Dale “The Daily Wavester” Webster RIP

Dale “The Daily Wavester” Webster RIP

Dave Webster, a legendary figure in the surfing community, has sadly passed away, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy both in and out of the water. Renowned for his unwavering dedication to surfing, Dave earned a Guinness World Record for surfing an astonishing 14,641 consecutive days—a testament to his passion, resilience, and love for the ocean.

Through every wave, weather, and season, he embodied the spirit of commitment and joy of surfing. His remarkable streak was not just about numbers, but about a life fully lived in harmony with the sea.

Dave’s passing marks the end of an era, but his story will continue to inspire generations to chase their passions with the same relentless enthusiasm he carried to shore each day.

The Daily Wavester kicked off his daily surfing campaign on September 3rd, 1975, now that's commitment right there.

Our thoughts are with Dave's family, friends and all those who knew him.

“Que Pasho?!” – Tony Laureano

“Que Pasho?!” – Tony Laureano

Young Portuguese big wave rider Tony Laureano presents his new film “QUE PASHO?!”, a production that documents his three-month journey in Punta de Lobos. The film was produced by Above Creators and directed by Luis de Sá.

Shot over several weeks in Chile, the film reveals the raw and real side of big wave surfing: early wake-up calls on freezing mornings, brutal wipeouts, mental preparation — and the endless search for the perfect wave.

“This film is about the truth behind the beautiful footage. It’s about the cold, the fear, the focus, and sharing unique moments with friends,” shares Tony Laureano. 

At just 23 years old, Tony Laureano is already a major figure in big wave surfing, both in Portugal and worldwide. After conquering historic waves in Nazaré and across the globe, Tony continues to push his limits — in and out of the water.

Above Creators is a Portuguese production company dedicated to creating visually striking and narratively impactful auteur films. Working with athletes, brands, and artists, their focus is on telling real stories with soul, style, and authenticity

North America’s first Wavegarden

North America’s first Wavegarden

• Atlantic Park features a 46-module Wavegarden Cove as its centrepiece, capable of generating up to 1,000 waves per hour and offering more than 25 types of waves
• Stewarded by Virginia Beach native and global superstar Pharrell Williams, Atlantic Park harnesses the energy of the city’s distinct culture and its legacy as the birthplace of East Coast surfing
• Atlantic Park becomes the 12th Wavegarden Cove facility to open to the public, further reinforcing Wavegarden's position as a global leader in the surf park industry

Wavegarden's presence in the US market is now established with the opening of Atlantic Park, operated by the experienced American firm Beach Street Development. Located in an urban environment in Virginia Beach - the birthplace of East Coast surfing and just steps from the Atlantic Ocean - the surfing lagoon, featuring Wavegarden Cove technology, will open to the public on August 16. In addition to being a major attraction for visitors, the facility’s opening resolves a long-standing challenge for East Coast surfers: inconsistent wave conditions. “Virginia Beach is the perfect location to open our first Wavegarden Cove,” said Fernando Odriozola, Wavegarden’s CCO. “It has a strong surf community and a high visitation volume - the only thing missing was great waves. Now that’s covered, we’re excited to see the town and broader community thrive.” The venue’s technology features a 46-module Wavegarden Cove capable of generating up to 1,000 waves per hour, with a Wave Menu offering over 25 wave types. These range from soft, long waves ideal for beginners to powerful waves that allow advanced surfers to perform turns, airs, and barrels - all delivered with the lowest energy and water consumption on the market.

A handful of top American surfers were among the lucky few to test out the facility’s world-class waves during the commissioning of the Wave Menu - a unique collaboration in which surfers provide detailed feedback on each wave to Wavegarden’s fluid dynamics experts, who then adjust the wave’s power, height, peeling speed, and shape in real time.

East Coast professional surfers Cam Richards, Michael Dunphy, Mason Barnes and Blayr Barton were elated by the world-class conditions.

“The issue of inconsistent conditions that we surfers on the East Coast constantly face has just been solved,” said Richards, who previously spent much of the year traveling to train and prepare for competitions.
“When it comes to surfing, Virginia Beach has a deep, rich history and a legendary crew of surfers,” added local surf champion Michael Dunphy. “Now, we finally have the waves to match.”
Female surfers Camden Hoover and Bella Faircloth were quick to become firm believers in Wavegarden's technology. Both scored what they described as the best barrels of their lives during their very first session.

“The barrel waves were super good, super hollow, with an easy entry and exit - they were my favorites,” exclaimed Faircloth, who, at just 13 years old, dreams of making a career in competitive surfing.
Californian professional surfer and wave pool aficionado Jacob Szekely was in awe of the quality and variety of waves.
“This is the best surf park in America,” declared Szekely. “And it has the best air section, by far.”

Atlantic Park Surf’s 55-minute sessions will be available year-round, with seasonally adjusted hours, and can host up to 40 surfers at once. Surrounding the lagoon is a premium beach club environment, complete with lounge chairs and cabanas, giving surfers and guests a place to relax before or after their sessions. Non-surfers can also purchase daily beach passes to enjoy the beach club’s amenities and atmosphere. With this new project, Wavegarden continues to strengthen its position as a global leader in surf parks. The company currently has 12 surf parks in operation worldwide,
with two more coming soon to the United States. Both projects are being developed by Beach Street Development: DSRT SURF in Palm Desert, California, slated to open in 2026, and HTX Surf in Houston, Texas, recently announced and currently in development.

ABOUT ATLANTIC PARK
Atlantic Park is a first-of-its-kind indoor/outdoor experience, offering more than 10.2 acres of surfing, shopping, working, live entertainment and boutique surf lodging in the heart of the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Centrally located and integrated within an urban environment adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Park Surf is unlike any other surf park in the world and is the first Wavegarden Cove Surf Lagoon in North America. Stewarded by Virginia Beach native and global superstar Pharrell Williams, Atlantic Park harnesses the energy of the city’s potential, distinct culture and legacy as the birthplace of East Coast surfing. For more information, visit atlanticparksurf.com or follow @atlanticparksurf.

Boardmasters Festival Shines Bright

Boardmasters Festival Shines Bright

• Unforgettable Headline Sets From Raye, Central Cee And The Prodigy
• New Afternoon Special Guests Joined The 2025 Line Up, With Natasha Bedingfield, Kaiser Chiefs And Rizzle Kicks Keeping The Energy Going Throughout The Day
• The Boardmasters Open Surf Competition Took Place Over Five Days At Fistral Beach, With An Epic Double Podium For Lukas Skinner - For The 2nd Consecutive Year

• Boardmasters Returns From 5th - 9th August 2026
• Fans can sign up now at boardmasters.com to secure their spot!

Boardmasters 2025 has wrapped after five unforgettable days of world-class live music and epic surf action, set against the picture-perfect backdrop of the Cornish coast. From surf heats at Fistral Beach to golden-hour anthems at Watergate Bay, tens of thousands of festival goers soaked up the very best of Boardmasters, basking in the glorious sunshine and electric atmosphere that made this year’s festival one to remember.

On Friday, the live music was underway at Watergate Bay. Kaiser Chiefs brought anthemic indie-rock to their afternoon headline slot, joining the crowd in a sea of sing-alongs. Across at Mordros, fan favourites Polly Money and James Marriott christened the newly named stage, while late-night sets from Charlie Boon and Sim0ne kept the party going long after dark. Local rising stars KEO delighted fans on the main stage, as well as chart-toppers Leigh-Anne and Flo in bringing pop goodness and soulful melodic sounds to the day’s line-up. The day closed with back-to-back magic from festival favourites The Wombats and the truly sensational headliner RAYE who dazzled with a set jam packed with her biggest hits including Escapism, PRADA and Worth It amongst many others, bringing Friday’s Boardmasters to an Oscar Winning close.

The show burst to life on Saturday beneath clear blue skies. Rizzle Kicks brought their trademark energy throughout the afternoon, returning to the music scene after an eight-year hiatus and transforming the crowd into a synchronised sea of hands for their classics including Down With The Trumpets. Nelly Furtado proved to be a highlight of the day and thrilled fans with her iconic hits Promiscuous, Man Eater and Turn Off The Light. As a special surprise, she welcomed Katy B on stage, joining her for a glittering duet of I’m Like A Bird. Over on the Mordros Stage, Australian band Ocean Alley served up dreamy grooves before Mike Skinner jumped behind the decks for a party-starting DJ set. As the sun dipped below the clifftops of Watergate Bay, the main stage belonged to Central Cee, whose first-ever major festival headline set was stacked with crowd favourites including Doja, Sprinter and Let Go, cementing his place as one of the UK’s most electrifying live acts.

The sun continued to shine down on the festival for the final day of Boardmasters 2025. Natasha Bedingfield brought her very own Pocket Full of Sunshine with a shimmering set laden with pop goodness including Unwritten and These Words. Others taking to the main stage include Myles Smith and London Grammar, to name but a few. Around the site, Wet Leg took to Mordros, Franz Ferdinand had the crowd bouncing to indie-rock favourites, and HoneyLuv kept the party alive at Unleashed. Finally, one of the most awaited sets of the weekend as The Prodigy unleashed the fiercest of finales with an audio visual feast packed with high-octane hits and larger-than-life energy that closed out Boardmasters 2025 in mesmerising, euphoric style.

Boardmasters proved it’s about more than just the main stage, with tons of unique spaces to be discovered, all adding to the festival magic. The View, The Keg & Pasty, Mordros, Unleashed, Surf Club 81 and the Banzai Bar are just some of the spots which kept crowds fueled, refreshed and dancing late into the night. Zennor Haven offered moments of calm, hosting wellness sessions and yoga overlooking the Cornish coastline, giving festivalgoers the chance to recharge before diving back into the action.

This weekend’s Boardmasters Open surf competition delivered an action packed showcase across all categories, including QS 2000 Men’s and Women’s, LQS 1000 Men’s and Women’s, and Junior Boys and Girls. All winners were crowned in front of an ecstatic crowd, with standout performances led by Lukas Skinner, who landed a remarkable double podium in both the QS and Boys Juniors categories. This marks his second consecutive year securing the feat, following his historic win last year as the first British men’s champion in over two decades - which was made even more impressive after battling back from injury. Beyond the waves, the Santa Cruz sponsored skate ramp kept the adrenaline high with competitions throughout the week, while fans enjoyed live result viewings from the Surf Deck and relaxed at the Boardmasters Beach Bar. The Rising Tide programme filled the Boardmasters Talks Stage with film screenings, Q&As, panels and more. Plus, during the event, festival goers enjoyed coastal run clubs and much more.

Boardmasters CEO, Andrew Topham said, “The last five days have been a true celebration of creativity, community, collaboration and culture. I’m very proud of the festival that the team have produced which is testament to their hard work and year-round planning. From the waves at Fistral Beach, to the stages and incredible performances at Watergate Bay, the improvements made and renewed focus on our cultural heritage have been obvious and hugely welcomed. Fistral Beach felt like it did in years gone by. We appreciate the positive feedback we’ve received on many of the improvements, including this year’s traffic management plan.”

As Boardmasters’ happy campers head home today, the festival is already gearing up for next year. Boardmasters 2026 will take place from Wednesday 5 – Sunday 9 August. 

For more ticket information and to access the Loyalty Onsale when it goes live, visit: boardmasters.com/2026onsale

Boardmasters 2025 Crown Four Victors

Boardmasters 2025 Crown Four Victors

Boardmasters 2025 crowned four victors on a beautiful summer's day with two-to-three foot surf at Fistral Beach. Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri and Lukas Skinner took out the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 2,000 Boardmasters Open 2025 titles respectively. In the Boardmasters Longboard Pro, Ginger Caimi and Martin Coret claimed the top spot in the first Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS) 1,000 of the European 2025/2026 season.

Lukas Skinner, Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri Win Boardmasters Open QS 2,000

Cornwall local hero Lukas Skinner (GBR) etched his name into history and joined an elite club of two-time winners at Boardmasters, including World Champions Tom Carroll and Martin Potter. Going back-to-back to win the Boardmasters Open in front of his home crowd, it was an emotional moment for Skinner, who returned to competition after sustaining a serious injury earlier this year, exceeding his own expectations and successfully defending his title.

Skinner opened his campaign with an excellent 8.67 (out of a possible 10) for two massive tail wafting turns and a closeout air rotation, fired up by the local crowds lining the beach. He quickly backed it up with another great combination of strong turns and an aerial in the closeout section, putting the pressure on Francisco Ordonhas, Andy Criere and Sean Gunning. Gunning took to the air for a massive full rotation, earning an 8.53 to jump into second, but Skinner improved on his backup to shut the door and take the win with an excellent total of 16.44 (out of a possible 20).

"I can't believe it," said an emotional Skinner. "I don't think I've ever been speechless in my life. I've also never seen such a big crowd on the beach, that really fired me up. I'm back, let's go, let's take it to the top. I'll be back next year again!"

His dad, local board shaper Ben Skinner, said it was an unbelievable moment. "Three months ago he was on his back having surgery, so to come here and get the win, it's just incredible."

In the women's Final, the Basque sisters of Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) and Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri made it a one-two finish with Annette taking the win over Janire. After being defeated by Janire in the Lacanau Pro, Annette got one back and with this win in Newquay she moved into the No. 1 position on the WSL Europe QS rankings.

"I'm really happy to get the win," said Annette. "My sister and I wanted to try and finish first and second, so we're glad it worked out. I was needing an 8 when I saw that wave come through. It was a good wave and I did my best, but I didn't know where the score would land, because I didn't see Janire's wave. I'm off to another competition tomorrow, and I'm super happy for all the opportunities to compete all around the world."

Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri was leading the heat with a 15.17 total, but Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri played spoiler in the last 30 seconds of the heat, getting an 8.33 to take the win with a total of 15.26. Portugal's Yolanda Hopkins finished in third, and Noah Klapp in fourth.

Martin Coret, Ginger Caimi Claim Boardmasters Longboard Pro Titles

The men's Final was nerve-wracking, with buzzer-beater scores coming in at the end to add to the tension of an exhilarating matchup. The real battle was between last year's runner-up António Dantas and Martin Coret, who both locked in excellent scores. Dantas, Coret, Ben Skinner and Edouard Delpero exchanged waves as the time ran out, but it was Coret who upset Dantas to take out his first-ever LQS win, and first Boardmasters title. Coret featured in the Boardmasters Finals in 2023 and 2024, and finally made it to the top step of the podium in 2025.

"I'm very happy to win," said Coret. "It was so close, I'm so glad I got the score in the end. I thought I had the score with my previous wave, but then it wasn't enough so I was just waiting out there for another wave. With one minute to go, I knew it was my last chance. I'm so happy, I'm dedicating this win to everyone on Reunion Island!"

Coret scored the best wave of the heat, an 8.47 for a committed hang ten nose ride in the most critical part of the wave, controlling it to the bottom before cranking out a big carve. The goofy-footer from Reunion Island required a near-excellent score to overtake António Dantas (POR), and in the final minute, found another incredible nose ride and strong turn to get the score, and win with a total of 16.64.

The women's Longboard Pro Final was stacked, with defending event winner Alice Lemoigne, World Longboard Tour rookie Ginger Caimi, experienced competitor Justine Dupont and rising star Canelle Lebreton. It was an exciting heat, with plenty of waves on offer in the fun low-tide conditions that allowed for long rides. All four surfers went toe-to-toe with lengthy nose rides and powerful turns to complete their rides all the way to the shore.

The judges had their work cut out for them, scoring waves long after the final buzzer sounded while the finalists awaited the results. Eventually the scores trickled in, and it was Caimi who dethroned Lemoigne with her final wave, bumping her down to second, with Dupont in third and Capbreton in fourth. This is Caimi's third LQS win this year and her first win in Newquay.

"I was so nervous waiting for the score," said Caimi. "I've never had to wait that long for a score! When I heard that I won, I was so happy in that moment, I couldn't believe it. I'm just really happy to win here. My next competition is at Bells for the World Longboard Tour and I can't wait to go there and do what I do."

The Boardmasters Open QS 2,000 is proudly supported by Rubicon RAW Energy, and media partners Carve and SurfGirl.

Liquid Thunder – Part 1

Liquid Thunder – Part 1

Teahupoo. The name alone sends a shiver through the surfing world. For two straight days, the world’s most infamous slab roared to life — a serious big-wave swell that demanded both paddle and tow mastery. On Day One, the lineup was a roll call of big wave surfing royalty: local prince Matahi Drollet, legends like Gibert Teave, Lorenzo Avveneti, Eimeo Czermak, and Olympic gold medalist Kauli Vaast.
And it wasn’t just Tahiti’s best answering the call. With the WSL Tour days away, heavy hitters like Jack Robinson, Leo Fioravanti, and Griffin Colapinto joined the charge — towing and paddling into some of the biggest, thickest walls Teahupoo has unleashed in years.

Raw power. Perfect monster barrels. The reef showing no mercy. Tim Bonython