9 771352 947046
Issue 79 // ÂŁ3.25
79
bodyboarding magazine
decade? is h t s l l e er sw Best summ earthed n ew slab u n g in t s u Disg Mr. Halse d e t n e l a T The rtfolio Travel Po
S H O P - M A I L
O R D E R
FREE BICEP OR WRIST LEASH WORTH £17 WITH ALL BOARDS OVER £100 2009 NMD
FREE NMD WRIST OR BICEP LEASH WITH BOARDS OVER £100 ELEMENT PE (cres) £59.95 COMPLEX PE (bat) £64.95 EVOLUTION £79.95 BASE PE (cres or bat) £99.95 DANNY WALL PE (cres) £109.95 XL45 PP (bat) £134.95 PLAYER PE (cres) £139.95 WINCHESTER PE (cres) £139.95 DANNY WALL PP (cres) £129.95 PLAYER PP (bat) £169.95 PLAYER PP (cres) concave £179.95 WINCHESTER PP (cres/bat) £169.95 NMD NJOY PE (cres) £49.95 (All sizes available)
2009 VS VERSUS
FREE VERSUS BICEP LEASH WITH BOARDS OVER £100 RAWLINS MICRO £109.95 HARDY MICRO £109.95 RAWLINS £139.95 HARDY PE £139.95 PIERRE COSTES PE CRES £139.95 RAWLINS PP (cres) £169.95 PIERRE COSTES PP (bat) £169.95 HARDY PP (cres or bat) £169.95 (All sizes available)
2009 MIKE STEWERT SCIENCE PIPE PE (cres) MS7 PE (cres) MS9 PE (bat) MINI RIG PRO THOMAS ROBINSON PE (cres) MS1 PE (bat) MS9 PP (bat) THUNDER PP (cres) MS1 LTD PP (bat) MS3 PE (bat) MS5 PP (cres) HP CONCAVE PE (cres) THOMAS ROBINSON LTD PP (cres) VAUGHN HARRIS PP (cres) (All sizes available)
2008 HOT BUTTERED
HOT BUTTERED B-LINE (bat) TEAM SPEC PE (cres) VIRTUE PE (bat) BRAD HUGHES PE (cres)
£59.95 £99.95 £99.95 £99.95 £109.95 £129.95 £129.95 £119.95 £159.95 £134.95 £134.95 £139.95 £169.95 £99.95
£69.95 £109.95 £109.95 £109.95
2009 FOURPLAY
FREE WRIST OR BICEP LEASH WITH BOARDS OVER £100 ELEMENT PE (bat) £99.95 DAMIAN KING TECH PE (cres) £99.95 DALLAS SINGER TECH PE (cres) £99.95 KING PE (cres) £139.95 KING PP £149.95 KING HPS DUAL CORE £179.95 LESTER PP (cres) was £149 NOW £120.00
MANTA
CYCLONE EPS (bat) PHANTOM PE (cres) H2 PP (cres) RIDE TRS PE (cres) H2 SHOWELL PP (cres) SABRE TRS PP (bat) SHOWELL SIG PP (cres) MANTA XT 46 PP (cres)
SUPPORTER OF
£49.95 £79.95 £94.95 £94.95 £124.95 £139.95 £139.95 £149.95
ELEMENOHPEE
FREE WRIST OR BICEP LEASH WITH BOARDS OVER £100 LTD PE (cres) £119.95 SKIPP STYLE PE (bat) £139.95 McBRIDE STYLE PE (bat) £139.95 JAKE STONE STYLE PE (cres) £139.95 SUPER SKIPP PP (bat) £169.95 SUPER STONE PP (cres) £169.95 SKIPP STAR PP (cres) £179.95
STARTER/INTERMEDIATE BOARDS All sizes - packages available DELTA FORCE EPS (cres) BODY GLOVE CRUSH (cres) NSB KEIKI EPS (cres) DROPZONE ROCK EPS (bat) MANTA CYCLONE EPS (bat) ALDER ASSASSIN PE (cres) NMD NJOY PE (cres) NMD ELEMENT PE (cres) SCIENCE PIPE PE (cres) MANTA PHANTOM PE (cres) NMD COMPLEX PE (bat) MANTA BLUNT PE (bat) ALDER CAMARO PP (cres) BZ HUBB SERIES PE (bat) 4PLAY HUMMER PE (cres) SCIENCE MS7 PE (cres) NMD BASE PE (cres or bat) 4PLAY KING PE (cres) 4PLAY DALLAS (cres)
£19.95 £19.95 £29.95 £34.95 £49.95 £49.95 £49.95 £49.95 £59.95 £64.95 £64.95 £74.95 £79.95 £79.95 £89.95 £99.95 £99.95 £99.95 £99.95
BIGGER RIDER’S BOARDS
All sizes - packages available XPLOSION FUSION 44 EPS (bat) ALDER ASSASSIN 44 PE (cres) NMD ELEMENT 44 PE (cres) CUSTOM X TITAN 44 PE (cres) NMD SPEC 44 PP (cres) 4PLAY HUMMER 44 PE (cres) NMD BASE 43 (cres) SCIENCE 7 44 (cres) SCIENCE 9 44 (bat) BZ BIG BRUDDAH PP (bat) SCIENCE THUNDER 45 PP NMD XL 45 PP (bat) SCIENCE MS3 44 PP (bat) SCIENCE MS5 44 PP (cres) MANTA PRO XT 46 PP (cres)
£44.95 £59.99 £59.95 £89.95 £89.95 £89.95 £99.95 £99.95 £99.95 £109.95 £119.95 £134.95 £134.95 £134.95 £149.95
SWIMFINS
FREE DA KINE SAVERS WITH ALL FINS VORTEX £19.95 STEALTHS £24.95 CUSTOM X £24.95 UNIT X £29.95 POD 1 £29.95 STEALTH PLAYER £34.95 STEALTH WINCHESTER £29.95 MANTA BLADES £34.95 POD 2 £39.95 CHURCHILL MAKAPUUS £34.95 VIPER V5 £49.95 TECH 2 £39.95
LEASHES
CREATURES HARDY Rotator CREATURES LACKEY Rotator CREATURES Wrist Rotator MISSION (wrist) XTS BICEP NMD wrist NMD ROTATOR BICEP VS BICEP ROTATOR
£19.95 £19.95 £19.95 £10.95 £12.95 £12.95 £15.95 £15.95
BOARD BAGS
ALDER System 2 (double) XTS DOUBLE NMD (double) SOLA PADDED (double) ALDER SYSTEM 3 (triple padded) RHINO (single padded) RHINO (double padded) CREATURES (Triple padded) O&E WHEELED (triple padded) RHINO (quad padded) CREATURES knitted stretch RHINO Kitted stretch (striped)
£19.95 £19.95 £19.95 £24.95 £39.95 £42.95 £54.95 £59.95 £59.95 £69.95 £13.95 £13.95
SCIENCE MS1 LTD PE £159.95
4PLAY KING HPS £179.95
WETSUITS ACCESSORIES
BODY GLOVE heeless sock £8.95 ALDER QUATRO 3mm socks £9.95 ALDER IMPACT 3mm GBS socks £12.95 ALDER 4mm PP socks £14.95 ALDER NEOPRNE CAP £14.95 TIKI HEATED KIDNEY BELT £24.95 TIKI SS rash £14.95 DAKINE SS rash vests £18.95 DAKINE LS rash vest £21.95 ALDER 3mm superstretch glove £14.95 BODY GLOVE 2mm stretch glove £14.95 WEST 2mm stretch glove £17.95 WEST 3mm stretch glove £19.95 ALDER thermal rash £24.95 BODY GLOVE thermal rash £24.95 Alder Spirit LS thermal rash £29.95 WEST long sleeve thermal rash £34.95 WEST hooded l/s thermal rash £39.95 FULLL RANGE OF WETSUIT GLOVES AVAILABLE
WINTER WETSUITS
ALDER FLUID WAS £150 NOW ALDER PLASMA WAS £180 NOW ALDER SOUL 5/4/3 08 ALDER PLASMA FIRE 5/4/3 TIKI TK 50 WEST NITRO PLUS 5/4 WEST LOTUS 5/4 BACK ZIP
SUMMER WETSUITS KIDS WETSUITS FROM £25 ALDER SPIRIT RHINO HYDRO (GBS) ALDER FREERIDE (GBS) WEST NITRO (GBS) WEST NITRO PLUS (GBS) WEST LOTUS
£100.00 £130.00 £130.00 £179.95 £100.00 £149.95 £199.95
£64.95 £84.95 £89.95 £109.95 £129.95 £189.95
SCIENCE THOMAS ROBINSON £109.95
NMD PLAYER PP £169.95
LMNOP SKIPP STAR £179.95
VS COSTES PE £139.95
CLOTHING
LATEST NMD AND VS CLOTHING NOW AVAILABLE NO FRIENDS TEES £19.95 NMD TEES £19.95 NMD HOODYS £44.95 VS TEES £19.95 VS HOODYS £44.95 GRAND FLAVOUR TEES £19.95 HAGER VOR TEES £17.95 iBOD TEES £17.95 HAGER VOR HOODYS £39.95 BOARDSHORTS FROM £19.95
GRAND FLAVOUR T-SHIRT £19.95
WEST NITRO PLUS 3/2 GBS £129.95
WEST LOTUS 3/2 GBS £189.95
STEALTH FINS Winchester and Player models with free DaKine finsavers from £29.95
WE AN W Y U ILL K P BE RIC AT E*
N CK O S QUI L A E E D -B T A DS E GR OAR B 8 0
* PROOF REQUIRED
Team riders: LaUrie mcCaLL sTeve haLL
aLex wake eLdred hawke
“The UK’s only bodyboard shop” 4 The Square, Portreath, Cornwall 01209 844806 07968 441348 www.bodyboardhq.co.uk PHONE FOR THE BEST DEAL!
contents
360
where to find stuff in the mag.
04. contents
features 20 The Slab // A new freak wave is unearthed in Ireland.
ON THE COVER: A perfect blue bazza for Alex Leon from Cronulla, Australia. Photo Tim Jones.
22 Session of the Month, Lun-ey Park // Hubb, PLC and friends take on some nutz Luna Park action.
THIS PAGE: Joe Franklin fangs a late evening cuttie. Photo Ian Lean.
24 Morocc-an-roll // ThreeSixty catch up with Hassan Ingram for top Morocco tips. 28 Heat Wave // The best shots of one of the best summers in living memory. 36 The Cutting Edge // The world’s top pro’s dissect the current bodyboarding scene and score epic Tahiti. 48 The Talented Mr. Halse // Darren Halse profile. 52 Travel Portfolio // A collection of our photography team’s best travel snaps and the stories behind them.
us...
Published by Orca Publications Ltd, Berry Road Studios, Berry Road, Newquay, Cornwall TR7 1AT Tel 01637 878074 • Fax 01637 850226 • e-mail: info@orcasurf.co.uk • Website www.orcasurf.co.uk Managing Editor Mike Searle Publisher Louise Searle Editor Rob Barber Sub Editor Kat Dawes Advertising Manager Louise Searle Design David Alcock, Mike Searle Photography Mike Searle, Mickey Smith, Jacob Cockle, Andy Lawrence, Tim Jones, Matt Hawken, Tungsten, Phil Smith. Contributors Mickey Smith, Jacob Cockle, Andy Lawrence, Alex Allen, Brooke Mason, Jeff Hubbard, Pablo Pierto Serrano, Owen Pye, Alistair Daniels. Repro PH Media, St Austell, 01726 891111 Printed by Advent Print Group, Andover Hampshire, SP10 3LU Distributed by Seymour
regulars
09 Lowdown 12 Random 62 Regions
Unsolicited contributions are welcome but must be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. While all care will be taken to ensure their safety, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused to manuscripts, artwork and photographs, or for their return. All material in ThreeSixty is copyright and reproduction without asking is a big no-no! While every care is taken in compiling ThreeSixty the publishers assume no responsibility for any affect arising from any omissions or errors. The views of the authors are not necessarily those of the publishers. © Orca Publications Ltd 2009
Photo: Phil Gallagher
15/7/09
12:17:22 PM
UK/Eire distributor - ASD 07841 134425
JARROD GIBSON VS MITCH RAWLINS
VS_Mitch_DPS.pdf
intro
360
britains’ best bodyboarding magazine
intro 06. Intro
06 ThreeSixty
trent mitchell
‘‘summer time ’’ and the living is Easy . Never was a more true lyric written than
We all slag it off till the cows come home – good old Blighty, but in the summer, when there is swell, she takes an awful lot of beating. It’s bizarre what just a few degrees difference in heat does to a man. It’s easier to get out of bed for the early, easier to take on your third surf of the day and way easier to crack open a mid-week bottle of Magners. There is something incredibly liberating about pulling out your summer fins, climbing into your shortie and bottom turning on a board that flexes in to the wave shape rather than being as stiff as a…well, board. The combination of sun and swell this summer has been the best that any of us can remember, the performance of Brit
bodyboarders has gone through the roof and our gang of sharp-shooters have been there to nail it. Enjoy the shots and enjoy summer. Get stuck in. Rob Barber, Editor.
ThreeSixty 07
The Southwest’s premiere bodyboard shop down the line team rider brooke mason
brooke is in-store now to help you get the right bodyboard, wetsuit and accessories.
latest summer wetsuits available now in-store:
LMNOP vs NMD jake stone Pierre-Louis Costes Winchester rip curl
xcel
O'Neill
mike stewart science Churchill Makapuu fins
4 play kingy
huge range of Bodyboards 4play, BZ, Manta, NMD, LMNOP, Mike Stewart Science.
Down The Line Surf Co. Market Square Arcade, Copperhouse, Hayle, Cornwall TR27 4EA T: 01736 757025 F: 01736 757639 email: downthelinesurf@btconnect.com
www.downthelinesurf.com
latest summer wetsuits Rip Curl, Alder, O’Neill, XCel. Plus fins, leashes, bags and accessories. call us now for great bodyboarding deals!
lowdown 360
photos: phil gallagher
lowdown 09.
the 2009 nomad shark island challenge At the time of going to press, round one of the The 2009 Nomad Shark Island Challenge has been held in epic six-foot conditions. Highlights of the first round included Christian ‘Rissole’ Riguccini scoring some of the best pits and Adam Luehman the biggest boosts. Casualties included Glenn Thurston who severely lacerated his ankles and Nick Omerod who perforated his ear drum. For the full report, video and more pics, check out www.360mag.co.uk.
ThreeSixty 09
lowdown
360
010. lowdown
New Design Viper Fins
Those with a keen eye would have noticed that the Viper fins that Mike Stewart wears are
get your
bodyboarding essentials at
slightly different to those that you see in the shops – that’s because he’s been re-designing the standard shape for the last four years. Check out your local Viper dealer for the new and improved design. Full review next issue. Available at www. orcashop.co.uk £39.99
<9I
Ocean and Earth Deluxe Bodyboard bag £33.99
Digital Hero 3 camera £99
FCS K 2.1 Fin set £41
PRISK LENDS SUPPORT TO THE RNLI
IKH<?D= C?I9
FCS Soul Arch Fin £45
Quiksilver Shaka Sunnies £70
Damian Prisk is the latest member of the surf community to back the RNLI’s latest fund
raising campaign, by encouraging bodyboarders to join him in showing support for their local lifeguard. RNLI Lifeguards have been operating since 2001, saving 367 lives and assisting 68,672 Ben Player & Ryan Hardy Bicep Coil £17.99
people to date. The RNLI is a charity and relies on donations; they are looking to extend their beach coverage and up their profile by selling red leash strings for a small donation. Get ’em from surf
Ocean and Earth flipper socks £7.99
shops and other outlets.
Bodyboard Coaching News
The Girls Jam and Bodyboard Coaching Weekend events were a great success at Rob Barber’s Bodyboarding School in mid-July. Big up to Clemi Hardy for getting all the girls together and showing that there is a good talent pool of female bodyboarders in the UK including Tabby Fox, Olivia Smedley, Corrine Hey and Chrissie
Island Style F1 deckgrip £19.99
Lightweight Boardcover for shortboards 6’4” £42.49 Churchill Makapuu Swimfins £39.99
M;JIK?JI 7D: 799;IIEH?;I
Quiksilver Mini Deep Black £88
Anderson. The most improved rider of the bodyboard coaching weekend was London-based Brazilian rider Jonas Floriani. Other standouts included Fred Richards, John Goode Rob Doel and Liz Kessle.
Mike Stewart Viper swimfins £39.99
Bodyboarding Event Calendar 2009 July 25 – The Ultimate Bodyboard Day and Wedge Air Jam. Sponsored by NMD and ThreeSixty. July 26 – Tag Team Bodyboarding Championships. Fistral Beach. September 5-6 Autosleepers British Nationals, Porthtowan. September 12 – September 13 – Bodyboard Coaching Weekend. Sponsored by NMD and ThreeSixty. September 26 – September 27 – Bodyboard Coaching Weekend. Sponsored by NMD and ThreeSixty. October 10-11 British Nationals back-up date. October 17 – October 18 – Bodyboard Coaching Weekend. Sponsored by NMD and ThreeSixty. November 7-8 – Anglo-French challenge – Quiberon, Brittany. November 15 – November 22 – Bodyboard Coaching Trip.
010 ThreeSixty
Alder Surf hood £24.99
Xcel Infiniti 5mm Split Toe Boot £35.99
EJ>?D=
9B shop online
www.orcashop.co:.uk
or phone our mail order hotline
01637 878074
FCS
01202 433544
BOURNEMOUTH
SURFING CENTRE More Boards than you can shake a stick at! 20 years of Bodyboard experience No1 online bodyboard store.
www.bournemouthsurfing.com
random
360
Random news, happenings, events and stuff from the bodyboarding world and beyond.
012. random
sequence: calum macaulay
meet
brendon backshall by jack johns
On a recent trip to Australia I was lucky enough to meet up with old friend Brendon Backshall. He’s always ripped, but now he’s finally getting the coverage he deserves. He’s one cool kid, wearing Iamnone clothing, Zion wetsuits and having his own
About as futuristic as bodyboarding gets, BB nails an invert to backflip.
board model made by Manta. I thought it was about time the UK learned a little more about him.
calum macaulay
Full Name? Brendon Backshall. Age? 21. Live? Born in Geraldton, Western Australia, now living In Dunsborough, Western Australia. How’d you get started on the boog? When I was a little kid I lived in the same town as Sean Virtue and Ben Sukinik and they got me excited about bodyboarding. Favourite wave and why? Box, it’s close to home and it’s got everything you need. Ideal for bodyboarding. Tow-in bodyboarding has progressed leaps and bounds in recent years; you’ve been at the forefront of this movement, redefining what’s deemed rideable. What got you motivated to search out and surf these waves? Brad Hughes motivated me, and I’ve put a lot of effort and focus into doing the tow stuff and searching for those kind of waves. It’s what I want to improve on more than anything. In the recent Riptide, it clams you’re the first to land an ’invert-to-backflip’, how did you progress to this and are there any more new moves up your sleeve? I tried two the year before and came so close to riding out of one. I then tried a few more towing just to see if I could still do the rotation, and then this year I finally rode out of one. I think an air reverse to invert is feasible. Tight, tech surfing or big wave surfing, which is more important? Being an all-rounder is what I want to be able to achieve, but at the moment I think there’s a huge following in the tight tech style of Bodyboarding. I’d say that it’s more important to be able to have the trickery down pat, but it’s so exciting watching and seeing shots of guys in really big waves. Who inspires and influences your surfing? Mitch Rawlins and Brad Hughes – they work so hard at being the best. Aspirations, in and out the water? To be a happy and successful person out of the water, and to achieve everything I want to in the water. Biggest strength? I’d like to think I work hard to achieve my goals. Biggest weakest? Negativity. Ladies, you got one, thoughts? I have a special girl, Hannah. She is by far the best girl I have ever met and so supportive and makes me a lot happier then I was without her. Music? Hardcore mainly. Thoughts on me camping in your driveway? It was so rad! I hadn’t actually got to hang with you in such a long time so it was so cool to get to spend a week or so with you and getting to meet your girl Ruth was so cool also. Both amazing people and good friends. What does the future hold for Brendon Backshall? Lots and lots of bodyboarding and hopefully a lot of trips with good waves. Anything you want to add? Thanks Jack for taking the time to interview me and props to Reon at Manta Bodyboards. The man appears to have it all… Mental size at The Right. 012 ThreeSixty
ian lean
Dan tries to take his mind off Hardy’s passing with a cheeky air reverse.
The Purr-fect France Trip During June Danny Wall bailed down to France for a couple of weeks with his missus. He entrusted his cat Hardy into the hands of lifelong friend and neighbour Bjorn Storey. To cut a long story short, three days into the trip Bjorn went round to feed the feline and found what he described as “A furry brick”. The cat had died. After moments of deliberation he felt that it was best to tell Dan, so sent him the heartfelt text: ‘CAT’S DEAD.’ After two weeks of complete flatness in France, the last night came around and due to a miscalculation on Wall’s behalf the owner of his accommodation came and knocked on the door to let them know that their stay was over as they had only booked 13 nights, not 14. So he and his tearful missus spent their last night in the car. Purrr-fect.
Discipull Podcasts
Keep your eyes peeled for Discipull podcasts. Mark Van Gorf of Discipull wants the latest footage to be available shortly after it’s shot, rather than waiting months for a DVD be produced. Anyone with some decent footage (none of that shaky carry-on) that they are keen to share with the world should forward it to mark@discipull.com.
winner!
The winner of the Discipull Competition from last issue is Joe Cauldwell from the Isle of Wight. Thanks a lot, the Jaffa Cakes also went down a treat!
ALDER SPORTSWEAR LIMITED LEWDOWN, OKEHAMPTON, DEVON, EX20 4PJ, UNITED KINGDOM TEL: 01566 783444 ALDERSPORTSWEAR.COM
UK distribUtor: tKC sales ltd 0870 8700150 sales@tKCsales.Co.UK
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Random news, happenings, events and stuff from the bodyboarding world and beyond.
random 015.
The Life Of Prisk
When we got wind that old-school nutter and Plymouth booger Steve Wright was making a bodyboarding documentary about Damian Prisk’s extraordinary life, we had to find out more. Where do you live and surf? I’m from Plymouth but temporarily living in Falmouth while studying. I’m bodyboarding a lot less than I should be due to work commitments, but when I can find the time I’ll surf anywhere with a bit of kick – Porthtowan, MI, Leven and so on. How old are you? 26 What course are you studying? Just finishing up my MA in Television Production. What made you decide to make a documentary about Damian? I’ve known Damian for about eight years now. It wasn’t until we both did a trip to WA back in 2004 that I realised just how good he was in comparison to some of the world’s top riders. I remember one session in particular when we surfed Gas Bay and decided to do half-hour stints filming each other from the beach. I’d surfed first so and spent the next 30 minutes shooting Damian, watching him go wave for wave with the Aussies. I remember seeing Nugget get spat out of a barrel and going straight into a cuttie forward and thinking, “Impressive! Tidy combo. Wonder what Damo’s gonna do?” When the next wave rolled in Damian took off, went straight into one of his trademark bottom turns, hit a section, did an ARS, landed on the green, kept his legs crossed and out of the water, went straight into a forward then bottom turned and did an off-the-lip reverse! So I thought to myself, this guy’s got quite an incredible story behind him. I mean, not only has he conquered the world of bodyboarding, but he’s also battled through cancer. Most people don’t manage to do one of these things in a lifetime. I felt Damian’s life was a story that needed to be told and what better way to do that than make an in-depth documentary. What’s it been like putting it together? Putting the project together has been quite a challenge. I’ve been taught to produce nothing less than broadcast-standard television, and in order for my work to be its best I’ve had to call in favours from all over the place. I’m directing and producing, but then had to source well-shot, good quality footage of Damian performing at his best. I had eight weeks to complete the project and standing on the beach in the middle of summer in the hope that Damian might get a few good waves just wasn’t realistic. However, Andrew Course, a fellow Plymouthian who I consider the most dedicated bodyboarding videographer in the UK, has been kind enough to donate an archive of footage shot over the past few years to help piece
the project together. For me to match the footage that Coursey has given would take years of travel, passion and dedication, so without him this project quite simply couldn’t have been made. Originally the documentary was going to be made for the Extreme channel but I then decided to open it up to a much wider audience. This of course meant needing a variety of different contributors to help the audience relate. I didn’t want to limit my target audience by making something that only bodyboarders would enjoy. I want people who know nothing about bodyboarding to watch it and still be entertained by it. This isn’t your usual bodyboarding flick with wave after wave of Damian bodyboarding and a heavy soundtrack. This is an in-depth documentary about Damian’s life, hence the name The Life Of Prisk. There will be interviews with Damian’s friends and family laid over an archive of childhood pictures, cover shots, footage and music and so on.
The star of the show.
How long will the finished version be? There will be a couple of versions made. I’ll be making a short version of the documentary and trying to meet the criteria of the Cornish Film Festival so it can be entered later on in the year. I’ve also been deliberately over-shooting in the past few weeks so that I can make a 26-minute cut (26 minutes being the required time in order to broadcast a half-hour long show for television). What are you going to do when you graduate? My Masters is a two-year course crushed into one year, so graduation comes a lot later for me than most students (November 2009). What will I do after that? Who knows? I’d like to think I’ll be slowing climbing the ladder of success but in these times of financial crisis no doubt I’ll be picking up litter for the local council or working at KFC.
Show-time.
Any plans to make any more bodyboarding DVD stuff? Tough question! I’m a firm believer in variety being the spice of life so I’ll probably move on to new things. This project has been more about letting the rest of the world know that we Brits actually do have talent and I really think it proves that. In a way I feel like my work here is done, but who knows? Just want to take this opportunity to say a big thanks to everyone who’s been helping get this project off the ground. Jo Kennett, Damian, Kirstin, Andrew Course, Mark Van Gorph, Steve Carter, the RNLI, the Prisk family, Mary, ThreeSixty and anyone else involved.
The man behind the production, Wrighty. ThreeSixty 015
PHOTOS: SIMON WILLIAMS
Bodyboard Coaching Holidays 09/10 dale adams
Morocco - November 15 -21 (more dates to be announced, contact Rob with your preferred dates).
New trips to suit all budgets and tastes; Morocco, Indo, Mexico, Lanzarote, Cape Verde
Bodyboard Coaching weekends July 25 – The Ultimate Bodyboarding Day September 12 – September 13 September 26 – September 27 October 17 – October 18
NMD
Daily Lessons in newquay For all Ages and Abilities
Call 01637 879571 robbarber.com
rando
360
Random news, happenings, events and stuff from the bodyboarding world and beyond.
random 017.
Wright? Very wrong. Having interviewed Wrighty, it seemed as though the ex-wildman of British bodyboarding was taking life a touch more seriously these days. You can imagine our surprise (and relief) when days later we heard that he had been making a twat of himself like the old days. Thank God for that. Wrighty, you appear to have been photographed getting off with a celebrity. Unfortunately, it’s a bloke. What happened? Myself and a small crew were asked to make a mini-documentary about Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen apprentices. We did the job then all got given an invite to the 2009 Fifteen graduation ceremony at Watergate Bay followed by the opportunity to meet the man himself. It was quite a surreal day! I interviewed Jamie in the morning and then spent the afternoon nibbling on food I couldn’t pronounce the name of in a big white tent on the beach. I was given a free glass of champagne upon entry and whenever it got empty a waiter would walk over and refill the glass. Being the complete lightweight that I am it took a mere 30 minutes of champagne guzzling before I was stumbling around like a bum outside Threshers on a Friday night. I ended up bumping into Justin Lee Collins whilst stepping outside for a cigarette and after a brief conversation we started hooking up! Can’t quite remember who instigated the homoerotic beach romance but I’d say it was probably me! Anyhow, after 10 seconds of heavy petting I think we both realised that what we we’re doing could very well be considered gay and decided to head back into the tent for some more champagne. Good times!
Wrighty and JLC, a special moment.
sequence: tim jones
You’ve gotta roll with it. Suffering the indignation of not making a sick barrel in front of one of the world’s top lensmen is hard enough on its own, but then doing an air rollo without your board is a tough wee pill to swallow.
You’re going down.
With just the two cameras trained on him, James Evans gets fruity with this Trevone drop.
Naming rights?
Luke Gartside has scored shots of the first rider to drop in at Bournemouth’s new reef. It’s not actually in the water yet but the boys are claiming it.
Sequence of the Month sequence: andrew course
Ali Daniels busts it big at D’bah in Australia.
ThreeSixty 017
Custom handmade bodyboards from £125 Big Bro from £145 Fatboy extra buoyancy from £170 THE UK’S ONLY CUSTOM BODYBOARD MANUFACTURER
Team rider Ollie Agliano
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0 D £6 AR M BO FRO DY S BO AGE CK PA
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PHOTO: MIKE SEARLE
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Random news, happenings, events and stuff from the bodyboarding world and beyond.
Tripping: Outer Hebrides
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Jersey bodyboarder Colin Crowther made the trek to the Hebrides on the off-chance and proved that disconnecting from the real world can have real consequences — of the double-overhead kind.
Who did you head up there with?
followed by loads of frustrating dead ends, I was stunned
I went up by myself, I like doing it that way — you have total
when I finally found a bit of coast to see it was firing, double-
flexibility to go here, there and everywhere, as and when you
overhead with perfect offshores!
sandbanks and turquoise water. Well worth the hunt!
How much did it cost? To get to the Outer Hebrides you need to book through
please, and you also end up meeting random people along the
Caledonian MacBrayne (www.calmac.co.uk). It cost me and the
have become my destination of choice, scoring epic waves
What did you eat, anything weird and wonderful?
almost every trip. Working in a busy office, I can’t just take off
There wasn’t really anywhere to eat on the west coast of Lewis
isle of Lewis.
when the charts are good — holiday time is pre-booked, and
in the Hebrides, it’s quite a remote place. Derek McCloud
unfortunately when this trip came around, I hit bad charts.
of Hebridean Surfing Adventures runs a garage in Barabhas
What conditions do you need to look for?
Since I had already booked some wildlife boat trips around the
which did curry nights on Friday and Saturdays, and if you hunt
The swell just keeps coming, and from what I discovered and
Inner Hebrides, I headed up north anyway and just hoped for
around the north of the island there’s a chip van tucked away
heard, you don’t need to worry too much about the charts, as
the best.
in someone’s back garden! Other than that it’s stock up on the
there will always be somewhere working. They don’t claim to
food of the gods — Pot Noodle washed down with beer.
have the most consistent surf in Europe for nothing.
I caught the fast ferry to Weymouth, just reaching old
Where did you stay?
Do you recommend winging it then?
mates house in Okehampton, Devon in time for last orders
I found a really cool guesthouse called Rockvilla, where I had
Well, it was an eventful trip for sure – as well as losing my
followed by a 4am lock-in. Hardcore. Next morning I set off
sunset views out to a lefthand point and the saltiest porridge
phone and all contact with the outside world (yes, that is what
at 6.30am on my own, crossing the Scottish border at 12.45,
you’ll ever taste to start every day! That’s what happens when
it feels like in Lewis, especially on the Sabbath day), I also had
and reaching the west coast early evening. This was followed
you politely pretend to like it the first day!
a nightmare with the car. After hunting down a lefthander, I was
way. In recent years the hollow reefs of Caithness, Scotland
car £87 for a return ticket from Ullapool to Stornaway on the
How do you get over there from Jersey?
reversing back off-road along a winding tractor track when I
a couple of days later by another five-hour drive to the north
dropped down a hole and caught the underside of the car on a
of petrol. The long drives don’t bother me, the key is to just
What were the locals like (any other boogers)?
keep drinking loads of water, the odd Red Bull and bag-loads
Locals? I saw a possible local the first morning, and the most
of the car was dragging along the tarmac. I had to drive in
of sweets!
crowded session of the trip I had was when two guys from
first gear until I reached the garage, which fortunately was not
Edinburgh joined me.
too far away, and brought some duct tape and taped it all up.
coast. All in all I got up there in my trusty Ford Ka on two tanks
So where did you end up?
rock. By the time I reached the proper road, the front underside
Worked great until I left the Hebrides and hit high speed on the
After a couple of west coast days of doing the tourist thing,
Describe the best breaks.
mainland when a loud bang was followed by large sections
from having puffins running through my legs to checking out
The nearest breaks to the Rockvilla were in a sweeping boulder
of plastic flying across the road! The underside of the wheel
the world’s third largest whirlpool, I headed north, following
bay with a class right point reef, a peak reef with long rights
arch and underside of the front of the car had been ripped off.
the River Naver to the mid-north coast, to somewhere I know
and shorter lefts, a left reef, and another left point a bit further
More duct tape all underneath and over the side wings, and
that picks up any swell going. I arrived to find it was a bit
up the reef. The right was four- to five-feet the first day, giving
somehow she got me all the way back to Weymouth in one
bigger than flat! Then to make things worse I lost my mobile
some long walls. When I surfed it later in the day at low tide
piece (well, apart from all the pieces I picked up and shoved in
phone. Totally gutted, with no swell, no mobile, no numbers,
with force eight offshores, it was opening up nicely — shallow,
the boot). You get trips like this when nothing goes to plan and
no internet to check the charts and with darkness closing in, I
fast and hollow. I scored the left on the last day when the swell
you have to act on whatever gets thrown at you, but at the end
decided to make for Thurso, as surely high tide Brimms Ness
was bigger, with big glassy sets coming through. Two long
of the day, scoring some great new waves in stunning locations
would at least offer some small slabs.
sessions and I didn’t see a soul.
makes everything worthwhile.
Next morning Brimms was flatter then I’ve ever seen it, so
When the reefs weren’t doing it there were some good
I decided to just keep on driving, and driving, and driving, for
beachbreaks that seemed to pick up more swell. Up at
Will you be going back?
almost the whole day as it happened, until I reached Ullapool,
Eoropiadh, at the northern end of the island, the swell never
The Hebrides threw up some great surprises, from the excellent
where I randomly caught the three-hour ferry to the Outer
stops, and provides fun peaks up and down the beach. When
waves when the mainland was flat, to seeing the gannets dive-
Hebrides, with no clue on the forecast, no idea on any of the
the tide was low there were some lovely barrelling lefts below
bombing the turquoise swells at Eoropiadh while porpoise did
surf spots, no numbers to call anyone to find out, and a map so
the cliffs. I also surfed further down the coast, where a mighty
sweeps of the shoreline. I may not have found the same quality
small it had the whole of the British Isles on two pages.
drive through the wilderness and a spooky lunar valley will
of waves as Thurso, but I discovered a great back-up spot and
expose some remote wedgy beaches with large pure white
I can’t wait for my next trip north.
Arriving at sunset, and after a mad cross-island dash
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The
ricky / woodsidephotography.co.uk
Slab !
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The latest Emerald Isle mutation to grace our light-box is from a little further north of the border. We caught up with the man pulling the Ben Severson stall, Matt Wright, for a bit of info about this gurgling pig of a wave.
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ho are you? Matt Wright, From? Portrush, but lived all over Ireland. How long have you been bodyboarding? Boogin’ since my days in a ladies 7mm two-piece diving suit – no fins and a Ron Jon surf float in double overhead East Strand, dragged all over the beach and over the falls countless times. About 16 years in all, although I took about six years out to help drug addicts, which is when I got fat, old and bald. What is the name of the spot? Imaginatively called The Slab, because it’s a slab. We went through a spot finding and naming frenzy on the north coast about 10 years ago, christening such waves as The Nunpit, PaulPaulMatt Reef and other such stupid and embarrassing names. In fact, we first called the Slab ‘Da Slab’, because we thought that sounded more Hawaiian, and funnier, but we were happy to let that slip after a while. Who discovered it? Gingernuts, Paul Wright and I. Although there is another crew consisting of Sac, Sci and others who counter-claim. They call it PG (as in Parental Guidance). They seem as sure as we are that they discovered it first…hard to know, but hardly too concerning. Where is it? Portrush is the main surf town on the north coast, and the Slab is in the immediate vicinity.
How often does it work? More often than people think, that is, if they’re prepared to surf it rather dry and sketchy. What is the reef like? Pretty messed up…ledges, ledges, gulleys, more ledges and if you get pushed in directly in front of the peak you might be lucky enough to get slammed through the pinball section of spikes. Has anybody taken a bad wipeout there? Yeah, I was surfing it on my own one day and took advantage of a kook (his name is actually Detective Inspector McConville) one day, asking him to sit in the channel and keep an eye on me in case I split my head or my face or anything. He was under strict instructions to stay clear of the wave, but he loves to talk, too much. He kept drifting closer and closer. Truth is, eventually I kinda forgot about all my safety advice and when a set lurched up outside us it was far too late, he was in deep. I shouted at him to paddle with me as it bore down on us. It was clear the backside was about to fall out of it and the whole thing was so close to landing on our heads. He managed to get himself moving in the right direction and I shouted instructions about the duck dive as I prepared to push through. He’d been through the basics at a beach or two, it wasn’t his absolute first time, but close to it. As I began to push through i turned my head to the side, hoping to see him do the same, but I couldn’t believe what I saw. He had somehow decided it would be better to disregard my advice and he had turned to face the rocks and had begun to duckdive vertically down the pitching slab. The reef was rising to meet him, just inches below the surface. When I came through the back I just caught a glimpse of one of his fins going over with the lip, meaning, of course, that he had been picked up and pitched like a Ken doll. Panic and laughter kicked in, I couldn’t believe what he’d just attempted and to do it in probably the heaviest possible place! He got washed through all the nasty sections and eventually dragged himself out onto the rocks and just lay there contemplating life for the longest time. Saw a few other crackin’ beatings out there. Young Michael Boyd (only about 14 at the time) going on a big, dirty, dry closeout because he thought we were shouting “GO!” instead of “NO!” He got picked up and thrown with the lip. About a month and a half ago, your Northern Ireland correspondent Toby Edwards paddled into a late one being far too casual. I could see what was coming: sucked up by the lip and thrown sideways in the thickest of lips, that’s what. I laughed so hard. Do many guys know about it? Anybody who seriously wants to find it can’t possibly miss it. It’s really not terribly well hidden. We’re not too concerned about secrecy as over the years it seems that far more people talk about it than actually come surf it; it tends to handle itself. I’ve never had an aggro or annoying crowd out there – everyone’s always stoked to see you make it, or equally happy to laugh when you don’t, and I’m fine with that. I would have to say that although the Slab regularly serves up absolute peaches, totally awesome heaving beasts, I wouldn’t say it’s in the same league as Riley’s. One reason being it doesn’t handle close to the same sort of size. Like most ultra shallow slabs like this, there are plenty of sketchy, dry close outs. I don’t know if that’s necessary to spell out for folks, it’s just that I’ve had enquires from total kooks asking how to get to it. One guy still wears a big bulky life jacket and he wants to head out there…so I just need to spell it out for those who aren’t quite on the same page that this wave is very, very dangerous.
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Jeff Hubbard’s had a busy month! In between trips to Tahiti and scoring the best south shore swell in over a decade in Hawaii, Hubbs nipped down to Luna Park to score what for many would be the most nuts swell of their lifetime. For JH it was just another little road trip… photos mitch nibbs Who: Jeff Hubbard Where: Luna Park, Australia Why: The boy found himself at a loose end so chucked himself into some 10-foot death pits for a couple of days.
I
t seems life has a funny way of making you do things you don’t really think you want to do again. Three long years ago I was sitting in the Luna’s line up, freezing in the 49 degree water, dodging 10-foot cleanup sets and thinking about very large sharks eating me whole. When I arrived back on the beach I told myself that this was one of the heaviest waves I had ever surfed, and I was quite content to never venture back. Fast forward to June 2009: I arrived in Sydney fresh from an amazing trip to Teahupoo. I landed in without a clue what to do, and as fate would have it, the first call I made was to my friend and videographer Liam O’Brien, who was in Sydney en route to Luna Park. I figured it was now or never if I wanted another shot at Luna’s, and four other extreme wave riders — Pierre Louis Costes, Glen
Thurston and Ewan Donnachie — were heading out too. I hadn’t looked at a swell chart and for once I didn’t care. I was on an adventure with a cool new crew and was content to see where it led. Victoria is on the southern tip of Australia and wide open to the fierce weather systems raging between the Pacific and Indian oceans. The elements are raw and nature is in complete control of life. Raging winds and rain can turn to calm sunny days in minutes and sub-zero temperatures in the morning can give way to, well, somewhat more tolerable temperatures in the afternoon. As a result the surf picks up fast and drops even faster as storms race eastward. We arrived late afternoon and took over a deluxe hostel; with a warm stable giving us warmth and sustenance we embraced the frosty mornings with smiles and thrived on
Ewan Donachie battles to control his rail edge as the inside section prepares to unload.
the fresh clean air the Great Ocean Road delivered. Luna Park is nestled at the bottom of cliff tucked between two headlands and surrounded by a rocky outcrop. It’s a 20-minute walk down the muddy trail to the bottom of the cliff. The wave at Luna Park breaks fast, really fast — big walls of water march in from the southern ocean, jack up on the shelf and explode violently onto a dry rock ledge. If you don’t make the wave you get washed onto the ledge, if you don’t cut out in time you get washed onto the
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PLC falls out of the sky on one of the many mental ones that were ridden.
ledge, and if you get caught inside you get washed onto the ledge. Both Pierre and Ewan charged the wave harder than anyone on the trip and I can’t begin to count the amount of times these crazy men were swept onto and across the rock. They have little self regard for their safety — they would just paddle over the ledge knowing full well they wouldn’t make the wave but, just going for the glory shot. It worked well, as both riders came away with some amazing images, though Ewan tweaked his knee in
the process and was forced to go back to Sydney early. Glen, having surfed this wave more than anyone, would sit back and direct the traffic in the line-up, shouting for us to paddle this way or that or what wave to take. It was easy to see Glen has this wave wired as he consistently picked off some of the best waves each session. We had two session in four days — two days were just too big, 12-15 feet and
closing out; the other two were just right, six- to 10 feet, enough to get the juices flowing but not too big, and only on some random sets would the camera crew in the channel be cut down and swept in. At the end of the trip we raced back to the airport, everyone smiling and
pumped full of adrenaline. Luna Park is a wave made just for bodyboards, and no matter how cold, sharky and scary it is, the intensity of the wave keeps you paddling back out for more. I’m not sure if I would rush back to Luna’s, but then, no-one really knows what’s next…
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Sp o t
C h ec k :
Mo ro cco
matt hawken surf berbere
dale adams
dale adams
dale adams
Fed up with Euro bodyboarding destinations but haven’t got the budget for long-haul? Had enough of converting your pounds to Euros and getting peanuts? Fancy a taste of a different culture in one of the world’s fastest developing bodyboarding nations? Morocco is just under four hours away, on the doorstep of the world’s biggest desert – the Sahara – and has a coastline that boasts an incredible array of points, wedges, slabs and rivermouths. Exmouth bodyboarder Hassan Ingram decided he was going to move out to Taghazout in southern Morocco just over eight months ago, and he’s been loving life ever since. We caught up with him to see exactly what Morocco has to offer the British bodyboarder.
dale adams
Anchor Point perfection.
What’s the best thing about being a bodyboarder in Morocco? There are so many others who are into it!
We’re all like brothers. You can go bodyboarding and you’ll find a few other locals out and they’re happy to watch you and chat to you, they want to learn more, everything they’ve learnt has been by watching others. Can you comment on the incredible selection of breaks available? Well, if you’re a bodyboarder I would
say it’s a paradise. Some of us like the more mellow longer playful waves and a load of us like the heavy slabs. It’s one place you don’t have to worry about getting yourself killed or alternatively getting bored surfing slow waves, because there’s something for everyone! What’s the standard of the locals? In the past nine
years of coming here I have to say I’ve seen some amazing talent. Take for example Brahim Idouche, one man some
of you may have heard of. He’s a legend in the world of bodyboarding here. He has style and can pretty much pull off anything in any condition! He’s probably one of the best I’ve met in the world. What’s the localism like? Localism can be bad but it’s
like anywhere else really, respect the locals as they have a history here, stick to what you know and don’t get too cocky. Apart from that I have personally never got in a serious fight here, just a few arguments, and who hasn’t? It’s totally cool, they are very respectful people if we all treat each other as humans! Where do you go to party? Agadir! At least once
a week, it’s a blast! Especially when you walk into a nightclub full of some of the hottest talent I have ever seen! Anyone visiting make sure you go check out Actors or Factory, you will have a good laugh, make sure you go
after 12 though! What is day-to-day life like in Morocco? Every day is
an experience here, even if you’re just taking a walk down the local beach during the day, you meet so many sound people. God knows how many people I’ve met and made friends with in the past eight months! Life is perfect, I’ve got sun, surf, fresh food and very cheap living pretty much every day. What else could one want? Is it mainly fat pointbreaks or are there good bodyboarding waves? Funny you should say fat
pointbreaks…I took someone out to Anchor Point about two months ago who said it was fat, then I took him down onto the inside section and he had what he said was one of the best barrels of his life. I think people just need to be here at the right time of the season to catch the gems. And yes, there are some sick slabs.
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Brahim, ripping as usual.
Hassan’s Moroccan Fact File How much is a pint of beer in a bar? Around £4. How much is a tagine meal? Depends on the size a small
one-man tagine is usually £1.50, which fills you up nicely with a meat of your choice and loads of veggies and bread. For a larger tagine you’re looking at £3-plus. How much is a bottle of water? A litre of water is 26p and for five litres it’s 69p How much is a night’s self-catering accommodation?
It depends on size and location, for example we have some nice ones on the waterfront of Hash Point from £23–£76 a night. How much is a hire car for a week? This depends how well you can bargain to be honest, but you can pick them up from £20-£30 a day. Other things to do when the surf is flat? There are so many places to see and things to do — for example, 30
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minutes away is Paradise Valley with lush waterfalls and greenery, very rich with wildlife, where you can spend a day away from the dry landscape and see something you don’t usually see in Morocco. You can also go rock-jumping, quad-biking, fishing, boat trips, diving, sand-boarding, mountain biking and clubbing. Sometimes there are even festivals going on in local villages. The best way to get there? Best way during the summer is usually London to Marrakech; you can pick up a return flight from £100–£300 during the summer with RyanAir. Last winter flights to Agadir were found from £100-£150 return. Once in Marrakech you can grab a CTM or Supratours bus straight to Agadir for £8, which takes about four hours. Or arrange a taxi which will cost about £40, so between a few of you that can work out quite cheap. Average flight prices? Between £60 and £300 per
person return depending on time of year and the airline you fly with. Best people to fly with? RyanAir, Royal Air Maroc Airways, Thomson, EasyJet, also be sure to check out www.skyscanner.net, that seems to be a good site to find cheap flights sometimes. Places to fly too? There are plenty of places to fly to, it all depends on what you’re going for in your holiday. If you’re looking to do a bit of inland travel you can fly to Marrakech or Ouzarzate, two of the main destinations. If you’re looking to just hit the coast, there’s Casablanca and Agadir, Agadir being the most common in the winter for surf holidays due to its perfect set-ups and cheap living. Hassan works for The Surf Berbere Morocco Surf Camp who have a September promotion of 25% off for all students.
dale adams
matt hawken
What’s the best way to get around down there? A car is
pretty critical here, just so you can catch those little gems when they’re on. If not, book yourself into a camp and get driven to the beaches as much as possible. I wouldn’t really recommend the local transport any more after some of the accidents I have seen. What’s the water temperature like? Right now in July it’s 22
What are the waves like in the summer? Pretty dire to be honest, you need to travel up or down the coast to catch sizeable waves — one of my favourites is the reefs between Boilers and Tamri. But saying that we’ve had waves here in the bay of Taghazout a fair amount of times, just nothing solid. If you’re looking for waves between two- to five-feet then it’s perfect now.
mike searle
mike searle
degrees and shorts only in the water. During the season (winter) you can get away with a 3/2 or sometimes just a shortie. It’s like a warm day in the English summer but a touch warmer again!
What do you work as? I do a number of jobs here at the Surf Berber camp at the moment. I’m the photography, sales, advertising and multimedia man, as well as helping out around the camp with guests and going on surf trips pretty much four times a week. It’s a hard life ey? There’s quite a bit of development going on between Agadir and Taghazout, what’s happening with that? It’s all been
mike searle
put on hold! Apparently the investors have pulled out, and thank God for that, it would have ruined the place I think, and changed Taghazout’s style and way of life. I mean, a five-star golf resort five kilometres long next to a little surfing hippy fishing village? It wouldn’t have gone down well.
How old are you? 25 How long have you been
What bodyboarding titles
bodyboarding? Seven years
bodyboarding, surfing for three years before that.
champion 2008, semi-final ETB 2008 and semi-final ETB 2009 in Anglet.
Where’s your favourite
Who are the best
break? KM 11 near
bodyboarders in Morocco?
Taghazout, a reefbreak.
Adnane Benslimane; Khalil
do you have? Moroccan
surf berbere
Brahim Iddouch is the main man around the Moroccan bodyboarding scene. After seeing him surf with our own eyes last winter the ThreeSixty team were blown away. He could literally boost any move in any size wave with speed and style. The man is a machine. We caught up with him for a chat. Zahir, Yassine Iddouch, Aatif Abderrahim and many others. The level of bodyboarding is getting stronger and the number of young bodyboarders is increasing a lot.
Rob Barber’s Bodyboarding School will be holding a series of coaching holidays to southern Morocco this winter.
Dates: November 15-21 (further dates to be announced throughout winter, contact Rob with your preferred dates). Ability: Bodyboarders who are looking to polish up their act, intermediates wanting to make some real progress, or riders who are just looking to enjoy some waves in the sun with some good tips, a trained lifeguard on hand and encouragement. This is a great opportunity to benefit from one-to-one teaching. Your bodyboarding trip of a lifetime starts here! See RobBarber.com for details. Price: £499.
john callahan
Fancy a bodyboarding trip to Morocco?
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heat wave
At last those ‘We haven’t had a decent summer in 3 years’ grumbles can be put to bed. We’ve all been loving this scorchio heat wave (everyone who doesn’t work in a greenhouse like Orca Towers that is), people have been surfing in boardies, the water seems to be bluer than ever and chiquitas are skimping it up with their summer outfits. We caught up with the movers and shakers from this summer’s best sessions. matt hawken
Can you have any more fun than a summer shorey? ricky woodside photography.co.uk
Early mornings and late evenings, the 9-5’ers salvation. 028 ThreeSixty
What better way to enjoy summer than a Badlands backdoor? cheech pulls in.
oli howe
Alain ‘Small Pouch’ Hatfield plumbs through a glassy north Cornish pit. sequence: ian lean
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matt hawken matt hawken brad kemp
James Evans drives through a turquoise tunnel.
vicki jordaan
With good banks all over the place this June Laurie McCall caught up on lost water time after he finished his degree finals.
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matt hawken
Just before jetting off to Indo for the summer, Prisky punts out of a south Kernow bowl. ThreeSixty 031
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not only heat that rises; Richie Peters goes into orbit during July.
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oli howe
With a casually dragging arm, Mike Insley extends his time in the shade.
phil smith
Storey sets up for a Smackies slab.
will bailey
Dean Page takes the elevator drop at a chocolatey Welsh slab. ThreeSixty 033
The guy on the shoulder shows Tom Gillespie his appreciation during an epic Irish summer swell at Aileenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. 034 ThreeSixty
aaron pierce
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The cutting edge – forum part two –
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The people who know their shiz-nit about bodyboarding are the guys who do it for a living, flying high and getting shacked session after session; guys who are putting everything on the edge on a daily basis. We caught up with the three main men of the moment – Mitch Rawlins, Ben Player and Jeff Hubbard – and hit them up with some of our more pressing questions about the state of world bodyboarding. words: Jeff Hubbard • photos: Tim Jones
MR
Mitch Rawlins Voted the most popular bodyboarder in the world by both magazine readers and his peers. Mitch’s versatility in waves from one to fifteen feet, either paddling or on the tow-rope, define good style with an original twist. He is one of the most solid bodyboarders of our generation and a definite world title contender.
360: How are you managing with sponsorship during the financial down-turn? Mitch: I had already signed long contracts with VS, Billabong, Creatures of Leisure, Booger King and Von Zipper. I have always thought it was important to sign a contract so over time you link your name and image with the company so people can identify with you. Jeff: I agree, long-term contracts saved me this year. But the economy as a whole is much worse here in the US than anywhere else, especially in California where most of the surf industry is located. I have to deal with late payments every month; some people are just not able to pay me as they don’t get paid by the shops and so on. It sucks, but I still have a job, and I do what I love which is a dream. Ben: I’m getting a lot of support through the financial down-turn. It seems to me that bodyboarding hasn’t suffered the same fate as surfing, which I think is due
JH
BP
Jeff Hubbard The man who redefined the aerial move. Inspired by Eppo, he has taken bodyboarding into a gymnastic age. His futuristic boosts have bagged him a world title and he’s always a podium guy. He hits bigger sections, goes higher and is more technical than any other rider on the planet. Have you ever seen Hubb flinch away from a section, bail a landing or for that matter not land a move? Not renowned for his perfect style, his strength to weight ratio mean his boosts are unattainable by any other pro, past, present and probably future for some years to come.
Ben Player Many would argue that he is the best bodyboarder in the world at present. A phenom whose recent DVD shows bodyboarding in its perfect form. An old head on young shoulders, he’s the man behind a number of brands and the most marketable face in world bodyboarding. With two world titles in the swag bag, he’s always a predator for numero trois.
to the closed bodyboard market. Surfing gets about 80 percent of sales from outside of the surfing market. Bodyboarders love bodyboarding and will get the money they need to be able to do it.
reverse and forward air will be attempted and made more consistently. Jeff: I agree with both Ben and Mitch. I’ve been doing invert to back flips for a while now and it’s super functional and cool to watch. Also, I tried a couple of double air forward spins and also a reverse air to front flip or a back flip to front flip, these are definitely possible and I have come close to landing them. Some of these moves will make it to mainstream riding, some will not, but it may not take as long as it used to as the level of riding is improving world-wide and the internet is spreading new things like wildfire.
360: The invert to air reverse is the latest combo move ̄– what’s next? Ben: I guess everyone is heading in different directions with bodyboarding; some people are riding bigger waves and some people are getting trickier on smaller waves. I’m pretty focused on walking the line between all of that and riding well in all conditions. To be the best rider you need to be the best in all conditions. Mitch: There’s going to be a huge surge forward with new moves that will replace the back flip and ARS for good; these moves will be like the traditional el rollo. In saying that, they will always be the base for the new moves to come so no-one will stop doing them. I believe the 720
360: How far things can go with riding and towing death slabs; what’s next after ‘The Right’? Jeff: Guys are pushing the limits with jetskis in big waves and it’s awesome. It seems there are no limits for those guys at all, and only cash will stop more bodyboarders
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The best paddle-in swell for three years at Chopes. Mitch makes the most of it.
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Of all the shots from the June Teahupoo swell, there was only one man consistently boosting massive spins and flips off the end section. BP leads the way.
Ben and Mitch, another hard day at the office.
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from getting the next big wave. As far as riding heavy death slabs, these are crazy waves that are attracting crazy riders who love feeling that adrenaline and getting their shot. It’s great to see them push over the edge and free-fall into huge pits and get destroyed…and also make it sometimes! Mitch: Yeah, if the conditions are right I think you can take your surfing to a whole new level of skill and commitment. Lately I have been at a very frustrating stage – I want to take my heavy wave surfing to another level, but that means letting your guard down, taking some serious beatings and also being ready when the swell presents itself, which is not very often. So you have to be ready to take advantage and push yourself so you can gain new knowledge and confidence…you have to really love it and I do, so it’s fun too. Ben: Totally, I think the whole big-wave element of bodyboarding is just starting. The guys like Mitch, Brad and Chad have charted new territory for us all and as a result bodyboarders have gained confidence in bigger waves and want to push the limits of riding them. 360: What do you think about the fact that Shark Island has dropped off the world tour? And what are the implications of so many of the events been held in Europe?
Ben: I’m pretty upset as I really love Shark Island, it’s one of the better waves in Australia. Not having it be a part of the tour feels like the title crown has lost its biggest and most colourful gem. I guess it may be for the better in the long term but I’m upset nonetheless. Jeff: It’s such a shame that it’s not on the world tour, or at least a speciality event. The IBA should be ashamed of that decision, it’s one that I do not agree with it at all. Shark Island is why bodyboards exist, they were made to ride waves like that. As far as so many events being in Europe goes, it’s great, the more events the better and Europe could be the next big arena for our sport. The European contests are starting to be held in better locations and if this trend continues great, if not and small waves rule the day we’ll see more grovelling and small-wave wonder-kid world champs, but I feel bodyboarding is so diverse that it can handle it. Mitch: The implications of so many of the events been held in Europe are going to be huge for Australian bodyboarding; in many people’s minds we’re the epicentre for world bodyboarding yet we don’t have a single event which is pathetic. There are a lot of people out there who want to see events in Australia. I think it’s important to have at least two big events in Australia, otherwise we’ll lose a lot of younger riders to surfing. Riders want a path to follow and we have to make sure it’s there for them if
they want it. As for Europe, I think they’re doing a great job – the contests are well run and the money is okay, the only thing is the lack of quality waves, but I enjoy going to Europe. The Canaries is made for bodyboarding and I couldn’t be happier that the tour ends there, and I hope it does for quite some time. 360: Who are best of the new young generation of riders? Jeff: Pierre Louis Costes is far above anyone else, he’s one of the best riders in the world, just amazing. Also David Phillips from Kauai, he’s the second most talented under-20 rider in the world, he busts the biggest moves of his generation and really has an epic go-for-it attitude. I am so stoked for him and the future of our sport. Mitch: Pierre Louis Costes is so dedicated, he loves to win which is a perfect recipe for success; I cant see him not winning a world title. Jake Stone, Tom Rigby, Thorpe, Charlie, there are so many just from Oz… Ben: Definitely from what I have seen, Australian’s seem to be the most talented new generation of riders. There are so many good guys over here just biting at our heels and trying to eat our contracts. It’s a good thing though, their motivation is motivating us to try even harder! 360: What are your opinions of each others’ riding ThreeSixty 041
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styles and ability? Ben: I think Mitch rips, he’s a unique guy and it shines through in his riding. He does what he wants to do and as a result seems to revolutionise riding. I would say that he’s the guy who’s inspiring me most at the moment. Jeff is the best acrobatic rider in the world, he’s such a radical surfer to watch and always does these crazy airs that constantly make me think he’s nuts. Mitch: I don’t know where to start with Ben, he’s all over
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the place; he catches so many waves. I would have to say he’s one of the greatest bodyboarders ever, he’s done everything, achieved everything and is getting better with age. Jeff has done so many big airs and by far some of the best ones ever on a bodyboard. He’s one of the greatest the sport will ever see. Jeff: These are two amazing waveriders who I really admire for so many reasons. Mitch and Ben both have good style and push the limits of their riding all the time. I really
admire that last fact a lot. To me Ben is more competitive than Mitch as he tries to be better than everyone else, that‘s his motivation. Mitch is a bit more relaxed and he tries just to be the best he can be. These little differences are what come out in the water and make their riding so different. Yet both approaches have worked so very well for them. 360: Are we going in the right direction with all the
rider-owned companies that are springing up? Mitch : Yes, of course. Just look at surfing – surfers love surfing and bodyboarders love bodyboarding; the more rider-owned bodyboard companies there are, the more beneficial this is to the sport. I still think we’re a good 10 years or so off where we will be able to see a huge difference in the infrastructure of the sport from the riderowned companies, but when we do it will be huge and will cover the whole spectrum of the sport from the local
club comps to the top athletes of the sport earning great money. This is the only way we as a sport will distinguish ourselves as a whole and not a side event. Jeff: I believe it’s absolutely the right track to be on, we need this as an industry to succeed and I feel we are slowly getting there. It might take a few more decades but I have faith that bodyboarding will keep growing as the riders take control of their own destiny. Ben: Yeah, I think it’s great. I think we’re starting to see
how strong our industry is. In Australia there isn’t much more room for bodyboard companies and as a result the profit is staying within the sport. The next step is to make sure that the profit isn’t being digested by greedy people but is actually being put back into the bodyboarding collective. I don’t know how to do that, we almost need like a governing body or industry ombudsman that polices the industry to make sure a certain percentage is being put back into the sport’s development.
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360: What advice would you give to young pro’s these days? Ben: If you want to become pro you need to be the best – there’s only way to be the best, and that is to give it everything you’ve got. Long gone are the days of lucking into sponsorship and being a ’natural’. Jeff: Yes, and make sure to take every opportunity you can to see the world and learn about the wonderful planet we live on and people who live here. Don’t take anything for granted. Basically, if you want it just go for it. Mitch: Also set goals every day, just little ones and see where they take you. That’s what I did. 360: Who is the best drop-kneer in the world? Mitch: Matt Lackey. Ben: I think Bud is the best. Jeff: Yup, Bud Miyamoto, he makes 90 percent of his moves and they are so gnarly. 360: What are your opinions on tow-at bodyboarding? Ben: I like it but I think it’s pretty gimmicky. Jeff: (Laughs) Yeah, it’s super fun, and good practice for real wave-riding… Mitch: It’s amazing for me as it’s a great feeling heading straight into an oncoming ramp at 60kph, flying into the biggest air and experimenting with new moves. My opinion is that new moves will come from this exercise.
360: What do you think of bodyboarding DVDs, specifically biographical DVDs? Mitch: Bodyboarding films have the potential to be great, but films cost a lot of money to make. You have to take into consideration how much it’s going to cost and how much you’re going to make – sales seem to have dropped quite a lot. I still believe there’s a huge market for films, people just want it in different forms. Bodyboarding films will never die out. Ben: I think they’re a great insight into the rider, you kind of see where they’re coming from and where they’re heading with their skills. I’m amped to see Jeff’s movie. Jeff: DVDs are a great marketing tool and are very useful for the average bodyboarder. They get to watch learn and emulate their favourite riders. Bodyboarders are waveriders, so we thrive on waves – seeing waves ridden well in videos is crucial for all bodyboarders. I think that sales are dropping as technology and the internet is taking over, but there’s no substitute for big screen bodyboarding action. I’ve almost done my video and am excited to finish the process as it takes a lot of time and energy to make it happen. Ben’s video was great and Mitch has been working non-stop using film cameras and his ski to get amazing angles and working with a videographer every day in such a focused fashion. That next video, whenever it comes out, will really >end be something incredible to see.
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t h e ta l e n t e d m r .
halse At 27 years old, Darren Halse is one of the world’s best bodyboarders. The decision to base himself in London for the last four and a half years seemed a pretty unorthodox one, but he’s no fool with pound signs in his eyeballs. London offered him a base with a solid income and the ability to travel with ease to the best waves in the UK and internationally. Rob Barber caught up with him for a chat.
Darren hit Hawaii for three months when he was 17, built a solid reputation for himself, then got invited on a South African magazine photo trip to Indo. Then the travel bug really bit. He names his favourite spots as Indo, Chile, the Canary Islands
guess it just came naturally. My parents bought me my first board when I was about 10. It was a Manta Cobra and was massive, impossible to duck-dive. I was super-small when I was younger, so the normal bodyboarding fins wouldn’t fit and I had to use a single diving fin.
and his home breaks in South Africa. Darren was recently made redundant from Carphone Warehouse, where he was the manager of
Where did you grow up? I grew up in a little town on the
south coast of Durban called Amanzimtoti.
the IT department. He’s not too devastated, as he’s going to use his pay-off to travel and compete. Born in South Africa, Darren has a British passport. He has surfed for South Africa and also played indoor cricket for the English National side. No easy man to track down, ThreeSixty caught up with Darren just after he had left the UK to
Where is your local break? As a grom my local spot was a beach break called Warner Beach, but as soon as I got my driving license I started exploring further down the south coast and surfing loads of world class waves. I also found one of the most gnarly reef breaks in South Africa, Donkey Kong Island.
compete in the Plettenburg Bay bodyboard contest in South Africa, where he won the DK division.
remember the exact details on how I started, or where my love for the sport came from, but I do remember that my parents used to take me down to the beach a lot when I was super young. I’ve always had a love for the sea so I
Who are your inspirations? My parents are my number one inspiration. I just hope that one day I will be able to support and back my kids the same way my parents have done for me. From a bodyboarding perspective it’s hard to name specific individuals, but I am truly inspired by anyone who is pushing the limits every time they hit the water, and just super-stoked to be in the water riding waves and having a good time. No issues, no attitude, just stoked to be on a bodyboard and doing it for the love of the sport. What do you think of the Brit bodyboard scene?
How did you meet Dean and the Welsh b’bers/ surfers? The Welsh boys are legends. A few years back
How did you start bodyboarding? I can’t really
read but this one blond-haired kid was tearing the place apart on the knee. Since then I’ve cruised in Wales a lot and have made some really good friends, scored some amazing waves, and got wild on Taffy Apple Cider.
I stayed in the same place in Hawaii as Welsh pro surfer Nathan Phillips and we kept in contact. When I eventually moved to London I gave him a shout and he invited me over and showed me around. The first time I met Dean I was surfing this sick left wedge. It’s a bit shifty and hard to
You know what, I’ve been asked this question a lot, and every time my answer is the same. There are some amazing riders in the UK, guys who would do well on any tour, but unfortunately there are not enough contests for everyone to surf against each other and really push the UK scene to the next level. It seems that people are pretty content with just sticking to the areas that they know best
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and not getting out there are mixing it up with the other people from other parts of the UK. The UK could have one of the best tours in Europe with the amount of quality bodyboarding waves on offer. Yeah, it’s cold, yeah it’s a bit of a drive, but the reward would be well worth it and maybe even enough exposure and backing to get more Brits onto the world tour.
sunrise, and then drive back on the Sunday night. It was at the end of winter, so still pretty cold, but I was amped and set up tent and just surfed until I couldn’t paddle any more. Needless to say the waves were unbelievable. What would you class as your biggest bodyboarding achievement? Oh, tough question. There
get waves? Two-am missions are an every weekend
are a few that I’m super proud of so I hope you don’t mind if I list more than one. I was third on the DK World Tour for 2008, came sixth at the World Surfing Games, have been South African tour champion three times, English Champ for prone and DK and had a ninth place at Pipe.
occurrence. I think the biggest mission was driving to north Scotland and back twice in a month. It’s about a 13-hour trek each way, so we would leave after work on the Friday night, drive straight through the night to get there for
How did you discover that slab in Wales? And tell us about your sessions at Y Bocs. I can’t say I found it, but apparently it had never been ridden before. I was
You’ve got a bit of a reputation for going on missions to get to the surf, what’s the furthest or most full-on mission that you’ve gone on to
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staying at Nate Phillips place and there was a load of swell around. We got down to the beach and saw that the tides weren’t right for the normal breaks, so we decided to paddle around some cliffs and see what was happening. As we got around the first cliff there was this mutant left exploding onto an almost dry shelf. We surfed it for two hours with just my girlfriend watching us from above the cliffs. Stoked. As for Y Bocs, what an amazing wave. If you get the conditions right it’s one of the best bodyboarding waves around. Massive freight-train barrels with huge ramps. Surfing out there is a full mission on its own. I’m not going to get into to much detail on it, but the Welsh boys are so lucky to have a wave of that quality. What’s going on with your new board sponsor? I
recently signed a deal with Thor Bodyboards. They are a
new company based in the UK and shape all their boards by hand. The boards are truly epic and are by far the best boards I have ever used. Can you win the world tour and who are the main guys to beat? I would love to win the world tour, and
am going to give it my best shot. There are loads of really good riders out there now who can win it, so I just try and win every heat that I enter and hopefully my dedication and preparation will pay off. DK or prone, which do you prefer? I go through
these phases where I prefer the one over the other, but at the end of the day I guess I like them both. It all comes down to the waves and what style would suit best, but at the same time it allows me to be more expressive and put my bodyboard through different areas of the wave. Have you tried invert to air reverses or inverts to backflips or any of the other new moves yet?
Yeah, I’m into new school moves and tweaking one move into another, but right now I’m working on my own riding and finding out just how much I can get my bodyboard to do. For me right now its all about momentum, flow, speed, style, and utilisation of the whole wave, not just speeding down the wave and doing a few tricks off the closeout. You seem to have a similar style to D-Hubb when you are on the knee is that something that has just happened naturally? Ah wow, that’s awesome, cheers. I haven’t really based my style on anyone to be honest. When I was a kid my friend Brode Vosloo used to be an amazing drop-knee rider. He taught me loads and I just built on it and what worked for me. Over the years I’ve also been able to travel and cruise with Dubb so I guess I’ve just been building on what I know and what I see works for other people. It’s a continuous learning curve. What are your plans for the next 12 months? Well,
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I just got back to SA and am planning on spending a month here before travelling again. It’s the best time of year for waves in SA with weekly swells and offshores everyday. I was initially planning on doing the tour but I’m in two minds right now as I’m loving being a free surfer and working on new things. I think I’m going to give Chile a miss and go to Indo and Australia instead, and then maybe look at doing some of the other comps.
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St Augustine once said, “The world is a book and those who don’t travel are only reading one page.” To travel is to enrich your existence, to open your mind to ways of life far removed from your own, to put your problems into perspective and make you appreciate the world outside your little bubble. Amidst everything you experience when you travel, from the colourful
cultures and traditions of distant lands to the flamboyant food and people, the one thing that really gets the heart pounding is the search for waves. All this is less than 24 hours away, so stop hiding behind your excuses and get involved. It only stays a dream if you let it.
On Top of the World (Owen Pye, photo taken by Alex Wells) “In January 2008 I set out on a 16,000km road trip exploring the southern half of Australia with a good mate of mine, Alex Wells. There were many insane moments on the trip including sleeping over 200 feet up a tree one night, watching our 4x4 disappear under waves in South Australia, and snapping a propshaft on a WA dusttrack 150km from the nearest human on a day in which our thermometer broke at 115 Fahrenheit. “One that has really stayed with me was at the Cape
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le Grande National Park near Esperance. Deciding at the last minute to climb Frenchman’s Peak to watch the sunset, we frantically scrambled up the mammoth granite incline for what seemed like ages, desperate not to miss out. The sunset from the top was one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever witnessed in my life. Half an hour later as darkness descended, we stumbled across a huge vaulted cave just below the summit, with an unparalleled view of the southern coastline stretching away below us into the cold ether. The
wind was howling fiercely through the cave, and we just stood at the edge in disbelief at what we were looking at. I think Tinhead really captured the scale of the landscape down there with this shot; a solitary figure in a wild untamed kingdom of extreme weather and raw Antarctic swell. The beauty of life on the road is you genuinely don’t know what the next day will bring. We surfed great waves on that trip, experienced mind-blowing scenery and had the time of our lives.”
The Green Room (Will Bailey) Travel doesn’t need to involve long-haul flights, bribing border guards and contracting malaria. UK photographer Will Bailey was travelling with surfers Nate Phillips, Matt Capel, Micah Lester and Cain Kilcullen on the Quiksilver Three Degrees tour last November when they scored epic Pampa. “Because the swell forecast looked so good for the west coast of Ireland we stayed on an extra week after the event,” he says. “The surf didn’t turn up until the last day and I had nearly given up hope. That morning when we turned up at Blackspot and saw perfect five-foot sets it was such a relief. We surfed there until it got a bit high then went across to Pampa. It was so perfect, solid draining kegs. The wave is perfect for sponging, you can just sit in the pit the whole way, just adjusting your speed to keep you locked in.” It’s one of Will’s favourite places to shoot as every wave breaks more or less the same. “Adam Wilson had a few sick ones, getting seriously deep. I remember this one, it was towards the end of the session and he had two waves within a few minutes. The shots from both waves were pretty much identical,” he says. The British Isles has over 7,700 miles of coastline and offers some genuine world-class waves for those who are willing to dedicate the time to find them.
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The Search (Andy Lawrence) Anticipation. It’s what gets you leaning across people to stare out of the window as the plane banks on its approach. It’s the tingling you get when you catch glimpses of set lines building on your way to the coast. It’s what holds each hair up on the back of your neck as you find a spitting barrel all to yourself. Respected trip photographer Andy Lawrence came across this little number with the Eurotrash crew while travelling in the Canaries late last year. “It’s an amazing left slab,” he says. “Perfect for bodyboarding.” He likes the fact that despite being shot quite wide this image doesn’t include any distinguishing landmarks. “I think it’s really inspiring
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that there are still empty waves like this out there all over the world waiting to be surfed,” he says. “It’s an exciting thought that when you hit the road again your next discovery could be just around the corner.” The endless possibilities of each bay, each headland. The next time you fly somewhere to surf spots you already know, look a little further into that map. Fill up the tank. Offer the fisherman another 100 pesos. Take a chance. The next time a solid groundswell hits don’t go straight to your local break, sacrifice a day and go on the hunt for other spots you never knew existed. You might just find some buried treasure in your own backyard.
The End of the Road (Tim Jones) The one thing that strikes you more than anything else in French Polynesia is the brightness and clarity of colour. In Tahiti the air is pure. Beyond the vivid green palms and bright white sands lie turquoise lagoons alive with rainbow worlds of fish and coral. A place like Tahiti is so rich in beauty you almost feel you are missing out on something if you spend too long looking in one direction. Top surf photographer Tim Jones has been visiting the island for years, and even has his own bungalow, rented from a family at the end of the road. It’s a road unlike any other, the last chance your inner demons have to suck it up. What follows makes or breaks you: Teahupoo, the heaviest wave in the world. Tim Jones snapped this beauty on his recent trip there with Ben Player and Mitch Rawlins. “You get the most epic sunsets in the world there,” Tim says. “The sky went a crazy orange, then red, and reflected off the reef pass right in front of my place. It’s the best sunset shot I’ve ever taken.” Travel is not just the quest for excitement and adventure. Sometimes the simple act of finding a quiet moment to allow nature to paint the sky for you is the greatest pleasure of all.
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Beauty and the Beast (Mickey Smith) Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s said we know more about the depths of space than we do our own oceans. As we stay on the surface in our little playgrounds, we are occasionally welcomed by those whose world we are only visiting. Travel machine Mickey Smith snapped this beauty at Bumbaloids in Ireland last autumn, a wave he discovered and named due to the way it breaks. Dusty the Dolphin joined pros Matt Lackey, Glen Thurston, Ryan Mattick, Dan Skajarowski and Jack Johns for a few waves. Despite our quest to find what peels across the surface of our oceans, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to forget the entire macrocosms that exist beneath. Travel as a surfer offers experiences with nature few others will ever witness.
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Here today, gone tomorrow (Jacob Cockle) You don’t have to travel too far to score. UK photographer Jacob Cockle caught Porthleven baring its teeth on an impromptu day of swell last year. “I arrived at Lev with Charlie Tomlinson and had a marathon surf until the sun went down,” he recalls. “Despite the fact it looks empty there was actually a whole crew of people out there, it’s just the set is so big you can’t see them behind the wave. Jack Johns was claiming a lot of the sets, he was surfing the place like a damn skatepark, turning massive reverses and carves. I remember Charlie do a crazy air forward on the inside bowl, and Kir Roberts was DKing a lot of his waves.” Jake says it was just one of those jackpot days when a swell popped up out of nowhere and the wind swung north-east. Those who score are the ones who have their fingers on the pulse, whether it’s checking an animated WAM chart Pacific groundswell for the trip of your life, or simply keeping an eye on the wind outside your office window for a cheeky one at lunchtime.
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The Kids of Madagascar (Erick Regnard) In 1997, Mauritius lensman Erick Regnard organised a trip to Madagascar with Leila Ali, Ben Holland, Thomas Richard and Ben Player. He recalls the trip: “Ben Player and I arrived three days before everyone else. We were out exploring the place where I took this shot of these kids, and it always reminds me of this classic story. Diarrhoea was pretty hectic there, so we had to all be really careful of what we were drinking. Ben Holland got really sick, and I mean ejecting stuff both ends simultaneously. He was dehydrated and started to get delusional and paranoid from being in a strange place. We took him to hospital in our little Honda Civic without a rear window, and we had to travel down a sandy dirt track for an hour and a half to get to town. Dust and sand was just pouring in the back and he was throwing up out of the window all the way. “Once we got to hospital we found the doctor was apparently at the pub. We left Ben and Leila there while we searched for the doctor. After three bars we found him and got him to return to the hospital to get Ben on a drip. Leila stayed the night with him, and Ben Player and I started a competition between us in who could avoid getting sick the longest. We both were really careful but Benny P copped it first… I had won the comp, but three days later I fell ill too… Ben Player later told me from the start of the bet he was putting water in my food! I should have known, he’s always been pretty cheeky.”
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The Migration (Matt Hawken) When the days get shorter and colder, it’s time to head south. UK photographer Matt Hawken was in Morocco last November and recalls his trip. “We were surfing epic Boilers all day, and after I’d had enough waves I decided to get out and soak up some sun. About 20 minutes after getting out I was looking out back when I saw a huge splash. Not knowing what the hell it was, I looked through the lens and saw a killer whale swim right passed the boys in the lineup. Not wanting to cause a mass shit-staining of boardshorts I decided not to warn them…ignorance is bliss! This shot is of none other than international bodyboarding superstar Rob Barber getting out after spending an afternoon practising going right in an effort to move away from only being able to surf the Wedge. Morocco is a crazy place, it’s kind of Westernised but still very much a part of the African experience. I’m hoping to head back down that way this winter as there are so many good bodyboarding waves and photo opportunities it’s unreal. For example, seeing Plymouth bodyboarder Neil Adams drunk as a skunk attempting karaoke in a Moroccan Zaytuna is something I’ll never forget!”
The Endless Road (Trent Mitchell) Travelling lensman Trent Mitchell recently went on a big road trip across Australia with Brenden Newton, Shaun Pyne and Troy Hanepen. This shot of The Wedge was at a point in their trip when they really needed waves to boost everyone’s morale. Five days of wedges like this with no-one out certainly did the job. This moment signifies the anticipation, anxiety and rewards of persistence on gruelling surf trips. Through the many ups and downs came glory and failure. Here are some extracts from Trent’s diary. “The insanity of an endless road trip begins here. Journeys are the midwives of thought. Few places are more conducive to internal conversations than a moving vehicle. Summer. East to west. No waves. In the Camry, 290,000kms on the clock. No radio. No iPod. No air-con. The Nullarbor Plain. Record 50 degree heat wave. Never been so hot. Never
missed water so much. Never been so close to insanity. Never regret it. Never do it again. Australia, unlimited options, fool’s paradise. Perfect beaches. Heavy ledges. Ultimate bodyboarding playground. It seems extraordinary that nature could, on its own, have come up with a scene so utterly suited to a sense of human beauty and proportion. Our backyard is an idealistic heaven. Wind. Water. Wave. Rock. Foam. Scoop. Spit. Smile. The chase. The waves. The lure. The extremes. The addictive cycle. Feeling of smallness. In the ocean. On the land. Magnifying our existence. Tightening bonds. Just living. No waves. In the middle of nowhere. Tough times. Broken equipment. Everyone shows their true colours. Waves develop. Mood rises. Wedge. Scoop. Boost. Boom! Content. Happy. Fun. Good times.” ThreeSixty 061
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A quick trawl through the gossip, happenings and rumours from each sponging shore.
Lee Rymell.
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Andy ‘Macca’ Blanchard pulls in during one of the numerous summer south coast swells.
matt hawken
East Devon Dan Atkinson
It’s been a pretty good spring so far, with some good days going down on the north and south coasts. A pretty epic run of swell on the north coast a couple of weekends ago saw many surfs being had up and down the coast, and many miles covered in the car. Joe Rosser and myself lucked into some decent barrels during a good evening session on a north coast reef with only Wall, Storey, Smyth and Macca for company. A couple of weekends later saw the same reef light up again, albeit a lot smaller but still fun. Fun slabs were shared between Russ Pike, Sturg, Tarquin Coates and myself with Macca and Ollie Howe joining us. Had a go on Levi’s helmet cam, which was being passed around the riders, hopefully with some good results. The rest of the swell saw some fun waves at Porthtowan, with some good air sections and not too crowded considering the tropical weather and offshore conditions. Ben Atkinson, Nic Milne and myself made the most of an unusually quiet Wedge one Saturday evening, good air sections and stunts aplenty. Down here on the south coast, a few decent swells have pushed up the channel, along with the usual spring easterlies; after getting us all Richie Peters smashes the lip on the knee. excited it produced what can only be described as some very average waves. On the travel front, Rob Smith and a few of his mates returned from Ireland with some pretty tasty-looking shots of some of the better-known reefs. They seemed to be taking on some Lee Rymell pretty hefty stuff, a far cry from Teignmouth Pier! The south coast has rumbled into action over the last month, so fewer trips over the Tamar have been made by myself and the other Plymouth oiks. Myself, Andy ‘Macca’ Blanchard and Ollie Howe have had a few good head-high clean sessions after work. Bantham has Josh Christopherson been getting pretty crowded of late due to the summer months quickly approaching. To Heaps of swell bombarded those lucky enough to be on north or west coast islands combat this Ollie Howe thought he would out-fox everyone by getting in the sea at 5am and throughout late winter and spring, while the east coast had only two or three swells over sneaking a session in before work. The only problem was that 60 other people had the exact head-high in a six month period. It’s been a very poor 2009 so far in the North Sea, most of same idea. the swells being short period, onshore and lacking any grunt. At the time of writing things Dan ‘luckiest man on the planet’ Wall made the summer pilgrimage down to France for look set to change with a nice low forecast to track into the North Sea early in July – fingers a couple of weeks only to find a millpond called the Atlantic, with even the French saying crossed! they have never seen it that small before (I think they were referring the surf). To add insult to Following the success of last year, the Scottish Bodyboard Open has been set for injury, Wall, coming from the brilliant Plymouth school system, couldn’t count the number of 25-26 October at Thurso. For more details check out the Scottish Bodyboarding group on nights he needed to book his accommodation for and spent his final night of an ‘epic’ trip in Facebook and video at www.vimeo.com/5319397. Be good to see some new faces! the hire car, while myself and the esteemed editor of this publication were suitably inebriated E-mail Rupert at gwenver_spit@hotmail.com.
Plymouth
Scotland
062 ThreeSixty
oli howe
Bournemouth’s Johnny Gavigan hooks into a glassy summer pit.
with Kasabian at the Eden Project.
St. Ives
Martin Yelland Not much has been happening on these fine shores lately, just the odd surprising day on the south coast. The random heatwave coincided with a small swell on the south coast which was well-received by loads of spongers enjoying the warm closeouts. Thoughts have turned to future trips, with Samoa, Scotland and Lanzarote all possible targets. Let’s hope for some decent swell to accompany the fine weather we’ve been having!
Wales Dean Page
Not a lot has been happening around here in the past few weeks after a big flat spell, lovely weather though. There have been a few sneaky days with Llantwit point getting some fun bowly waves, with faces such as Pete Northrop, myself and and my brother in all getting a few and a mission up Fresh West way to milk the most out of the small offshore days; myself, Reece and Napoleon getting some fun small waves. Alex Clark and Mike Norman have been scoring some crowded Rest Bay and Gower area action. Tom Shortman tells me Lee McGregor is finally back from his travels through Indo and Hawaii and has scored some sick waves by the looks of things. Keith Usher has been ripping in Indo. Richard Livock is just back from his honeymoon in Madagascar after tying the knot in April, so congrats Rich and Lorna! Also, the filming of Robin Hood at Freshwater West meant that latecomers (after 07:30) faced a police roadblock throughout June. Rich scored four days of empty Fresh in a
row! Ho ho, good old Russel Crowe. Paul Fenrich tells me there’s not been a great deal going on up west either, he’s had a few surfs at some secret wedges, one quite chunky onshore day with some good air sections on the rights. He has managed to kill his main board by leaving it in the car all day while at work, schoolboy error!
Ireland
Ashleigh Smith The north-west has been a barren coast for most of June and July. Extended periods of flatness has meant many Irish boogers spending too much time on Facebook! However, some ridiculously early morning trips to one of the best lefts in Clare has resulted in Shane, myself and Shambles getting some quality sessions. Tom has been based in France teaching Frenchies how to stand up. With limited access to wheels and a flat ocean, the young Strandhill groms are hanging around the beach looking suspicious. The McCarts have invested in a ski and are filling their days with painful tow-outs! Word is Irish trad music was heard blasting out of the Portrush Surf School (formerly TK Surf School) van over the weekend of the 12th. With the prospect of a few waves on the way things around the north and west of Ireland should return to normal soon.
Northern Ireland Toby Edwards
Greetings all. Summer’s here and plenty of good waves since spring (not to mention some good views to match!). Not long after the last report, Matt Write, Ben Stean and myself hit up a local slab that had fallen off the radar and remained un-surfed for years by the few boogers
ThreeSixty 063
regions
matt hawken
360
A quick trawl through the gossip, happenings and rumours from each sponging shore.
064. regions
jacob cockle
tim
Dave Spenceley deals with a south Cornwall shorey pit in July.
remaining on the North coast. We went with the idea of getting some buzz going and bringing some more spongers out of the woodwork so there is always someone to surf it with as, to be fair, it’s a bit dodgy to say the least. We kicked off with a fun reintroduction session accompanied by sharp shooter Gary McCall. Wedgy pits and spitting thick-lipped slaps to the face were enjoyed. The following weekend blessed us with near double the size and very heavy. This time local photog Ricky Woodside was along to document the action. Things were going very well and we returned to catch the evening tide. To my disappointment I got caught inside on the paddle round and went up and over with the peak only to have my leash snap for the second time in a day. I pinballed through the rocks and spend the next 10 minutes Albino gets shacked on the west coast of Cornwall. chasing the board, happy days! Since then myself, Gavin, Dave, Matt and Ben have enjoyed a few more sessions there. Graham says he’s, “Too old for that sort of thing.” The beaches and shingle banks are starting to take shape again for those who don’t like something harder to surf over. Dirt Patch has been performing well and nearby peaks are taking shape for the summer to help spread the riders out. Keep safe everyone.
064 ThreeSixty
Jersey
Colin Crowther Well, after months of good surf it had to happen, the dreaded flat spell, and it’s been pretty much flat since the last regions report. The only swell fortunately coincided with the Cloud 9 Spring Sponge Fest, which took place on a glorious summer day with fun three- to four-foot surf. On the plus side the sea has reached a remarkably balmy 17.4 C as early as late June, and a few guys even took to the comp in their boardies! It has pretty much been a case of flat day fun. Phil Le Neveu, David Speller and Eduardo Afonso have been getting in some spear fishing, catching a whopping 50lb ray! Colin Crowther has been trying to get some sea rows in, and reported dolphins alongside the boat on last two outings. A few of the boys have also been making the most of the weather with a spot of pier jumping. Finally, Colin Laurent had a go at the ITEX walk, a 48-mile walk around the coastal paths of Jersey. In industry news, Jersey’s top surfer and long-time closet booger Sam George has now opened his new shop Soundwaves, which is selling a good selection of bodyboards. Also the Durbano’s have opened their new shop, Laneez Surf Center down St. Ouen’s Bay. Both shops look great, good work boys. At the time of writing it looks like a biggish swell on the way, so hopefully it will be business as usual for the next Regions report. Jersey Bodyboarders can be found at www.jerseybodyboarding.com, 00 44 (0) 1534 747703.
Brighton Mat French
Summer’s here so not much in the way of swell getting this far up the channel, but the odd windy day has produced some good swells with the added bonus of crystal clear water. I was supposed to be off to the North East on 9 July as the swell was imminent up there. Me, Cliff Cox and Cam Munroe were all ready to go when I came down with the dreaded swine flu, man I was gutted and bloody sick. They had four- to five-foot perfection and I was quarantined in my room for a week and I lost a stone, which was nice. I recently started making surf vids, I’ve put a few on surfreel.com under Mat French. I really want to do this full-time; if anyone out there wants a film made of them and mates surfing or a proper production, I’m available for any job anywhere. Contact me at matfrench@hotmail.co.uk. Please Huey bring us swell, and until next time, be cool.
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066. instruction
Keeping it Evergreen Danny Catten and Eldred Hawke are two of the keenest bodyboarders around: always on the early, always at the major comps, regularly scoring shots and generally showing the young crew how it should be done. Between them they’ve got a few kids, full-time jobs and wives to juggle as well as their passion with the sponge. ThreeSixty caught up with Danny to see how he does it all.
ben howard
iffy at least one of us is still keen, and if one of us goes in it drives the other one to go in. What sort of training do you do to keep fit? I don’t really do any! I do a lot of walking in my job and I go out on my bike if I’ve got a day off and there’s no waves. If I need to go see my mum or something instead of going in the car I jump on my bike, quite good as it’s uphill all the way. What are you vices? Do you like a beer or the odd pie? I like my pies, cakes and pasties, washed down with a pint, all the way. My in-laws run the pub that I live next door to, quite handy. When we built the house they weren’t too keen on the flow of beer from one to the other! What do you work as and how do you find the time to fit everything in? I work at Treliske [Royal Cornwall Hospital] in the X-ray department. We have to cover a 24/7 department so shifts are mixed and I can swap them around depending on the forecast. I’ve got two kids as well, so I’ve turned into an early bird, getting in first thing, spending the rest of the day with them, then getting them to bed and going in in the evening again. It’s rare to see me surfing in the afternoon unless it’s all-time or I’ve got enough brownie points. Are you still improving as a bodyboarder? As the old body seizes up it’s increasingly hard, but I’d like to think I’m better now than I was ten years ago. I’ve certainly racked up enough time in the sea. I think I’m getting a little bit smoother.
danny still busting big at ’leven.
DC, you’ve been around since the year dot in British bodyboarding, how do you keep the keen-ness flame fanned? To be fair, it’s only just come back. I kind of lost my way for a bit, I was happy surfing Portreath whether it was high or low tide, onshore, offshore, big, small – I just couldn’t be bothered to drive. I was happy with my lot there. I was still surfing plenty though. Then I hooked up with Eldred one day, probably the winter before last, and he was going to Spot M and that was it. I kept pestering him, he kept pestering me and we seem to be driving each other. Now we’re going steady! I get a lot of time off during the week and he’s on nights. He’s an animal, can get by on a couple of hours sleep, surf all day work all night! If it’s a bit
Do you and Eldred push each other in the water? When you’re out there and struggling for your manoeuvres then you see Eldred pulling an ARS or backflip I think, f--k, I didn’t think you could do that today, so I’ll start trying it. Definitely. And Chris Bray, he’s always in the mix but he doesn’t get in as much, he works all day. When all three of us are out together we do tend to push each other, definitely. Are you going to bodyboard forever? Absolutely. You can’t turn your back on the sponge.
lowdown
360
BBC News
066. lowdown
The BBC has two divisional sponsorship slots still available for the Nationals in September. If you are interested in sponsoring either the Drop Knee or Masters division please email Rich Hall on rich@ britishbodyboardclub.co.uk to make sure that we maximise all the exposure opportunities for you between now and then.
Netsphere 24
066 ThreeSixty
tabby fox
matt hawken
The Netsphere 24 bodyboard team had their first group training session at Rob Barber’s Bodyboard Coaching Weekend in July. Luke Brabyn, Steve Hall and Ed McCabe are shaping up as three of the UK’s most promising competitors.
Scottish Bodyboard Open 09
This year’s Scottish Bodyboard Open will take place on the North coast of Scotland on 25-26 October. Let’s hope it’s as classic as last year’s event. For further info contacts gwenver_spit@hotmail.com
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