Russ Winter has been handed a six-month suspended prison sentence at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court after an incident with his O’Neill Highland Open trophy. The court heard last week how the weapon was confiscated by police after officers were called to reports of a public order offence outside Russells house in Newquay at around 7.30pm on July 6.
Most reports in the press so far have not put across the full story which puts a slightly different spin on the incident.
According to witnesses three inebriated men were walking down the residential road where Russ lives which leads into town when one man smashed a bottle in the street. One of Russ’s friends who was visiting told them it was a residential area to behave. The lads confronted him. As this was happening Russell turned up at his family home, and seeing his friend being verbally abused by the drunk men, tried to intervene. The men got aggressive, threatening Russ and his family and following him to his house door. Punches were thrown at him on his own door step and more threats were made.
Inside the house Russ grabbed the first thing that came to hand in an attempt too scare off the men, it happened to be his ornamental O’Neill Highland Open broadsword trophy. A fraca ensued with the men further confronting Russ, which is when police were called. At no time was anyone hit with the sword. Unfortunately when police arrive the three me who caused the whole commotion ran off and were failed to be apprehended. The police then arrested Russ, who was by now more than miffed at the situation.
Carve spoke to Russell who didn’t want to make comment but would like it pointed out that he seriously regrets the incident, in particular grabbing the sword, but feels that most sons, fathers or house owners would have reacted in some way if three drunk men start smashing bottles and being aggressive, and threatening their family outside their homes.
Russell pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and directing it towards another during the incident, as well as using abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause a fear of violence he was also ordered to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge. The three men have not been traced.
Russells sword is now to be housed at the UKPST offices at Fistral beach. Rumours it will be used to defend the Head Judge after controversial heat decisions have not been corroborated.
Russ was voted Britains greatest ever surfer in a Carve Poll a couple of years ago, he beat the likes of Kelly Slater and Occy while on the World Tour, and has won multiple English, British and European titles over the last 27 years. He will be competing at Boardmasters next week going into the event, as always, as a top favourite to take the title.
Slideshow by Nate Lawrence. Quotes by two time RipCurl Cup winner Bol Adi Putra.
The excitement is building up to a frothy boil as 24 of the world’s best tuberiders stand by ready to take on Bali’s legendary Padang Padang, as the current swell forecast from Surfline shows the best potential yet for a green light in the fourth week of the six week waiting period.
Bethany Hamilton will join previous event winners Chris Ward, and Mega Semahdi along with Bruno Santos Kalani Chapman and Jacob Wilcox with local tube maestro’s Mustofa Jeksen, Made “Bol” Adi Putra, Garut Widiarta, and two time trials winner Rahtu Suargita. All are chomping at the bit to paddle out in epic Padang Padang and slot into those long green tubes come Monday.
“ I can’t wait to get out there,” said last year’s winner Mega Semahdi, “Winning last year in front of my family and all my friends was my best contest win ever by far, and I’m really looking to being the first to ever win back-to-back RC Cup’s this year,” he added.
The swell that is now making its way towards Padang Padang is showing the best promise yet, prompting the standby alert for an expected start on Monday August 4th that will carry over into Tuesday August 5th.
Kurt Korte at Surfline expects, “ A rising, long period SW swell to fill in through the day on Monday (4th) with surf in the well overhead range by the afternoon and even bigger sets due for mid/late PM, strongest late…solid SW/SSW swell in the well overhead range and sets to around double overhead are still expected during the early morning on Tuesday before both the size and consistency trend downward during the middle and (especially) over second half of the day on Tuesday.”
RC’s swell guru and commentator Nick “Chongee” Chong adds, “It looks to me like we are in for some thick and solid Padang Padang for this incoming swell if the current patterns continue to hold. The tides are perfect and with the backup plan of running two half days depending upon when the swell peaks, we should be getting nothing but the best of it for the boys…and girl (Bethany). Let’s do this!”
The international webcast team is setting up their gear now, so if you’re not lucky enough to be in Bali to watch the action in person, you still won’t miss a thing. – Connect to live.ripcurl.com and you are here with the crew Live at Padang Padang!
BS! is an out of the ordinary, if not extraordinary surf film that documents the serious ripping of Dusty Payne, Mitch Coleborn, Alex Gray, Ozzie Wright, Nate Tyler, and Andrew Doheny, while revealing their individual characters through thoughtful interviews that quickly slip into honest humor. On top of such humor, the film builds into striking notes of provokingly tweaked sarcasm that is in refreshing contrast to current surf film genre trends.iTunes: http://geni.us/3JOU
DVD: http://vol.cm/BSonDVD
Every Tuesday until the online release of “Veeco: A Volcom Filmmaking Documentary” on Aug 26th, take a journey through the Volcom film library as we post a classic Veeco production unearthed from the Volcom vaults. Reserve your seat for the online digital premiere of “Veeco” on Aug. 26th: http://vol.cm/veecofilm
Mr Surfy Cafe boss Steve Pratt from Polzeath was left with horrific wounds when a surfer bailed his board resulting in a six-inch gash that required hospital treatment yesterday.
Mr Pratt said;
“This guy just bailed. I don’t know why – he might have thought the wave was too big. But by just jumping off his board the way he did, he sent it flying straight at me. I had no chance to get out of the way – he was only feet away – and it cracked me right on the top of my head. It was unbelievably painful and when I put my hand up to feel the damage, I could see straight away that I was covered in blood.
“There’s a basic rule, or code, that every surfer learns – you must try to keep control of your board. If he’d just held on to his board he’d have been OK and so would I. Instead I ended up in A&E having to have my head glued back together. Actually it could have been worse – it might have caught me in the eye, or I could have lost some teeth. Fast-moving surfboards can pack quite a wallop. It’s almost scalped me.”
Mr Pratt says the surfer who injured him didn’t apologise or stop to see if he was badly hurt. I shouted at him and said ‘You’ve just whacked me!’ and put my hand up to show him the blood. I caught the next wave in and was expecting him to follow to at least see how I was but he didn’t.
“It’s a bit like hitting someone with a car – you have a responsibility to stop and see if the other person is OK.
Last month surf instructed Rob Small issued some fine advice for SUP’er on Carvemag which fits equally well with learners or intermediates on longer boards. If you are an experienced surfer please pass on the code to others you. A quiet word often solves the problem.
1) Be aware of your equipment!
Longboards, 10’ boards, 2m carbon paddles, and long leashes all increase the ‘kill zone’ after a wipeout or when caught inside. It can easily be 20 feet before considering any of the dragging action of waves. Add that into the equation and after a wipeout you could easily hit someone who was 30 feet shoreside when you fell off.
Be aware of who is around you at all times and position yourself safely.
If you get caught inside don’t just ditch your board! Make sure nobody is going to get hit if you bail. If there are a lot of crew out turn around, catch the foam in and get out of the way.
If you can’t make a section ride the whitewater out and always retain full control of your board.
Always use a leash.
2) Minimise the risk – Be aware of the surfing environment. Is it crowded? Are there lots of children or beginner surfers in the water? Is the lineup very open or compressed into a small area? Are the waves suitable for your level of surfing? Are there bigger sets cleaning everyone up?
Just take a minute and think about these things before you paddle out. If you’re unsure about anything either give it a miss or find an uncrowded spot or smaller wave away from the pack.
3) Be aware of your level.
Pushing the envelope is part of why we do these things but overestimation of our abilities will lead to trouble, be it a crushing blast of humility or worse, someone off to A&E with you as the responsible party. There’s plenty of opportunity for heroics when you’ve done the time and acquired the skills.
4) Be aware of right of way rules. Closest to the peak has priority. Watch what’s going on and take your turn!
Don’t impede someone’s ride by paddling over the shoulder to avoid getting hit by the whitewater and getting in the way. Take the hit, but do so being aware of those around you. (see above)
Surfers Against Sewage is launching the Safer Seas Service app today, it is a national real-time water quality app that sends free app alerts to surfers and beach users when sewer overflows discharge untreated human sewage into the sea and when water quality is reduced by diffuse pollution.
As we all know this is occurring more and more often across the UK, even when it isn’t raining but the good news is 315 beaches across England and Wales are covered.
Warning of pollution incidents in real-time via the Safer Seas Service helps means you can try and find unaffected beaches that have the best water quality exactly when they want to hit the beach. The Safer Seas Service app is free to download for iPhones, iPads and mobile Android devices from iTunes and Google Play.
The app will also shops you discharge history so you can see how often your water company is dumping waste at your local.
The Safer Seas Service app is an enhanced version of SAS’s Sewage Alert Service app. Since launching, the service has issued real-time alerts for a shocking 3,665 individual sewage spills at beaches nationwide. The updated Safer Seas Service will not only warn beach users about further untreated sewage spills, but also incorporate new daily predictions on the impacts of diffuse pollution at 164 beaches across England and Wales.
There is no other service in the world that provides such complete and up to date information on water quality. Surfers Against Sewage wants beach users to visit, use and enjoy UK beaches, but avoid contracting some of the serious illnesses associated with bathing in polluted waters. The Safer Seas Service also has some additional features to help us all protect water quality, report pollution incidents and further the public’s understanding of the health threats.
As well as the new app, the Safer Seas Service warnings are also displayed on an online map and available as free SMS messages from the SAS website for any none smart phone users.
Andy Cummins Surfers Against Sewage Campaign Director says: “Whilst other organisations report on last year’s water quality, the Safer Seas Service tells beach users what’s happening at their favourite beach in real-time, allowing them to have the safest and best fun possible on our beaches. The Safer Seas Service truly is this summer’s must have beach accessory, download it for free today at SAS.org.uk”
Health impacts from sewage and diffuse pollution: Health impacts from water borne pollution can range from eye, ear and throat infections to the more serious inflictions such as gastro enteritis, E. coli and hepatitis. For more information on the health risks please visit: http://www.sas.org.uk/the-risks-of-mixing-with-sewage/
Safer Seas Service beaches in the South West
Bude Crooklets Bigbury-on-Sea North Clevedon Beach Bude Summerleaze Blackpool Sands Minehead Carbis Bay Porth Kidney Sands Breakwater Beach (Shoalstone) Dunster Crantock Broadsands Uphill Slipway, WSM East Looe Budleigh Salterton Weston-super-Mare Fistral Challaborough Beer Gyllyngvase Dawlish Coryton Cove Sidmouth Town Harlyn Bay Dawlish Town Ladram Bay Holywell Bay Dawlish Warren Shaldon Instow Exmouth Watcombe Lusty Glaze Goodrington Thurlestone North Mawgan Porth Hollicombe Bigbury-on-Sea South Par Ilfracombe Capstone Wildersmouth Mothecombe Pentewan Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach Bovisand Perranuthnoe Lynmouth Plymouth Hoe East Polkerris Meadfoot Plymouth Hoe West Polzeath Oddicombe Seaton (Cornwall) Porth Paignton, Paignton Sands Millendreath Porthcurno Paignton, Preston Sands Readymoney Porthleven West Salcombe North Sands Crinnis Golf Links Porthminster Salcombe South Sands Portmellon Porthtowan Saunton Sands Gorran Haven Little Perhaver Portwrinkle Teignmouth Holcombe Porthluney Rock Teignmouth Town Porthcurnick Swanpool Torre Abbey Maenporth The Towans (Godrevy) Wells Porthallow The Towans (Hayle) Westward Ho! Mounts Bay Marazion Towan Woolacombe Village Mounts Bay Heliport Trevone Bay Woolacombe, Barricane Bay Mounts Bay Penzance Widemouth Sand Seaton Mounts Bay Wherry Town Godrevey Wembury Croyde Bay Sennen Dunster North West Ilfracombe Hele St Agnes (Trevaunance) Porlock Weir Combe Martin Babbacombe Blue Anchor West Berrow North of Unity Farm Bantham Burnham Brean Weston Main
Safer Seas Service beaches on the south coast
Avon Beach, Christchurch West Bay Lyme Regis Front Beach Boscome Pier, Bournemouth Weymouth Lodmoor Stokes Bay Bournemouth Pier West Street East, Brighton Hillhead Bowleaze Cove Hove Lawn East, Brighton Gurnard Branksome Chine, Poole Littlehampton Coastguards Cowes Castle Cove, Portland Harbour Bognor Regis West Ryde Charmouth West Hayling Island Beachlands St Helens Eypemouth Ventnor Bexhill Fisherman’s Walk, Bournemouth Yaverland Pevensey Bay Friar’s Cliff, Christchurch Sandown Lancing, Beach Green Hengistbury West, Bournemouth Shanklin Worthing Poole Harbour Rockley Sands West Bay Felpham Ringstead Bay West Wittering Beach Folkestone Sandsfoot Castle, Portland Harbour Colwell Bay Littlestone Seatown Kimmeridge Bay Camber Shore Road Beach, Poole Lulworth Cove Hastings Swanage Central Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach Portland Harbour Castle Cove Portland Harbour Sandsfoot Castle
Safer Seas Service beaches on the east coast
Herne Bay East Runton Sea Palling Tankerton Felixstowe South Sheringham Botany Bay, Felixtowe North Shoebury East Joss Bay Frinton Shoeburyness Westbrook Bay Gorleston Skegness Margate Main Great Yarmouth North Southend Chalkwell Beach Minnis Bay Great Yarmouth Pier Southend Jubilee Beach Ramsgate Great Yarmouth South Southend Leigh Bell Wharf St Mildreds Bay Heacham Southend Thorpe Bay Stone Bay Hemsby Southend Three Shells West Bay Holland Southend Westcliff Bay Anderby Creek Humberston Fitties Southwold The Deans Brightlingsea Hunstanton Main Southwold The Pier Caister Point Hunstanton beach Sutton on Sea Chapel St Leonards Ingoldmells Walton Clacton Groyne 41 Jaywick Wells Clacton Martello Tower Lowestoft North West Mersea Clacton Lowestoft South Broadstairs, Viking Bay Cleethorpes Mablethorpes Town Herne Bay Cromer Moggs Eye Leysdown Dovercourt Bay Mundesley Minster Leas Safer Seas Service beaches in the north east Bridlington North Cullercoats Withernsea Bridlington South Druridge Bay North Spittal Cayton Bay Druridge Bay South Newbiggin North Filey Newbiggin North Blyth South Beach Hornsea Newbiggin South Seaton Sluice Runswick Bay Redcar – Granville Terrace Tynemouth Cullercoats Robin Hoods bay Redcar Coatham Seaham Hall Beach Scarborough North Redcar Lifeboat Station Seaham Beach Scarborough South Redcar Stray Crimdon Staithes Saltburn Seaton Carew North Whitby Staithes Seaton Carew Centre Withernsea Tynemouth King Edwards Bay Flamborough South Landing Bamburgh Tynemouth Longsands North Wilsthorpe Beadnall Tynemouth Longsands South Fraisthorpe Safer Seas
Services beaches in the north west
Blackpool Central St Bees Blackpool South Blackpool North Allonby Fleetwood Bispham Allonby South Morecambe South Cleveleys West Kirby Haverigg Morecambe North Ainsdale Seascale Walney West Shore Southport Allonby Walney Biggar Bank St Annes Silloth Walney Sandy Gap St Annes North Safer Seas Service beaches in Wales Broadhavern Llangrannog Cemaes Newgale Aberystwyth South Llanfairfechan Manorbier Aberdyfi Penmaenmawr Newport North Criccieth Llandudno West Shore Poppit West Aberdaron Rhyl
