Jake Kelley with footage from two trips that could not fit anywhere else but with each other. One in the warm bliss of Fiji, the other in the harsh cold of the Pacific NW. He links these two very different places by sliding through their strangely similar hollow left handers on a single board - the Hypto Krypto 5'4" ....... with the urgency of any swell chasing strike mission, he grabbed an old team trade in and ended up riding it as a twin before he could borrow a set of quad rears.
Enjoy his findings though the lens of Taylor Curran accompanied with a score by Yves Compositions.
Soli Bailey will become the first professional surfer to wear the Aboriginal flag on his jersey at the Quiksilver Pro Snapper. He’ll wear it on his right shoulder, with the Australian flag on his left.
“I’m stoked to have it on my jersey and for WSL [World Surf League] to support me with that. My family represents from the Yaegl people and that consists of Maclean, right through to Coffs Harbour and that’s part of Bundjalung Country. I grew up in Byron Bay – so a little out of that area – but it’s a beautiful part of the world and it’s always going to be home for me.”
“We’ve hunted on the land and we’ve hunted in the ocean for longer than anyone knows. [The ocean] is a massive part of my culture … and it’s really special to me out there.”
Coach Rob Bain said
“It’s in his blood and it is super important to him. I think he’s going to be a great role model for Indigenous kids in Australia, I really do.I feel that there is a real change happening at the moment, especially with Australian youth of all cultures – to be embracing and to learn about the past.”
Bailey said: “I’m just super stoked to be able to represent my own country and what I love in my culture. If it makes some noise, awesome, because that means it’s getting it out there.”
For one week at the start of April, the team from Otter Surfboards will be taking their workshop on wheels as they hit the road to share the stoke of bodysurfing by running their “make your own” handplane courses in Finisterre stores around the country.
Taking in St Agnes, Exeter, Bristol, London and Edinburgh, the three to four-hour weekend and evening sessions will see Finisterre’s shop floors transformed into workshop spaces as participants are guided through the process of making their own wooden handplanes. The aim of the sessions, beyond workshoppers taking away a great bodysurfing tool and learning new skills, is to foster reconnections; with the ocean environment, and with their hands through the act of making.
Workshop spaces cost from £120 per person and include a wooden handplane “blank”, full tuition from James Otter and use of all tools, refreshments, and celebratory beer and pizza.
Noah Capps is Under 16 UK Pro Surf Tour for the last two years and the English Champs. He is half England and half French, and lives down in south Devon which has been pumping this winter..
How has winter been down south . Looks like a few epic days
We have a had some ups and downs but we had one swell recently that pumped, the waves were amazing for like one week and loads of spots were firing!
Did you manage to escape anywhere this winter?
It’s quite rare but I’ve actually just stayed at home this winter and really enjoyed surfing some thick winter swells at my local spots.
What’s the plan for this year I heard you may do a few pro juniors
Yeah I have been training super hard to really give the Pro Juniors this year a big push. I’m hoping to make it to all of them and try and do some damage.
Who you got for the WSL world champ in 2019
Not too sure but I think Gabby is just unbeatable at the moment aha
There are not many surfers that have the talents and longevity of Ozzy Wright. From carving a way into a life as a free surfer and blazing a path for other professionals to follow, to painting and art, music and bringing up his family Ozzy has busy full, creative life.
To add to this he has his worked on a clothing collaboration with Volcom “Shoot rainbows into fascism.” which you can see on the link. To mark this event he brought his art to London.
Steve England caught up with him over a few beers in the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club, Old Street to find out more about his inspiration, fascism, music and sewing. Press play
Ozzys work, all sewed freehand, from mind to cloth. Also easily packable and machine washable!
