Dave Macaulay wins in Azores

Australians Rob Bain, Layne Beachley and Dave Macaulay have won the Azores Airlines World Masters Championship in historic fashion today, claiming victory in the Final bouts against Cheyne Horan (AUS), Rochelle Ballard (HAW) and Shane Beschen (HAW) respectively in the Grand Masters, Women’s Masters and Men’s Masters divisions held in good three foot surf at praia de Santa Barbara.

A World Surf League (WSL) Specialty Event, the Azores Airlines World Masters Championshiphas been treated to an abundance of swell and great performances by some of the legends of surfing from past generations, culminating with today’s crowning of the Champions.

Rob Bain (AUS) and Cheyne Horan (AUS) took it to the water first in the men’s Grand Masters Final and while the first half of their matchup was a relatively low-scoring affair, Bain started throwing fireworks on the 15 minute mark. Sitting on the inside peak and selecting perfect little runners on the left, Bain built an incredible 17.10 scoreboard on two excellent waves, displaying radical forehand carves and great flow linking maneuvers on long waves. Horan could never climb out of that combination situation and Bain claimed a first-ever World Title in the Grand Masters division.

Cheyne was always going to be a hard competitor and I was a bit nervous I thought if the waves are small it’s going to be a battle, I’m glad I picked up some waves and I felt good on them, it was just a matter of picking them. This is really a special moment and a dream come true. It’s taken a lifetime of ups and downs in competitions.

Rob Bain

A late entrant into this event, Bain has been arguably the best surfer all week in his division and dominated every heat he entered until claiming the coveted World Title this morning. The Australian celebrated his 56th birthday today with an incredible performance.

A four-time runner-up in the world in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the 1999 World Masters Champion, Cheyne Horan (AUS) showed great surfing this week in Azores but unfortunately couldn’t quite perform in the Final.

It was a funny heat, mentally I was all over the place, I just had no confidence today, every time I’d go to hit the lip I’d get all jittery and stuff so it was really hard for me. And Rob kept going from strength to strength, he was already getting good scores on the small ones and when he picked up the best waves of the heat it was all over. But everyone had an insane time here, catching up and surfing every day, it’s been an amazing experience.

Cheyne Horan

The women’s Masters Final was up next between 7-time World Champion Layne Beachley (AUS) and a former QS Champion and runner-up in the world Rochelle Ballard (HAW). The Hawaiian had the best start with a 6.50 in the opening minutes of their heat but Beachley was quick to find her own little left for a 6.60 to claim back the lead. She quickly backed it up with another 6.33 to strengthen her pole position.

Beachley’s experience came into play as she perfectly controlled the rest of the Final and walked away with an eighth World Title, but maybe more importantly wrote another page in surfing’s history books winning the first-ever Women’s Masters title.

It was really tricky conditions but I had my game plan and I stuck to it and luckily it worked! Whenever I talked to the guys they said they kept moving up and down the beach chasing the waves so that’s what I did and I just trusted Huey would send me the waves and I feel fortunate that he did.

This is really satisfying, We’re all extremely grateful to WSL for recognizing the pioneers and the trailblazers of the sport and putting this event on. As you can see we still love to compete, we still love to prove to ourselves and others that we’ve still got what it takes to win, and I look forward to competing again in this event in future years.

Layne Beachley

Ballard strategically started her heat apart from Beachley and caught her best wave but hearing the Australian putting on scores on the board, the Hawaiian decided to join her peak. The move unfortunately didn’t bring her better waves and Ballard placed runner-up.

I’m really happy to make the final, for me it was all about surfing well and unfortunately that heat lacked waves a little bit, I felt like I started well and had a good strategy but it stopped breaking there. But it’s been a great event, it was very nice to hang with everybody and catch up like old times. There’s a shift in maturity, you want to be here and really enjoy the experience rather than just focus on the victory and the game.

Rochelle Ballard

Dave Macaulay (AUS) and Shane Beschen (HAW) finally paddled out for the day’s last Final in the men’s Masters division. The Australian had a great start and looked fired up, scouring the lineup to find the gems and continuously improving on his scores to impose a big requirement on his opponent. With a couple of 7s on the board, Macaulay remained out of reach for the Hawaiian and the two-time former World No. 3 claimed his first World Title as the oldest competitor in the masters division.

I never dreamed this would happen, I was so stoked for Bainy but I couldn’t get too emotional cause I had that heat right after. It’s been an unbelievable week, we’ve had an absolute ball. The people here were so friendly and it’s so beautiful, I’d come back for a holiday any day. I’ve had a very fortunate life, being able to keep surfing after the tour, all my kids surf and it’s just insane.

Dave Macaulay

Beschen was one of the strongest competitors all week, putting on big performances alongside Luke Egan (AUS), Fabio Gouveia (BRA) and Jake Paterson (AUS) but the Hawaiian couldn’t match Macaulay’s rhythm in the ocean and he eventually placed runner-up.

I didn’t unfortunately have my best performance today, but just to be on the list and get invited to come here was a big honor. It’s been great seeing everyone and surfing all week. I’ve had a great time and want to thank all the people here and online for supporting us. My first ever heat against Tom Curren and that buzzer beater against Luke Egan were definitely two highlights of my week.

Shane Beschen

The Azores Masters & Grand Masters Pro are scheduled from September 18 – 23, 2018 at PRAIA DE SANTA BARBARA, Sao Miguel – Azores Islands. For all results, photos, video highlights and press releases, log on to worldsurfleague.com.

The Azores Masters & Grand Masters Pro are organized by DAAZ Eventos with the support of the following event partners: Azores Airlines, Governo Regional dos Acores, Turismo dos Açores, Câmara Municipal da Ribeira Grande, SEAT , MEO, MagicSeaWeed amongst others.

AZORES AIRLINES WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Dave Macaulay (AUS) 14.43
2 – Shane Beschen (HAW) 11.33

AZORES AIRLINES WORLD GRAND MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Rob Bain (AUS) 17.10
2 – Cheyne Horan (AUS) 9.53

AZORES AIRLINES WORLD WOMEN’S MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Layne Beachley (AUS) 12.93
2 – Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 10.43

All photos courtesy WSL.

The Halloween Masked Ball returns with Voodoo

The Halloween Masked Ball

Flambards Helston, Cornwall

27th October 2018 6pm-6am

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The Halloween Masked Ball returns to its nefarious nocturnal haunt at Los Flambardos, Helston, Cornwall, on Saturday October 27, for another chapter of dark ritual, this time taking its cue from Voodoo.

Voodoo is a sensationalised pop-culture caricature of Voudon, an Afro-Caribbean religion that originated in Haiti, and this year at Los Flambardos you can trip into the psychedelic voudon theme park with leading voodoo practitioners of electronic music and performance. Join thrill seekers dressed as skeletons, voodoo goddesses and psycho killers for the all-night Voodoo odyssey.

The Halloween Masked Ball has grown to become one of the largest Halloween parties in Europe with the dedication to costume and outlandish dress equalling only the tenacity to party. Running from 6pm – 6am in a nocturnal theme park where you can camp out overnight makes this a Halloween experience not to be missed.

Amongst those honouring the spirits, singing, chanting, dancing and beating of drums will be drum and bass heavyweights Hospitality returning to the Kingsford Temple to awaken the spirits with some of the UK’s best drum and bass talent including Danny Byrd, London Elektricity, Kings Of The Rollers, Logistics , S.P.Y, Whiney + Dynamite MC and Ruthless + Fava.

Or leave the Earth’s gravity behind and lose yourself in the waves of Viscera’s intergalactic voodoo techno in The Cosmodrome with Robert Johnson’s head honcho Ata, Melbourne’s Francis Inferno Orchestra and The Viscera DJs

The many traditional venues of worship are still to be announced in the next few weeks including The Voodoo Lounge, Fangz Nightclub, The Altar Stage, Durty Discos Voodoo Temple, The 45 Live Voodoo Shack and Loose Peoples Ward 9 alongside some new additions.

Hellraising, spine-chilling rides will be free at Los Flambardos – including the brand new the Sky-Force. Rising 25 metres above the ground exerting a force of up to 3G while spinning 360 degrees and carrying up to 40 people, the Sky-Force is the biggest ride in the south west and sure to extract some ear-shattering screams.

Since its inaugural event in 2006, hosted in the depths of darkest Cornwall, The Halloween Masked Ball is one of two of the bi-annual jamborees of hi-jinx, frivolity and hedonism that have earned the events a loyal following.

The Masked Ball is a walk on the wild side and boasts a strong and varied musical line-up, set among a myriad of curated, stunning venues. The party is a strange and surreal sideshow of fairground follies, rock ‘n’ roll posturing and freak show craziness, all waiting to be discovered in a nocturnal theme park where strange things happen. A myriad of rooms, dancefloors, dens, hidden bars and unpredictable nano-venues, eccentric humour and epic raves, set to a soundtrack of New York disco, primal chants, cosmic guitar licks and terrifying techno.

The full line-up includes: Jamie Tiller, Joker, King Louis & Dance Armstrong, Kings Of The Rollers, Klimax, Logistics, London Elektricity, Loose People, Loud Love, Mensah, Mongolian Disco Show, Oh My God! It’s The Church! (Voodoo Special), Panda, Penryndulum, Phil Banks & Kieran Holden, Reefe Murphy (KiWi), Ruthless, S.P.Y, Simmer, Sir Vinyl, Stay Late Bristol, Teak b2b Studio 89, Timothy Clerkin, Tornado, Wallace, Tranquillity sounds, Unglued, Viscera, Voodoo Tribute, Watson, Whiney plus many more to be announced.

For tickets and details go to www.maskedball.net/halloween and follow The Masked Ball on Instagram or Facebook for updates.

The Blue River Wranglers

Although nothing will ever replace mother nature and the oceans we love so dearly Waco is definitely raising the bar of aerial surfing.

Azores Airlines World Masters Championship

PRAIA DE SANTA BARBARA, Sao Miguel – Azores Islands (Wednesday, September 19, 2018) -The Azores Airlines World Masters Championship resumed today in clean three-to-four foot surf and strong offshore winds at praia de Santa Barbara in Sao Miguel. The day witnessed historic action with the first-ever women’s Masters heats surfed on Day 2 of the event’s waiting period.
Some of the pioneers of women’s professional surfing put the competition jersey back on for the first time in years and showed how much great athletes they are, putting on big performances in their qualifying round.
The most successful surfer in the 1980s with four World Titles Frieda Zamba (USA, above) dominated the women’s opening round of competition. While most previous heats concentrated on the lefts, Zamba widened the field of possibilities with an incredible right on her backhand. Her three-turn combination was flawless and judges rewarded her with a 9 point ride, the highest score of the women’s event so far.
“It’s super fun out there I can’t complain!” Zamba said. “I found that staying active on the inside and not sitting too far out, gives you more opportunity to get those that come across and I found some really fun ones. It’s awesome to be here, I haven’t seen most of the girls in so long and we’ve had some good laughs and it’s a great reunion. It’s a good feeling to be part of that historical event and all the girls are surfing great!”

Zamba went on to win her second qualifying heat in the early afternoon and effectively eliminated long time rival Pam Burridge (AUS, above) from competition.
Layne Beachley (AUS, below), the seven-time World Champion from Manly had a similar great start in this event, taking out her two Round One matchups against Rochelle Ballard (HAW) and Jodie Cooper (AUS). Beachley took a page out of Zamba’s book and ripped the rights to pieces on her forehand to advance into the Semifinals.
“I’m not particularly happy with how I performed in that second heat but a win’s a win!” Beachley analyzed. “I’m super happy we got better conditions than the guys! We’ve been here for a few days so fortunately got to do some sightseeing and enjoyed the culinary delights of the Azores. It’s been good to catch up with everyone too, I haven’t had a chance to surf with Frieda since she comboed me at the OP Pro in 1990 so to spend some quality time in the water with her is cool.”
Rochelle Ballard (HAW) and Pauline Menczer (AUS) placed second in groups one and two respectively and will join Zamba and Beachley in the Semis.

The men’s Grand Masters took over the lineup after six heats of the women’s event and the show continued with an incredible first clash between the defending champion Iain Buchanan (NZL) and Glen Winton (AUS). ‘Ratso’ Buchanan seemed in total control with two good scores and his opponent in a combination situation. But Winton came back with an incredible left, locked in a quick little tube time before slaying two huge turns on the wave face for a 9.27, the highest single score of the event. He found a couple more waves and managed to overtake Buchanan and take the win. “I was the first surfer here on the island and got some good practice so I could get a 9 and save myself!” Winton joked. “I have obviously been in similar situations in my career but not for a long time! Even with that 9, I needed another decent wave so it wasn’t easy. We are all born competitors, and back in the day we had to make the events we wanted to compete in ourselves, so the Grand Masters really appreciate the opportunity here. What’s wonderful is we all got healthy for this event, I personally had to work really hard for the last four months to get in a good enough shape to compete.”
Legendary Pipe surfer Michael Ho (HAW, below) went out in the following heat and found the barrel right away to post two good 7+ scores and take the win.

“I was just happy to get a good start cause yesterday I did five mistakes and didn’t want to repeat it,” Ho stated. “Watching Glen’s waves in the heat before got me really fired up and I realized there were a few little barrels out there.”
In the Grand Masters, Australians Rob Bain, Simon Anderson and Cheyne Horan (above) qualified for the Semifinals with two heat wins each. Winton, Ho and Hans Hedemann (HAW) will take part in a three-man surf-off to fight for the fourth ticket into the Semis.
The men’s Masters then continued with three more heats but slightly less pressure as surfers in this category have three heats each to make their case and advance into the Quarterfinals.

Dave Macaulay (AUS) and Sunny Garcia (HAW, below) locked in a tight battle for first and exchanged good scores, ultimately going Macaulay’s way. Shane Beschen (HAW) followed with a dominant effort to dispatch Gary Elkerton (AUS) and Fabio Gouveia (BRA) took today’s last heat win over Damien Hardman (AUS).
The Masters will be back at 10:30 a.m Thursday to complete the remaining nine heats of Round One, with the Grand Masters coming in later to potentially run their Round Two, three-man surf off to decide who will take the final ticket for the semis. The women’s Masters event has been called OFF for Thursday. Watch the event LIVE via wsl.tv/azores18.

Above Shane Beschen, all photos WSL/Masurel

UPCOMING AZORES AIRLINES WORLD WOMEN’S MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS:
SF 1: Layne Beachley (AUS vs. Pauline Menczer (AUS)
SF 2: Frieda Zamba (USA) vs. Rochelle Ballard (HAW)

AZORES AIRLINES WORLD WOMEN’S MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Layne Beachley (AUS) 10.83 def. Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 9.20
Heat 2: Pauline Menczer (AUS) 13.00 def. Pam Burridge (AUS) 9.47
Heat 3: Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 13.10 def. Jodie Cooper (AUS) 12.73
Heat 4: Frieda Zamba (USA) 16.83 def. Pauline Menczer (HAW) 12.00
Heat 5: Layne Beachley (AUS) 12.37 def. Jodie Cooper (AUS) 11.07
Heat 6: Frieda Zamba (USA) 13.50 def. Pam Burridge (AUS) 11.20

UPCOMING AZORES AIRLINES WORLD GRAND MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 SURF-OFF:
Heat 1: Michael Ho (HAW), Hans Hedemann (HAW), Glen Winton (AUS)
REMAINING AZORES AIRLINES WORLD GRAND MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 MATCHUPS:
Heat 7: Glen Winton (AUS) 15.10 def. Iain Buchanan (NZL) 13.40
Heat 8: Michael Ho (HAW) 15.44 def. Buzzy Kerbox (HAW) 6.10
Heat 9: Cheyne Horan (AUS) 14.77 def. Terry Richardson (AUS) 11.06

REMAINING AZORES AIRLINES WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 MATCHUPS:
Heat 10: Sunny Garcia (HAW) vs. Joao Alexandre (PRT)
Heat 11: Gary Elkerton (AUS) vs. Matt Hoy (AUS)
Heat 12: Damien Hardman (AUS) vs. Jake Paterson (AUS)
Heat 13: Luke Egan (AUS) vs. Dave Macaulay (AUS)
Heat 14: Tom Curren (USA) vs. Shane Beschen (HAW)
Heat 15: Derek Ho (HAW) vs. Fabio Gouveia
Heat 16: Luke Egan (AUS) vs. Joao Alexandre (PRT)
Heat 17: Tom Curren (USA) vs. Matt Hoy (AUS)
Heat 18: Derek Ho (HAW) vs. Jake Paterson (AUS)

REMAINING AZORES AIRLINES WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 MATCHUPS:
Heat 7: Dave Macaulay (AUS) 14.90 def. Sunny Garcia (HAW) 13.94
Heat 8: Shane Besehen (HAW) 14.07 def. Gary Elkerton (AUS) 6.50
Heat 9: Fabio Gouveia (BRA) 14.50 def. Damien Hardman (AUS) 13.34

One day at Waco

Quiksilver team riders Michael Dunphy, John Mel, Micky Clarke, Derek Peters and Conrad Carr — recently hit the Barefoot Ski Ranch wave pool in Waco, Texas for a day. They got tubed. They did airs. They ate brisket. They had fun.