What will you be doing when you’re 65?
65 year-old surfing legend Michael Ho took his son Mason Ho’s place at the 2023 Dahui Backdoor Shootout. He went on to catch two massive 2nd reef waves! The guy is a straight up legend, full respect to him and all the competitors that took part.
The North Devon World Surfing Reserve has teamed up with Saltrock to offer an amazing opportunity to win £150 worth of Saltrock vouchers, a chance to feature in 3 publications (Carve Surf Mag, Surf Girl Magazine & the official dedication World Surfing Reserve book) and be a part of a featured display at the British Surf Museum!
All you have to do is capture our World Surfing Reserve is in all its glory from this winter season.
To enter, simply take photos within the North Devon World Surfing Reserve and post on your Instagram, tagging @northdevonworldsurfingreserve and @saltrock_clothing and using the hashtag #ndwsrwinterwaves You will need to follow both accounts too!
ou can submit as many photos you like using any photographic equipment. Anyone under the age of 18 must get permission from parents and don’t forget to get consent of anyone in your photos.
We’ll judge the best submissions under the following four categories
• best scenic or landscape shot
• best surfing manoeuvre
• best stoke (the spirit or atmosphere of the surfing reserve)
• best junior photo (under 18)
The closing date will be 28th February 2023 and a full list of terms and conditions can be found on our website here.
Judging the competition will be a team of five experts. Editor of Carve Surf Mag, Steve England. Editor of Surf Girl Mag, Louise Searle. Saltrock photographer, Simon Montgomery. Big Wave surfer and local, Andrew Cotton. North Devon World Surfing Reserve founding member Kevin “Cookie” Cook.
Good luck. We can’t wait to see your submissions
The World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) season will officially begin on January 29, 2023, with the first competition taking place at the world-renowned Banzai Pipeline for the Billabong Pro Pipeline. The season, which runs until September, will feature the world’s best surfers competing in 10 events around the world. These regular-season events will lead up to the Rip Curl WSL Finals, where the top 5 men and top 5 women will compete for the coveted World Titles.
This season will be the second full year the WSL implements the revamped format, which includes the combined men’s and women’s schedule, the Mid-season Cut, and the one-day Rip Curl WSL Finals. The 2023 CT will continue to make history and pave the way for sports equality. 2023 marks the fifth year of equal prize money for all WSL-owned and operated events, having been the first US-based global sports league to achieve prize money equality.
Class of 2023 Ready To Make Their Debut
The men’s and women’s CT fields consist of the world’s best surfers who have qualified from the 2022 CT and the 2022 Challenger Series, as well as WSL wildcards and event wildcards selected by the WSL Tours and Competition team. The 2023 CT will witness a new rookie class take center stage, representing new regions around the world.
2023 Championship Tour Explained
The 2023 CT will include 10 regular-season events in seven countries, starting in January for the Billabong Pro Pipeline. 36 men and 18 women will compete in the first five competitions. At each event, surfers will accrue points on the CT rankings. The Mid-season Cut will come into action following the Margaret River Pro, Stop. No. 5. The Mid-season Cut will reduce the men’s and women’s fields to 24 and 12, respectively. The 2023 Rip Curl WSL Finals will be held in Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Calif., where the men’s Top 5 and women’s Top 5 surfers will compete for the World Titles in the one-day, winner-take-all event.
2023 WSL Championship Tour Schedule:
Billabong Pro Pipeline (Hawaii): January 29 – February 10
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach (Hawaii): February 12 – 23
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal (Portugal): March 8 – 16
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach (Australia): April 4 – 14
Margaret River Pro (Australia): April 20 – 30
Mid-season Cut: 36-man and 18-woman fields reduced to 24-man and 12-woman fields.
Surf Ranch Pro (USA): May 27 – 28
Surf City El Salvador Pro presented by Corona (El Salvador): June 9 – 18
VIVO Rio Pro presented by Corona (Brazil): June 23 – July 1
Corona Open J-Bay (South Africa): July 13 – 22
SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro presented by Outerknown (French Polynesia): August 11 – 20
WSL Final 5 men and Final 5 women determined.
Rip Curl WSL Finals (Lower Trestles, USA): September 7 – 15
2023 Championship Tour Is Top Qualification Avenue for Paris 2024 Olympic Games
The 2023 WSL CT is the top of the hierarchy in the Olympic qualification system for the world’s best surfers. The WSL CT rankings at the end of the 2023 season, starting at the Billabong Pro Pipeline and ending at the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro, will determine 18 (10 men and 8 women) of the 48 spots at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
WSL CT Fantasy Open Now for the 2023 Season
WSL Fantasy Surfing is now live for the 2023 season. Fans can now create their leagues, invite friends, and build teams for the Billabong Pro Pipeline. WSL Fantasy for the Billabong Pro Pipeline will lock in at the start of the men’s Round of 32 and women’s Round of 16. Learn more at CTFantasy.WorldSurfLeague.com.
First Stop: Billabong Pro Pipeline Kicks off on January 29
Located in the middle of the “Seven-Mile Miracle” on Oahu’s North Shore, Banzai Pipeline is one of the most iconic and challenging waves in the world. Known for its fast and powerful barrels that break over a shallow reef, it has long been a benchmark to which other waves are measured and is the proving ground for surfers hoping to make a name for themselves. Last season saw the first full-length women’s Championship Tour event at Pipeline. The women clearly demonstrated they have a place in the lineup and will return this year to showcase their talent at the world-renowned wave.
Watch LIVE
The Billabong Pro Pipeline will open on January 29 and holds a competition window through February 10, 2023. Once called ON, the competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL’s YouTube channel, and the free WSL app. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL’s broadcast partners.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
The South West turned on, and Jayce Robinson, Nathan Phillips, Woody New and Ben Skinner were amongst the sliders making the most of what winter has to offer.
Single Sessions Vol 1 – A surf short with Jayce Robinson, Nathan Phillips, Woody New & Ben Skinner
Music – ‘Telephone’ by Blood Red Sun courtesy of Epidemic Sound
Filmed & edited by Adam Norris of Offshores Photo.
The consistent surf is made up of big swell, cold conditions, and strong winds, requiring a special kind of dedication from surfers who want to enjoy its chaos during the coldest months.
One talented, big wave surfer who has found his home in ‘The emerald isle’ is Taz Knight. Growing up in North Devon, Taz is passionate about the extreme surf found there.
dryrobe® caught up with Taz to understand what he loves about the Irish coast and why he perseveres with the intense conditions.
What makes Ireland so special to you and why did you decide to move there in 2018?
Ireland has a load of nostalgic childhood memories for me. We spent a lot of time surfing and camping out in Easky as a family, so it’s one of those places that really feels like home. Even more so now I have been living here for 4 years. The move came at a time when I was ready for a change in life. I had been living in Bristol for 3 years and I was ready to be by the coast again and out of the city. Basically, the first place I thought of going was Ireland and I didn’t look any further.
What’s unique about where you live in Ireland?
Bundoran is right in the middle of Donegal bay. You’re surrounded by these amazing mountains that fringe the coastline; from Slieve League on the western fringes of Co. Donegal, all the way to Belmullet on the outer corner of Co. Mayo (with Sligo and Leitrim between).
As well as the incredible panoramic views, you can find shelter from almost any wind direction somewhere in the bay. If you can stick it out through the cold and the weather, it’s a great place to be a surfer and enjoy nature.
How do the waves in Ireland compare to other cold water surf breaks?
An amazing aspect of the surf in Ireland is the sheer variety of wave types. When it’s good it’s incomparable. You could be surfing any kind of wave type you can think of, all within an hour’s drive. However, with the volatile nature of the North Atlantic, the conditions can be maddeningly unpredictable.
You talk about your love of going off adventuring and finding hidden gems. How do you go about finding surf spots on the Irish coast and is it something you mainly do solo?
It was always something we loved doing as a family. Just driving around in the bus, poking our heads down little dirt tracks to find fun little corners to ourselves.
As I got older I kept it up, mainly just going off solo. Once you start to get to know a coastline, you might know areas where the rock formation is particularly good. Or a headland that might be getting favourable winds. Or maybe you have heard tell of a wave, but you still have a few miles of coastline to walk to pin it down.
Sadly I’ve been a bit busy in recent years for regular goose chases. But I still love to get out adventuring whenever I can.
Do you have any favourite spots you’re willing to share?
At the moment I’m loving just surfing around Bundoran! There are so many good spots right out the door that it’s hard to leave when the waves are good. My favourite wave at the moment is this short punchy little right-hander in town. Great little kegs and great for turns and airs.
What are the rewards of surfing on the coldest days and why do you persevere in colder conditions?
In the UK and Ireland, you occasionally get a pattern of easterly winds from high-pressure systems sitting over northern Europe. We all know them. Normally a stable low out in the Atlantic sending in a nice swell, crisp clear skies, light offshores, biting cold blasting in from Russia… yeah those days can get cold. But they are often the best! If you can be one of the few who can consistently get in the water over those spells, you can have some pretty magic moments.
How do you prepare for colder temperatures and unpredictable conditions when getting in the water?
Conditions wise, you just always have to keep your options open and not be too set on any one plan. When I head out for a surf, I’ll normally have 3 or 4 options in my head. With the cold, I just kinda trick myself into not thinking about it too much haha. Having good kit is pretty essential. You can tell yourself you’ll be warm once you get in the sea, or you know you can quickly get warm again once you’re out. Those little things make it easier to ignore the horrible moments, like changing into a wet wetsuit in the sleeting rain (though a dryrobe® can do wonders there hahah).
Follow Taz below
Ryan Callinan has just released his latest short film ‘Beneath a Pear Tree’ that he filmed over 2022 with good friend Jack Taylor. The boys shot the movie mostly in Australia with some short stints in Hawaii and Portugal thrown in the mix. Hit play and enjoy the ride.
