Monster swell hits in the Hossegor region. We are relieved following these past two storms that the sand bank hasn’t been destroyed, on the contrary it is perfectly in place witnessing this XXL session last Saturday. – Enjoy.
🏄 Vincent Duvignac, Paul Prezat, Floris Figues, Louis Poupi, Jeff Lartigue, Scalp, Remi Cordier, Paul Duvignau, François Elharrar, Leo Etienne, Kyllian Guerin, William Aliotti, Enzo Cavallini,
🎥 @ripitup.fr
Drone: @waved.surf
“Waiting through gale force winds, darkness, blizzards, white outs and snow makes it all the more special when eventually the magic happens.” says Ian Battrick, and he would know about it.
Batty spends months of his life sleeping in his car or van, living on porridge oats, on freezing cold Nordic adventures, check out his Artic adventures below, Batty is indeed a classic. @ianbattrick @lunasurf
An arctic adventure with surfing nomad and underground ripper Ian Battrick. Batty is about as hardcore as they come, global solo surf traveller and super stoked, this edit was mainly self-filmed over time, using a GoPro or camera just left on a tripod. With over 20 years experience of surfing the Arctic, Batty will do anything for a strike mission as this edit shows…
Thank you for the additional clips from:
Vilhjálmur Ólafsson
Mike Cochran
Baptiste Hardoy
Ben Weiland (Dane’s waves)
Steve Lewis
Elli Thor
Haukur Arara Gunnarsson
• Two-time World Champion Alana Nichols (USA) scores perfect 10, earns highest heat total in ISA para surfing history
• Pierrot Gagliano (FRA) tops Men’s Vision Impairment 2 leaderboard, secures first medal
• First ever heat win for Tash Davies (ENG) garners Semifinal berth with teammate Hannah Dines
Picture-perfect, three-to-four foot peaks and ‘Santa Ana’ offshore winds allowed for history-defining performances today in Surf City USA. Finalists were determined in multiple classifications, while the completion of qualifying rounds in most other divisions resulted in numerous eliminations, including those of multiple-time World Champions Matt Formston (AUS) and Jesse Billauer (USA).
Alana Nichols (USA above) returned to competition in incredible form when the Women’s Sit classification hit the water. The Paralympic and para surfing gold medalist opened with a 9.40 on her first wave of the event, but that was just the start. Late in the heat Nichols pulled into a freight-train of a barrel, her first ever in the ocean, to collect a perfect 10 and the highest heat total in ISA para surfing history, 19.40.
“I honestly wasn’t expecting it to barrel over me,” Nichols said. “I thought it was going to break behind me, and when it did, it was just like, ‘This is happening!’ I don’t know if I have the words yet for that, but it was so sick.
“To set that heat record is pretty phenomenal,” Nichols continued. “I just feel like I had the perfect conditions all around. I can’t tell you how proud I am of the women that I get to surf with and against, because to be a woman with a disability that loves to charge, that’s a rare combination.”
After a tough Round 1 heat, defending champion Camilo Abdula (POR) replaced both of his scores in Men’s Stand 1, Round 2 to gain progression into the Semifinals. Five-time gold medalist Felipe Kizu Lima (BRA) topped the leaderboard in Men’s Sit to secure yet another medal, as did two-time defending champion in Women’s Vision Impairment 1, Marta Paço (POR).
Australia’s Joel Taylor (above) collected the highest single wave score and heat total of the day for the men. Two critical turns on a speedy left earned him a 9.83, adding to a 7.67 for a 17.50 total. The former professional bodyboarder, who was rendered paraplegic due to an accident at Pipeline in 2001, has taken up para surfing within the past year after 21 years out of the water.
“It didn’t work on a bodyboard as a paraplegic,” Taylor said. “It just didn’t have the speed, and I like going fast. So I got on a board that works and I’m really loving it, really enjoying it.”
Pierrot Gagliano (FRA, above) tops Men’s Visual Impairment 2 leaderboard, secures first medal
After narrowly missing out on the final in his WPSC debut in 2022, Pierrot Gagliano (FRA) was relieved to secure first place on the leaderboard in the Men’s Vision Impairment 2 classification and guarantee himself a medal. The 23-year-old has been enjoying every minute of his time in Huntington Beach.
“It was really disappointing for me last year,” Gagliano said. “I was not able to get any good waves. Since we’re here, we’re scoring really good waves every day, so I’m stoked.”
An emotional Aaron Paulk (HAW) was also happy to make the final to represent his hometown of Lahaina, Maui and secure another medal. Two-time defending champion Roy Calderon (CRC) and 2022 silver medalist Jack Jackson (AUS) will join Paulk and Gagliano in the Vision Impairment 2 Final.
First ever heat win for Tash Davies (ENG above) garners Semifinal berth with teammate Hannah Dines (below)
Inspired to begin surfing in 2019 after seeing footage online of para surfers with a similar disability to her, Tash Davies (ENG) was instantly hooked and attended her first WPSC in 2020. Today the 32-year-old earned her first ever heat win, and was thrilled to progress to the Prone 1 Semifinals with teammate Hannah Dines.
“It felt really good,” Davies said. “We just, like, passed each other, she was coming out of her heat and I was getting ready to go in my heat and we had a little celebration in passing. It’s great to have both of us in the Semifinals, it’s brilliant for Team England.”
Competition will continue tomorrow at Southside Huntington Beach Pier at 7:00am PST.
There was a feeling of coldness this winter I wasn’t used to in California. The kind that seeps into your bones. This feeling was all too common this year. Plagued by a strong La Niña winter we experienced one of the coldest and stormiest winters I have ever endured in California. Waggy and I hunted endlessly for corners amidst the storm. This is what we found. – @jonahsaffran
Well you might think that the world doesn’t need another wavepool, you’d probably be right, but let’s be honest, you’d give it a punt right. Here’s all the bumf below from the developers at Modon…
Abu Dhabi set to become global surf destination as Modon partners Kelly Slater Wave Company on Surf Abu Dhabi
Adding to Abu Dhabi’s impressive sporting credentials, the Surf Abu Dhabi project will open on Hudayriyat Island in late 2023
Modon Properties (Modon), the Abu Dhabi developer, has partnered with Kelly Slater Wave Company (KSWC), the world experts in man-made wave technology, to create Surf Abu Dhabi, the most advanced wave facility in the world.
Featuring the world’s longest ride and the world’s biggest barrel, as well as the world’s largest man-made wave facility, Surf Abu Dhabi is an exclusive surf experience designed to inspire and appeal to everyone – from beginners to elite surfers.
Surf Abu Dhabi will further underscore Abu Dhabi’s sporting offering when it opens later this year. Located on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi’s sport, leisure and recreation destination, the elite-level surfing facility will take its place alongside other major additions to the city’s sporting infrastructure including a 3,500-seat velodrome equipped to stage international indoor cycling competitions.
Bill O’Regan, CEO of Modon, said: “At Modon, our role is to support the growth of Abu Dhabi’s ambitions and sports asset development strategy which is contributing towards a legacy of sporting excellence.
“As the world’s premier man-made surf experience, Surf Abu Dhabi is specified to host major international surf competitions. It is a high-performance destination which will offer world-class surfers the perfect conditions to train or compete, while also growing the region’s surfing community, and inspiring wider society to embrace a healthy new activity.”
“When we opened the first wave, the mystery it created and excitement that ensued was something I’m not sure many have experienced,” said Kelly Slater, 11-time World Surf League Champion and founder of KSWC. “Surfing reaches people in all corners of the globe and I’m always surprised with who gravitates towards this world. Having a KSWC wave in Abu Dhabi is something I’ve never dreamt would happen but here it is. Unbelievable. While not many would have predicted the location for the project, there are great synergies with Abu Dhabi and like KSWC they are always innovating and ahead of the curve. This is going to be a lot of fun for so many people.”
Jeff Fleeher, President of Kelly Slater Wave Company, said: “As a global hub for tourism, sport, and business, with diverse peoples and cultures, Abu Dhabi is the perfect place for us to showcase KSWC’s unmatched wave technology and surf experience. We’re fortunate to partner with Modon and join Hudayriyat Island’s incredible ecosystem of sport and recreation to foster new participation and enthusiasm for surfing in the Middle East.”
Tasman low set fire to The Superbank, the wind was blowing hard the swell picked up and everyone with a board and two arms went to there to paddle against the sweep in hope of getting a wave, hit play for the madness.
