Sunset Sons Unveil New Music Festival in France

Sunset Sons have announced the launch of a new four-day event celebrating live music, surfing and cuisine.

Weaving its way through Seignosse, The Wander Landes Festival presented by VISSLA and Heads Beach Brewing Company will appear at a selection of different hotspots Thursday 21st September – Sunday 24th September 2017.

Tickets are now on sale via the website www.wanderlandesfestival.com

Sharing their passion for music and love of the ocean, Sunset Sons have invited a host of special guests to join them on stage and in the water to offer a unique surf/sound experience with a fusion of live performances, delicious street food, surf competitions and afterparties.

Culminating in one epic live show at the Salle des Bourdaines in Seignosse, The Wander Landes Festival will give fans the opportunity to see Sunset Sons perform on their adopted home turf headlining on Saturday 23rd September.

Joining the Hossegor locals on stage will be Bristol-based indie rock outfit New Carnival . The upand-coming four-piece, renowned for their funk-laden live sets, have been independently releasing great sounding music that has gained widespread attention including that of Radio 1.

Also gracing the stage with his distinctive voice and captivating guitar style is London-based
singer songwriter Nathan Ball. Biarritz native Lee-Ann Curren , daughter of living legend Tom Curren, will join Sunset Sons in the surf and on stage on Saturday 23rd September.

Swapping the shires of Cornwall for the sands of Seignosse, four-piece band Haunt the Woods will bring their unique sound to the Salle des Bourdaines.

The final act joining Sunset Sons in Seignosse is Consolers . Delivering performances that never fail to get the young and the old smiling, this Hanover born band will be bringing their colourful chorus-driven sounds to The Wander Landes Festival.

Acts will put on additional performances throughout Seignosse in Heads Beach Brewing Company, Louvine and L’Acaï.

Sunset Sons commented: “Since releasing our debut album last year and playing many different festivals across Europe, we decided that it was time to bring the party vibe to our hometown. Hossegor is where this band started, it’s where we all met and it really does means everything to us. Having the opportunity to invite our friends to play at The Wander Landes Festival while incorporating different parts of the town is going to be ace.”

Celebrating the Atlantic’s peeling waves and warm water temperatures, The Wander Landes
Festival will kick off ocean activity on Friday 22nd September with the official Foam Froth Surf Event courtesy of Catch Surf. Welcoming participation at all levels, this tag team style surf session using only soft-top surfboards will bring together musicians, pro surfers, industry veterans and fans.

Bringing a mouth-watering element to the four-day fiesta, the Louvine Terrace will burst to life with food trucks and vendor stands serving delicious delicacies from around the world. Welcoming an all-star cast of local chefs and finessing foodies, Louvine will add some serious street food flavour to The Wander Landes Festival on Friday 22nd September.

Adrien Waller of VISSLA commented: “We are stoked here at VISSLA to join forces with The
Wander Landes Festival. VISSLA represents creative freedom, a forward-thinking philosophy, and a generation of creators and innovators, and we feel it’s an awesome opportunity to support this first edition of a great music and surf event in our local playground.”

THE WANDER LANDES FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

THURSDAY / JEUDI

21/09 19h00 – 02h00
HEADS OPENING PARTY (Free event)
Music: Consolers / Guest DJ sets
@ Heads Beach Brewery, Seignosse

FRIDAY / VENDREDI

22/09 10h00 – 16h00 (Free event)
FOAM FROTH
Surf: Event presented by Catch Surf
@ Estagnots beach, Seignosse

18h00 – 23h00
STREET FOOD FESTIVAL (Free event)
Food: Vendor stands / food trucks
Music: Haunt the Woods / Daz DJ set
@ Louvine, Seignosse

SATURDAY / SAMEDI 23/09
12h00 – 15h00
ENTRÉE AT L’ACAÏ (Free event)
Music: Shit Disco DJ set
@ L’Açaï, Seignosse

19h00 – 00h00
LES CONCERTS (Tickets:20/50€)
Music: Sunset Sons, New Carnival, Nathan Ball, Lee-Ann Curren, Haunt the Woods, Consolers
@ Salle des Bourdaines, Seignosse

SUNDAY / DIMANCHE 24/09
19h00 – 02h00
CLOSING PARTY (Free event)
@ Heads Beach Brewery, Seignosse

The Wander Landes Festival is a ticketed event that hopes to welcome thousands festival goers across the four days. Tickets are currently on sale priced at € 20.

Please note The Wander Landes Festival also offers a VIP Ticket option priced at € 50 which includes a meet and greet experience with artists before the show at Salle des Bourdaines, a signed festival poster and merchandise.

The Wander Landes Festival is proudly sponsored by VISSLA and Heads Beach Brewing
Company.

For further information and to purchase tickets please visit www.wanderlandesfestival.com

Sammy Pupo wins Quiksilver Young guns and $10k

You have to express yourself. We’re judging the moment.”

Matt Hoy said that a week ago, while Indonesian dancers stood behind him and twirled their ornate dresses into the Sumatran night. It was the opening ceremony of the 2017 Quiksilver Young Guns Final and excitement (along with smoke from a brush fire) was in the air. Hoy judged a lot of moments between then and now. His criteria was damn clear.

Expressing yourself is one thing when it comes to putting pen to paper or paint to canvas, but the Young Guns were tasked with putting board to wave in order to externalize something. Initially, every teenager in the world was challenged to woo Mikey Wright, Ezekiel Lau and Jeremy Flores with an air, turn or combo. After over a thousand kids stepped up, Mikey picked the top 10 airs, Zeke picked the top 10 turns and Jeremy picked the top 10 combos. Those 30 kids made edits and you, the public, voted for the top 5. Then Jeremy, Zeke and Mikey chucked in their favorites and we had ourselves a final.
Dwight Pastrana, Kyuss King, Kehu Butler, Sandy Whitaker, Sammy Pupo, Kael Walsh and Kade Matson showed up for the big dance in Indo with dreams of $10K. Each of them surfed three hour-long heats and tried to fulfill the same criteria that got them here: airs, turns and combos. They let their personalities shine through on every single wave. Wild behavior on land lead to recklessness in the water while poise on the beach transitioned into calculation when the sets rolled in. Ain’t if funny how people truly surf like themselves? Expression, eh Hoy?

Things get interesting, though, when your canvas can hold you underwater for 15-seconds and bounce you across jagged reef. When it came time for the hour-long Super Final featuring the best aerialists, turners and comboers from the aforementioned heats — Kael Walsh, Sammy Pupo, Kade Matson and Kyuss King — the ocean wasn’t exactly in a playful mood. 6-8 foot waves thundered down the point, while the occasional wash-through turned the lineup into a furious milk bath. Should we run it? Should we not run it? $10K was on the line. Let’s make these kids earn it.
Kyuss and Kade picked long waves and tagged them all the way through. Kael got barreled and squared up with sections that nobody else even looked at. You need more than a chunk of foam in order to attack a lip that wants to make your face bleed. You need attitude. The Great Hoy was pleased with this. But then, Sammy got the two largest waves of the heat and surfed them to complete perfection. Every single movement was in unison with the ocean. It was like a song you never want to end.

So, who won?

Hoy paddled out with a $10K novelty check under his chest and the finalists met him in the channel. With the appropriate amount of ado, he announced the champ. After three years of making the Young Guns Final, Sammy Pupo finally took the thing out.
Everybody clapped and cheered and then got annihilated when the biggest set of the day stampeded into the shore pound. Sammy desperately tried to hang on to his check and the last board of his Sumatran quiver and inevitably snapped both.

After an explosion of laugher, the rest of the Young Guns put Sammy on their shoulders and chaired him up the beach. “This was the best contest ever,” he said from his perch, while his yard sale dragged behind him. Though, really, it never even felt like a contest at all.

Taj takes Four Seasons Champions Trophy title in epic Maldives

Taj Burrow at the 2017 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy Thruster Division

Ismail Miglal at the 2017 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy Twin Fin Division

Maya Gabeira at the Four Seasons MAldives Surfing Champions Trophy Thruster Division

Rob Machado at the Four Seasons MAldives Surfing Champions Trophy Thruster Division

In the Grand Final, Burrow came up against an in form Rob Machado (USA). Machado had been looking dangerous all event finishing first in the Single Fin and second on the Twin Fin. It was Burrow’s fast and critical surfing however that saw him take the overall win with a heat total of 16.73 (out of a possible 20).

“I’m so extremely excited, I’m just having the best time,” Burrow said. “This is such an amazing event, I would have retired earlier if I knew this is what life would be like, it’s too good. I’m so stoked I got to come back here after a win last year, we get so spoiled at the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa and then to come just around the corner and have waves that are this good is such a treat, it’s an incredible place. Winning again is really special to me.”

Burrow hasn’t lost much of his competitive tenacity since retiring from the elite WSL Championship Tour (CT) a year ago. He consistently posted huge scores through all three divisions and into the grand final. In the final of the Thruster event, he even posted the only perfect 10-point ride of the event for a super deep tube ride.

“The waves were cooking for this whole event,” Burrow continued. “The forecast wasn’t looking great so to score the waves we did was sick, even getting that barreled today was a nice surprise. Everyone in this event surfs so amazingly I really had to surf out of my skin to win this thing. If I do get to come back next year I’ll be over the moon. It’s definitely one of the sickest events on the planet.”

Machado was returning to the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy for the second time. After failing to make the Grand Final in 2016, Machado returned with something to prove and it showed in his smooth yet aggressive attack. In the final, Machado posted a heat total of 14.93 and as the waves slowed he was unable to find the score he needed to take the lead.

“I have no complaints about finishing second,” Machado said. “Today was actually super tight with who would make it into the Grand Final so it was cool to watch it all play out. It was just great to come back here and have the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa experience again. The waves were so sick for the event as well but it was always going to be hard to beat Taj, the guy is just so good.”

Finishing runner-up in the Thruster Division against Burrow was 2001 WSL Champion C.J. Hobgood (USA). The Floridian goofy foot was a standout all event but came up against a rampaging Burrow in the final. Hobgood was unable to get in a rhythm but was thankful to be apart of the Champions Trophy.

“I can’t believe I got to have this experience it’s definitely once in a lifetime,” Hobgood said. “It was a shame I had such a bad heat in the final but I’m not too disappointed. It’s been great to see all of these old friends and hang out. Waking up in Kuda Huraa, the perfect island and then cruising on a boat for 2 minutes and you have waves like this, is like a dream.”

Brazilian big wave inspiration Maya Gabeira (BRA) put on her best performance of the event during the Thruster Division. The goofy foot came just short of a Semifinal berth but was over the moon to have been part of such a special event. She stated this week at the Four Seasons Maldives as a definite life highlight.

“This has been such an amazing time for us here in the Maldives,” Gabeira said. “The Four Seasons Kuda Huraa experience has been like no other, just so luxurious. I don’t usually go on trips looking for fun size waves but I’m glad I came here as the waves are so fun and playful. Surfing with all of the guys was so incredible. They are such amazing surfers and my heroes so it was cool to compete against them. I’ve had the most amazing time at this event.”

Local wildcard Ismail Miglal (MDV) had his best performance in thruster division posting a heat total of 12.50. He wasn’t able to overcome Hobgood in his Semifinal but was stoked to have had the opportunity to surf with and against his surfing idols. “This was the most amazing experience of my life,” Miglal said.

“Staying in luxury and having my home breaks with no one else out was so cool. It was an honour to surf with my heroes. Watching them surf taught me a lot about my surfing and how I can improve. I loved the experience and will never forget it.”

Taj Burrow wins twin fin event at Four seasons champions trophy

An epic day at Sultans with Taj Burrow narrowly defeating Rob Machado in a classic final. Both surfers are shredding leaving everything open for the final day tomorrow.

Big shout out to Madives local Kuda Issey who took out a shredding CJ in the first round.

Taj Burrow has taken out the twin fin division on Day two of the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy. Burrow was unstoppable in the pumping 3 – 5 foot clean waves on offer at Sultans as he moves closer to a spot in the overall final.

In the final, Burrow came up against form surfer Rob Machado in a thrilling match-up. After Machado knocked Burrow out in the semifinal of the single fin, Burrow had something to prove and was hungry for redemption. His early round loss in the same division last year looked like a distant memory as Burrow ripped his way to a winning two-wave combination of 16.67.

“I was so excited to get the competition started today after a bit of a shocker yesterday,” Burrow said. “I couldn’t believe how good the waves were today, I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be that good, we were pretty spoiled. Everyone was so fired up today, my heat with Ross was so sick, just a real see-saw then the final with Rob was just all time, I’m so warn out now.”

Burrow had his worst result in the twin fin division at the 2016 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy and was keen to turn it around. Opting to surf on the same board he did last year, Burrow found a rhythm and possibly a new favourite weapon.

“Surfing in a final with Rob on a ‘twinnie’ is a pretty tough task. He is so good on these different boards and is surfing so well right now, it’s like he is still a teenager, it was super intense and I’m stoked to get one back on him. I haven’t surfed this board since last year but I knew if I got a good one on it, it’d go well I loved it. It’s just so sick to be back here, the level of luxury is amazing. Rebecca and I are thinking of extending our stay at the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa, it’s just too good.”

Machado was the surfer to beat in the twin fin with a solid display of surfing all day. On a board he shaped himself, he posted a heat total of 14.80 in the final but it wasn’t enough to overcome a rampaging Burrow. With this being his second final of the event, he still leads the charge to the overall final of the event.

“When we pulled up this morning we were freaking out,” Machado said. “The waves were so good today, everyone was stoked. After surfing here last year I had a good idea of the twin fin I wanted to shape and I loved how it went, this wave offers a lot of different sections so you need a versatile board. The competition today was so exciting, the semi with Taj and Ross was crazy and it got me so pumped to surf. The waves were non-stop all day; it was amazing and a real pleasant surprise.”

Local Maldivian wild card Ismail Miglal (MDV) put on an impressive display in his opening round heat to overcome 2001 WSL Champion C.J. Hobgood. Miglal was electric on his twin fin even throwing a few aerial manoeuvres to move into the semifinal. In the end, he was eliminated by Rob Machado but was stoked to make a heat against some of his heroes.

“Making a heat at this event is like a dream for me,” Miglal said. “I never thought it would happen but somehow I was able to find a long one at the end. It is really surreal surfing against my heroes and to beat a world champion is amazing, I got really lucky. We are all so stoked the waves turned on today, it was pumping out there. I’m so honoured to represent the Maldives in this special event. I can’t wait to surf tomorrow on the thrusters.”

In what was undoubtedly the heat of the event so far, eventual division winner Burrow came up against Hawaiian Ross Williams. Williams looked tack sharp on his fresh twin fin laying it on rail and gouging huge hacks posting a heat total of 17.36. Burrow found himself on the ropes needing an 8.70. With only minutes to go, Burrow found a perfect set wave and got to work. The 19 year, CT veteran put on an incredible display of his trade mark whipping turns to post an excellent score to win the heat with a total of 18.10.

“I was more nervous at the beginning of the heat than the end,” Williams said. “The fact that I had a lead in that heat at all was cool as Taj is ripping so hard. I’ve only surfed that twin fin a couple of times so it was nice to feel it out. You really have to surf with your rail on a twin fin otherwise you just slide out, so it’s a major learning curve, something that makes this event super cool. It was a really good battle that heat, and that’s what you want. I’m having such an amazing time here in the Maldives, this place is incredible and the waves are sick.”

Tune in tomorrow as the 2017 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy continues with the thruster division and an overall champion to be crowned in what is bound to be another action packed day at the ‘world’s most luxurious surfing event.’