Recent days have seen an alarming cluster of shark attacks along the New South Wales coastline, with four separate incidents reported in a short period of time. The series began when a 12-year-old boy was critically injured in Sydney Harbour, followed by an incident at Dee Why where an 11-year-old escaped injury after a shark bit his surfboard. Shortly after, a 27-year-old surfer was seriously injured at Manly, and the most recent attack occurred on the Mid North Coast at Point Plomer, where a 39-year-old surfer suffered minor injuries. Authorities believe recent heavy rainfall and murky water conditions may have increased shark activity close to shore, leading to beach closures and strong warnings for people to stay out of the ocean until conditions improve.

Our thoughts are with anyone affected by these events.

For its 13th edition, the big-wave competition held annually in Hossegor at the legendary La Nord spot once again delivered a spectacular display of high-level surfing.

From early morning, the world’s top big-wave surfers took to the water in solid conditions, with waves ranging from 2.5 to 3 meters. As the day progressed, the tide rose and the wind shifted offshore, smoothing the ocean surface while the swell remained consistent. These conditions provided final-round sets exceeding 3 meters, with some waves producing impressive barrels.

As a reminder, competition criteria require a minimum wave size of 3 to 4 meters. Scoring takes into account both wave size and the surfer’s level of commitment. The event’s waiting period runs from November 1 to April 1.

Despite overcast weather and occasional showers, the spot facing Hossegor’s central beach drew a large crowd of spectators, who came to watch and applaud the unwavering commitment of the surfers.

For the second consecutive year, local surfer Kyllian Guerin claimed the overall victory. He was joined on the podium by two other regional surfers, Nelson Cloarec and Jeff Lartigue. Notably, Nelson Cloarec earned the highest score of the competition with a perfect 10 in the final, thanks to a stunning barrel on a powerful right.

Sincere thanks to the Comité des Landes de Surf, organizer of the event, as well as the Hossegor Surf Club for their warm welcome and invaluable contribution to the success of the competition.

See you next year for the next edition of the Rip Curl Challenge La Nord!

SURF RESULTS

1. Kyllian Guerin (13,87)
2. Nelson Cloarec (13,17)
3. Jeff Lartigue (9)
4. Mathieu Agnes (7,53)
5. Clément Roseyro (7)
6. Pierre Picat (6,93)
7. Diego Torre (6,76)
8. Gabriel Bachelet (6,46)
9. Paul Duvignau (6,37)
10. Nicolas Garcia Lopez (5,17)

STAND UP PADDLE RESULTS

1. Benoît Carpentier (15,17)
2. Clément Roseyro (9,67)
3. Gabriel Bachelet (5,5)

 Live recording below:

Come down to Sagres, Portugal, on February 21–22, 2026, to watch some of Europe’s top up-and-coming surfers compete in a fun and original format for a share of the €5,000 prize purse.

Volcom Surf Happening is a contest open to all European surfers aged 16 and under as of the qualifier deadline (born after August 31, 2008). They qualified via an online competition held during summer 2025, before coming together in Portugal for the main event.

MAIN EVENT

AN ORIGINAL AND FUN FORMAT

Location: Sagres, Portugal (Tonel, Mareta, Beliche)

Date: 21-22 February 2026

(Exact schedule and beach will depend on surf conditions—follow @volcom_eu for the latest updates)

• 5000€ prize purse + tons of prizes from Volcom and sponsors
• Lunch and dinner provided, plus side activities throughout the weekend
• Hang out with the Volcom Surf Team
• Public party on Saturday 21 with live music and art show (more info coming soon)

Each competitor will surf an equal number of heats and will be filmed and scored by seasoned judges and Volcom team riders.

Two main challenges will be judged and scored during those heats:

BEST WAVE OF THE EVENT (EACH DIVISION):

• 1st: 1000€
• 2nd: 400€
• 3rd: 300€

BEST MANEUVER OF THE EVENT (EACH DIVISION):

• 1st: 400€
• 2nd: 200€
• 3rd: 100€

Side cash for good maneuvers: 200€

Check out last years comp below.

Graceful power surfing at its best, dunking Durban Doughnuts with the one and only Jordy Smith. No one throws it down like the big man with the lead foot, and his ability to thread tubes is sickening. If Jordy says it’s the best surf of his life, you know it’s gotta be smoking.

At some point, every surf kid learns the hard way that a passport, a boat, and a stretch of perfect Indonesian reef will either make you or break you. For the latest Billabong Bloodlines crew — all under 18 — that moment came deep in the Mentawai Islands, on their first-ever boat trip.

This is the Mentawai edition, starring Europe’s next wave of troublemakers: Axel Dominguez, Alejo Valido, Josh Karbus, Oxel Oregi, and Gabriel Aviben. No safety nets, no home breaks, no “just one more turn.” Just relentless swell, sharp reefs, and the kind of surf trips that accelerate careers—or at least permanently recalibrate expectations.

The clip documents equal parts progression and pressure: wide-eyed groms stepping into consequence, learning boat life, and figuring out how to perform when the waves actually deserve your best surfing. It’s raw, fast, and refreshingly unpolished — exactly how a Bloodlines trip should look.

Edit: Guillaume Arrieta (@we__creative)
Footage: George Karbus, Julius Wauwau, Jemari Paerata