Entry is free but there will be a collection for the Refugee Crisis
Arrive for 7 to get drinks and seats and get settled for approximate 7:30 start.
“See the sport of surfing as it’s never been captured before in John Florence and Blake Vincent Kueny’s second signature release, this time in association with the award-winning studio Brain Farm. The first surf film shot in 4K, View From A Blue Moon follows the world’s most dynamic surfer John Florence and his closest friends from his home on the North Shore of Oahu to his favorite surfing destinations around the globe. From the dreamy blue perfection of the South Pacific to the darkest uncharted waters of Africa (and everywhere in between), Florence faces a broad spectrum of emotions as he continues to seal his legacy as one of the most gifted surfers ever. And while the young Hawaiian is pulled in increasingly different directions, there is no form of pressure that will keep him from his ultimate goal — to redefine what is possible in the ocean.”
Forget all the Black Friday nonsense and appreciate the wonder that is stormtroopers surfing the Severn Bore?! Don’t know about you lot but so totally frothing to see it that we’re going to the midnight showing on opening day…
There was an unworldly sight in the Forest of Dean this morning (Friday 27 November) when a bunch of Star Wars Stormtroopers surfed the Severn Bore.
Key scenes from the upcoming Star Wars episode VII were filmed in nearby Puzzlewood and can be seen several times in the trailer.
Swapping the Death Star for surfboards, the elite soldiers of the Galactic Empire took to the waves to mark the release of the highly anticipated new Star Wars film. The Forest of Dean’s atmospheric and picturesque location provided a natural stage for the film, which director J.J Abrams referenced in a thank you letter to all of the movie’s cast and crew.
Reports are coming in that thousands of sting jelly fish have washed up on Newquay beaches, and potentially elsewhere on the Cornish coast line. The Mauve Stingers have come ashore on Lusty Glaze, Tolcarne, Great Western, Towan and Little Fistral. They can sting.
Blue Reef Aquarium has warned people not to touch them. Apparently the best protection is sunscreen as the venom can not penetrate the skin after application.
“The mauve stinger definitely lives up to its name and can cause quite painful reactions if you accidentally come into contact with their tentacles which are covered with toxic cells, said Blue Reef’s Steve Matchett.
“They use them to capture and incapacitate their prey and also as a means of defence. However the cells will continue to function even after the jellyfish has died and so we strongly recommend people do not touch or attempt to move them.
“If you are stung by a mauve stinger it is recommended not to rub the affected area and, if possible, to pour vinegar on to the sting. If this is not available seawater will help to ease the discomfort.
“Due to the potential allergic reaction to being stung it is advised to seek medical treatment immediately if the symptons worsen,” he added.
According to the official guide to jellyfish species in European waters the mauve stingers’ cells have a very active toxin that produces a burning sensation, intense pain, inflammation and red skin rashes.
The sting results in hives and oedema, as well as vesicles, blisters and scabs that may persist.
Other symptoms, however rare, include nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps and breathing disorders.
Pelagia noctiluca gets its Latin name from its ability to bioluminesce, or produce light at night. Light is given off in the form of flashes when the medusa is stimulated by turbulence created by waves or a ship’s motion.
Issued by Blue Reef Aquarium. For more information contact Steve Matchett on 01637 878134.
Bruce Irons, Pipe Masters Champion (2001), has been allocated a position in the upcoming Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons, the final stop of the 2015 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour (CT).
“I’m so honored to be given the opportunity to compete in the Pipe Masters in memory of my brother,” Irons said. “I reached out to Kieren (Perrow) a couple of weeks ago and asked if it would be a possibility and he’s been completely open with me through this whole process. I understand that the opportunity is coming to me due to someone withdrawing, which is never what you hope for, but I’m really pumped to surf Pipe with the world’s best. Really looking forward to the event and I hope the waves fire.”
A free surfing virtuoso since his early teens, Irons won the Pipe Masters in 2001 as a 22-year-old wildcard and qualified for the elite Championship Tour in 2004. Irons’s tenure amongst the world’s best was marked by his stylish approach to progressive surfing as well as victories at the 2004 Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau and the 2008 Rip Curl Pro Search Bali. Irons’s older brother, Andy, was a three-time WSL Champion celebrated for his powerful and progressive approach to the sport.
“Bruce and I have been talking about a possible opportunity and it’s great to see him charging Pipe again this season,” Perrow said. “He’s always been a standout at Pipeline and remains amongst the world’s best surfers when conditions get critical out there. With the withdrawals of Fredrick Patacchia and Matt Banting, the WSL is in a position to allocate one of the replacement spots to Bruce and we feel like he’s certainly a worthy candidate given the form he’s in. Looking forward to a great event.”
Long-serving elite tour member Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) and 2015 CT rookie Matt Banting (AUS) have officially withdrawn from the Billabong Pipe Masters opening up two replacement positions in the main event. Irons has been allocated the initial spot by the WSL and the second opening will be determined in the coming weeks.
The Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons will determine the 2015 WSL Champion amongst the six remaining contenders: Mick Fanning (AUS), Filipe Toledo (BRA), Adriano de Souza (BRA), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Owen Wright (AUS) and Julian Wilson (AUS).
The Billabong Pipe Masters will be held from December 8 – 20, 2015 and be webcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and on the WSL app.
A celebration of cinema, surf and sounds in aid of The Wave Project
The annual London Surf / Film Festival charity gallery show has gained a reputation as one of the most exciting showcases of ‘surf art’ and for those in the know it has become the place to scoop a one-off piece of work for your wall.
For 2015 the LS/FF presented by REEF has raised the bar yet again. Partnering with Powerful Water Company and the UK’s most exciting surf creatives the specially commissioned ‘8 Track Gallery’ show celebrates the connection of celluloid and sound in aid of The Wave Project.
“Music informs our viewing experience, colours our emotional response and heightens the senses,” says Festival Director Chris Nelson. “A well considered score can help reveal the true cinematic story, iconic moments in surf history have been created with a coming together of sound and vision – consider the way Pink Floyd’s ethereal, otherworldly ‘Echoes’ encapsulated George Greenough’s groundbreaking barrel footage in Crystal Voyager, transporting the viewer into that alien realm for the first time on the big screen.”
“We invited leading artists: Nick Radford, Jez Goffin, Rich Braham, Will Beeslaar, Victoria Jones, Andy Rootz Mold and Ben Cook to produce or reinterpret to produce or reinterpret the album artwork for an iconic surf movie that resonated with them,” says Creative Director Demi Taylor. “Taking inspiration from era defining features like Morning of the Earth and modern classics like Riding Giants the resulting 8 Track Gallery presented by POW is a stunning body of work. Ranging from classic pencil portraiture through to graphic illustration the collection really stirs the senses.”
The series of one-off A2 prints previewed during the 5th Annual London Surf / Film Festival. Each unique piece is now available to own at londonsurffilmfestival.com/8-track-gallery with the buy it now price of £120 plus P&P with all proceeds going to THE WAVE PROJECT. Through their award-winning surf courses, registered charity The WAVE PROJECT helps young people facing exceptional challenges.
Patagonia will introduce the world’s first neoprene-free, wetsuits made with plant-based material for Autumn 2016.
After pushing Yulex last year Patagonia will be manufacturing their whole line of high performance wetsuits from natural rubber – 21 wetsuits made for men, women and kids – in 2016/17
“Surfers and wetsuit manufacturers – including Patagonia – have relied on neoprene for years, despite the fact that it’s a non-renewable, petroleum-based material with an energy-intensive manufacturing process,” said Hub Hubbard, Patagonia Product Line Manager, Wetsuits.
“Neoprene is nasty stuff, but for a long time we had no alternative. Through our partnership with Yulex we’ve invested in a plant-based game-changer and built it into our entire wetsuit line – saying goodbye to neoprene forever.”
Patagonia say the new, neoprene-free Yulex® wetsuits perform better than their traditional neoprene wetsuits and they’re extremely durable. By using natural rubber in the suits Patagonia is reducing the CO2 emissions required to produce traditional neoprene suits by up to 80%. The FSC certified rubber is blended with 15% neoprene-free synthetic rubber for the benefits of increased ozone and UV resistance to meet Patagonia’s rigorous demands for durability and strength.
Gabe Davies has been testing the new line and has been impressed by the suits flexibility, durability and warmth.
The new plant-based material pioneered by Yulex is sourced from a hevea plantation that is independently certified to the FSC standard by the Rainforest Alliance, ensuring that products are produced using environmentally responsible practices.
As with their previous work, Patagonia and Yulex will again share this groundbreaking innovation with other companies, hoping to create a shift toward cleaner and better materials throughout the surf industry. Patagonia’s blog post about the dirty impacts of neoprene published in 2008, the year they started manufacturing wetsuits, led to a collaboration with Yulex on a plant-based rubber that met our performance requirements. It’s available here.
Patagonia’s 2016 wetsuit line has new fast-drying thermal linings and a floating front zip design as well as back zips. The new and exclusive inverted microgrid linings dry faster than ever and create lighter suits while maintaining excellent warmth. The Floating Front-Zip increases the wetsuit lifespan and features an asymmetrical flap for better stretch, seal and mobility. The zipper is also replaceable. Featuring wetsuits rated for six different temperature levels, Patagonia’s collection can accommodate water temperatures from 23°C down to 0°C.
The new wetsuit line will debut globally in Australia in March 2016 with six fullsuits. All 21 fullsuit styles will be available in July 2016 in North America, Europe, and Japan.
