Epic Conditions in Thurso for Highland Open

Press release

" It was a day for the big name surfers to shine as The O’Neill Highland Open by Swatch moved into the second round. But it wasn’t just the surfers who were putting on a great show at Brims Ness.
Conditions here in the north of Scotland finally sorted themselves out and in the words of event commentator, Dave Mailman; “We’ve got five to six foot of swell, offshore winds and sunny skies. What more could you ask for from a 6 star prime ASP WQS event.”
The answer to that was provided in the drama that unfolded throughout the day. Last year’s winner, Australian Nathan Hedge just squeezed through, needing a wave in the dying seconds of his heat in order to move up into second position. “I couldn’t hear anything from the water,” said Nathan. “I thought I was either third or last. I had no idea I came second.

Oneill Highland Open kicks off

The Highland Open was first staged in April 2006. Thurso had long been known to hardcore UK surfers as the home of one of the most serious and demanding waves in Europe and O’Neill took the decision to stage a major WQS contest to put the town on the world surfing map.

The Event is a 6 star WQS, so it brings out all the names on the WQS circuit including, Sunny Garcia from HAW, who's attempting to qualify for the WCT tour next year and a few of our lads, inc Alan Stokes, Oli Adams, Sam Lamiroy.

The event was off yesterday due to lack of swell and its been moved to Brimms Ness this morning in the hope of better conditions.

New British surf film: Substance

Mr B's films have been getting better and better and the latest offering due out this summer is no exception. The film contains a who's who in British surfing and highlights the variety, potential and quality of the waves on our own doorstep...the film's final cut isn't ready yet but going on the trailer (click on it below) it's going to be one to buy. Heres what Wavelength mag had to say:

"Substance is the title of the follow-up to the massively sucessful Performing Monkeys from Mr. B Productions. The new movie, which is currently in the editing phase, is very slick, very high performance and entirely shot in the UK and Ireland with local surfers. Having seen the first rushes be prepared to see the doors blown right off the barn with this one, which is looking to become the best home-grown movie ever."

Surfing, Batman and the Joker style

This is a hilarious 1967 clip from the original Batman TV series, where the man himself in full costume (including baggy yellow satin pants) has a surf off against the Joker. This is completely off the camp, cheesy scale...so make some popcorn, pull up a chair and prepare to watch Batman put his shark repellent spray to optimum use :)

Best surf films ever....Endless summer

Endless Summer has to be up there with the best...its one of the originals, Bruce browns commentary is a laugh (though not quite politically correct in parts by modern standards) and the locations are great. Its a time capsule of how surfing used to be, somehow more innocent...definately one to watch.

Big wave event: Chile

Below is a press release from the APT, which looks interesting as it suggests this years big wave tow in events may be a pre-cursor for a future big wave world tour...logistically very difficult and really long waiting periods for events but how cool...

Holding Period begins for the APT/Punta de Lobos Tow-In Event

The Association of Professional Towsurfers, Inc. (APT) is proud to announce that the holding period for the Punta de Lobos, Pichilemu Chile World Cup Tow-In Surfing Championship that will take place in South America has begun and will last thru July 15, 2008.

This will be the first stop for the 2nd Annual 2008/2009 APT World Tour Tow-In Season and it is anticipated that this event will set the stage for the entire tour and the future of professional competitive towsurfing.

Rodney ‘Handsome Bugga’ Kilborn, APT’s Global Vice President and Event Sanctioning Director, along with Chile’s APT Vice President and Event Logistic Manager, Rodrigio ‘Fletcha’ Escobar are excited and ready to make this event a huge success once the right swell is delivered.

Along with the main tow-in event, there will be a big wave traditional surfing contest to be held at the same location during the same swell. In total, there will be $35,000.00 in prize money to handed out. Along with prize purse money, Mike Slattery of HighSurfRescue.com (HSA) will sponsor additional prizes by giving away a rescue board to the winning first place team and tow-in equipment for 2nd and 3rd place teams.

Competitors for this world-class event will consist of the top eight rated teams from the 2007 APT season along with Chile representation and professionally established big wave riders from Hawaii, Australia, Tahiti, Mexico, California, Brazil and Ireland.

Big wave surf exhibition

TORQUAY is bracing itself for the planet’s biggest, meanest and deadliest waves to roll into Surf World.

Riding Liquid Mountains, which opens at Surf World in March, will be the most comprehensive big wave exhibition in the world.

The exhibition will take visitors on an adrenaline-pumping journey, exploring the evolution of this death-defying sport, its pioneers, champions and the technology that enables surfers to take on the biggest waves in the world.

Photographic images capturing big wave riders at their best will be a particular highlight of the exhibition, along withdisplays of big wave surfboards, artwork and personal memorabilia.

Riding Liquid Mountains will showcase big wave surfboards, events and locations from around the world including:

• Dozens of big wave surfboards will be on display including a Greg Noll/ Jose Angel 11” gun, a 12” 3’ Velsey Gun Spear through to modern day tow in boards.
• In 1965, Barrie Sutherland captured on film the biggest swell ever at Bells Beach. Included in this stunning photographic exhibition is an image of John Monie surfing a monster 25 foot plus wave at Bells Beach.
• The iconic Bell will be on display as well as images and items from big wave charges Jeff Watt, Simon Anderson, Terry Fitzgerald, Russ “Hell Man” McConachy and Greg Brown.
• Every annual event poster from the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay will be featured as well as Tony Ray’s event trophies.
• Spectacular images of every winning biggest wave and biggest paddle in wave ridden since the inception of the Billabong XXL.
• Images from the Billabong Odyssey, Japan, Mavericks, Ireland and Shark Park.

Artwork from Norvell Watson and John Severson as well as big wave posters, clothing, books, moving image, magazines, a jet ski, sled, tow rope and even a foil board belonging to Ross Clarke-Jones will also feature in the exhibition.