Conor Maguire & Monster Mullaghmore

Conor Maguire & Monster Mullaghmore

David and Goliath, pah, I think Conor Maguire and Mullaghmore just knocked that one straight out of the park in Ireland. Almost breaking the interent in doing so, helluvah big. We salute you Conor and your support team and crew, well done all, and we’ve not even started on Cottys epic feat at Nazaré.

In his own words Conor said.

“Yesterday morning was wild. I saw our little magic bay do some mesmerising shit that I never thought imaginable. Chaos met beauty in an unimaginable way.

I can’t begin to describe how grateful I am to all of you guys for the positive response and support, including the hundreds of lovely messages. It’s been overwhelming.

Saying thank you to everyone involved in yesterday’s antics seems like an underrated response to their efforts. The organisation and safety put in place for the biggest swell to hit Ireland (reading 29 meters on the m6 buoy off Ireland) was impeccable. 

@finn_mullen, you’re my guardian angle. He was the safety coordinator for the swell and I couldn’t have asked for a more appropriate guy for the job. With some crazy experience behind him, including a few ground-breaking windsurfing waves at Mullaghmore, it seemed appropriate.

From informing the coastguard of our plans, organising a paramedic and ambulance to 4 four rescue skis driven by my closest friends to spotters on the cliff who were lifelong friends to thorough safety briefings the night before and the day of (including adherence to Covid-19 regs), it couldn’t have been a safer and better reason to push myself at a wave I’ve grown obsessed with over the years. I honestly can’t put into words how thankful I am. I owe everyone a few stout when the pubs reopen.

Photos: Conor Flanagan / Red Bull Content Pool

View this post on Instagram

@conormaguiree making the @rtenews ...

A post shared by Carve Mag (@carvemag) on

Mirage: Skeleton Bay

Mirage: Skeleton Bay

Since it was unveiled in 2008, the wave at Skelton Bay has become part of every surfer’s lexicon, a synonym for never-ending sand bottomed tubes. But unlike Pipeline, G-Land, or [insert your preferred iconic world class wave here], the two-kilometre-long left on the edge of the Namib Desert is in a constant state of flux. If satellite imagery is anything to go by, the wave we know today didn’t even exist 30 years ago.

“People think oh, easy, Skeleton Bay. I’m going to go get the barrel of my life. But then they show up here and realise it’s more like Teahupoo on sand.”

Mirage is a 15-minute documentary that traces the genesis of the Namibian sandspit and how it became one of the most sought after waves on the planet, as told by pioneering locals and some of the best tube riders in the world.

But before you put it on the top of your post-pandemic bucket list, perhaps take heed of Koa Smith’s veiled advice from the film: “People think oh, easy, Skeleton Bay. I’m going to go get the barrel of my life. But then they show up here and realise it’s more like Teahupoo on sand.”

The Wave Project X Vans

The Wave Project X Vans

Vans have selected The Wave Project as a partner for their 2020 Checkerboard Day and are donating $100,000 to the charity here in the UK! This support will directly support more children across the UK by giving them more opportunities to access surf therapy.

To combat rising mental health concerns due to global isolation, Vans donates $1M to 10 global charities and unites the Vans Family around a shared mission of mental health and well-being. Vans, the original action sports brand and advocate for creative expression, announced today the second-annual Vans Checkerboard Day to be held on Thursday, November 19, 2020. As a global initiative established to champion the power of creative expression, following a period of global isolation, this year’s Checkerboard Day will focus specifically on the vital role creativity plays in helping individuals and communities address mental health and well-being around the world.

“We’ve spent much of the year apart. And it’s been tough. But despite the isolation, both physically and psychologically, we are and always will be a Vans Family, forever connected by creativity,” says Doug Palladini, Vans Global Brand President. “A recent study by Complex showed that in the U.S. alone, half of today’s youth are more stressed and anxious now than before COVID-19 started. Through the power of creativity, our mission for Vans Checkerboard Day 2020 will be to show that smaller acts of expression can make a big impact on our personal and collective well-being.” – Doug Palladini, Vans Global Brand President.

Vans will support 10 charities from around the world whose shared purpose is to use programs focused on creativity as resources for coping with the stressors that impact mental health and well-being, by donating a collective $1 million. Each will receive $100,000 USD from The Vans Checkerboard Fund at Tides Foundation or via a direct donation from Vans to use towards their organization’s mission to improve the mental health and well-being of youth across the globe through creativity. This year’s recipients are: Campaign Against Living Miserably, The Wave Project, The Ben Raemers Foundation, Get Lit-Words Ignite, The Skatepark Project, Arte Por La Vida, Social Skate, Singapore Association for Mental Health, Buku Jalanan Chow Kit and World of Art Brut Culture.

Leading up to November 19, Vans will rally global fans to participate in a variety of digital brand initiatives focused on uplifting and driving awareness for the power of creative self-expression as a resource for mental health and well-being. This will include the #VansCheckerboardDay TikTok Challenge and the opportunity to hear directly from global brand ambassadors such as Tony Hawk, Anderson .Paak, Yaya Zahir and others about how their own forms of creative self-expression have helped them.

On top of the $1 million of support by Vans, fans across the globe will also have the ability to support the 10 regional charities by helping to raise additional donations. They can do so by purchasing a limited-edition Vans Checkerboard Day t-shirt or pair of Authentics designed by renowned artist and Vans brand ambassador Geoff McFetridge and 100 percent of proceeds for each product sold will be donated to The Vans Checkerboard Fund at Tides Foundation. Fans will also be able to donate loyalty points via the Vans Family app in exchange for a monetary donation.

Fans can continue to visit Vans.eu/checkerboardday for more updates

English National Surfing Champions Crowned

English National Surfing Champions Crowned

We are absolutely frothing on an incredible weekend at the 2020 Caravan and Motorhome Club English National Surfing Championships. Chunky conditions and strong winds forecast led to a relocation to Great Western Beach; the venue’s amphitheatre set up provided a great location to absorb the action as we crowned more 2020 Champions – we are so proud to have so many incredibly talented English surfers who put on a spectacle to watch.

With the forecast showing increasing swell size throughout the weekend the Contest Director and Event Organiser set up a running order to ensure everyone stayed safe, and the event ran COVID secure. Saturday morning got underway with the U14 Boys, a strong round of 20 surfers who would have to show some serious stamina to make it to the final. Reen Bowden-Inoue was showcasing as usual, with consistently high scores throughout the event, the highest combined scoring waves in the Division, placing 3rd overall when it came to the crunch. Scores were close between Fynn Gillespie and Arthur Randell, who was also competing in the U18 Longboard, but Fynn took the Champion U14s 2020 title, Arthur just behind placing 2nd but going home stoked with 1st place finish in the U18s Boys Longboard, a very talented multi discipline surfer.

In the U14 Girls, Lauren Sandland was on fire claiming the 2020 Champion title and in the U16 Girls Alys Barton claimed champion – Alys the dual champion for the 2020 U18 and U16 Girls Divisions – definitely 2 titles to be proud of! There was fantastic surfing from the other girls who charged on in some testing conditions and will now be into Winter training ahead of the 2021 Event Season. Tegan Blackford was also showing her skills in shortboard and longboard, placing 3rd in the U18s Girls Longboard & 2nd in the U16 Girls.
In the U18s Girls Longboard, Izzy Henshall showed some dazzling style that earnt her the Champion title, Esmée Gregorius placing 2nd and also placing 4th in the Women’s Longboard. The Women’s Longboard was impressive to watch, Emily Currie taking the 2020 Champion title, the Bude Surfers coming out on top as Beth Leighfield placed 2nd, Tina Beresford coming in 3rd.
Day 2 of action saw the U16 Boys Shortboard and Men’s Longboard entering the water, alternate rounds running back to back as we charged through whilst the surf continued to ramp up. The boys were shredding, and the final was close, Kieron Smith coming out on top with the Champion title, with Beau Betteridge in 2nd, and Alex Townsend in 3rd. Louis Ingram who had high scores in the quarters and semis chased the boys tails coming in 4th when the hooter signalled the end of the heat.

In the Men’s Longboard, Adam Griffiths was on fire on Sunday, continuously scoring highly throughout the event earning him the 2020 Mens Longboard Champion title. Ben Skinner was on hand cruising through rounds, placing 2nd overall, Louis Thomas-Hudson who travelled down from Tynemouth to show us his skills placed 3rd and Jordan Zervas came in 4th.

Events Organiser Hannah Brand said “we’re totally stoked to end the 2020 season on a high – it’s been a year of challenges as we continue to negotiate a global pandemic and we are so proud of all the surfers and the whole English surfing community for pulling together at this time. The surfing was phenomenal to watch – huge congratulations to the Champions and we look forward to seeing you all in 2021 – keep charging!”

Surfing England wish to thank everyone for getting involved to make this Event a huge success, and our Event Partners who have continued to support us throughout 2020, Caravan and Motorhome Club, supporting partners Korev Lager and our other Event Partners; The Wave, dryrobe, Surfdome, PADSTOW ROCKS, Shower in a Can, Clarke Willmott, Panoptic Motion, and Ecoworks Marine.
A further thank you to Era Adventures for providing Lifeguard Cover for this event and keeping us safe all weekend, and a particular shout out to Llyr Faragher for a solid morning on the ski on Sunday!

Inspired? – Join our Community from just £18/year (Junior) to £25 (Adult). You will be insured whilst surfing anywhere in the World, including at The Wave, Bristol, as well as actively being a part of our organisation and supporting us as we charge forward building our healthy surfing community in England. A huge thank you to all our members for their support! Click here to become a part of the Community.

Josh Kerr – Kerzy Casual at Bankvaults

Josh Kerr – Kerzy Casual at Bankvaults

The second day of the swell bring epic clean conditions and still solid waves to Bankvaults. Basically everyone who stuck around the north, came to surf. Josh Kerr and his daughter Sierra, and a couple of little rippers took full advantage of this swell.

Riders:
Bettylou Sakura Johnson, Erin Brooks, Caity Simmers, Sierra + Josh Kerr, Brandon Harrison.