Surfing has been provisionally confirmed for inclusion at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Surfing has been provisionally confirmed for inclusion at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Surfing has been provisionally confirmed for inclusion at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (Along with skateboarding, breaking, sport climbing)

The four sports showcasing 12 events received the unanimous approval at the International Olympic Committee Session in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Official confirmation of the full sporting programme and athlete places is expected at an IOC Executive Board meeting in December 2020.

It’s going to be an interesting run in with WSL athletes now seemingly making up making up most the numbers at the inaugural event in Japan and high probability that both events will be held in beach breaks after head of the Paris 2024 organising committee Tony Estanguet said,

“We will not be using an artificial wave for the surfing event. We are very lucky to have several natural sites that can be used in France. We already have the expertise needed so we do not wish to invest in the infrastructure for an artificial wave.”

The Paris Olympics are scheduled for 26 July to 11 August 2024. The International Surfing Association said inclusion in a second Games was “another amazing milestone in Surfing’s Olympic wave”

Pray for waves…

Southern Water hit with record £126m fines for sewage spills and deliberate misreporting.

Southern Water hit with record £126m fines for sewage spills and deliberate misreporting.

Southern Water has been hit by record fines by Offwat after they found “shocking” failures at its sewage treatment sites had polluted rivers and beaches in southern England.

The Environment Agency also said it was pursuing a criminal investigation into Southern Water, “The environmental aspect of the investigation is ongoing and we expect to commence court proceedings soon.”

“What we found in this case is shocking,” said Rachel Fletcher, the head of water regulator Ofwat, while Southern said it was “deeply sorry”.

Ofwat found Southern Water:

Failed to operate a number of sewage treatment works properly, including not making the necessary investment, which led to equipment failures and spills of wastewater.

Manipulated its wastewater sampling process

Misreported the performance of several sewage treatment sites.

The misreporting allowed the company to avoid penalties under Ofwat’s incentive regime.

Ofwat would not say where the spillages took place (which is clearly lubricous).

Southern Water serves customers in Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Southern was punished for misreporting information about its performance in 2007 when Ofwat fined the company £20.3m after its actions meant it could raise its prices by more than it should have done.

In 2017 Souther released over 17 million gallons of sewage into the channel at East Worthing.

Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, said: “Today’s eye-watering fines and forced customer rebates demonstrate clearly just how broken our water system is. Despite failures, chronic underinvestment and exorbitant customer bills, many water companies continue to pay out hefty dividends to shareholders.”

Sunset Sons are back.

Sunset Sons are back.

Sunset Sons are back with a new single, new album and a sold out tour. Rory has had hair cut and Pete has been skating the legendary Southbank plus they are back to play what has to be the best Boardmasters lineup ever this summer!

Steve England caught with up Pete to find out what up.

1. How has the surf been down in the Hoss? Looked like an amazing winter, but kinda gone a bit pear shaped recently?
Hey guys, good to hear from yas again! Yeah, the surf has been consistent pretty much all winter – not too big, surfing out the front most days at Estagnots. Winter only lasted a few weeks and then back to Spring. It’s a great place to be when it’s like it was this year.

2. What you been up to since your last tour?
We’ve just had our heads down finishing off the last bits for the new album. It’s massive!!!

3. Where is Rory? Who is the new short haired singer in the band?
You’re only ever a month away from a bad haircut…maybe two in this case haha

4. So new tour, new single... excited? What can we expect?
Sold out tour, new single Say Hi out today, back to what we do best: being hungover, dragging our arses around the UK, smashing out banging shows. Expect that!!!

5. I saw the preview for ‘Say Hi’. Was that down the Southbank? Had Pete skated it before? It's pretty iconic.
Nah, I’ve seen it but never been there with a board. Was a fun park and so glad they didn’t bulldoze it!! There was protests and stuff campaigning for it...I think it was gunna be developed into some corporate chain crap!! Such a win for the skate community.
http://llsb.com/theproject/
You can donate here to help with upkeep and such.

6. Surf snow and skate lifestyle all feature in your vids... Are there any other themes?
Just trying to tell a story. ‘Say Hi’ is all about just doing what you do and not letting every man and his dog get ya down. Throwback to being a kid, just bombing around skating, not giving a shit about what’s next, where you are, where ya going, just doing it.

7. Anything else exciting happening this year that you can tell us about? I hear you are coming to Boardmasters? It's cracking lineup this year maybe best ever!

Boardmasters!!! Mate, we’re playing the same f&@king day as Wu Tang Clan!!! Let’s grab a cider(s) there!!!
Problems’ and newly-released cut ‘Say Hi’ follow on from the band’s 2018 ‘The River’ EP and are the first taste of Sunset Sons’ forthcoming second album, the highly-anticipated successor to their UK Top 30 debut ‘Very Rarely Say Die’ which was produced by Jacquire King and James Lewis. The band’s debut saw them clock up considerable airplay across Radio 1 and Radio X and hefty tour mileage, playing headline shows at such venues as London’s Koko and Shepherd’s Bush Empire. 
 
 
LIVE DATES
24 June GLASGOW The Attic Bar (SOLD OUT)
25 June MANCHESTER Jimmy’s (SOLD OUT)
26 June LONDON The Camden Assembly (SOLD OUT)
28 June TRURO The Old Bakery (SOLD OUT)
SUNSET SONS INFO
BOARDMASTERS TICKETS INFO
Breaking: Pegleg wins gold, Charlotte Banfield bronze at the Access Surf Hawaiian Adaptive Champs.

Breaking: Pegleg wins gold, Charlotte Banfield bronze at the Access Surf Hawaiian Adaptive Champs.

Cornwalls Pegleg Bennett has retained his gold at the Access Surf Hawaiian Adaptive surf championships with Charlotte Banfield taking bonze in the women stand division for Team England.

News is sparce at the moment as there is no press release and no doubt Peg is showing the Hawaiians his other skills in the bar.

The comp celebrates the legacy of Duke Kahanamoku’s ‘life and athletic contributions held on the shores of Waikiki to ensure his spirit that continues to live on.’

Charlotte got a silver last year so another great result for her.

More to follow.

Here’s Peg in his shorts… Rumour is a bronze statue could be erected on Perranporth island in his honour.

WAVEGARDEN SCOTLAND

WAVEGARDEN SCOTLAND

Wavegarden Scotland, the company which will develop Scotland’s first artificial surf park, today officially received planning permission to redevelop Craigpark Quarry near Ratho, Edinburgh into a world-class surfing and family friendly destination from the City of Edinburgh Council.

Wavegarden Scotland is a first for the country and will now transform the disused Craigpark Quarry near Ratho into a world-class visitor attraction. Work will begin on site over the coming months and the facility is expected to be open to the public in late Spring 2021.

The newest addition to Scotland’s leisure industry, Wavegarden Scotland will bring long term socio-economic, recreational and tourism benefits to the local community of Ratho.

Including up to £500,000 worth of financial contributions to community facilities and infrastructure through a planning obligations agreement. Alongside this, Wavegarden Scotland expects to create up to 130 jobs and generate up to £11m for the local economy every year.

Wavegarden Scotland has committed to deliver a footbridge over the Union Canal to improve links with its next-door neighbour, the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, another huge step in creating the ultimate adventure hub for visitors.

The facility will deliver many benefits for the local community and for Scotland by offering world-class adventure leisure amenities alongside a wonderful country park, for walkers, runners and cyclists to enjoy. Wavegarden Scotland have been working closely with the public sector over recent months to ensure the bridge is of benefit to Scottish Canals, the EICA and the general public, and importantly it will connect the EICA and Wavegarden Scotland site directly. This will create an overall destination for outdoor sports that will rival anywhere in Europe.

The proposal, to which the Council gave its support in April 2018, received overwhelmingly positive feedback from a public consultation event held to update the local community last month.

Andy Hadden, the co-founder of Tartan Leisure Ltd which is developing Wavegarden Scotland said:

“We are delighted that Wavegarden Scotland has been approved and we can now start work on site to create this wonderful addition to Scotland’s sporting and leisure scene. We know that this facility will deliver many benefits for the local community and for Scotland.

“It will be a fantastic destination for locals and tourists alike and Wavegarden Scotland will offer an amazing opportunity to nurture surfing and sporting talent in this country. We already have some the world’s best waves in Scotland and the scene is growing, with some great young talent coming through the ranks. Wavegarden Scotland will play a key role in encouraging and developing future Scottish surfers and putting this fantastic sport in the spotlight.

“We have a number of announcements lined up in coming months that will show our commitment to local business, sport and philanthropy. These announcements will help cement our case for this to be a world class destination for all ages and demographics.”

Christine Jardine, MP for Edinburgh West, said:

“As the local MP for Ratho, I am delighted the village will host Scotland’s first surfing park. This will be a great attraction West of the city, creating up to 130 new jobs and providing a fantastic facility for locals and tourists alike.”

Using recently released, state-of-the-art wave generation technology called The Cove, developed by Wavegarden in Spain – the same company that developed the technology behind Surf Snowdonia, who welcomed over 155,000 visitors in 2017. Wavegarden Scotland will be among the most advanced surfing and water sport facilities in the world, with the capability to enable elite-level sports training and development.

No Pressure – Italo Ferreira

No Pressure – Italo Ferreira

So when I’m injured I lay on the sofa and cry like a toddler whose just had their ballon popped and toys taken away, that's not how Italo rolls. He returned home to recharge his energy before embarking on another stage of the world surfing circuit, it seems that involved tearing the bejesus out of the surf whilst he was there. So that angle injury ain’t holding you back Italo? How are those airs, insane. Check the edit, boom.