Mikala Jones, a relentless pioneer of uncharted surf. Watch as Mikala navigates through endless empty surfing lineups, pumping waves and an experience with a local culture that seems to be forgotten in time.
“Often from different tribes, the people of Papua New Guinea thrive off the sustenance of the land and sea. The people embrace foreigners with open arms including the surf stoked youth.” – Mikala
“I had to stay out the water for around 6 weeks after my Nazare wipeout. Returning into the freezing Atlantic ocean in the middle of February had never felt so nice! Stuffing a cut up camping roll mat down my wetsuit provided a little more cushion for my still tender ribs. Away I went, first into the Valentines Memorial contest competing against a lot of good friends…
A little set back with a tweaked back the week after the valentines event left me needing to lick my wounds a little longer… A quick fix for anyone is when your friend/board shaper calls you up and says let’s go board testing at Super tubes, the trips on me!
This episode concludes at the English nationals held at the end of April. Surfing my way to a 3rd place finish left me fairly content, i’d bounced back from the Nazare wipeout and had plenty of fun along the way! Enjoy episode 2 of Think Bigger.
After a hard fought seven-year-journey by directors and staff to attain a national NGB status Surfing England has been officially recognised at the highest level becoming a National Governing Body (NGB).
The news means that English surfing is now eligible to gain access to government funding and professional support, which has been closed for many years – an essential step at a critical time, as the sport continues to grow and it prepares for its Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020.
Sport England announced that Surfing England is now a recognised National Governing Body.
“As a recognised NGB, we hope that Surfing England will continue to grow in its reach, providing more support and expertise to anyone currently in the sport or starting for the first time.” Said Phil Smith, Sport England’s Director of Sport.
The organisation’s vision and strategy towards “a healthy surfing community” can now be realised. With access to thousands of miles of wave drenched coastline and world leading wavepool technology set to radically improve performance, English surfers should be able to access funding and support to aim for medals on the global stage.
Surfing England passed rigorous testing and examination by Sport England. Built by surfers for surfers with a strong foundation, professional staff and an adherence to proper and transparent process. Surfing England has succeeded largely thanks to the good will of its diverse membership and exceptional support from sponsors.
Surfing England recognition means that Sport England’s multimillion pound ‘Towards an Active Nation’ strategy can now be a target for the NGB and its affiliated surf clubs and organisations funding applications. This alongside the sports council’s other funding opportunities.
“There is no guarantee of funding, but with funds for facilities, volunteering, participation, tackling inactivity, events, communities, performance, talent development and more, Surfing England aims to secure the sports financial future.” Said Bruce Daniel, Chair of the Surfing England board of directors.
“The message is a clear one, Surfing England is a community and we invite every surfer in the country to join us“, said Nick Rees, Surfing England Operations Manager.
Surfing England, now with its official recognition and wave of positive energy, will provide a first class service to its members and the public as it aims to achieve “a healthy surfing community”.
Oxfam are in need of more stewards for Boardmasters Festival. Stewards need to be over 18 years of age and able to commit to working 3 x 8 hour shifts across the festival. (Info here)
Oxfam has been taking volunteers to festivals for over 20 years and it’s a fantastic way to give your time to a worthwhile cause and have loads of fun while doing it. New stewards will be joining a team of thousands, united by a love of live music, desire to have fun and to help others break free from poverty.
Each summer Oxfam provides festivals with a professional stewarding service and the money generated from your time goes towards their life-changing work around the world. The primary purpose of stewarding is to keep people safe and provide information and advice to the public, this ensures the festival runs smoothly and the festival-goers are safe.
Stewards on-site dates
Wed 09 Aug – Mon 14 Aug
Arrival Shift
Mon 07 August
Roles at the festival
Entrance Gates, Arena Entrances, Arena Exits, Wristband Checking, Campsite patrols, Event Offices
www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/festivals
Great Western beach, Newquay, Cornwall.
The life of legendary waterman Jack O’Neill was honoured spectacularly in a worldwide series of memorial paddle outs on Sunday 9th July and Monday 10th July 2017. The moving display united surf communities across the globe with over 3,500 surfers joining hands in the world’s biggest floating memorial sequence to date.
Jack O'Neill Memorial Paddle Out at Great Western Beach, Newquay, Cornwall last Sunday…More here: https://www.carvemag.com/2017/07/worldwide-jack-oneill-paddle-outs-uk-event-film/
Pubblicato da CARVE Surfing Magazine su Martedì 11 luglio 2017
Jack’s hometown of Santa Cruz, California led proceedings with simultaneous paddle outs taking place in Australia, Canada, Portugal, England, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Japan and South Africa.
With no greater way to honour a man whose life was led by the ocean, the memorial paddle outs were a chance for surfers across the world to pay their respects and remember the man who “just wanted to surf longer.”
Brian Kilpatrick (Marketing Manager of O’Neill Wetsuits): “Every time you are pulling into your wetsuit and jumping in the water, we can all thank Jack for just wanting to surf longer – so thank you Jack!”
As the clouds parted and the fog lifted in Santa Cruz, a huge crowd of surfers gathered at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz next to Jack O’Neill’s house to form the biggest memorial celebration the surfing world has seen to date. Over 2,500 people joined the celebration on surfboards and in boats in the water and lining the cliff. With the O’Neill family on Jack’s legendary sailing yacht in the centre of the circle, former world champion and close friend of the O’Neill family Shaun Tomson honoured Jack as one the pioneers and founders of the surfing industry. “For all of us floating out here, some of the best moments of our lives have been spent in the water – waiting under the great dome of sky and catching that perfect wave that has taken us to where we need to be,” said Tomson.
The impressive ring of surfboards drifting on the horizon attracted crowds of spectators who lined the cliffs and beach below. The moving display symbolised the life of a fellow surfer whose sheer passion changed the face of surfing forever. After paying their respects, surfers paddled back to the shore yet some remained in the water catching waves in memory of Jack.
Edwin Jonkers (CEO O’Neill): “The global turnout to celebrate Jack’s legacy was truly amazing. It is evidence that Jack’s desire to surf longer and invention of the wetsuit changed the surfing world and beyond. His passion, values and lifestyle will be our ongoing inspiration for O’Neill.”
Jack was born in Denver, Colorado on 27th March 1923. He moved with his family to California, where he acquired a love for the beach early in his youth. Following service in the US Navy during World War II, Jack moved to Ocean Beach in San Francisco in the early 1950s and immediately began experimenting on his kitchen table with various materials designed to protect against the frigid ocean water in Northern California. He said, “I just wanted to surf longer.”
By the 50s, Jack had both invented the first surfing and bodysurfing wetsuits and opened his first surf shop near Ocean Beach. He also coined “Surf Shop,” a term for which he later received a Registered US Trademark.
Inspired by the growing surf scene, Jack moved with his growing family 75 miles south to Santa Cruz and opened his next surf shop. Shortly thereafter he began making surfboards, promoting the first surf movies and producing wetsuits for the expanding population of surfers in Santa Cruz and throughout California.
The surfing craze soon expanded way beyond California, and Jack rode that wave better and longer than almost anyone in the surf industry. By 1980 O’Neill had become a thriving international business and the world’s largest ocean recreation wetsuit designer and manufacturer. Jack viewed what he did as a passion, and was more surprised than anyone that the business grew to the point that it did.
Most recognizable for his eye patch and his beard, Jack was often seen driving around Santa Cruz in his convertible Jaguar. The eye patch resulted from his surfboard hitting his left eye while riding a wave.
In 1996 Jack established O’Neill Sea Odyssey (OSO), a marine and environmental education program which was his proudest achievement. Remarking on OSO, Jack said, “The ocean is alive and we’ve got to take care of it. There’s no doubt in my mind that the O’Neill Sea Odyssey is the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Jack O’Neill, surfer, ocean lover, boating enthusiast, wetsuit pioneer, balloonist, and founder of the iconic worldwide surf company O’Neill, passed away in Santa Cruz, California on Friday 2nd June 2017, of natural causes at the age of 94.
Paying homage to Jack, pioneer, maverick and surfer, O’Neill presents a new film, I Knew Jack O’Neill, directed and produced by Peter Hamblin. Detailing the story of the wetsuit and the first ‘surf shop,’ the mini documentary reveals Jack O’Neill’s life and adventures.
Video link: http://bit.ly/JackMovie
Memorial contributions in support of Jack’s love of the oceans may be sent to http://oneillseaodyssey.org
Anglet, France.
Holland.
Newquay.
Huge hometown happening in Santa Cruz.
Yep. That’s huge.
Sydney.
Jordy Smith
Ben Skinner leading the Cornwall paddle out.
Poignant Cornish moment.
Newquay.
Newquay.
Felipe Toledo has very strong ankles. Surely these airs would break normal bones? Anyway here he is popping in Mexico…
