Here’s a bit of stinger. Had the Olympic qualifying criteria been the same last year as it is this year, Ireland’s Gearoid McDaid would have qualified for LA 2028.
Why? Gman won gold at the European champs last year. And this year, that’s a pathway into the Olympic Games. Trippy, huh.
The rest of Ireland’s surf team is pretty dang impressive too, Ruby Know is in there, another talent out of the Emerald Isle, with the coaching team having taken instruction from Glenn Hall. We all know Glenn, who coached Wilko from class-clown to world-title contender, who helped Kelly Slater through his retirement year. Micro’s list of coaching wins are solid.
So, what’s a team to do with world-class coaching, an obvious pool of world-class talents and a clear runway to get to LA in 2028? Well, there’s a missing element here; waves.
We all know the benefits of an Irish winter. Of the slabs and reef and points that protrude and organise the wonderfully chaotic Atlantic in lines of liquid gold. But that does not always happen, especially during the summer months.
Gman, leading the charge.
Now, Irish Surfing has officially partnered with Lost Shore, to be the its National Performance Centre for Surfing and Irish National Surfing Olympic Training Facility. “Having Lost Shore will push all our surfing,” said Gman. “It’s such a great pool and facility and we get waves on tap.”
Ruby added: “This partnership is incredibly exciting for Irish surfers. Having access to a facility of Lost Shore’s quality gives athletes the opportunity to train consistently, challenge themselves and prepare for competition in a way that isn’t always possible in the ocean alone. It’s a fantastic investment in the future of Irish surfing and will help support athletes across different disciplines as we continue to grow and develop the sport.”
Alongside preparations for the ISA World Surfing Games this November and EuroSurf 2026, Lost Shore is expected to play a central role in Ireland’s pursuit of Olympic qualification.
Lost Shore will serve as the primary training base for Ireland’s elite surfing programme, providing dedicated access for Irish Olympic pathway athletes, Senior and Junior EuroSurf squads and adaptive surfing competitors.
Athletes will also benefit from access to Lost Shore’s specialist high-performance facilities, including its dedicated High Performance Room and SurfLab, the world’s first purpose-built surfing research and innovation facility developed in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University.
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Andy Hadden, Founder of Lost Shore Surf Resort, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be selected as the National Performance Centre for Surfing and Olympic Training Facility for Irish Surfing.
“This partnership is a significant endorsement of the world-class surfing, facilities and expertise that have been brought together at Lost Shore, as well as Scotland’s growing reputation as a destination for surfing and athlete development.
“From the outset, our ambition has been to create a facility that not only inspires more people to experience surfing, but also supports athletes competing at the very highest level of the sport. To play a role in helping Irish surfers pursue success on a global stage, including their journey towards LA 2028, is hugely exciting.”
Gavin McCrea, Head Coach of the Irish Surf Team, added: “We want to give Irish surfers the very best training facilities as we continue to develop our high performance development pathway programme.
“What makes Lost Shore particularly valuable is that it brings together world-class surfing, on-site accommodation,SurfLab and excellent international connectivity through nearby Edinburgh Airport, all in a single location. There are very few facilities anywhere in the world that can offer that combination, and it creates an environment where athletes can maximise every minute of a training camp.”
