ENGLISH VERSION
slabbing mag. a bodyboard illusion. issue one
- slabbingmag@gmail.com
Conde Ripoll
Editor-in-Chief - Rafael Conde Ripoll Editor - Yago Llaneza Design Collaboration: Mara Rodríguez
Photographers: Conde Ripoll, Yago Llaneza, David Rodríguez “Chamux”, Chris Gurney, Daniel Meana, Steven Wall, Iván Silos, Elliott Godding, Mark Thompson “Stork”, Elmo Ramos, Michael McArthur, Tristan Hogan, Mark Clinton, Toby Manson, Mark Isaac, Chris Garden, Jesús de León, Rafael Medina, Mario Pardo, Nuno Cardoso, Alexis Díaz, Fabrício Alabarce
Redaction Collaborators: Conde Ripoll, Damien Martin, Chris Gurney, David Rodríguez “Chamux”, Renan Faccini
Riders: Andre Botha Damien Martin Elliot Morales Makako Liam Tomkins Dave Selby Sergio Quevedo Damian King Miguel Macías Salomon Moore Ben Player Alex Halsey Manuel Centeno Jason Finlay Jared Houston Lachie Cramsie Kim Feast Glen Thurston Brenden Newton Renan Faccini Brad Hughes Ewan Donnachie Yeray Martínez
Nico Hernández Álex Sebastian Campa Michel Castellano Alejandro Rodríguez Wences Martínez Óscar García "Dudu" Tirito Rui Ferreira Glen Thurston Kike Sanjurjo Guillermo Cobo James Kates Beñat Elosúa Dean Parton Pedro Santiago Alejandro Reis Eric Gamez Duncan Smith Octavio González Pablo Juan Sánchez Rubén Redondo
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Alexis D铆az
Elliot Morales
El Front贸n
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ola! As a consequence of an extra doses of motivation
oll
Conde Rip
Nico Her
nĂĄndez
As a consequence of an extra doses of motivation plus a big feeling of uncertainty, Slabbing mag is born, a new project full of illusion which main aim is showing the best part of Bodyboard. In a time defined by the boom of technology, we would have loved to publish this issue in paper. Neverthless, the high cost which it involves made us step back, and taking advantage of the technological development, why not joining the one hundred online magazines? For this first issue, as it was not expected, a wide range of photographers took part in it, maybe not as many as we would have liked firstly, and that’s why most of the pics you will see next are made by us. We would love for the next issues more that more photographers could contribute in it with photos of different places. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did cooking it.
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WAVES OF THE
PLANET 8
Chamux
Irlanda
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Conde Ripoll
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El Carmen
ONE WAVE Conde Ripoll
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MOMENTS
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Chris Gurney
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Australia
Michael McArthur
Australia
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Steven Wall
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Desert Australia
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LA jOYA
DEL CANTﾃ。RICO 16
Conde Ripoll
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Conde Ripoll
Alex Sebastián “El Pulga”
Conde Ripoll
l a
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Conde Ripoll
Campa
j o y a
d e l
Campa
c a n t a b r i c o
Conde Ripoll
Miguel Castellano
Conde Ripoll
Campa
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Yago Llaneza
Conde Ripoll
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Alejandro RodrĂguez
Conde Ripoll
Wences MartĂnez
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David Rodríguez “Chamux”
Óscar García
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Conde Ripoll
Edu Orduña “Dudu”
David Rodríguez “Chamux”
tirito internacional
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David Rodríguez “Chamux”
Ignacio Pérez “Tirito” ripping in one of the most dangerous waves in Europe. He made people like Fergal and Mickey Smith be amazed due to his riding skills.
I R I S H
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David Rodríguez “Chamux”
David Rodríguez “Chamux”
D R E A M
A S T U R I A S
Yago Llaneza
The Pirate doing an invert at home, Asturias. Born in Otur (a village of Asturias), Tiri usually visits the place he was born and grew up and, although waves are not as good as the ones he surfs in the Canaries, he surfs them even more pumped.
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Getting up right in front of the beach and riding barrels like this are really usual in Tiri’s life. With his van, he goes wherever the swell hits in order to surf pumping waves.
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David Rodríguez “Chamux”
C I
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Alexis Díaz
El Quemao
W E S T
O Z Chris Gurney
Chris Gurney
In kangaroos land, Tiri could surf so many world class waves. Here is him watched by the local Ryan Hardy.
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COLOUR COLOUR COLOUR
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Mark Isaac
Mario Pardo
Rui Ferreira
Chris Garden
Yago Llaneza
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Kike Sanjurjo
Conde Ripoll
Guillermo Cobo
Glen Thurston
Conde Ripoll Mark Isaac
Beñat Elosua
James Kates
Conde Ripoll
David Rodríguez Chamux
Rías Baixas
Tirito
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Conde Ripoll
Mark Isaac
Dean Parton
Conde Ripoll
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Pablo Juan
Asturias
Conde Ripoll
Jesús de León
Wences Martínez
Pedro Santiago
Conde Ripoll
Conde Ripoll
Jandro Reis
Galicia
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M i
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Photos and text by Conde Ripoll
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41 In summer 2010 I had the pleasure of meeting Eric Gamez who invited me to go on holidays to his house, in Southern Pacific.
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After thirty eight hours spent in different transports I finally arrived to my final destination. Once I got off the last plane, I started sweating like a chicken because of the heavy dampness. There he was, Eric, with his unmistakable accent, to pick me up. On the way to his home, he was telling me that he had had great sessions the days before I arrived and that we could have a good day of waves. When we arrived home, I said hello to his wife and babies and we went quickly to the beach. My state of motivation was so high that I hardly remembered that I had just slept six hours during the trip. When we arrived at the spot, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, perfect barrels and not a soul around... I had never seen a thing like that before. We had a three-hour session of magic barrels, enjoying it. It was like watching a video live. Ten point mark for the first day. Pasta, rice, cheese, tomatoe, organic meat and, above all, barrels and barrels were the diary menu. And I gotta name as well mosquitos as they were really close to me all day. I was amazed with the lifestyle of the local people, completely opposite to ours, the european: no internet, no computer, no party... just relax, happiness, vegetation everywhere, off-shore at any part of the island and, of course, incredible waves. I algo had the chance to meet a wonderful photographer and better guy: Junior Marsters, who invited me to assist to a couple of weddings he had to shoot so that I could learn a bit. Besides, I spent many hours in his house using Wi-Fi. Really nice guy.
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Nine days before leaving the paradise, I had a terrible time in the water, the worst ever. As usual, we went to check the waves to a couple of spots. We parked the bike, and we saw a sick wave with a sick spit. From that moment, there were just barrels in Eric’s mind. I was convinced that it may be too big, as the current of the channel was heavier than other days and also, the waves (but this is more difficult to know as the reef was like three hundred meters far from the shore). That’s why, while I was setting the camera gear I was thinking what to do. Ten minutes later I was about to cross the channel. The current was extremely strong, no way to go back. The sets from the water looked even heavier. There was no channel once in the peak. There were only huge spits. We asked for help to a fishing boat which passed one hundred meters far from us, but the guys on it couldn’t see us. We were paddling for one hour. Then the on-shore wind started to blow. So I decided then to try to catch a wave with Eric’s board, while he was swimming with my housing. Five minutes later I could ride a wave, Eric managed to get out as well. I couldn’t sleep well that night as it was really windy and there was torrential rain. Are we crazy or what?!
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First day in the paradise, Eric and Ira advised me to go snorkelling. Last week I tried it twice and it was super fun, the best activity from my point of view. Such a great experiencie diving with fishes all around you.
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A wonderful place, a very hospitable family and amazing waves made this trip be incredible and hard to forget.
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C O M I N G
S O O N . . .
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mix
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pics!
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B A R R E L - S H O T S
G A L L E R Y
Jesús de León
Octavio González
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Islas Canarias
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Elliott Godding
Ewan Donnachie
Shark Island
Chris Gurney
Brad Hughes
Australia
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Daniel Meana
Andre Botha
Stork Stork
DamienMartin Martin Damien
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Rafael Medina
Elliot Morales
El Front贸n
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Guzmán Fernández. Canaries. David Rodríguez “Chamux”
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Liam Tomkins. New South Wales. Steven Wall
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Alexis Díaz
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Yeray Martínez
Toby Manson
Dave Selby
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Alexis Díaz
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Miguel Macías
Steven Wall
Damien Martin
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Rafael Medina
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Sergio Quevedo
b e h i n d
l e n s e
R O D R Í G U E Z
Conde Ripoll
D A V I D
t h e
“C H A M U X” I still remember the first day I got into your van to go to the beach... I don’t know who would be more pumped, you for carrying us and use the new camera gear or me, to be able to surf a new wave... After sixteen years as a Bodyboard lover and taking photos, what makes you feel close to the beach? It is very simple, I have lived most of the happiest moments in my life in the water. The feeling of freedom and relax after a good session is something unique. If those feelings provide you something good, you don’t have to give up. Sometimes we don’t realize and let ourselves follow the society tendences, which separates us from the real things that make us happy and we don’t stop and ask ourselves what we live for or who we live for...
You had the chance to watch very powerful waves such as El Frontón, Rileys... What is there in your mind in those moments? Could you tell us any special memory?
The feelings are really hard to explain, I’d say it depends on what you are used to seeing. For instance, when people from Northern Spain travel to Canaries, Ireland or any other place with heavy waves, they get shocked because of the difference. That’s what happened to me, it was really difficult to me trying to assimilate what I was seeing and my mind told me that I was not ready to be in those situations. It may be something pshycological and every one has his own limits. I was surprised due to seeing young people like Octavio González or Arizt Elustondo going crazy. I would like to tell one memory in particular. My first day in the Canary Islands, we were putting our wetsuits on and Makako told me that I was gonna see amazing waves and I replied to him: “Makako, it won’t be as heavy as you tell me. I had already seen very good waves in Mundaka and in France, dude”. He laughed at me. First wave and I almost couldn’t see it, I was just focused on doing a big duck dive. Makako was right, all I had seen before was different... Another memory was in crazy Frontón. I didn’t dare to go into the water, I was so nervous that my legs were tembling and after some attempts, I finally stayed in land and with the wetsuit on, while I was going upstairs, Botha had a terrible wipeout, was like watching a car accident. Luckily he managaed to get out unhurt.
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b e h i n d
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What is your opinion about the respect people have with the photographers nowadays? Do you think photographers are not valued enough? If so, could you tell any solution?
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Respect is almost null. My opinion is that we should put into the skin of the people who intervene in the world of Bodyboard and ask ourselves a few questions.... Riders: Don’t you think the photographer deserves to be paid for his work (his time, his travelling expenses, his gear that he will never ever recoup)? Can I decide where, when and whom he can take photos? And if my opinion is still the same, what would happen if we went to court? Isn’t it more reasonable treating him with education and reaching an agreement which beneficiates both sides? Do I got the right to complain about something to a photographer or do I got the right to exercise localism when I arrive at a spot at 8am and automatically upload a pic to Facebook from the mobile phone? Is it so hard saying thanks to a photographer? Photographers: Although for someone who has never surfed this might be a bit difficult to understand, in this world some “rules” are clearly necessary in order not to lose that essencea and the suprise factor that this sport provides. The abuse of Facebook and blogs has a negative effect on future surf sessions and on the atmosphere in the water. We get nothing by publishing thousands of photos day after day, what’s more I’d say that by doing that you lose that exclusivity which makes that a work stands out, we are more than a finger pressing the button for eight seconds. If only the good stuff was published, both sides would be beneficiated and of course, the sport image. We should respect and pay great attention to the waves, secret spots, atmosphere in the water and so on. For example, by uploading just one picture of a beach-break when the sand bank is cool we gain nothing but we are damaging the locals. Little “picaresques” like this help us getting on well with each other. I also would like to say that it would be nice that the professional photographers let this info know to the amateur photographers so that they wouldn’t have an adverse effect on them. Sometimes I think that we, the amateur photographers, are bothering the pros.
Conde Ripoll
h e
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C H R I S
G U R N E Y
After some years contributing with the best mags in the world, at the end you achieved one of your goals. What are your feelings after getting a cover in Riptide?
I was stoked and also relieved to get that cover. Renting a helicopter isn’t cheap so there is pressure to get good photos. I didn’t want to let anyone down, and I guess getting the cover means we got what we wanted. In my opinion it is a good image that makes for a good cover. I’ve been shooting bodyboarding for 4-5 years and its taken me this long to get a cover - its not easy. It seems as though you have to do something different to get your photo on page one these days.
What is your opinion about the respect people have with the photographers? Do you think photographers are not valued enough? If so, could you tell any solution?
I would say most bodyboarders love to look at good photos, but the majority don’t understand what goes into getting those photos. There are guys who will work all night on a mine or in a factory then drive for hours instead of sleeping so they can shoot all day. There’s also a decent amount of risk involved in shooting when you look at the potential for injury, sharks, driving etc. No one is making a living off shooting bodyboarding so its pretty crazy to see people go to the lengths they do to get photos. Of course its our choice to do these things, but without photos there would be no bodyboard industry.
You had the chance to watch really heavy waves such as El Frontón, The Right... What is there in your mind in those moments? Could you tell us any special memory?
I just feel lucky to be able to have shot waves like that. I know the chances are I won’t be able to do this forever so I’m just appreciative of it really. When you’re out at some pumping session there is always people sitting in their offices at the same moment in time doing a crappy job they don’t want to do. To answer your question, seeing big Teahupoo firsthand is pretty mental.
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AIRLINES SHOW Conde Ripoll
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Damian King
AndrĂn
Elmo Ramos
Miguel Mac铆as
El Front贸n
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oso
Nuno Card
David Rodríguez “Chamux”
Salomon Moore Yago Llaneza
urney
Chris G
lsey
Alex Ha
dge
rah We
Mandu
David Rodríguez “Chamux”
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Manuel Centeno
Islas Canarias
Pepin Pérez
Ben Player
The Box
Iván Silos
Campa
Andrín
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Stork
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Jason Finlay
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Nuno Cardoso
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Lachie Cramsie
The Box
Jes煤s de Le贸n
Jared Houston
El Front贸n
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TEN DAYS IN A FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE Photos: Stork Text: Damien Martin Riders: Prone: Damien Martin DK: Kim Feast
I guess without trying to telling the same old story of a hit by hit surf trip.... For starters it was different because I couldn’t find anyone keen on surfing pumping waves with! And it was pumping! Thursday date unknown. Spent all day on the phone trying to rally a crew for this trip with no luck! Friday 3pm we pulled the pin on the whole trip... 330pm after a call off Richard Lornie were back on..again! he’s screaming at me to book a flight and the last flight to Perth is at 730pm. I live at least 3 hours from Sydney so I have a maximum of 15 minutes to pack my bag, book a flight and hit the road.
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Upon arriving in Perth we’re meet by one of Richie’s good mates only known to us as Bubber, with a set up only some of us could dream of, brand new truck towing a high output ski.. we’re on!! The plan was to drive through the night to make it as far as we can up the coast. 830am we pull up at Kalbarri we have been traveling for 15 hours already with still at least 8 hours to go. We lucked into a few cheeky slabs with none around. loving the west already! Pile back into the truck next on the hit list is Gnaraloo, the last 8 hours of the trip north with the only food from a dodgy servo... the life of living out of a car. First light Sunday morning the swell didn’t turn up as big as was expected.. The vibe was down but this wasn’t my first trip up to the NW, knowing there would be more swell around at a heavy right hander nearby.
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With solid 6ft lines rolling in and no-one around we made the most of it. After too many good waves and a few hours in I came unstuck and gave the reef a good kiss with me certainly coming off second best. We got two days up there like this pumping pits with none around.
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The swell started to back off, We thought that would be it. We kind of thought we got skunked. We started the 14 hour drive back down the coast to perth checking the charts on the way when out of nowhere a west swell turned up! Someone was looking out for us!! 4 more hours past Perth Margaret River here we come!
When we arrived in Margs we came to find a small community shaken by a fatal shark attack. Margaret River is known for big whites and with that fresh on the mind, and lingering thoughts of the recent attack every dawn session was always a bit hairy.
One session in particular comes to mind, as we surfed the Box one morning, a 15ft Great white shark breached the surface barely 100m beyond the lineup! The swell turned up and turned on down south! When it hit we got super fun Norths with just a hand full of guys over consecutive days, and a handful of days out the Box and nearby beachbreaks.
In 10 days we spent over 8 hours on a plane, 40 hours in the truck and travelled over 7000km’s ! Had 11 surfs and way to many coffees! And I would do it all over again! Enjoy! - Damien Martin -
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GLEN AND BRENDEN
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Steven Wall
Glen Thurston
NSW
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“It’s probably the best shot I have of myself from 2010 – given that I had my wetty ripped off me the wave before that – I only caught 2 waves that session. I would use that if I was u.” - Brenden Newton -
Tristan Hogan
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Brenden Newton
Tristan Hogan
Brenden Newton
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Mark Clinton
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Brenden Newton
Toby Manson
Brenden Newton
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FOLLOW US IN FACEBOOK click in the logo
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RF R E N A N
F A C C I N I
It is clear that your tattoes stand out in your body... what are their meaning and what made you wear them?
I have “Menace to Society” written on my neck, and it means the state of being free within society, free from its oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life. That shows that everything that isn`t the way society says it is, is considered a menace just for being different and unique. And I have 5 crows painted on my chest that resemble death, that reminds me to live each day as if they were the last ones. And I also do like crows for some reason. Actually, I don`t have as many tattoos as I wanted to because I`m not allowed to surf for at least 20 days after I get tattooed. *laughs*
Everything kills you, You're either dying everyday, or you're living everyday. And I'm living every single day!
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Conde Ripoll
Portugal
Yago Llaneza
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Yago Llaneza
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Yago Llaneza
Conde Ripoll
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Conde Ripoll
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FabrĂcio Alabarce
The Rock
You have had the chance to travel to severlas locations in the past few years... Where would you go back again for surfing? I don’t know which one was the best because each place has different waves and things to do, so it depends on how lucky you are to be in the right place at the right time. But I will have to say Chile, since I got more waves. Iquique was sick but the life style in Europe was sick as well. shore and I had to climb the rock to get out and catch some air. *laughs* For sure you have had great times in the water, however... tell us about your worst moment surfing.
Well, shit happens when you are traveling a lot after good waves. When I arrived in Chile the waves were very big, and when I managed to do a big invert I landed so hard that it felt like a punch in my stomach and I couldn’t breath for a moment. Then a big set came in the back, just 3 waves of the set were bad enough to take me out to the
Conde Ripoll
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Alexis Díaz
Rubén Redondo
El Frontón
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Nuno Cardoso
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Cloud 9