Surphang Magazine Issue 49

Surphang Magazine

Issue 49

Proudly presents

A Pro Show Duo

Make Way for the Mignots!

Edoardo's Europe

Kanoa Keeps it Real! Britain's got talent & Kehu Kicks out! #1s to Watch!

Surphang Magazine

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'The Ones to Watch!'

This is the time of year when it all starts getting rather interesting for us here at SURPHANG HQ as the next level of upcoming talent begin to really bring out their A-Games and do some serious damage to those all important mid-year QS rankings. So thanks to our global network of roving reporters and photographers, we once again bring you the best in upcoming surfing talent, showcasing all these guys have to offer!

Ethan Ewing's been one to watch in the rankings recently!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

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03 - SM

Surphang Magazine

Magazine Editor: Stuart Gaston Contributing Photographers: Sarah Bunt, Mario Entero, Sean Evans, Chris Grant, John F Jackson, Warwick Martin, Shayne Nienaber, Andrea Papa, JuanJo Sieiro, Gunar Steinert, Ben Thomas, CNAT Photography & Chuck@Surf-Shot.com Staff Photographer: Stuart Gaston

Send any photographic submissions for future issues of the magazine to: surphangmagazine@ymail.com

Cover Shot: Nomme Mignot nails some air time!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

Kanoa keeping his rookie year pointing in the right direction.

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

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ThisIssue'sFeatures

Pro Show Uno Pro Show Duo Surphalosophy

Kanoa Keeps it Real!

Kanoa Igarashi could be said to be living the dream, the Dream Tour. But can he keep it up as his rookie year nears its end?

05 - SM

Kehu Kicks Out!

Make Way

for the

Mignots!

New Zealand's not known for stars Nomme Mignot, brother Marco in the surfing world but upcoming and cousin Diego have all made a surfer Kehu Butler is making his real mark in the surfing world so mark and ready to change all that! here's our family insight...

ThisIssue

Britain's got talent

SummerRubberRevellers

#1s to Watch!

Time to take a look at some home-grown talent so here's our first full-feature interview with upcoming Brit, Noah Biersack.

Whether it's braving a British summer or enjoying Europe in Autumn, revel in the rubber of upcoming brands, Vissla & ION!

As ever, SURPHANG keeps you up-to-date with upcoming talent from around the world so here's our current curtain call...

Edoardo's Europe Being a top upcoming surfer from Italy means travelling a lot to find waves in other countries so Edoardo knows Europe well...

Edoardo Papa enjoying a punt in Portugal!

Photo: Andrea Papa

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Welcome to

Pro Show uno Kanoa Keeps it real!

Photos: Chuck@Surf-shot.com & Warwick Martin; Words: Stu Gaston

07 - SM Kanoa Igarashi caning the lip at his home break of Huntington!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

ProShowUno Kanoa Igarashi could be said to be living the dream... well on the Dream Tour at least.

But can he keep up the momentum to maintain his place amidst the world's best surfers as his rookie year nears its end with only four CT events left to go?

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Kanoa Keeps it Real!

09 - SM Kanoa Igarashi soared to a convincing start on Tour earlier this year!

Photo: Warwick Martin

ProShowUno

Name: Kanoa Igarashi Age: 19 Nickname: Igar Years surfing: 16 Where you live: Huntington Beach, California Sponsors: Quiksilver, Red Bull, Oakley, O&E, CI Surfboard, DC, Sex Wax, Jacks Local break/s: Huntington Favourite surfer?

Gabriel Medina, Nat Young, Matt Banting Favourite place to surf?

Kirra, Australia Favourite surf movie?

Black & White Favourite surf trick?

Barrel Favourite board?

CI Rookie 5'10” 18 ¼ by 2 ¼ SM - 10

Kanoa Keeps it Real!

11 - SM Kanoa Igarashi's surfing ignited his early appearance on Tour!

Photo: Warwick Martin

ProShowUno Kanoa Igarashi's rookie year got off to a good start. Surfing at one of his favourite spots, Kanoa managed to keep his momentum going and get right through to Round 5 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast before Ace Buchan brought him down.

Still a 9th place finish was no mean feat for this 19 year old rookie.

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Kanoa Keeps it Real!

13 - SM Kanoa Igarashi keeps focused on the task ahead!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

ProShowUno Kanoa Igarashi's rookie year has been consistent if nothing else.

From all but that one CT event so far he's finished in a credible 13th place which currently puts him in 21st on the CT rankings. But with only the Top 22 guaranteed a place on next year's tour, then with only one place's grace, that could be said to be a dangerous place to be!

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Kanoa Keeps it Real!

15 - SM Kanoa Igarashi keeping his eyes on the prize!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

ProShowUno And looking to the back up plan, Kanoa's not even managed to keep himself in the Top 10 of the QS rankings with his most recent semifinal finish at the Vans US Open of Surfing only taking him to 12th.

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Kanoa Keeps it Real!

17 - SM Kanoa Igarashi once again igniting the surf at his home break!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

ProShowUno Still Kanoa's always one to keep things exciting. He knows his strengths and his flaws and with most of the bigger wave events now behind him, he can now look to play on the precision of his surfing with solid wave events such as Trestles, France and Portugal ahead of him where he can bring out his perfect timing, form and expression of fundamentals that so often lies well with those all important judges' scores!

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Kanoa Keeps it Real!

19 - SM Kanoa Igarashi keeping that dream real as he drives one off the top!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

ProShowUno So here we are, eight months down the World Tour track and now eagerly awaiting what could be called Kanoa's comeback. But rest assured, we know that Kanoa won't be letting anything get in his way of realising his WSL World Tour Championship winning dream!

Maybe not yet, but one day!

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Welcome to

Pro Show Duo Kehu Kicks Out! Photos: Chuck@Surf-shot.com, John F Jackson & Warwick Martin; Words: Stu Gaston

21 - SM Kehu Butler has been punting in quite the performance recently!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

ProShowDuo New Zealand's not known for stars in the surfing world but upcoming surfer Kehu Butler is making his mark and ready to change all that!

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Kehu kicks out!

23 - SM Kehu Butler casually carving through a righthander!

Photo: Warwick Martin

ProShowDuo

Name: Kehu Butler Age: 16 Nickname: KK Years surfing: 10 Where you live: Mount Maunganui, New Zealand Sponsors: Quiksilver, Red Bull, I am Global, Skull Candy, FCS/Gorilla Grip, Electric, Smoothstar Local break/s: Arataki Bio: Kehu Butler started winning local comps at a young age, but his first major win was in Piha at the Rip Curl Grom Search in 2010. Just nine-years-old at the time, Kehu won the U12s and finished fourth in the U14s.

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Kehu kicks out!

25 - SM Kehu Butler kicks that tail off the top!

Photo: Warwick Martin

ProShowDuo

In 2012 Kehu won the U12 final in the Skullcandy Oz Grom Open in Lennox Heads. Two years later he was back to claim the U14 crown.

That same year he won the New Zealand national U14 title and finished second in the U16 category. He also made his mark on the world stage, finishing 7th in the U16 ISA World Grommet Championship at Salinas Beach in Ecuador.

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Kehu kicks out!

27 - SM Kehu Butler carving into another righthander!

Photo: Warwick Martin

ProShowDuo

Kehu had another stellar year in 2015 winning the U16 and U18 national titles, finishing 3rd in the Rip Curl International GromSearch in Brazil and topping it off with a win in Occy's Grom competition in Coolangatta, Queensland. Occy's Grom is one of the most prestigious junior surfing competitions in Australia and it confirmed Kehu's potential as one of the best young surfers in the world.

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Kehu kicks out!

29 - SM Kehu Butler bashes off of another righthand lip!

Photo: John F Jackson

ProShowDuo

Now in 2016, Kehu's really kicking out with his first WSL Pro Junior win at the Subway Surf Series in Sydney, following that up by maintaining his crown in this year's Occy Grom Comp. He's now got his eyes on the prize in the form of winning the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships to be held in Portugal next month and after that, like every top upcoming surfer, he's got his sights set on the WCT and becoming World Champion one day... We'll be very keen to follow how Kehu's career continues!

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Surphalosophy

Make Way for the Mignots!

Photos: Chuck@Surf-shot.com, Sean Evans, Stu Gaston Chris Grant & JuanJo Sieiro; Words: Stu Gaston

31 - SM Nomme Mignot nailing a nice slice of air time in Oceanside!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

surphalosophy Nomme Mignot, brother Marco and cousin Diego have all made a real mark in the surfing world so here's our family insight...

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Make Way for the Mignots!

33 - SM Nomme Mignot making good use of his rail in small French summer surf!

Photo: Stu Gaston

surphalosophy

Just over a year ago, we featured Diego, the eldest of the current generation of the Mignot surfing dynasty. So now as the World Surfing League's European leg of QS contests gets underway for this year's season, we felt we should delve once more into that family dynasty, this time taking a look at Diego's slightly younger cousin, Nomme Mignot.

Nomme is certainly no stranger to the limelight having had an illustrious junior surfing career. He was picked up early by Oakley before becoming the European U16 Junior Champion back in 2012, following which Billabong took him on as his main sponsor and since then Nomme has continued to nail some impressive results as he's moved from the Juniors onto the main Mens QS events.

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Make Way for the Mignots!

35 - SM Nomme Mignot's been notching up some impressive results!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

surphalosophy

Last year really saw Nomme nail some serious form as he reached his final year competing in the Juniors whilst also making a serious move onto the Mens QS stage. This transition was most notable at the Lacanau events where he took the win in the Pro Junior and then went on to make the manon-man finals in the main QS event itself.

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Make Way for the Mignots!

37 - SM Nomme Mignot made his mark in the WSL European QS events last year!

Photo: Sean Evans

surphalosophy As the European leg of the WSL QS series continued, Nomme nailed some more keepers with a 9th place finish at the Anglet and Cascais Pros, along with a 17th place finish in Casablanca, all of which were enough to propel him up into the Top 100 of the QS rankings.

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Make Way for the Mignots!

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Nomme Mignot nailed silver at the ISA World Juniors!

Photo: Sean Evans

surphalosophy Nomme then notched up one more impressive accolade when he won silver at the ISA World Junior Suring Championships in Oceanside at the end of the last year for his Junior career.

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Make Way for the Mignots!

41 - SM Nomme Mignot making his mark where he does it best – the surf!

Photo: John F Jackson

surphalosophy

And so to 2016 and Nomme may have got off to a less than impressive start only just doing enough to maintain his Top 100 spot with a 17th in Tahiti and a 25th in China but having just posted his best result so far with a semi-final finish in Anglet, he could once again be heading for a more successful second half to his competitive year. Yet equally important in his life to his surfing are his family unit and no doubt Nomme's been there to support his brother Marco make his own mark on the surfing scene this year...

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Make Way for the Mignots!

43 - SM Marco Mignot also making his mark with some stylish surfing!

Photo: Chris Grant

surphalosophy Younger brother Marco Mignot has literally launched himself onto the Pro Junior scene this year with a second place finish in Biscarosse followed up by winning the WSL Pro Junior in Coruna, Spain. He's also recently made the final of the prestigious Young Guns contest. So Marco is certainly going to be following in the Mignot family form of making a significant mark on the surfing world!

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Make Way for the Mignots!

45 - SM Diego Mignot doing his thing!

Photo: JuanJo Sieiro

surphalosophy

Meanwhile Nomme's older cousin Diego Mignot has been soaring to success this year with a 2nd place finish at the recent WSL QS event, the Vans Surf Open in Acapulco

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Make Way for the Mignots!

47 - SM Diego Mignot making use of his rail in some solid Mexican surf!

Photo: JuanJo Sieiro

surphalosophy

That result coupled with a 5th place finish in Rangiroa and a 9th place in Martinique have helped propel Diego to his best QS ranking ever, currently sitting in 80th position. So Diego will certainly be looking to maintain his current momentum as he also tackles the forthcoming European leg of the QS events.

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Make Way for the Mignots!

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Nomme Mignot grabbing every chance to shine!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

surphalosophy No doubt, Nomme will have a similar game plan in mind and will be looking to nail another set of impressive results to ensure he maintains his coveted position among the Top 100 best surfers in the world. And who knows, maybe this is the year when he can go one better and win his first QS event and hopefully notch up enough points to qualify... We'll certainly be watching his progress to see if he can grab that awesome opportunity to fulfill his dream of making it onto the WCT!

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Edoardo's Europe Photos: Andrea Papa; Words: Stu Gaston

51 - SM Edoardo Papa punts for perfection in Portugal!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots Being a top upcoming surfer from Italy means travelling a lot to find waves in other countries so Edoardo Papa perhaps knows the many waves of mainland Europe better than many other surfers his age. We asked him for a quick guide to where's good around the old continent.

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Edoardo's Europe

53 - SM Edoardo Papa takes on a pumping Portuguese wall of water!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots

So Edoardo, as an Italian surfer, you have to spend a lot of time travelling both near and far to find good waves and when we last spoke to you, you were just about to head off to Portugal for a training trip with all the upcoming Billabong crew.

So how did the trip go?

Yeh the trip was really useful for many reasons. Training with the whole team really inspires me to keep improving, but personally it's important because with it comes time with Richard and everything that I keep learning from his experience.

And of course I also enjoy having so much fun with the Billabong groms as well.

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Edoardo's Europe

55 - SM Edoardo Papa pops one off the top!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots This wasn't your first trip to Portugal though this last time you were based at Porto Covo, south of Lisbon. So how would you rate this area compared with other spots you've surfed before in Portugal?

It has awesome scenery, but I think the best waves there are the ones around Peniche.

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Edoardo's Europe

57 - SM Edoardo Papa pointing in the right direction!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots And while you were there this time, where and when was your best session then?

I found the best ones at the beach south of the Sines harbour.

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Edoardo's Europe

59 - SM Edoardo Papa may be a grom but he can still drop his wallet well!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots

Looking at the shots from this trip, your surfing seems to be continually improving, so would you say that these training trips, surfing such good waves, can have a huge impact on the quality of your surfing?

Yes, I think the trips I have had have been really positively influencing my surf. I'm happy about both my progression and the overall project which keeps me improving during this and the next few years.

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Edoardo's Europe

61 - SM Edoardo Papa picks out a left hand lip to hit!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots

So overall how did it compare to previous trips you'd made to other surf spots around the rest of Europe?

I would rate it really highly for the level of progression I had, but overall I wouldn't give it the first place for the quality of waves I found – there are much better spots in Europe.

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Edoardo's Europe

63 - SM Edoardo Papa pushes himself even in small summer surf!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots Of course, you also make a number of trips over to France and are just back on your current stay in Hossegor at the moment. So how are this summer's season of waves comparing to your previous times?

This year the number of days with waves has been less than usual, but I have had the opportunity to surf big days as well.

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Edoardo's Europe

65 - SM Edoardo Papa in punt-sized surf!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots So where's your all time favourite spot in Hossegor that you hope will be cranking when you head over there?

La Graviere

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Edoardo's Europe

67 - SM Edoardo Papa pulls into a La Graviere green room!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots

Now everyone knows the surf at La Graviere can be pretty heavy, so have you ever taken any hard wipeouts at that classic spot or any other gnarly French beach breaks?

I haven't had any hard wipeout experience here in Hossegor... yet.

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Edoardo's Europe

69 - SM Edoardo Papa picks out a pretty perfect Portuguese lefthander!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots So what do you prefer then, the perfect peelers of Portugal or the frenetic force of the French beachbreaks?

Right now I prefer the French beach breaks, but I hope in the future to surf better the Portuguese waves, maybe I'll find myself on the right day at Supertubos!

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Edoardo's Europe

71 - SM Edoardo Papa pushing his surfing to the next level!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots

Finally then, where else in Europe would you still like to surf that you haven't already?

I'm intrigued about Morocco. I would like to explore the best of the surf spots there.

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Edoardo's Europe

73 - SM Edoardo Papa takes on another pumping Portuguese wall of water – next stop Supertubos!

Photo: Andrea Papa

HotSpots

So that's Edoardo Papa's guide to two of the most surf-blessed countries on the old continent – namely France and Portugal.

And after reading that, we're just looking forward to seeing Edoardo take on Supertubos!

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Britain's got talent Photos: Sarah Bunt & Stu Gaston; Words: Stu Gaston

75 - SM It's talent time in the form of Noah Biersack!

Photo: Sarah Bunt

HotShots Time to take a look at some home-grown talent so here's our first full-feature interview with upcoming Brit, Noah Biersack.

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Noah Biersack

77 - SM Noah Biersack carving up the fun summer surf at one of his local spots!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotShots

Name: Noah Biersack Age: 17 Years surfing: 13 years Where you live: St Agnes Sponsors: O'Neill, Reef Shoes, Olympus Cameras and Footwork Surfboards Local break/s: St Agnes, Porthtowan and Chapel Porth Favourite surfer?

John John Florence, Dane Reynolds Favourite place to surf?

Anywhere that looks fun and warm Favourite surf movie?

Don't have one Favourite surf trick?

I'd say a big turn or a solid barrel Favourite board?

Footwork Surfboards 5'9 x 19 x 2 1/2 Loose Goose

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Noah Biersack

79 - SM Noah Biersack getting bazzered!

Photo: Sarah Bunt

HotShots What first got you into surfing?

My dad is a shaper so he got me into surfing at a really young age What in surfing inspires you most?

Having fun and being able to express myself

When and how did you become sponsored?

I first got sponsored by O'Neill when I was about 6 then when I was 8, I got picked up by Santa Cruz. Later at 13, I got picked up

by O'Neill again and then more recently at 17, I got picked up by Reef Footwear and Olympus cameras. And of course dad's boards, Footwork Surfboards.

What do you prefer then, free surfing or competitions and why?

I like both, but I like competitions because I want to prove to myself I can do it!

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Noah Biersack

81 - SM Noah Biersack righthander lip bash !

Photo: Sarah Bunt

HotShots What moment are you most proud of in your surfing career so far?

I don't know just having fun and doing what I love I guess What's been the highlight of the the year so far for you?

Coming back stronger than ever from my ankle injury Do you train as well as surf?

Yeah I do, I have a gym coach Jamie Wilcox and Sam Guy and surf training is Joel Gray What do you do other than surf?

Train, skate, and go wave hunting

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Noah Biersack

83 - SM Noah Biersack getting into the green room!

Photo: Sarah Bunt

HotShots Where around the world have you been lucky enough to travel to and surf?

France, Australia, Indo, Canaries, Portugal, Spain and many more other spots When and where was your best surf session?

Back at home in the Canaries with my friends we went exploring and found this super fun left hand wedge with only 3 of us out What's the worst wipeout of your life?

Worst wipeout would be top to bottom free fall on a big day at a slab back in Tenerife in knee deep water So what's your goal for the rest of this year?

Win a couple of comps is one of my goals And what about the future?

Do well in my last year of the Pro Juniors and then go and do the QS

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Summer Rubber Revellers Photos: Stu Gaston & Mario Entero; Words: Stu Gaston

85 - SM Thomas Delplace revelling in the easy take off aided by the lighter load of summer rubber!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots Whether it's braving a British summer or enjoying Europe in Autumn, it's time to revel in the summer wetsuit rubber of upcoming brands, Vissla & ION!

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Surf the 7 Seas

87 - SM Thomas Delplace drives through with ease thanks to the light feel of the Vissla 7 Seas wetsuit!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots

Vissla, with their forward-thinking philosophy and creative freedom, have quickly grown to become a fresh yet highly respected surfing brand. They have been bold enough to strip away the irrelevant knickknacks from their pioneering top of the line 7 Seas wetsuit and designed a suit that focuses on everything you need in a wetsuit and nothing you don't. So with that in mind, we asked surf instructor and Croyde bay local legend, Jamie Banks, alongside Vissla team rider Thomas Delplace, to test out the summer 3/2 version of the 7 Seas suit and give his verdict...

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Surf the 7 Seas WARMTH & STRETCH -100% Super Stretch light neoprene - lighter, warmer, softer, stretchier, easier to put on and take off, and allows for more freedom of movement

FIT -Tailored fit - anatomically correct engineered body lines allow for unrestricted performance and warmth

DURABLE & WATERTIGHT -Tripled glued, double blind stitched seams

-Liquid taped cuff seals to prevent flushing

-Vissla super stretch tape allows for maximum seam sealing while having unrestricted stretch and comfort

89 - SM Jamie Banks dons Vissla's 7 Seas suit.

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots WARMTH & STRETCH -Thermal hollow fiber lining insulates heat and dries fast

DURABLE & WATERTIGHT -Chest-zip entry, minimal bulk with contoured water tight design

-Drainholes front and reverse

-Knee pad - supratex abrasion resistant jersey for flexibility and strength

-Easy access secure key cord

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Surf the 7 Seas

91 - SM Thomas Delplace revelling in another righthander as he surfs the 7 Seas!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots

STYLE The first thing you notice about the suit is that it's a clean-looking, classic black wetsuit with just a few subtle gold stripes around the cuffs.

For me, a plain black wetsuit which is smart and stylish with that subtle use of a bit of colour in tastefully small quantities is much more pleasing on the eyes. It's enough to be fresh, modern and classic all at the same time – in fact it gains style through its lack of colour. This minimalist looks says a lot about the brand too in allowing the quality of the suit to really speak out for itself.

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Surf the 7 Seas

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Jamie Banks surfs the 7 Seas for himself!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots

FUNCTIONALITY Vissla tag the 7 Seas suit as everything you need in a wetsuit, nothing you don't.

Well I have to admit I was really impressed by its practical yet efficient features. The chest zip entry system was well designed with the zip fitted into the opening so you don't have to struggle with cold hands trying to do it up. It also prevents any flushing with its efficient and contoured water tight design and the drainholes were well-placed for excess water to escape quickly too. The seals on the cuffs and ankles are super tight so not only does that stop them rolling up but no water goes up them at all either. The 100% super stretch, super light limestone based neoprene is really well balanced across the suit with the 2mm on the arms and calves and the thicker panels over the rest of the body for added warmth. This coupled with the triple glued and double stitched seams really add to the 7 Seas' impressive level of features!

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Surf the 7 Seas

95 - SM Thomas Delplace drives fluidly off the top thanks to the comfort of the 7 Seas suit!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots

COMFORT The 7 Seas wetsuit is actually quite easy to get on and I don't think I've ever had a better fitting suit! It's anatomically correct engineered body lines means it moulded really well to my body and fit like you'd want a wetsuit to fit! This meant it had minimal rub, no irritation and no flush either. The thermal hollow fibre lining keeps you warm while the inside of the chest panel supports your upper body really well but not so tight that it was uncomfortable.

Indeed the upper body panels were so well fitting that it felt like the suit sat on you just right. All in all it felt a perfect fit, almost as if I wasn't wearing it at all and definitely the most comfortable suit I've worn!

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Surf the 7 Seas

97 - SM Thomas Delplace delights in stretching out his air time!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots

STRETCHABILITY The 7 Seas wetsuit is a surprisingly stretchy suit, meaning it feels really nice to wear and does fit like a glove. It's not that hard to get on compared to some other suits and even around the ankles and wrists, where many suits can be quite restrictive, it slipped on really well.

Also the chest zip entry system had a good amount of flex too, making it easy to get it on especially over your shoulders and I think that's the key to it being such a good fit! Because it's so stretchy, it's perfect for busting all those moves when you're out surfing, be it high performance aerials or setting your line for some solid rail work. It's stretchiness is just about right though and not so stretchy that it loses its shape after a lot of use which once again would stand this suit apart from many other wetsuit brands.

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Surf the 7 Seas

99 - SM Thomas Delplace drives off the top with ease thanks to the flexible 7 Seas!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots

USABILITY Vissla's 7 Seas wetsuit really is the perfect balance of comfort, flexibilty and practicality. It's really flexible in all the key places so you don't feel at all constrained either when popping up or when whacking out those moves on the board. Under the arms and on the shoulders, the suit is super flexible which really helps with paddling and I could have happily spent hours out in the surf (if the waves were co-operating) without getting too tired and with this in mind, you could easily surf in this suit through the cooler days of spring and late autumn as its combination of flexibility and warmth would mean you wouldn't tire too quickly paddling against the constrictive feel of a thicker suit. All in all the perfect fit of the suit coupled with its flexibility would now make this my suit of choice for those cooler surfs as it doesn't limit your surfing at all!

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Surf the 7 Seas

101 - SM Thomas Delplace whacks out those fins as he revels in surfing Vissla's 7 Seas!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots

THE VERDICT I have to say I was really impressed

by Vissla's 7 Seas suit! Its minimalist style of classic, clean-looking black and subtle, smart logos looks just right. It's good to have a suit that allows you to blend into the lineup when a surf's not going your way, yet enough style that you stand out when your surfing speaks for itself. The suit is great in the sense that it is tight fitting and I'd rather have a suit that way than one that flushes all the time or gives you rubs the more you use it!

So I'd certainly recommend using Vissla's 7 Seas wetsuit as it's definitely the best suit I've ever worn!

STYLE ●●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●●●●● FUNCTIONALITY ●●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●●●●● COMFORT ●●●●●●●●●○ ●●●●●●●●●○ STRETCHABILITY ●●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●●●●● USABILITY ●●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●●●●●

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Pumping ION

103 - SM Andy Criere takes on a pumping surf in his ION Onyx!

Photo: Mario Entero

HotWots

ION have recently launched into the surf scene, having always been a watersports giant, and have a range of different wetsuits available to meet every different watersports enthusiast's needs. Previously, we've reviewed ION's Onyx Amp series of chest zip and zipperless suits so this time around, we're focusing on the Onyx Amp's little brother, the ever popular ONYX wetsuit which ION themselves have tagged as for 'Front zip fanatics looking for outstanding performance to enhance their on-thewater experience.' With this in mind, we asked Jamie Banks, alongside ION's own team rider, former French Junior Champion, Andy Criere, to take on the challenge of testing the suit on a good summer's day of surf at his local spot, Croyde – of course Jamie jumped at the chance to test out a second suit and before we knew it, he was all suited up and ready to get Pumping ION!

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Pumping ION The ONYX makes a bold statement with its top-notch design and flex boosting features. Prime protection is given to those riders looking to get their first airs, with the LTex knee protection and durable Nylon material, which make this suit incredibly robust. Match your personality with one of our two colourways and get ready to look good and feel great!

Front zip fanatics looking for outstanding performance to enhance their on-the-water experience will love the flex of the ONYX's chest zip panel.

KEY FEATURES SUPER FLEX: For the arms and legs, including improved seam layout in upper back.

ROBUST: L-Tex knee protection and durable Nylon to protect the suit from wear and tear.

105 - SM Jamie Banks dons ION's Onyx!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots FEATURES & MATERIALS Drain_Holes All ION front zip wetsuits have Drain_Holes in the chest and back panels. This keeps these area sdry by allowing the water which has leaked in to drain back out again. Drain_Holes are also placed in the calf area to prevent water from getting stuck in a 'bubble' like fashion.

Seam_Reinforcements All stress points that come under a lot of force are reinforced with either Melco_Tape on the inside seams, or rubber logo patches on the outside of the suit to prevent ripping.

Contour_Cut To improve flexibility and comfort, all ION wetsuits come with the ION Contour_Cut. It greatly enhances flex in the collar, wrists, elbows, insteps and the back of the knees.

L-Tex_Protection An erosion resistant protection that's printed onto the knee, varying in shape and size depending on the suit.

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Pumping ION

107 - SM Andy Criere eyeing up pumping surf in his ION Onyx!

Photo: Mario Entero

HotWots

STYLE The style of ION's ONYX is vibrant to say the least and really stands out. The logos are in prime positions on the chest, legs and arms which, in terms of advertising the brand, makes sense.

Using a combination of bright colour on the shoulders and chest panels alongside the dark blue of the body, arms and legs works well so the suit's not too in your face, making it look modern, fresh and vibrant all at the same time – this suit is definitely for the surfer who wants to be seen in the line-up while, as ION states, looking good and feeling great!

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Pumping ION

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FUNCTIONALITY The Onyx is loaded with a whole host of innovative features. As well as your obvious drain holes and key pocket, it has seam reinforcements on its inner seams to prevent ripping. Less obvious are the super flex neoprene sections in the arms and legs and the improved seam layout in the upper back which certainly add to the flex of the suit! At the same time, it's a robust suit thanks to the L-Tex knee protection and durable Nylon to protect the suit from wear and tear. The suit also feels like an Italian tailored jacket with bodily contour cut wrists and ankles which improve the overall fit.

Jamie tests ION's Onyx too!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots

COMFORT The neoprene in the suit seemed to be one of the softest I have ever experienced! It was also really thin which meant it felt like you weren't wearing a wetsuit at all.

The chest zip system is fairly comfortable though I did find it bulky and the neck-line seemed to ride up quite high compared to other suits I've worn.

However the suit did seem a good fit overall and considering how thin it felt, the warmth of the suit was unbelievable!

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Pumping ION

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Andy Criere revels in pumping surf and his ION wetsuit!

Photo: Mario Entero

HotWots

STRETCHABILITY ION's ONYX is a super stretchy wetsuit meaning it does fit well, especially around the torso. When paddling, I also noticed how flexible it was around the shoulders, allowing really good movement of the arms.

So I was pleasantly surprised by the stretch of the neoprene in this suit.

USABILITY Out in the surf, you really did notice how flexible this suit is! It was very easy to paddle in and when you were popping up and on a wave, you didn't feel like you were wearing a wetsuit at all. And despite it being made of thin neoprene, it still kept me warm the whole time I was out surfing.

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Pumping ION

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Jamie Banks bashes one off the top on his backhand!

Photo: Stu Gaston

HotWots

THE VERDICT Overall, I thought the suit was a good all round summer suit. In terms of warmth and comfort of the neoprene I rate it highly. I did feel that the chest zip was bulkier than some suits I've used but other than that, ION's ONYX impressed – the version in plain black would probably be preferable though!

STYLE ●●●●●●●○○○ ●●●●●●●○○○ FUNCTIONALITY ●●●●●●●●○○ ●●●●●●●●○○ COMFORT ●●●●●●●●○ ●●●●●●●●○○ USABILITY ●●●●●●●●●○ ●●●●●●●●●○ STRETCHABILITY ●●●●●●●●○ ●●●●●●●●○○

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#1s to Watch!

Photos: Warwick Martin, Rubin Morris, Shayne Nienaber, Gunar Steinert, CNAT Photography & Chuck@Surf-shot.com; Words: Stu Gaston

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Reef Heazlewood taking talent tail high!

Photo: Rubin Morris

TheGoss As ever, SURPHANG keeps you up-to-date with upcoming talent from around the world. Last time we focused on European talent so now here's our current curtain call of the highest ranked junior surfers from all four corners of the globe...

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#Adin Masencamp

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Adin Masencamp has made the most of waves like this to do well in South Africa!

Photo: CNAT Photography

TheGoss

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#Cody Young

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Cody Young's strong backhand has helped him top the Hawaiian rankings!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

TheGoss

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#Cole Houshmand

121 - SM Cole Houshmand's hacks have helped him sit high on the North American rankings!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

TheGoss

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#Ethan Ewing

123 - SM Ethan Ewing has impressed the surfing world with the rise of his competitive success!

Photo: Shayne Nienaber

TheGoss

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#Griffin Colapinto

125 - SM Griffin Colapinto's surfing has catapulted him into recognition this year!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

TheGoss

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#Harley Ross

127 - SM Harley Ross has risen through the rankings this season!

Photo: Warwick Martin

TheGoss

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#Jake Elkington

129 - SM Jake Elkington has made the top four in South Africa!

Photo: Gunar Steinert

TheGoss

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#Jake Marshall

131 - SM Jake Marshall continues to make his mark in all areas of competitive surfing!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

TheGoss

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#Jordy Maree

133 - SM Jordy Maree has topped the South African surf contest scene this season!

Photo: Gunar Steinert

TheGoss

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#Kei Kobayashi

135 - SM Kei Kobayashi's convincing wins see him commanding the North American rankings!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

TheGoss

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#Nolan Rapoza

137 - SM Nolan Rapoza has notched his way up the rankings this season!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

TheGoss

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#Quinn Bruce

139 - SM Quinn Bruce has always been a dominant force down under!

Photo: Warwick Martin

TheGoss

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#Reef Heazlewood

141 - SM Reef Heazlewood has risen to succes earlier this season!

Photo: Rubin Morris

TheGoss

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#Yuji Mori

143 - SM Yuji Mori will be one to watch after finishing in the top four of the Japanese rankings!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

TheGoss

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T H E G A L L E R Y

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Kanoa Igarashi igniting the surf at his homebreak of Huntington!

Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

TheGallery

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T H E G A L L E R Y

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Nomme Mignot nailing a lefthander in Oceanside Photo: Chuck@Surf-shot.com

TheGallery

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Surphang Magazine

149 - SM Jake Sage laying back into a lush righthander at his local spot of Sennen!

Photo: Stu Gaston

NextIssue Well summer was a bit of a disappointment to be honest but there was the odd day here and there.

Still Autumn and its seasonal swells are surely on their way so it's time to lay back and hopefully look forward to what's around the corner...

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Thanks for reading the Forty Nineth issue of

Surphang Magazine

George Hudson hits a high one in front of Newquay's harbour!

Photo: Ben Thomas