One day at Waco

Quiksilver team riders Michael Dunphy, John Mel, Micky Clarke, Derek Peters and Conrad Carr — recently hit the Barefoot Ski Ranch wave pool in Waco, Texas for a day. They got tubed. They did airs. They ate brisket. They had fun.

Gathering of the Clans 2018 – Isle of Tiree

The Gathering of the Clans (Scottish Inter-Club Championships) took place on the Isle of Tiree on the 15th and 16th of September and the event was hosted by The Scottish Surfing Federation and Tiree Surf Club.

Competition got underway with the junior divisions on the Saturday morning at Ballevulin beach in clean 2ft conditions – perfect for the young surfers to show off their repertoires. The Sunday produced 3ft onshore conditions at Balephuil beach which were perfect to get the Open Men, Open Women, Masters and Longboard divisions completed.

Standout of the Saturday morning, in the U14 division, was Craig McLachlan of the North Shore Surf Club (NSSC) who was competing for the North of Scotland (NS) team at this year’s event who were last year’s winners. The Under14s division was the largest category at this year’s gathering of the clans and in the first round Craig posted excellent scores to give him the highest heat total of the entire event (16.5pts out of 20) – the judges rewarding Craig’s variety of clean, powerful carve, layback and fins out re-entry manoeuvres.

A standout from the junior girls was young Robyn Larg (TSC) who made the U14 final, was runner up in the U18girls and also came in 3rd place in the womens category on Sunday.

Thurso’s Iona McLachlan was another standout for the females in her last year in the U18 division took the win comfortably but also took out the womens division on the Sunday – Iona’s patience waiting for good set waves in the final paying off and her manoeuvres giving her scores in the good range to take a comfortable win.

The Under 14s final was one of the most hotly contested heats on Saturday between Ben Larg (TSC) and Craig McLachlan (NS). Ben took an early lead in the heat posting a 5pt ride but Craig answered back with a 6 shortly afterwards. Craig backed up with a 5 on his next wave giving him the advantage. But Ben posted a 7 in the dying minutes to take the win – a nail biting affair for the Tiree Surf Club and much needed points for the club to be in contention for the Clans Sword.

The U18 boys was won by Finn MacDonald (TSC) who outscored Ben Larg (TSC) to take the win with a 5.5 and a 5. Craig McLachlan surprisingly never made the U18 final due to the semi final 1 being stacked with Finn, Craig and Ben due to the way the team seedings affected the draw – this was a blow to the North of Scotland’s hopes of winning the overall team prize, but Ben Kobedza (NS) managed to place 3rd in the U18 final after progressing through semi final 1 to secure 730 points for the North of Scotland team.

The Open Semi finals were the first heats on Sunday morning at Balephuil. Scottish Mens Open champion Mark Boyd was the first to hit the water and posted two very good scores on lefthanders to give him the highest heat total of the day (14.5pts). Boyd (NS) progressed into the final along with Finn MacDonald (TSC) in second place with a 9 point heat total.

Open Semi final 2 saw some of Scotland’s national senior team members Donald Peace (LSC) and Scottish Masters Champ Craig Sutherland (NS) be surpassed by 13 year old up and comer Ben Larg (TSC). Ben progressed into his first men’s Open final with a heat total of 9.5pts along with Craig Sutherland who failed to find a backup for his 5pt ride. Craig’s semi final heat total was 7.5. Donald peace was eliminated.

The Mens Open final was full of drama. Mark Boyd continued his winning streak after winning the Scottish Nationals earlier this year and took the win posting a 6 point ride for a single manoeuvre on a left hander and then backed this up with a 7 for a combination of manoeuvres on another lefthander. A worthy victory for Boyd after having been runner up in the Open Division of the previous 5 Gathering of the Clans.

Craig Sutherland failed to find his form after a long surf starved summer could only manage low average scores to give him an 8.5 heat total. Competitiion was tight between Finn MacDonald (TSC) and his team mate Ben Larg (TSC). Ben posted a 5pt ride early putting him into 2nd which Ben later backed up with a 4.5 then a 5.5 to give him a 10.5 heat total. Finn answered back with a 5.5 and a 4.5 leaving Ben with a marginal lead over Finn for the runner up spot but in the dying minutes Finn posted a 6pt ride to take a marginal lead over Ben putting him in 3rd place – then much to the amazement of the crowd Larg (TSC) battled with Boyd for a peak. Boyd confidently took off in the centre of the peak to go left and Larg tried to go right to keep Boyd off – the judges unanimously called an interference Larg on Boyd meaning Ben Larg’s second wave score of a 5 would be halved leaving him with a heat total of 8 meaning Larg would drop to 4th place costing Tiree Surf Club crucial points.

The Longboard final took place straight after the open – again Boyd and MacDonald would take the 1st and 2nd spots respectively. Boyd took the lefts and managed to combine some traditional cross stepping/nose riding with turns and cutbacks for some good scores leaving him with an 11pt heat total over Finn who opted to go mainly right and posted a heat total of 7.5pts.

Craig Sutherland (NS) dominated the masters division as per usual with a cracking backhand snap to open up his account scoring him a 6. He later backed this up with a 5 to give him a comfortable lead over Martin Larg who chose excellent waves to earn 860points and a second place for Tiree Surf Club.

The last heat of the day was the ladies final. Catriona MacDonald got off to an early start with a 5 point ride for a big left and a late drop. Cat backed this up soon after with a 4.5 for a similar ride. But it would be Iona MacLachlan who would steal the show by being patient and executing manoeuvres on the good waves she selected with a heat total of 11.2.

The overall team prize was won by the North of Scotland (NSSC / MFSR) with a total of 9040pts from 5x 1sts, 3x 2nds and a 3rd making up their 10 scores. Second placed team was Tiree Surf Club (TSC) with 8300pts for 2x 1sts, 4x 2nds 3x 3rds and a 4th. And Third placed team was Lossie Surf Club (LSC) with 6405pts.

The Scottish Surfing Federation would like to say a huge thanks to everyone involved in running the event espescially the Tiree Surf Club and Iona, Marty, Adam and Lorna and Karl for helping us out for the prize giving and help over the weekend. Also a big thanks to sponsors;

Blackhouse Watersports
Hasta inc
Rusty
Bawbags
Karen McGregor Jewellery

RESULTS:

TEAM

1ST North of Scotland (NSSC / MFSR) – 9040pts
2nd Tiree Surf Club (TSC) – 8300pts
3rd Lossie Surf Club (LSC) – 6405pts

OPEN MEN
1. Mark Boyd (NS)
2. Finn MacDonald (TSC)
3. Craig Sutherland (NS)
4. Ben Larg (TSC)

OPEN WOMEN
1. Iona McLachlan (NS)
2. Catriona MacDonald (NS)
3. Robyn Larg (TSC)
4. Iona Larg (TSC)

LONGBOARD
1. Mark Boyd (NS)
2. Finn MacDonald (TSC)
3. William Watson (LSC)
4. Donald Peace (LSC)

MASTERS
1. Craig Sutherland (NS)
2. Martin Larg (TSC)
3. Adam Milne (TSC)
4. William Watson (LSC)

U18 BOYS
1. Finn MacDonald (TSC)
2. Ben Larg (TSC)
3. Ben Kobedza (NS)
4. Hayden Peace (LSC)

U18 GIRLS
1. Iona McLachlan (NS)
2. Robyn Larg (TSC)
3. Natalie Kobedza (NS)
4. Maja Thomson (LSC)

U14
1. Ben Larg (TSC)
2. Craig McLachlan (NS)
3. Ben Kobedza (NS)
4. Robyn Larg (TSC)

Thera-Sea stress management and well being course for men


Pic @nathanphotoman

Sometimes we all need a little help managing stress. Due to outdated preconceptions men in particular are susceptible to the pressures of life and work and often have not one to reach out to, or feel isolated. A new one day course by Katy Griffin at Thera – Sea is to change that and give you the tools to manage stress and improve well being.

Stress is the body’s natural defence against real or imagined danger. It causes the body’s intelligent operating system produces increased chemicals cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline to evade or confront danger.

How we react to difficult situations will affect the levels of stress and the impact on physical and mental health. Being aware of how you react to stress and the best way to manage your type of stress enables you to manage the effect effectively.

Thera-Sea is a service set up by a Katy Griffin, a registered mental health nurse turned life coach who’s passionate about giving men the tools they require to manage stress and improve well-being through lifestyle medicine and ocean based sports.

Thera-Sea is delivering a one day masterclass in stress management for men on the 10th October 2018 in Newquay, Cornwall.
This one day course provides men with the tools they need to manage stress and improve well-being through life coaching and surfing.
Topics covered during the stress management course include:
• Self-regulation and the brain; the biology of stress
• Different types of stress and how to alleviate them
• Good sleep habits and sleep misconceptions
• Exercise and lifestyle as medicine
• How to stay calm in a busy world: the importance of relaxation

This is followed by a surfing intervention course, whether you’re an absolute beginner or world class standard, our highly experienced coach will be on hand to accommodate your every need, with Mark Kelly at Four Elements Adventure.
Then is time sit back and relax and enjoy the delicious delights of the Aussie Smoker who will provide a taste sensation for lunch with Adam Kesacoff the The Aussie Smoker.
121 sessions are also delivered throughout the day as you will be joined in the water and for lunch by Katy who is our specialist mental health nurse turned life coach.

The full day costs £120 as an introductory offer. This includes: stress management course, 121 sessions, surf lesson, equipment hire, delicious lunch provided by the Aussie Smoker and refreshments.

To book please message on Facebook or call 07958276247.

Follow the latest news and courses on fb thera-sea and insta thera.sea

Parko and JS to visit Cornwall

Former world champ and surfing legend Joel Parkinson will be visiting Cornwall with his board sponsor and shaper JS (Jason Stevenson). They will be at Down the Line store Hayle to have look around the JS Garage

It has been a very long time since a surfer of this calibre has visited the UK shores so please make him welcome. And feel free to go and chat to one of the worlds most famous shapers.

They’ll be at the Down the Line JS store this Sunday 23 September from 12pm onwards… Pop down for some beers and board talk.

(Down the Line, Market Square, Hayle TR27 4EA)

Huru

Oli Adams and six time NZ champ Billy Stairmand in the land of long lefts.

Olio says “I was born in the UK but spent a good portion of my childhood living in New Zealand. After many years since my last visit, I wanted to go back and capture the feel of the magical green land, and the long lefts that make it so special. I hooked up with 6x NZ National champ Billy Stairmand to help show how rippable the waves can get.