Skindog ranked fifth in the world and Bearman ranked 13th have just set off on ( a very long) journey to PNG to surf in the Kumul PNG World Longboard Championship. Along side hem this event will be 17 year old Joe Hornbuckle.
Joe from St Agnes was also awarded a spot into the all-prestigious WLC that will soon launch at the Kumul PNG World Longboard Championship after surfing the qualifying legs in Europe last year.
Joe will have the opportunity to take his learning spree to the next level, competing against the very best longboarders on the planet at the World Longboard Championship and understandably, he can’t wait!
“I’m crazy excited about going to PNG, I’ve never been anywhere geographically close or conditions wise so it’s going to be an awesome change. I really look forward to surfing in board shorts properly, I just want to go and have fun.”
We will keep you update on how Joe does in his first World Championship effort in Papua New Guinea when competition starts on March 18.
Underdog Antonio Marques put on a barrel riding masterclass to take the title this year. Second place was for Dimitri Ouvre ( last year’s winner) third was Natxo Gonzalez, and fourth local Manuel Lezcano who is closing a year surfing at his top level.
Quemao Class would like to thank all the Canarian finalists Yeray Garcia, Yael Peña and Josemi Mentado, international riders, Nic Von Rupp, William Alliotti, Roberto Da Mico, Alain Riou and Kevin Bourez and all the Basque crew Hodei Collazo, Aritz Aranburu, Eukeni Masa and the young gun Iker Amatrian for an awesome surfing at the highest level.
El Quemao Class is an event sponsored by La Bohemia Lanzarote and it’s done with the institutional support from el Gobierno de Canarias, Cabildo de Lanzarote, Turismo de Lanzarote, Lanzarote European Sports Destination and Ayuntamiento de Tinajo.
Surfs bigger waves better than most alpha males, and all keyboard warrior critics of women’s surfing, on the planet #fact. If that isn’t enough she also has a bigger/better scar story and a hotter girlfriend … Dry your eyes son.
While most are struggling with duck dives, paddle outs, pop ups, credit card airs and getting all scaredy pants when an over head set comes through Beth deals with it all, at elite level, one armed. If you have any doubts how tough this is, try a one armed pop up, and see how far you get.
Carissa Moore
World Champion, Hawaiian princess, ambassador, all class, keeps her clothes on. “Marry” every time in “Snog, marry, avoid”
Easkey Britton
Tries to make the world a better place for women. Helps facilitate women surfing in some of the heaviest areas of the world (Iran with Waves of Freedom and the pink nose project in PNG), multiple Irish surfing champion tows Mullaghmore and Aileens. Can also drink.
Gwyneth Haslock
Started surfing at 10 in Cornwall in a wooly jumper before wetsuits were invented, she is still doing it at 71. Britain’s first competitive female surfer surfs three times a week all year round in water down to 9 degrees with wind chill in the minus. Looking at you soft bloke…
Good news for fans of high performance surfing this morning with the welcome news that Mick Fanning is returning to fray, after a year scoring epic free surfs, and Owen Wright has accepted the injury wildcard to return after the long recovery from his head injury.
Full releases below. The Quik Pro on the Goldie will see them both don the jersey from March 14…
Mick Fanning (AUS), 3x World Surf League (WSL) Champion, today announced his return to full-time competition on the elite WSL Championship Tour.
“I’ve decided to come back to competition full time and do the Tour this season,” Fanning said. “It was nice to have 2016 off somewhat and decompress, but I’m excited to put the singlet on again.”
The iconic Australian stepped back from full-time competition last year following a 2015 season that witnessed the world-famous shark attack at the J-Bay Open, the loss of his older brother Peter and an emotional Runner-Up finish to the title race.
“2015 was a tough year,” Fanning said. “A lot happened to me on camera and in my personal life. I just felt exhausted by the end of it. Fortunately, I was in a position to step away from the Tour and have some time to myself. I ended up doing a few events and qualifying which was great because I didn’t want to take the wildcard off of Bede (Durbidge) or Owen (Wright). I’m coming into 2017 seeded 18th which will be a change for me.”
The decision to return to the tour in 2017 wasn’t one that Fanning took lightly, but the caliber of of surfers taking part on the Championship Tour this season proved motivation enough.
“Even with the 2017 season looming, I wasn’t sure I was motivated enough to take part,” Fanning said. “However, like everyone else I’m getting super excited about this year’s line-up of surfers – it might be the best field from the top seed to number 34 we’ve ever had. I also think it’s the biggest group of legit title contenders we’ve ever seen on the tour ever and I want to be part of the race.”
With 22 elite CT wins to his name and three WSL Titles, Fanning is one of the most accomplished surfers to ever grace the sport, but the lightning-fast natural-footer believes he has more to accomplish.
“The most important thing to me is to me is making sure my surfing keeps evolving and the tour, now more than ever, is the best place to do that.” Fanning said. “In recent years I managed to find good balance between competitive focus and having fun. Getting switched on for events this year will be the key for me. I don’t think it will be a problem. It’s not in my nature to be half-hearted so now that I’m committed I’ll be doing everything I can to get a win.”
Kelly Slater (USA), 11x WSL Champion, has already confirmed his own commitment to chasing an unprecedented 12th Title in 2017 and considers Fanning a major threat.
“If Mick (Fanning) is in 100% I’d put him right at the top of the heap,” Slater said. “You’d be silly to not think Mick is Top 3 in the world right now. All things considered. Having won at so many different breaks and being so dominant at places like Bells and Jeffreys Bay, there’s no way he’s not a contender.”
Owen Wright (AUS) has confirmed that he will accept the wildcard for the 2017 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), following a year-long absence from competition after suffering a serious head injury whilst surfing Pipeline, on Oahu’s North Shore, in December 2015.
“I’m so thankful for the support of my friends and family, my sponsors, the WSL and all the people in the community who sent positive thoughts to me throughout my recovery,” Wright said. “I’m feeling stronger every day and I’m very much looking forward to returning to the Tour and further honing my fitness and surfing throughout the 2017 season.”
Wright, who finished the 2015 CT season at No. 5 on the Jeep Leaderboard, made his return to competitive surfing last month at the Maitland and Port Stephens Toyota Pro QS 6,000 and will rejoin the world’s best at the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast, which gets underway on March 14th, 2017. Wright will face Sebastian Zietz (HAW) and Ethan Ewing (AUS) in Round 1 of competition.
“Owen Wright is one of the most electric and powerful surfers to ever grace the tour,” Kieren Perrow, WSL Commissioner, said. “Following his injury in December of 2015, the WSL’s priority was Owen’s well-being and, if he were to return to competition, a healthy return to the sport. After assessing his performance and health after a QS event earlier in the season, Owen has accepted the WSL Wildcard for the 2017 season. We’re happy to have him back.”
Wright’s younger sister, Tyler Wright (AUS), enters the 2017 season as the reigning WSL Women’s Champion and Wright’s younger brother Mikey Wright (AUS) has been awarded a wildcard into the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast for the second year running.
The remaining men’s wildcard and the women’s wildcard will be decided by a trials event on Monday, March 13th.
This season’s Championship Tour lineup sees an unprecedented number of men’s and women’s WSL Champions in the competitive field: Kelly Slater (USA), Mick Fanning (AUS), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Adriano de Souza (BRA) and John John Florence (HAW) on the men’s side and Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Carissa Moore (HAW) and Tyler Wright (AUS) on the women’s side.
From embarking for a search in the Caribbean, to surfing the crazy right of Nias or a secret spot in Maldives, spending good times in Bali, marking my path in Hawaii, discovering the South of Morocco and enjoying great conditions at home in France. No doubt, my thirteenth year was crazy. I grow, time passes but I enjoy every day what surfing offers me.
Surfs bigger waves better than most alpha males, and all keyboard warrior critics of women’s surfing, on the planet #fact. If that isn’t enough she also has a bigger/better scar story and a hotter girlfriend … Dry your eyes son.
