Spring Classic Surf Invitational

The Spring Classic Surf Invitational invites the finest nose-riders, tail-sliding surfers to descend on Combesgate Beach, Woolacombe to go head to head with some of the best local talent for a two-day surf comp with a difference.

The competition format rewards the surfers having the most fun, championing classic style and flow, with a selection of retro surf crafts being assigned to surfers at random ahead of each heat.

The Surf Invitational is part of the inaugural Spring Classic festival, celebrating classic ride culture alongside live music with panoramic views of Woolacombe bay to give festival goers an extra special weekend in Devon to kick off the summer season.

Early Bird tickets have already sold out but you can grab Tier One tickets here.

Meet the Invited Surfers

We’ve hand-picked some of the best surfers from around the country to battle it out on Combesgate’s low tide banks, displaying style and control whatever the board shape and fin orientation they’re handed pre-heat.

The list of invited surfers include 11x European Longboard Champion, Ben Skinner, 3x English Longboard Champion, Adam Griffiths and longboard champ & WSL commentator Sam Bleakley.  Style master Mike Lay completes the long boarding ranks.

Thanks to the Spring Classic format, these decorated surfer will be up against the likes 3x British Surf Champion Alan Stokes who leads the short board contingent that includes World Surfing Games young guns Stanley Norman, Ellie Turner and Emily Currie, giving the Spring Classic Surf Invitation a highly competitive and exciting appeal.

And if that is not enough to get you down to Woolacombe Bay in May, other surfing talents include free surfing trailblazers Harry Timson and Seb Smart. Artist Nina Brooke and photographer Evie Johnstone will also be joining in on the action. We also have the multi talented trio of Izzy Henshall, Amelia Hewitson and Samantha Sunshine making up the rest of the invited field. You can find out more about the Spring Classic’s surfing maestro here.

Meet the Local Heroes

The local list of invitees includes, Neil Clifton, Josh Witts, Nick Thorn, Ste Corcoran, Chris Robertson, Matt Jenkins, Adam Thornton, Scott Rannochan, Ashley Braunton, Jack Unsworth and Paul Barrington.

The variety of surfing styles matched with surfboards of all shapes and sizes is designed to serve up a surfing spectacle the likes of which is rarely seen on our shores. Whatever the conditions throws at us the surfers are more than capable of putting on quite a show.

Once the winners are crowned, the action will head back up to the festival site ready for an equally eclectic mix of music acts to take to the stage to keep the good times rolling and tunes pumping.

Headlined by dance veterans Crazy P and featuring sets from Porij, Low Island, Anchorsong and Falle Noike, there’s a wide variety of bass lines and beats on offer to provide the perfect post-surf playlist.

You can book tickets for the Spring Classic festival here.