Richie Ellman-Brown. Image nomadimage.co.uk

By Tom Watts

27th March 2017

More from Wavelength

Readers’ Poll Results: Is the Olympics good for surfing?

Right now the Paris Olympics are taking place just across the Channel from us. As surfers, whilst we might enjoy some of the other sports, our attention is more likely to be fixed on the infamous break of Teahupo’o in…

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Why do you surf?

Whether you’re a ‘surf whenever there’s waves’ core lord or a landlocked ‘surf when my job/family/petrol money’ allows, you will have some deep-down inherent reasons as to why you surf. But have you ever stopped to think of what your…

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The Wavelength Guide To The Algarve With Soul & Surf

Portugal as a country offers travelling surfers an amazing experience when it comes to not just surfing, but also the food, wine, people and value for money. In more recent years it’s been Nazare grabbing the headlines, plus Supertubos in…

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The 2024 Single Fin Shoot Out

Join us as we chat with Gee and Nick, the brilliant minds behind the Single Fin Shoot Out, an iconic underground surf event held annually at Little Fistral in Newquay. This event is a celebration of vintage single fin surfing…

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A Flex: How Yulex Cleaned Up the Wetsuit Business

Jeff Martin’s flight had only just landed in Munich when he made time for us to chat the Yulex story. As a founder and CEO, it’s a transformative tale of shifting the wetsuit industry off petrochemicals and towards plant-based rubber.…

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Surfing in Sh*t – popular sites for aquatic dancing in UK fail to meet minimum safety requirements

Surfers Against Sewage’s recent report has found 60% of popular locations are unsafe for swimming or surfing with pollution at unsafe levels. The annual water quality report explores the shocking state of UK bathing waters in a year when untreated…

By Ed Temperley

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The art of Anchor Point with Vasco Ribeiro

Last month, Wavelength headed to Morocco for the Taghazout Surf Expo, situated in prime position right in front of the jewel in the country’s surfing crown, Anchor Point. Billed as ‘the international hub of the surf ecosystem,’ the event saw…

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La Isla: Laura Coviella is One to Watch

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Everywhere I go: The Maud Le Car Interview

As you know, SW France can be surfing heaven or hell. Luckily, the swell gods had been kind to us on the morning of our Maud Le Car interview, and having paddled out in the dark, we were flush with…

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Introducing Wavelength Vol. 265

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Predn Surf – Shaping a revolution in Kernow

Revolutions are a messy business, often best talked about over the dinner table than actually conducted in all their randomness and unintended consequences. Often, the best kind of revolutionary acts are the quiet ones, the swapping of philosophies due to…

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The Wavelength Surf Film Festival Preview pt. I

Heads-up, Bristol massive, this is pt I of our Wavelength Surf Film Festival preview, which is returning to the Blue Earth Summit On Thurs, October 12. Between films, Wavelength editors Mike Lay and Ed Temperley will be joined by a…

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A new narrative with Hugo Tagholm: People want to hear about solutions; they want to hear about hope.

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Glory Days

The life and times of Art Brewer. Words: Dibi Fletcher Photos: Art Brewer It seems like another lifetime, that fateful winter of 1969, when Art Brewer moved into the house next door to Herb and I on the North Shore.…

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5 European Surf Camps To Make You A Better Surfer*

* Or how to put a rocket up the arse of your surfing, and perhaps even your life. Waves. Weather. Coaches. Vibes. Equipment. Location. Food. Digs and X-Factor. We tick all the boxes, so you don’t have to. Here’s a…

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Tuning into the rhythm of surfing

From surf movie soundtracks to flamenco via Pink Floyd and Alby Falzon. An exploration of music and surfing with contributions from Mikey February, Lee-Ann Curran and Clovis Donizetti. Human beings have been making music for millennia (bone flutes from cave…

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5 UNIQUE WOMEN’S RETREAT EXPERIENCES

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Autumnal August

South West weather can be described as fickle at the best of times; this summer it’s just been shit. The unpredictable nature of the peninsula’s weather systems has been pessimistically predictable this year with an autumnal feel following on from…

By Charlie Adams

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Exploring John John Florence’s Hinterland

Out of the water, it is exploration and nature that fuels one of surfing’s most interesting personalities. “Nature is where I find myself getting the most enjoyment out of life,” John John Florence told Wavelength. “Being in the ocean, surfing,…

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John John Florence’s Guide To Becoming A Force Of Nature

An exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a surfing outlier. Last week John John Florence lost in the Round of 16 of the 2023 J-Bay Open. It was a close, and controversial, loss. His opponent surfed a wave…

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The Big Sea Documentary Filmmakers Respond To The Surf Industry

Surf Industry Members Association (SIMA) Executive Director Vipe Desai recently responded to The Big Sea documentary, the film linking neoprene production in Louisiana to increased cancer risk of local residents. We reached out to Chris Nelson, the film’s producer, for…

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The Surf Industry Responds To The Big Sea Documentary

Surf Industry Members Association (SIMA) Executive Director Vipe Desai on the film linking neoprene production in Louisiana to increased cancer risk. We’ve covered The Big Sea, a documentary that links the production of neoprene (the trade name for chloroprene) in the…

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UK at Centre of Deadly Marine Heatwave

“It will have a similar impact on the environment as wildfires on land.” The one major signifier of surfing in Europe is that you have to deal with cold water. In the UK, it is the wave-rich north-east coast, where…

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The Spring Classic Surf Invitational 2023 Wrap-Up

No waves, no problem. Okay, first things first, let’s deal with the elephant in the room. The waves for the second Spring Classic Surf Invitational were, well… there weren’t any. Pancake-flat is apt for how the conditions at Combesgate were.…

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Wavelength Interviews Issue 264 Cover Star Moana Jones Wong

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RVCA Bring the Art to Spring Classic Surf Invitational

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Introducing Vol. 264

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“We Are The Anti-Christ Of Surf Contests.”

Wavelength sat down with Joel Tudor in Rio to talk through the Vans Duct Tape Invitational, the state of longboarding, and why it’s all about the party. Over a decade ago, Joel Tudor created the Vans Duct Tape Invitational. The…

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VISSLA Reminds Us Why Style Matters

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UK’s Best Surfers Stacked Up for the Spring Classic Surf Invitational

“What I’m most looking forward to is my first couple of dark and stormy rum cocktails after a day at the beach. Surfing isn’t about being serious.” Evie Johnstone. “I loved the location for the Spring Classic. That view from…

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Looking Under The Hood Of North Devon’s Best Waves

The University of Plymouth’s research into the area’s wave mechanics was pivotal in North Devon being selected as the UK’s first World Surfing Reserve. On Friday, May 12th, North Devon will be dedicated as the first World Surfing Reserve in…

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Defending Champion Ambre Victoire Talks Through Vans Duct Tape Invitational and Festival in Rio de Janeiro

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SAS Introduces ‘The Floater’: A Surfboard Made from Raw Sewage

Ahead of the UK’s first ever mass paddle-out water pollution protest on 20 May. Surfers Against Sewage is staging a mass paddle-out protest against sewage pollution, with more than a dozen events to be held at beaches and rivers across…

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Postcards from Mexico: Homeward Bound

I’ve been at this for most of my adult life, but it still feels like a dream every time I come home. Like it’s happened to someone else. I sit across the table from my pal Matty, on the train…

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Postcards from Mexico: Equal Parts Joy and Sadness

I opened my laptop and scratched around for some internet this morning. For the first time in a week. The Mexi Log Fest is on its penultimate day, and I feel as empty of energy as my inbox is full of…

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Defending Champ Mike Lay Ready for Round Two of the Spring Classic Surf Invitational

After training in Mexico, he’s surf and festival fit. The finest surf sliders in the land have been invited to North Devon to go toe to toe with local legends and shredders in the Spring Classic Surf Invitational. Sponsored by…

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Postcards from Mexico: on the road to La Saladita

The bougainvillaea is in bloom and we pass field after field of mango, avocado and coconut trees on the hot road south to Saladita. The steep hills are dotted with papaya and behind the distant mountains a fire rages, staining the…

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Perfect Post-Surf Cocktails at the Spring Classic with Dead Man’s Fingers

With Dead Man’s Fingers sponsoring The Spring Classic Surf Invitational, we provide a rum cocktail of good times, good vibes, and good surfing. We are stoked to welcome Dead Man’s Fingers as proud partners of the Spring Classic Surf Invitational.…

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Through the Keyhole: Sligo County, Ireland

With Irish female pioneer surfer Melanie White, founder of Rebelle Surf Different Perspectives “I’m from Northern Ireland and I started surfing late, but I was always a sailor. Managing fear and being exposed to the wildness of the ocean and…

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The Ultimate Packing List for Female Surf Trips

If you’re packing up for a surf trip (perhaps you were inspired by our rundown of the 8 Best Women’s Surf Retreats to hit up this year) we’ve done you a solid and put down a go-to handy list of…

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Q&A with Lewis Arnold: Director of The Big Sea

‘The Big Sea‘ is a new documentary that has investigated surfing’s hidden links to Cancer Alley. Filmmaker and surfer Lewis Arnold travelled to the Denka factory in Louisiana, where most of the world’s neoprene, the commercial name for chloroprene rubber,…

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10 Ways to Plan a Sustainable Surf Trip

The bad news: surf travel sucks for the planet. The good news: there’s plenty you can do to make it suck less. Let’s not beat around the bush; surf travel sure ain’t the greenest kid in the room. Tobias Shultz,…

By Sophie Everard

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New Movie ‘Yama’ Shines a Light on Pioneering Female Surfers and Skaters in Ghana

‘Yama’ is a new movie that follows Australian surfer and activist Lucy Small as she travels to Ghana to meet with a group of pioneering female surfers and skaters. Once a stronghold of the transatlantic slave trade, and with a…

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‘Good Days Surf Camps’ Teach Ukrainian Refugee Kids How to Surf

Founder Kshisya Tachanskaya is using the healing powers of the ocean, but needs your help. Kshisya Tachanskaya describes herself as a Ukrainian, mother of two kids, and a surfer. She runs Good Days, a charity surf camp for refugees from…

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Dreamy Cornwall On The Last Day of Winter

A pictorial gallery as the Cornish coast lights up during the season shift Depending on your season preferences, the end of February can be considered the last day of winter. Spring is arriving the next day. Buds are appearing on…

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The Spring Classic Surf Invitational Returns To Devon

The UK’s funnest gathering of the surfing tribe brings the best European surfing talent and good times to Woolacombe Bay. The Spring Classic Surf Invitational is returning to Woolacombe Bay, North Devon. It is a key plank, if you will…

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ALYS BARTON TOPS EUROPE ELITE AND BRINGS HOME COLD WAVE TITLE

British surfer and reigning British and European Champion, Alys Barton, recently became the youngest ever winner of the Porsche Cold Wave event in Poland, competing in sub zero conditions and beating off some of the biggest names in Europe. 18…

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OUR TOP 5 FEMALE SURF STORIES

As we welcome International Women’s Day, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite female surf stories that showcase incredible women of the waves. From battling icy barrels in Canada to pioneering wins at Pipeline, these sisters of the sea well…

By Caroline Nieuwenhuis

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The Spring Classic Series: Singer & Surfer, Ollie Dixon

In a series checking-in with the musicians, surfers, skaters, moto heads, and personalities that make the Spring Classic such an epic festival, we kick off with local North Devon singer Ollie Dixon. UK-based, indie-ambient folk, singer-songwriter Ollie Dixon grew up…

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8 OF THE BEST FEMALE SURF RETREATS FOR 2023

Is there anything better than plotting an adventure, packing up, and hightailin’ it in search of epic waves? No, there isn’t. That’s why we’ve done the hard work and rounded up the most rad women’s surf camps to hit up…

By Sophie Everard

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ZERO TO HERO: HOW A 10 WEEK SURF INSTRUCTOR COURSE CAN SEA CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Whether you are looking to be a better surfer, or need a massive sea change in your life, a 10-week surf instructor course can provide the tools you need. Wavelength talks to the surfers that run the course, and surfers…

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THE GOAT & ME: A TEEN SURF PHOTOGRAPHER’S FIRST TRIP TO HAWAII

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#1 EUROPE’S BEST: NOVELTY WAVES

A while ago Luke Gartside’s take on Cornwall’s novelty waves generated a huge interest from the Wavelength faithful. In many ways, and maybe for the first time, Luke was ahead of the curve. Since then YouTube surfing stars Ben Gravey,…

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HARRY TIMSON & FRIENDS ROAD TEST THE VOLCOM MODULATOR WETSUIT

Burning rubber from freezing Fistral to brassic Brittany. It is mid-February, and Cornish ripper Harry Timson has just exited the surf on France’s Brittany Coast. His surf report is direct and to the point; “Six foot, strong offshore, pumping.” His…

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THROUGH THE KEYHOLE: SURFING IN GALICIA

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JOHN JOHN FLORENCE SIGNS WITH UK-BASED VIVOBAREFOOT

The natural health lifestyle brand will also be launching a footwear line with the 2X World Champion in the summer of 2023. UK-based natural lifestyle brand Vivobarefoot has announced a multi-year partnership with John John Florence. It comes as John…

By Ben Mondy

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THROUGH THE KEYHOLE: SURFING IN SWEDEN

Kicking off a new series on Wavelength, ‘Through the Keyhole,’ casts a light on the magic of surf in a particular country or destination. Told through the intrepid eyes of a local, the series paints a rich picture that transports…

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HISTORY IS MADE AT THE 10TH EDDIE AIKAU BIG WAVE INVITATIONAL

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By Sophie Everard

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Surfing, Science and Indigeneity with Dr Cliff Kapono

This article is lifted from the pages of Wavelength Vol. 263 and is always better in print. You can grab a copy of Vol. 263 here or subscribe for £25 a year, to receive both mags direct to your door…

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Bacan – Charging Chile Waters with Manera

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By Luke Gartside

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A Surf Trip With No Surf

A TALE OF RESISTANCE AND LOSS ON THE ROAD TO ERICEIRA This article is lifted from the pages of Wavelength Vol. 263 and is always better in print. You can grab a copy of Vol. 263 here or subscribe for…

By Alan 'Fuz' Bleakley

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Drop In Sessions Episode 10: Imani Wilmot

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Can Surfing and Sustainability Get Along?

That was the question that a mix of surfers, shapers and artists tried to answer at the annual Vissla Creators Gathering at Ecology Center in Orange County, California. Danny Hess, Derrick Disney, Donald Brink, Evan Marks, Jack Coleman, Jeremiah Klein,…

By Ben Mondy

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Key Moments in Women’s Surfing in 2022

2022 has been a truly vintage year for women’s surfing. We’ve seen a host of incredible events, developments, cultural happenings and more as the world fully emerged from the pandemic. Here, we dissect some of the key moments in women’s…

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Hip Hop Pioneers ‘Arrested Development’ Head to the UK for Spring Classic 2023

The double Grammy Award-winners swap the States for the Spring Classic to deliver a unique soundtrack of soulful sounds. We’re stoked to announce that the Spring Classic will be returning to the beautiful Devon coastline in 2023 for another action-packed…

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The Ultimate Two-Board Travel Quiver: Part 2

World-class shapers Darren Handley, Matt Biolos, Johnny Cabianca, Christian Bradley, and Dylan Longbottom on how to order a perfect couple of fibreglass travel companions. Last time we asked Darren Handley, Johnny Cabianca, and Christiaan Bradley how to get the ultimate…

By Ben Mondy

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The Physics of Noseriding

Ever scratched your head and pondered how exactly those who perch so elegantly atop the nose of a longboard do so with such seemingly minimal effort and yet exude maximum grace, flow and control? The seemingly gravity-defying feat that has…

By Sophie Everard

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Are Gifts Ever Free?

LAUREN HILL EXAMINES THE GIFT OF SURFING AND HOW WE CAN CARRY THE POSITIVE ENERGY FORWARDS This article is lifted from the pages of Wavelength Vol. 263 and is always better in print. You can grab a copy of Vol.…

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The Guide and The Gear You Need to Surf Secret Spots This Winter

From jumpers to jewellery, wax to wetsuits, we’ve got heaps of great gifts that’ll have any board rider stoked to see what Santa’s delivered! Check out the Wavelength Gift Guide for more! Surfers have two types of secrets; ones that…

By Ben Mondy

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Why Should You Meet Mozambique’s First Professional Surfer…?

…Because the 20-year-old is forging a career for himself, paving a way for the next generation, and helping at-risk kids change their lives through surfing. “I don’t want to be the first, and last, Mozambique pro surfer,” Mini Cho tells…

By Ben Mondy

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The Ultimate Guide to Women’s Surf Cinema

As the nights draw in, hunkering down on the sofa with a steaming cup of tea and watching a surf epic is pretty much de rigeur. Need a recommendation? Well, surf cinéphiles need look no further, we’ve put together a selection…

By Sophie Everard

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250 UK Surfboards Get Donated and Delivered To African Kids

The Board Drive, a partnership between FCS and Surfers Not Street Children, is the feel-good surf story of the year. It started with one surfer, wanting to donate one board, from his tiny backyard man-shed in Newquay. And it ended…

By Ben Mondy

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Hand-Picked Gifts for that Special Surfer in Your Life

By Ben Mondy

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Cliff Kapono: The Surfing Scientist

A style surfer and biochemist, few individuals have alchemised surfing and science into mainstream gold like Cliff Kapono. We recently covered the Hawaiian’s work with the Mega Lab, mapping and exploring the health of our reefs at the best surf…

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What Lies Beneath? Reef X MEGA Lab Map the Cloudbreak Coral

“More of Mars has been mapped than the bottom of the sea. And that’s fucked up.” Cliff Kapano, pro surfer, molecular bioscientist, chemist, and journalist is angry. And it’s not just because he’s recently had his proud, wide Hawaiian nose…

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Drop In Sessions Episode 9: Steph Gilmore

“You can win a bunch of trophies, but if you leave people with a genuine sense of inspiration for themselves to go out there and achieve their dreams and goals then that’s really the main point of this” Every so…

By Sophie Everard

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Sea + Soil

THOUGHTS ON SURFING AND STEWARDSHIP This article is lifted from the pages of Wavelength Vol. 263 and is always better in print. You can grab a copy of Vol. 263 here or subscribe for £25 a year, to receive both…

By Lex Weinstein

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Jaleesa Vincent and 200 Lefts at Macaronis

We’re big fans of Aussie shapeshifting free surfer, Jaleesa Vincent, whose surfing kicks and screams with a unique and funky creativity. The multi-talented 24 year old has got her fingers in numerous creative pies. When she’s not performing in her band…

By Sophie Everard

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Drop In Sessions Episode 8: Holly Beck – Surfing and Self Healing

“How much the way we show up in the water is a metaphor for how we show up in life” Episode 8 of The Drop in Sessions brought to you by the awesome folk at Mermaid Gin has landed, and…

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Will a British Surfer Ever Win Gold at The Olympics?

Surf coach, Joel Grey, once a vocal critic of British Surfing, has been appointed by the government body to bring UK surfing success. Is it possible? And how will he do it? We talk to him to find out. Back…

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Introducing Vol.263

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Dakine’s FriendlyPrene Wetsuit Tech To Be Shared At Blue Earth Summit

World’s first neoprene with enhanced biodegradation to be made available as open source technology. With the annual Blue Earth Summit showcasing outdoor brands at the forefront of sustainability, Wavelength is stoked to announce Dakine as a partner for the Bristol-based…

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Cotty Preps for Another Season at Nazaré

Ice cold, high-altitude lakes and training camps feature as the veteran prepares for another swing at the world’s biggest waves. “It was all unwinding after a full season of high intensity and high consequence at Nazaré,” Andrew ‘Cotty’ Cotton told…

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Don’t Call it a Comeback!

Now the dust has settled, it’s clear Steph Gilmore’s record 8th World Title truly tore up the rulebook and tossed it in the bonfire… 34 year old Australian, Stephanie Gilmore, had already well-cemented her status in the pantheons of the…

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The Weekly Wavelength Q&A: Andrew ‘Cotty’ Cotton

“There were a few seconds where I really thought that this is the end” – Andrew Cotton. Short questions and big answers from the key players in the surf world. Andrew “Cotty” Cotton is a professional surfer from North Devon.…

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The Ultimate Surfer’s Kit For September: Part II

As summer fades, we welcome September – the best month to be a surfer. In an ode to the changing surf season, we’ve compiled the ultimate kit you need this Autumn. From socks to hoodies, 4/3’s to Pancho’s, here are…

By Ben Mondy

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Croyde’s Baggy Point On Fire… Literally

Headland at the heart of North Devon’s World Surfing Reserve devastated by wildfire. North Devon’s Baggy Point has been devastated by wildfire. Over 20 acres of land have been damaged after a fire broke out on Monday 29 August, destroying…

By Ben Mondy

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The Drop In Sessions 7: Jodie Cooper

“I want the sport of surfing to not be white bread!!” As we navigate our way through the fascinating topics explored so far in The Drop In Sessions, brought to you by the awesome folk at Mermaid Gin, the Isle…

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Catching up with Jodie Cooper on the Girls Can’t Surf Movie

With ‘Girls Can’t Surf’ recently released across the UK, we take a look at the groundbreaking surf documentary before catching up with ocean maverick, Jodie Cooper, in our latest Drop In Sessions podcast. “A smart group of surfers reveal the…

By Ben Mondy

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The Weekly Wednesday Wavelength Q & A: Ian Walsh

Short questions and big answers from the key players in the surf world. Maui’s Ian Walsh Walsh first surfed the legendary Jaws when he was just 16. At age 19, he was runner-up at the Billabong XXL Awards after towing…

By Ben Mondy

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Wavelength Guide To The World Surfing Reserves: Punta de Lobos

In January 2022, 20 miles of the North Devon coastline became the 12th World Surfing Reserve (WSR). The WSR mission is simple; to protect surf ecosystems across the globe. The vision is a world where surf ecosystems are valued and…

By Ben Mondy

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Could a Kelly Slater Win in Tahiti Signal the End For the GOAT?

A victory at the Outerknown Pro, the event he sponsors, could provide the ultimate mic drop moment. Is this Kelly’s last competitive stand? Kelly Slater stands on the precipice of making surfing history and the end of his competitive career.…

By Ben Mondy

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Arthur Bourbon’s (Cycle) Path To Discovery

Le Chemin is a new film supported by Reef that documents the French surfer and filmer’s cycling journey from the Basque Country to Brittany. Along the month-long, 600-mile journey, Arthur meets ocean enthusiasts with inspiring commitments and life paths, while…

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Ambre Victoire – “I Just Want to be Free!”

Quixotic French longboarder and recently crowned champion of the Vans Duct Tape Invitational’s Cape Town leg, 29 year-old Ambre Victoire honestly moves and grooves to the bewitching beat of her own drum. We sat down for a chat with Ambre,…

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A Concise History Of The Reef Fanning Sandal

“I reckon more people know my name for that sandal than they do for anything I’ve ever done in surfing. And that’s even after I almost got eaten by a shark live on TV.” Mick Fanning Flip flops, sandals, jandals,…

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Drop In Sessions Episode 6: Rochelle Ballard

“If you’re meant to succeed in whatever you’re meant to succeed at in life, you’re going to break through any sort of challenge that there is…” (Rochelle Ballard) We’re half way through the epic The Drop In Sessions podcast series…

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Vans x JUJU Surf Club Collection

A nature-inspired surf capsule that uplifts Mikey and Zelti February’s nonprofit’s mission to give back to and broaden the African surf community. We all need some good Juju, right? Husband and wife duo Mikey and Zelti February and their baby,…

By Ben Mondy

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Wavelength Guide to World Surfing Reserves: #2 Santa Cruz

Protect, Steward. Defend… And the perfect place for your next surf trip. In January 2022, 20 miles of the North Devon coastline became the 12th World Surfing Reserve. The WSR mission is simple; to protect surf ecosystems across the globe.…

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The Legacy of Lopez’s Lightning Bolt

Born from the brainchild of legendary surfers, Gerry Lopez and Jack Shipley, Lightning Bolt has long been famed as the ‘original’ surf brand, offering a universal lifestyle symbol with a pure connection to its island heritage. Rumours of how the…

By Caroline Nieuwenhuis

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Laurie Towner – Slow Lane

Slow Lane is a surf film that follows big wave surfer Laurie Towner and his family as they travel on a dream road trip exploring the vast Australian coastline in search of waves, good fishing and adventures. This film produced by…

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Wavelength Guide to World Surfing Reserves: #1 Noosa

Protect, Steward, Defend… And the perfect place for your next surf trip. In January 2022, 20 miles of the North Devon coastline became the 12th World Surfing Reserve. The WSR mission is simple; to protect surf ecosystems across the globe.…

By Ben Mondy

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Yin & Yang of Gerry Lopez Wrap-Up

Sunday evening saw a crowd of 500 surfers, skaters and aspiring movie makers descend on Croyde for the Patagonia screening of The Yin & Yang of Gerry Lopez. The evening kicked off with on-site music and refreshments as punters took…

By Caroline Nieuwenhuis

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The Weekly Wednesday Wavelength Q&A: Blair Conklin

Short questions and big answers from the key players in the surf world. Blair Conklin is the poster boy for the ocean multi-rider —from skim to boog, to standup boog, softboard, and shortboard, no athlete has better infiltrated and cross-pollinated,…

By Ben Mondy

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Beach Hopping to Wheels and Waves

Royal Enfield X Wavelength Louie Le Prevost feeds the five gears of the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. Holding on to gears meant the custom-fitted 2-1 exhaust beefed a 1960s baritone through ancient, blurred pine trees of the Medoc Regional Natural…

By Ben Mondy

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Popping Up with Pixies and Pearl Jam in London

Volcom’s Ryan Immegart talks through a successful merch collab as fans old and new soak up the grunge resurgence. On a sweltering July evening, Ryan Immegart is surveying the queue snaking for a good six blocks through the Shoreditch lanes.…

By Ben Mondy

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Drop In Sessions Episode 5: Kassia Meador

Welcome to Episode 5 of The Drop In Sessions brought to you by Mermaid Gin. Kassia Meador truly moves to the beat of her own drum with the stylish grooves that come from sensei-esque levels of surf mastery, beautiful creative…

By Sophie Everard

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Christa Funks’ Steps To Being In The Perfect Place At Pipeline

How Christa Funk went from Colorado to the Coast Guard to be one of Pipeline’s best water photographers. Within five minutes of meeting Christa Funk, I throw a glass of water right in her face. The photographer had just arrived…

By Ben Mondy

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French Pro Surfer and Filmmaker Damien Castera Has Chronicled Artists in War-torn Ukraine

“The idea was to immerse ourselves in the daily life of these women and men who were using art as a means of escape and resistance.” Damien Castera raised a cold, frosted glass of continental lager at a Bourdaines beach…

By Ben Mondy

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Wavelength’s Top 5 Boardshorts for Summer

’cause summer’s too short for bad boardshorts It doesn’t matter if you are heading to the Mentawais or Magwan Porth. It shouldn’t make a difference if you are hanging ten in Hossegor, or lounging in the local lido. A great,…

By Ben Mondy

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Luke Dillon On Living It Large At The Spring Classic

UK’s best shortboarder takes a load off at Woolacombe “Just one of the great aspects of the Spring Classic Invitational was having the chance to surf and hang out with all the best British surfers from all the divisions,” said…

By Ben Mondy

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Drop In Sessions Episode 4: Lucy Campbell

Episode 4 of The Drop In Sessions brought to you by Wavelength Community Radio and Mermaid Gin has dropped! In this series, podcast host Sophie Everard wants to introduce you lovely listeners to different, rad women around the world who…

By Sophie Everard

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Swimming has Banned Trans Athletes… Will Surfing do the Same?

After surfing’s first trans athlete won a longboard title last month in Western Australia, Wavelength talked to Keala Kennelly about what the sport’s approach to the issue will be. “I’m pro trans, I’m pro women, and I’m pro women’s equality,…

By Ben Mondy

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Vissla Creators & Innovators: Paul Duvignau

Paul Duvignau is something of a renaissance man. The 25-year-old describes himself as a “shaper, surf coach, carpenter, multitask craftsman, cowboy, chippendale, whatever you want (laughs).” He’s also something of a throwback, a millennial with old school sensibilities. He rides…

By Paul Evans

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All Smiles at the Inaugural Spring Classic Surf Invitational

Mike Lay and Emily Currie take top awards at the UK’s newest and loosest surf competition. “This was easily one of the most fun contests I’ve had the pleasure to be a part of,” sung Emily Currie, after the inaugural…

By Ben Mondy

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The Yin & Yang of Gerry Lopez

This summer, Patagonia releases The Yin & Yang of Gerry Lopez- a film that lifts the veil on one of surfing’s most enigmatic heroes. While “Mr. Pipeline” is known for his calm demeanor in the tube, Gerry built his career…

By Wavelength

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Drop-in Sessions Episode 2: Rhonda Harper

On Episode 2 of The Drop In Sessions presented by Mermaid Gin, we chew the fat with Rhonda Harper, the enigmatic, vivacious, and unstoppable founder of Black Girls Surf, an international non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting black girls and women…

By Sophie Everard

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Royal Enfield and Wavelength Present the Beach Hopper

Wavelength HQ are stoked to announce that ahead of the Spring Classic Festival, we’re partnering with Royal Enfield to celebrate their 120 year anniversary along with our own 40th year around the sun by building the ultimate bike for surfers. Royal Enfield makes the…

By Wavelength

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Evie Johnstone’s Creative Career Path

Reef’s first female UK ambassador has carved out a unique career as a surfer, photographer, stylist, and all-round lover of life. Just back from a trip to Costa Rica, WL talked to her ahead of her appearance at the Spring…

By Ben Mondy

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Drop-in Sessions Episode 1: Keala Kennelly

Wavelength’s all new female-focussed podcast sponsored by cocktail connoisseurs Mermaid Gin has landed! Led by Wavelength women’s editor Sophie Everard, the series will celebrate inspirational women of the waves as female surfing reaches its most dynamic and diverse era yet.…

By Sophie Everard

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Skim and Softboard Wizard Blair Conklin Gets Top Billing at Spring Classic Invitational

Skimboard legend Blair Conklin talks to Wavelength ahead of his first visit to the UK for the Spring Classic Surf Invitational presented by Reef. Blain Conklin is from Laguna Beach, California. A three-time United Skim Tour Champion and Berkeley-educated environmental…

By Ben Mondy

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Jalaan Slabb: Chasing Rainbows

We meet 17 year old Jalaan Slabb, the New South Wales surfer and shaper born-and-bred in Fingal Head, who is making waves in the industry for her far-out designs and unique approach to shaping. I’m speaking to 17 year old…

By Sophie Everard

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Dave Rastovich & Lauren Hill On Activism, Localisation, Parenthood & Surfing On The Inspired Surfers Podcast, Presented By Jimmy’s Iced Coffee

For the latest episode of The Inspired Surfers Podcast, Jim, founder of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee, is joined down the line by one of surf culture’s most enlightened duos; iconic free surfer and environmental campaigner Dave Rastovich and his partner, pro-longboarder…

By Wavelength

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Vans Circle Vee: Every Little Bit Helps

Testing Vans Surf’s latest eco-conscious shoe with ocean protector Tom Flambeaux With the need to take care of our green n’ blue planet getting ever more pressing, Vans are stepping up to try and build better shoes. The new Circle…

By Paul Evans

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Deep Cuts From The Wavelength Archive – Part IV– Defining A Generation

Twenty-twenty-one is Wavelength’s 40th year in print. To mark the occasion, we’re diving deep into our archive to bring you a series of short stories featuring key cultural moments, entertaining asides and colourful characters from around the British surf scene and…

By Luke Gartside

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WATCH: Seeking Sheltered Cornish Corners On A Hike With Izzy Henshall

“I really want to surf there again this winter,” says 18-year-old Izzy Henshall of a super sheltered spot that most only think of when the rest of the coastline is maxing out. However, after a few missions over there, Izzy…

By Luke Gartside

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A Tale Of Smuggling, Bad Grace & The Best Wave Of Lord Ted’s Life

The following is an excerpt from Surf, Sweat & Tears, a biography chronicling the epic life and mysterious death of British surfing legend Viscount Edward William Deerhurst, otherwise known Lord Ted. In this chapter, author Andy Martin recounts a trip…

By Wavelength

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Deep Cuts From The Wavelength Archive – Part III – The Trailblazers

Twenty-twenty-one marks Wavelength’s 40th year in print. To celebrate the occasion, we’re diving deep into the Wavelength archive to bring you a series of short stories featuring key cultural moments, entertaining asides and colourful characters from around the British surf scene…

By Luke Gartside

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It’s Just A Ride – The John Eldridge Profile

John Eldridge flicks up his visor and looks south. In the distance, where a carpet of rolling green fields fall away into the Atlantic, he can just about make out the small cluster of houses where he grew up. Looking…

By Luke Gartside

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Introducing Volume 261, Our Brand New Winter Edition

[This is an introduction to our new summer print edition, available with a subscription, or to buy as a single issue.] Ask anyone who was there and they’ll tell you how back in the day, if you passed another car…

By Wavelength

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Deep Cuts From The Wavelength Archive – Part II – Money Troubles

By Luke Gartside

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Pete Devries in Born Pacific

Vancouver Island’s Pete Devries and filmmaker Nate Laverty clocked up the hours on Canada’s beautiful Pacific coast making the stunning Manera short film, Born Pacific. Physically and climatically a fair hop from surfing’s tropic origins in Polynesia, nevertheless the British…

By Paul Evans

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The Wavelength Surf Film Festival Is Coming To Bristol On The 13th of October!

Following the success of the inaugural Wavelength Surf Film Festival on the clifftops of Watergate Bay, we’ve decided to take the show on the road! On Wednesday the 13th October, we’ll be bringing some of our favourites films from the…

By Luke Gartside

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Surf & Motorcycles; A Potted History Of An Unholy Union

[We’re excited to announce our friends at Harley-Davidson will be joining us all summer at the Wavelength Drive-In Cinema, offering attendees the opportunity to check out their range of classic and contemporary bikes up close and to win the chance…

By Luke Gartside

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Deep Cuts From The Wavelength Archive – Part I – The Early Years

Twenty-twenty-one marks Wavelength’s 40th year in print. So far to celebrate, we’ve created a special anniversary edition filled with stories considering shifting realities and re-released some of our original loungewear from the era in the form of the Wavelength Heritage…

By Luke Gartside

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Greg Noll in Riding Giants: ‘Winter ’69 Was The Peak Of My Life’

[The Wavelength Drive-In Cinema is back for 2021, bringing you a range of surf cinema, cult classics and family favourites from the clifftops of Cornwall, including Riding Giants 26th August. Browse the full lineup and get your ticket here. Or, subscribe to Wavelength now to…

By Paul Evans

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Surfing & Cannabis: A Potted History

Powered by Goodrays Virginal, unridden surf romped across our planet’s fresh-cut shorelines way back in deep time immemorial. Long before plants, or indeed life itself, were there to witness the violence, oceans first swirled and surged into being under a…

By Paul Evans

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Introducing Volume 260, Celebrating 40 Years Of Wavelength

[This is an introduction to our new summer print edition, available with a subscription, or to buy as a single issue.] Welcome to Volume 260, celebrating 40 years of Wavelength in print. Since our first issue landed in the summer…

By Wavelength

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Introducing The Wavelength Heritage Range Presented By Oakley

In the spring of 1981, Simon Evans and Geoff Tydeman sat down to consider the pressing issues of the day. The Cold War, the coming launch of the space shuttle Columbia and Michael Jackson’s Thriller almost certainly came up. Other…

By Wavelength

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Fact-Checking Seaspiracy With Director Ali Tabrizi

Seaspiracy had invoked a variety of responses among a broad range of people, none of which seems to be apathy, or silence. The Netflix documentary, having gone straight to no.1 on the streaming service in the UK and in to…

By Paul Evans

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Pave Paradise: Concrete vs. Madeira

Madeira, 2003: The fate of Jardim do Mar, one of the most beautiful big wave spots on the planet

By Paul Evans

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Pearls Of Wisdom From The Making Of Brilliant Corners With Sam Bleakley

Sam Bleakley is an acclaimed longboarder and author from Cornwall’s far westerly tip. For the last few years, he’s been travelling the globe exploring emerging surf cultures for a documentary series entitled Brilliant Corners, the first six parts of which…

By Luke Gartside

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World’s Greatest Surf Photographer Chris Burkard: ‘I Found A Joy In Loneliness’

Perhaps more than any other surf photographer in the last decade, Chris Burkard has not only redefined the occupation, but the medium itself. 3.6 million Instagram followers live vicariously through his high latitude adventures, where the sense of raw freedom…

By Paul Evans

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Litmus: Ireland Unveiled & The Birth of Ride Everything

How a melancholic 90’s indy surf film championing middle aged outliers revealed Hawaiian style surf in the Emerald Isle, and changed what everyday surfers have ridden ever since. Andrew Kidman and Jon Frank’s 1996 surf film Litmus was nothing if…

By Paul Evans

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Style Influences: Ivah Wilmot

Ivah Wilmot made a welcome change from your average pro surfer interview, right off the bat: “I like talking, I like interviews,” he says from his base in Kingston, Jamaica. “You get to get your story out.” Part of the…

By Paul Evans

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On Reefs: Joel Stevenson And The Norwegian Slab

[Welcome to ‘On Reefs’ a series of stories exploring the hidden quirks and perils of reefs around the world through the personal experiences of those who know them in intimately.] After Joel Stevenson arrived in south-east Norway in 2009, it…

By Luke Gartside

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The Stories Of Martin Daly’s Most Exciting Surf Discoveries

In current times, it’s hard to resist feeling a nostalgia for the heady days of global surf travel. So, we’re encouraging you to indulge it enthusiastically with our brand new series of discovery stories from some of the world’s most…

By Luke Gartside

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7 Hard-Charging Young Women Taking The Surfing World By Storm

Across every surfing discipline, from aerial specialists to light-footed loggers a new contingent of young women is emerging to challenge the old guard. Of course, this is always true to some extent, such is the evolutionary arc of professional sport,…

By Luke Gartside

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On Reefs: Ben Skinner & The Bagpipe’s Sinkhole

[Welcome to ‘On Reefs’ a new series of stories exploring the hidden quirks and perils of reefs around the world through the personal experiences of those who know them in intimately.] Bagpipe, originally named for its likeness to the Banzai,…

By Luke Gartside

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Stories & Shots From The Monumental Epsilon Swell

First spotted as a spinning wind somewhere off the coast of Newfoundland, the level of hype ahead of last week’s swell looked, to a miserable pessimist, like a recipe for disappointment. However, after Hurricane Epsilon merged with another Atlantic depression…

By Luke Gartside

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The Real Stories Behind The Internet’s Most Viral Surf Shots

Once released into the digital wilds, photos have a habit of taking on a life of their own. Like the biological agent after which they’re named, viral shots live in a constant spin cycle of copying, editing, resizing and resharing,…

By Luke Gartside

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Brighton Bangers: 10 Shots from the UK’s most Popular Seaside Resort

London-by-the-sea certainly isn’t backwards in coming forwards, stag and hen parties prowl the 400 plus pubs, the city is wonderfully the gay capital of the UK and the locals, including Fatboy Slim, Adele and Chris Eubank are blessed with the worst performing…

By Wavelength