Beach Telegraph

Good Wood

Great news from Board brand T1 who have announced their new across-the-board, high-performance Bamboo veneer layups that reduce the need for toxic fillers and resins.

It's nice to see such environmentally responsible example-setting to the industry in action.

Hopefully this is the start of a trend towards a 'cleaner' industry of our, otherwise clean living and healthy outdoor, sport. 

Read the Press Release (PDF)

Short 'n Sweet

Runnin' late today so it's a high-speed roundup for now.

Angulo sent this video 'In the Gap' for your enjoyment.

Another Cabo Verde flick, this time from Robby Swift, available at the JP Australia website.

Cloudy Maui.

What is it with all the angry Sharks this year? Maybe they're finding the water too dirty?

Perhaps with that in mind former PWA racing Champ Allison Shreeve is making a mammoth crossing in aid of the 'Coast Care' charity.

Steve Bodner's also being a Friend of the Water.

And if you're a Face-booker you can help Robert Masters of Maui's  Stableroad by joining his I Care About Water group - please help him reach 1000 members by tonight! Thanks. (There's also a Stable Road Facebook Group...)

A snap of a 5-fin RRD Prototype.

Don't forget the Fuerte Wave Classic comp's on still and to view their galleries.

Good work and well done for the Beach Clean guys.

Irish Red Bull Rider Oisin Van Gelderen sent these shots from the Irish Intervarsities Windsurfing Comp this past weekend on Achill Island.

Oisin said " I was there to judge the student wave Expression Session, and I used a unique new technique called 'judging from the water'. 

We went sailing all day and mid push loops I kept one eye on what everyone else was doing !"

I bet those stranded-in-a-tower PWA judges wish they could do that too...

Thanks once again to Oisin for the heads-up and shots.

Have a nice day. Hopefully more later...

Environmental Poll Results

The final results of the Poll asking:

(Jan/Feb 2009)
Should the Board and Sail manufacturers donate more to environmental organizations such as Surfrider?

were...

51.2 % They all should. The materials we use are toxic. We should give something back to nature.

36.4 % No. It's up to the individual to choose who they support.

12.4 % I'd only support brands that did this.

So it seems around 2/3 of the sample in this survey feel strongly that the industry should be doing more to counter the use of toxic materials used in the manufacturing processes.

As consumers we are not innocent either. We also use fuel to fly and drive to beaches worldwide, so perhaps a slice of what we spend on new equipement should go to good causes such as Surfrider or SAS?

I'd be interested to hear some reaction from the industry on this adn what they'd be willing to do about it.

In my opinion someone could make a good marketing case for themselves by publicizing their contributions and boasting their support of such organizations.

Gaastra did this in the late 90s but as far as I know only Boards magazine in the UK have a long-term partnership with the Pressure Group SAS (Surfers Against Sewage).

Please leave your opinions or reactions to this in the comments section below. Thanks.

Fuerte Wave Classic News

I'm not into 're-cycling' Press Releases, so below is the latest news from from the FWC organizers.

It's particularly pleasing to see that they'll be making an effort to clean the beaches and leave them tidier than when they arrived. Well done guys.

Press Release

After a 2 weeks shortbreak, here are the latest news of the next wave contest to come, the Fuerteventura Wave Classic which will take place from February 28th to March 10th on Fuerte's North Shore...

- All our organization is now ready from today to welcome all the riders invited by Thomas Traversa & JB Caste. Regarding the latest entry list, are just missing Köster and Skye, injured. Last guest to join is french waverider Robin Goffinet (Ezzy/7th Wave/Soöruz). He's been invited after Thomas Traversa was stoked by his incredible surfing style during a big wave session in Bretagne, just before Thomas flew to Cape Verde...

- "Teams" will be done by drawing lots during the opening party which will take place on Saturday evening, February 28th at the hotel " Oasis Dunas " in Corralejo.

- By speaking about hotel, a new partner of choice joins the event: hotels " Oasis Fuerteventura ". The chain will so propose to the riders some quality accommodations in Corralejo, at just a few minutes from the best North Shore spots and the hotel " Oasis Dunas " will welcome on February 28th and March 10th both opening and closing ceremonies of the FWC.

 - On Friday morning will be the opportunity for the organization to officialize the competition and introduce it to the local medias during a press conference organized by the City hall of La Oliva in Cotillo.

- Sensitive to the environment, the organization of the FWC will take advantage of the presence and the fame of the riders to organize one afternoon during the event, a beach cleaning in association with the " Clean Ocean Project " organization which districts are established in Fuerteventura.

 - Thanks to the good care of the Sun7 workshop, a service of "express" repair will be set up from Saturday, to offer to the riders who would need it the possibility of repairing their equipment having suffered in the waves of Cape Verde. This service will be available during all the duration of the contest.

That's it for today. We make an appointment with you on Sunday morning for the announcement of the teams composition and, as fast as possible, via the "live" which will be set up as soon as a swell hits the island's North Shore...

Keep in touch on www.fuertewaveclassic.com!

Shark Eat Seal World

What a marathon. Well done to this guy in Western Oz. I wonder if he saw any Sharks?

Miami Windsurfing interview Formula and PWA Slalom Racer Wilhelm Schurmann who just sharked his way to victory at the North American Championships. "Shark takes out Miami Dolphins"

David sailed over a Tiger Shark. It's at the end of the clip. David said "On the day that GP had the "seal" incident on the rocks, I sailed right over a 8-10 foot Tiger shark - and caught my "oh shit" on the GoPro on my boom.

When GP picked me up that night to drop me off at the airport to depart Maui, we were both "Dude! You wouldn't believe my encounter with mother nature today!" Yikes.

Sounds like the Sharks got plenty of Seals to eat anyway. And Sea Lions...

More from the Quick Interview Blog. Todays it's Brawzinho's turn.

RRD have launched an 'insider's' Blog. It's a bit K*^&surfy for me though. Hopefully Sharks prefer those guys dangling in the water.

Here's some crazy board re-cycling project. A lesson to us all perhaps?

GP Cammaro's been slicing and dicing his old boards and enjoying the results so why not? A fair few PWA riders have 'adjusted' their boards fairly crudely too...but never on the strict production-only Racing tour of course...

Anyone else got any good re-shaping success or diaster stories?

Spring is in the Air

Timo Mullen scored some great conditions at home with his brother Finn in the North West of Ireland. See the end of the post for more pics.

Thanks to Timo and his brother Tam who took the shots.

U-Ride have a couple of new video links up including footage of Victor Fernandez training in Cape Town.

The Boardseeker February Podcast is available to download now or to view on their homepage player.

Watch out for Pirates...

There's some good news on SurferToday for those thinking of a Spring Break or visiting Guincho for the PWA World Cup about TAP airlines and surfboards.

French speakers and lovers of the famous Gruissan spot, please pledge your allegiance to this campaign. Thanks.

Windsurf Journal have a great Go Pro video on their player of World Slalom Champ Antoine Albeau drag racing with fellow PWA Slalom racer Cedric Bordes.

Remember - don't forget to check Pin up of the Day each time you visit WSJ. It's great for swimwear fashion ideas ladies...

  Windsurf Italia's March edition is out now featuring John Skye on the front cover.

Surferworld.it report that top wave sailor Anne-Marie Reichmann has joined the Starboard SUP team.

Does this mean she's going to be competing on Starboard on the PWA Tour too instead of Naish?

MadWindsurfing have some shots of waves on Curacao in the Dutch Antilles.

Here's some more of those shots from Ireland.

Here's a sequence of Finn.

 

 

...and the rest           

Are you Bored?

Gregg Dunnet from Ocean Source scored on a site visit to Morocco.

Tatiana Howard needs to concentrate more in class.

It's not quite over for the Legend of board repairs.

Epic Sessions feature video from the Gorge Freestyle Frenzy. Thanks to Clyde for the link.

Mooooooo...

Simon Alexander debates a tough environmental dilemma involving the River Severn Bore. And I wonder what the flipsides are for this project too?

Alex Mussolini picked up his new sails for Cabo Verde.

Some nice advanced SUP, surf and tow-in action on video from Atlantic PaddleSurf/Paddle Surf Hawaii.

Windy today so please leave any links we should know about in the Comments section underneath. (No sign-in required.) Thanks.

Time for Action?

People Power is required once again folks as the big bad greedy fat cats try to destroy our waves.

This time it's the Brighton crew in the UK that need you help - read more and sign the petition via Surfer Today. (UK mail addresses only).

We already reported about the Broad Bench reef, also on the UK's South Coast, being under threat. If you haven't already leant your support then please visit the campaign website to vote.

This online pressure does seem to help get results. The OTC in Tenerife are back open thanks to your support, plus the Swansea Cork Ferry group is also making good progress.

With that in mind, I've posted a new Poll to the left asking whether the industry should make more of a contribution to action groups such as Surfrider or SAS?

You can read the results of the Magazines vs. Websites Poll, and other surveys in the results pages.

Please vote and share your views, or leave any comments below. Thanks.

To Surf and to Serve

I'm trying to compile a list of links for Charities and lobbying groups involved in the Windsurfing, Surfing and Beach Sports sectors.

I've always been impressed with the work of Surf Aid, the varous Surfrider Chapters worldwide, and of course the UK's Surfers Against Sewage.

Overall we ignore and under-estimate the contribution these organizations make to our on-water and in-water experiences, and in the the case of SurfAid, what we should be giving back to the local comunities we take from with our wave-hungry visits around the globe. (See their website for details on their vital 'Malaria Sucks'  malaria prevention and assistance. Forget the Credit Crunch. Please donate today).

I used to work for Gaastra who sponsored Surfrider and SAS. Gaastra printed the logos showing their support on the sail bags. What do you think? Maybe we should pressure more brands to fund these hard-working associations some more?

The PWA have set an example by displaying a strong list of Environmental groups in their Links Pages.

So if you know of any worthy voluntary or campaigning groups that the industry should know about, then please let me know or leave a link in the Comments section below. Thanks.

One more piece of news. Technique Guru Jem Hall's 'Performance Boost' clinics are filling-up, so if you're in need of a pep talk or two then you'd better consider signing-up for visit to say Baja with Jem ASAP. (Subject to all clients and Jem making donations to Surfrider et cetera of course...I'll be checking the shots for sail stickers to prove they've raised some funds.)