autoresponder confirmation for each story. By entering you consent to Carve running your submission online and in print. We will double-check spelling and grammar so don’t be too nervous about submitting work. There is no cash alternative to the prize or reimbursement for submissions published or unpublished. You can enter six pieces of work over the year. Carve editors will pick stories to run on-site and in the magazine and their decision is final.
Sure surf trips with mates are a blast, but sometimes it’s good to strike out on your own. You can’t always find a wingman or woman. Sidekicks ain’t always on hand after all. Travelling by yourself is epic, no decision by committee, no faff with where or what to eat, no dilly-dallying deciding where to surf: just you and yours pleasuring yourself. So to speak.
The downside is you can’t split the costs of rental cars and rooms but fear not, modern surf camps are set up for solo travellers, you’ve got a pop-up bunch of mates just waiting for you. It’s a chance to engage with actual humans, not stare at a screen, meeting fellow travellers is one of the best things you can do. Exchanging stories and tips on spots to check out, play cards and hell, even have a few shandies.
Surfing is a big worldwide family. Wherever you go, you’ll meet likeminded souls. So pack that board bag and explore. The crew below are waiting for you...
Surfivor Surf Camp, since 2004, brings you the best surf holiday in Northern Portugal. Visit our Surf Hostel Porto for the most unique Surf City Experience in Europe. Or try our Brand New Beach House in Esmoriz, prime oceanfront location steps from the sand.
Surf Camp Packages for Beginners and Intermediates include Surf Lessons Monday – Saturday, Accommodation + Breakfast, Yoga, BBQ and Porto Tour. Licensed, experienced and FUN Surf Coaches with Local Knowledge, max 8 students per instructor. Bed & Breakfast and Equipment Rental options also available, with advice on Local Attractions or Free Surfing.
Surfivor offers Group Discounts 20% and Come Back Discounts 10%. But Surfivor guests keep coming back for the Warm and Friendly Vibes, Comprehensive Surf Coaching and Uncrowded Line Ups. Try Esmoriz June – September for your Authentic Portuguese summer beach holiday. Visit Porto October – March for the best Winter Waves on offer in Portugal.
Just a few hours from Europe, Sandycamps offers authentic stays in the small village of Imsouane, best surf destination of Morocco. Its slow-paced atmosphere, all-level 800 meter-long wave and 300 days of sun per year have made Imsouane the ideal winter escape. Spend your holidays on the beach surfing or practicing yoga, and completely disconnect from your daily life. At Sandycamps, you’re invited to relax by the pool, on sunny terraces or lush gardens, taste delicious tajines, and enjoy live music, meeting like-minded people from all over the World. Whether you are a beginner or intermediate surfer, yoga enthusiast or experienced yogi, we offer packages that will suit your needs, to make sure you spend amazing holidays. Don’t hesitate to contact us, we’d love to hear from you!
Come to live the Cascais dream surf life! Either you never surfed before or you are an experienced surfer, Cascais is the place to have your surf holidays. Nice Way Cascais & Surf Camp team will guide you to explore the best surf breaks in the area. They manage to prepare the different surf groups according to each surfer's level: beginners, intermediates, and advanced.
In the quiet residential area of Cascais, the camp is located 12-minute walking distance to the beaches, restaurants and nightlife. The accommodation is divided into 16 bedrooms, all designed and furnished to provide maximum comfort. There are 11 comfortable shared rooms with 4, 6, 10 or 12 beds. This surf camp has four double rooms ensuite and one double room. The place has a beautiful and comfortable garden with a swimming pool to chill and relax.
As stated in our motto “Enjoy Life”, get ready for a wonderful surfing experience in the family run surf camp situated just few minutes away from Bali’s famous surfing spots such as Batu Bolong Beach and Echo Beach. Our semi-private surfing lesson with video analysis and theory is tailored to all levels, and our ASI certified instructors will take you to various surf spots around Bali. We have two accommodations to offer, our Surfers House Hostel offers 4-beds dormitory rooms which is perfect for solo travellers to catch up and socialize with fellow travellers from all over the world. If you need more privacy, our Pool Villa is located only 5 minutes’ walk from the surf camp. Our surf camp is our family, we want you to experience the family-like atmosphere and make good memories together with our friendly, English speaking team that will take good care of you. Get ready for your Bali surf vacation and see you at the camp!
The Yogi Surfer, the brand new "must-stay" Boutique Hotel, is located near the village of Taghazout, the epicentre of the Moroccan surf scene with the best surf spots in the Kingdom.
Whether you are a beginner or a confident surfer, their team will make every effort to offer you a unique experience, tailored to your level and your requirements. All packages include airport transfers, full board (excluding drinks) and transportation to the surf spots for the duration of your stay.
Overlooking the Atlantic ocean and the Atlas Mountains, discover their fully wooded Yoga Shala where daily classes are offered. Moreover, have a free course by reserving your stay via their website. Use code TYSYOGA and get a free yoga lesson in our wooded shala!
