Surfing England X Caravan and Motorhome Club

Surfing England X Caravan and Motorhome Club

Surfing England is elated to announce a remarkable milestone in its journey. A decade-long partnership with the Caravan and Motorhome Club. This marks ten years of unwavering support in the quest for excellence in English surfing.

With a record 15 medals for Team England in 2023, and more than 1 million people participating in surfing, it is clear that surfing has been flourishing. As a sport that has received little to no government funding in the past, it is only due to the support of Caravan and Motorhome Club we are able to celebrate the successes that have driven us to this point. 

As we roll into 2024, we are immensely proud to celebrate a decade of partnership with the Club. A brand whose vision aligns so well to ours. Their generous sponsorship has been instrumental in fostering the development of the sport across the nation; supporting surfers, events, and initiatives that have become integral to the surfing community.

Together, we share a community of adventure seekers, who thrive on exploring, and seeking out the surf. The Caravan and Motorhome Club offers a broad network of campsites across the UK and Europe. All sites have guaranteed hot showers and wetsuit drying areas, the essentials after a long day in the surf.

Our members unlock a discount when joining the Caravan and Motorhome Club, which in turn unlocks over 2,700 campsites across the UK and Europe. At affordable prices, the Club makes your next adventure accessible, and exclusive member benefits and offers. Members also ‘Experience Freedom’, benefiting from a unique discount to enjoy the great outdoors in accommodation from glamping pods to yurts and tent camping.

About the Partnership

The core focus of the partnership is the English National Surfing Championships, the most prestigious surfing event in England. At this event we’ve been advancing its technical elements, with the introduction of priority judging and using digital LED boards. Judging is now digital and scores feature online, so anyone across the world can tune in to the action. 

The funding not only supports these technical advances, but also the inclusion of more divisions within the competition. Last year welcomed bodyboard for the first time in years. The SUP surf will also be in its 3rd year in 2024. Inclusivity is high up in Surfing England’s agenda, and opening up more competition opportunities for other disciplines of wave riding has been a great success. 

Aside from the fiercer element of competition, the Club’s involvement wraps its arms around the whole community at our events. Whether it is chalk mural artworks, or beach cleaning, gifting tote bags, or chatting about the benefits of being a member, the Club’s team are always there to welcome everyone. 

Preparations are underway for the 2024 Caravan and Motorhome Club English National Surfing Championships, and we cannot wait to celebrate a decade together on the beach. This year, we will run 2 events, one expanding on our use of priority with a 3-day event, including under 16s and 18s. And the other a 3-day, double peak, thriving event celebrating cross discipline surfing which will feature bodyboard, to longboard and SUP. It’s an exciting year ahead.

The Events:

2024 Caravan and Motorhome English National Surfing Championships, 12th – 14th April, Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall. Priority event with divisions Men’s and Women’s Open, U18 Girls and Boys Open, U16 Girls and Boys Open. 

2024 Caravan and Motorhome Club English National Surfing Championships, 4th – 6th May, Watergate Bay, Cornwall. Non-priority, double peak event with multiple shortboard divisions, longboard, SUP, and bodyboard. 

As always spectators are warmly welcomed to come down to the events, watch the surfing and soak up the atmosphere. 

Reflecting on this remarkable journey 

Ben Powis from Surfing England expressed gratitude. “We are thrilled to celebrate ten years of collaboration with the Caravan and Motorhome Club. Their unwavering support has been a driving force behind the success and growth of English surfing. This partnership has not only benefited our athletes but contributes to the broader surfing community, creating a lasting impact that will resonate for years to come.”

Brian Morgan, Head of Communications and Events for the Caravan and Motorhome Club said, “It’s been an amazing decade supporting the wonderful surfing community and Surfing England. Surfing England has grown beyond measure and driven forward this pastime, our congratulations to them on all they are achieving. Caravan and Motorhome Club members are a community of intrepid adventurers who embrace the outdoor lifestyle and all the benefits it brings and we are proud to support Surfing England. We are the No.1 rated touring club in the UK. And operate the largest number of top-quality campsites set in beautiful and scenic locations in the UK. We also work with over 340 campsites in Europe – many close by to some of the best surfing venues.”   

As Surfing England looks to the future, this milestone serves as testament to the strength of partnerships in sports development. The Caravan and Motorhome Club’s dedication to the sport has been nothing short of exemplary. Their continued support promises even more exciting opportunities for surfers across England.

Surfing England extends its heartfelt thanks to the Caravan and Motorhome Club. For a decade of shared passion, commitment, and countless waves of success. And here’s to another ten years of riding the waves together!

Boardmasters Surf Open 2024

Boardmasters Surf Open 2024

The tradition continues! For a ninth consecutive year the festival comes back with WSL Qualifying Series and Longboard divisions, men and women this summer.

Plus the next generation of world class groms will battle it out in the Boardmasters Junior Open. Athlete entries will be opening in the coming weeks. 

Boardmasters always launches the European summer season on the WSL tours and offers a great chance for surfers to build momentum at the start of the long leg of European events.

Past winners include the who’s who of European professional surfing as well as international athletes coming to enjoy a piece of the British summer vibes. It’s both an opportunity for local athletes to challenge some of the best competitors on the QS as well as for the British fans to feast on high-performance surfing on their local beach breaks.

Tens of thousands of visitors also make their way down to Newquay for the music festival. Huge headliners and a massive lineup thanks to multiple stages over at Watergate make this an incredible three day experience on the cliffs overlooking the ocean.

This week, Boardmasters reveal their new poster for the Boardmasters Surf Open event. The poster has been designed by local artist Clara Jonas. Clara is an artist, illustrator and graphic designer based in Newquay, Cornwall. For Clara, the time spent in the ocean, surfing, swimming or being outside is the most valuable, and the most enjoyable when she can connect with those who share the same values, be that through work or play.

For more info about the event head to boardmasters.com

Watch: Joe Lycett vs Sewage

Watch: Joe Lycett vs Sewage

Joe Lycett investigates the mind-boggling quantities of untreated sewage discharged into our waterways every day, and takes the fight to the water companies in the most Joe Lycett way possible.

Alongside Chris Hines, and Feargal Sharkey, we think Joe Lycett’s a bit of a legend. There are campaigners coming in at every angle to take on this issue, and the momentum is huge. Water companies can’t hide their environmental  vandalism for much longer. – SAS

Read what the BBC had to say below and tune in tonight.

Comedian Joe Lycett has created a new documentary in which he investigates the state of the country’s sewage network.

The Birmingham-born stand-up will star in Joe Lycett vs Sewage, which airs on Channel 4 on Tuesday evening.

It will see him investigate the pollution in the UK’s waterways and the situation with the country’s wastewater infrastructure.

Water UK said in response that companies had invested a “record” £96bn to reduce spills into rivers and seas.

Lycett spoke to a whistle-blower from an unnamed water company who claimed some wastewater works had not had any investment since the 1950s.

They described the infrastructure as “absolutely dilapidated and falling apart, held together with sticky tape and plasticine”.

The whistle-blower also claimed that spills were not always reported.

“I’ve seen managers who go quicker up the greasy pole if they nod and agree and don’t report what they should report,” they told Lycett.

According to research from GMB Union commissioned for the show, 42% of 688 wastewater workers across the union said spills involving sewage were always reported properly.

During the documentary, Lycett also explored the relationship between water companies and regulators, including the Environment Agency and Ofwat.

The comedian referred to a number of influential water company employees who have gone on to take up positions at regulators.

In response to findings in the programme, Water UK said: “Companies have set out proposals for a record £96 billion of investment, to ensure the security of our water supply in the future and reduce spills into rivers and seas as fast as possible.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told the show it was “driving the largest infrastructure programme in water company history to upgrade the network”.

The Environment Agency said it “takes the management of conflicts of interest very seriously”, adding that none of its most senior staff have an interest in a water company.

Ofwat said that employees “intending to leave” were removed from projects where there was the “potential for a conflict of interest”.

Joe Lycett vs Sewage is on Channel 4 at 21:00 GMT on Tuesday 20 February.

Hurley Pro Sunset Beach

Hurley Pro Sunset Beach

Florence Maintains Impeccable Form at Home

• Smith’s Power Notches Back-to-Back Quarterfinal Appearances in 2024

• O’Brien, Igarashi, Robinson, and Ferreira Remain Steadfast Amid Full Day of Action

• Competition OFF Tomorrow, Next Call on Tuesday, February 20, at 7:45 AM HST

• More Available at WorldSurfLeague.com

The Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, the second stop on the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), completed a second major day of competition and ran through the men’s Round of 32 and Round of 16 to decide the men’s Quarterfinalists in challenging eight-to-ten foot rights at Sunset Beach.

Mixed swells and breezy winds tested the world’s best surfers again at Sunset, but as conditions improved throughout the afternoon, performance levels rose to match the talent of the remaining eight surfers in contention by the end of the day.

Florence Maintains Impeccable Form at Home

Two-time World Champion John John Florence (HAW) put on another masterclass in his backyard, first by picking the right waves where most competitors struggled to identify any, then by absolutely tearing them apart with lightning-fast carves right under the lip for a 16.06 (out of a possible 20) heat total. A runner-up last week at Pipe, Florence has the potential to secure the yellow leader’s jersey here at Sunset after the early exit of his compatriot, Barron Mamiya (HAW).

“I got really lucky in the non-priority heat to find an open face wave, which there weren’t a lot of right now,” Florence said. “It took me a while to find another wave, there were a lot of wash throughs and eventually I just tried to get waves to get one turn on, a clean wall and a close out. Once I started looking for that I got two really good ones back-to-back. I guess I just changed my perspective on what I was looking for. It feels really good to just be chipping away at heats. I’m really enjoying it and the challenges that every heat brings and trying to just be ok with that and not be too hard on myself.”

Smith’s Power Notches Back-to-Back Quarterfinal Appearances in 2024

CT veteran Jordy Smith (RSA) enjoyed the winning feeling once again with Round of 32 and 16 victories to surge into the Quarterfinals. Smith’s power sent him past Miguel Pupo (BRA), before facing another in-form event threat, Rio Waida (IDN), in the Round of 16, where he posted his second 7-point ride of the day amid the tough conditions. Smith’s back-to-back Quarterfinal appearances to start 2024 have sparked the South African’s vigor in the jersey as he now looks to carry that momentum into a world-class Quarterfinal against Florence.

“I’m surfing the best I can with the opportunities I get and it’s really difficult in the overlapping heats since you’re trying to position yourself and at the same time be mindful of those competitors who have priority,” said Smith. “Everyone’s sitting right at the bowl and I’m just doing the best with the cards I get dealt. John (Florence) took three of the waves I wanted. He’s definitely the best on the rail and if there’s something to draw inspiration from it’s definitely that.”

O’Brien, Igarashi, Robinson, and Ferreira Remain Steadfast Amid Full Day of Action

 Sunset Beach standout Ethan Ewing (AUS) kicked off his day with a big heat against 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), eliminating him from the competition. Ewing then had to face an in-form Liam O’Brien (AUS). O’Brien carried his momentum from his Round of 32 win against Caio Ibelli (BRA) through to his matchup against Ewing, and posted an impressive 7.83 (out of a possible 10), utilizing his dynamic forehand on multiple sections of a Sunset Beach diamond in the rough.

O’Brien will now face Ryan Callinan (AUS), after eliminating Connor O’Leary (JPN) in his Round of 16 heat, as both O’Brien and Callinan enter their first Quarterfinal appearance of 2024.

 “The ocean felt like it was working with me a bit,” said O’Brien. “When I had priority, there was a bit of a lull and unfortunately for Ethan it went a bit turbo when he had priority at the end there. I’ve had so many heats where I’ve just been lost at sea, so it’s nice to get one where I get a couple waves. Obviously that was always going to be a really hard heat, Ethan’s just so good out here. Really happy to get past that one and we’ll see how we go in the next.”

Two of the form surfers of the Round of 32, Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) and Griffin Colapinto (USA) matched up in an excruciatingly slow battle in the Round of 16, coming down to the last seconds with a minimal ride for Igarashi to give him the edge over the former World No. 3 Colapinto. The Californian was hoping for one more opportunity, the kind he got in his previous round where he locked into the first tube of the day with a big snap to wrap the wave, earning a 9.00-point ride for his effort. Instead, it was Igarashi, needing a 1.67, who found enough of a wall to carve one turn and advance into the Quarters. Igarashi’s win tied the pair in their famous head-to-head rivalry.

Igarashi will face Seth Moniz (HAW) in the Quarters as the Hawaiian escaped a similarly nail-biting affair against rookie Jacob Willcox (AUS). Both surfers found a good score early on but struggled to pick the right backup wave and it all came down to the wire and a last ditch effort from Moniz.

Jack Robinson (AUS) proved he will be one to beat after overcoming the Round of 32’s top performer Jake Marshall (USA), who posted the day’s highest single-wave score of a 9.17, in a back-and-forth battle that went down to the final minutes.

Big Names Dealt Early Eliminations in Moving Sunset Lineup

 The Round of 32 witnessed some shocking early eliminations, most notably rankings leader Barron Mamiya (HAW), who was taken out by Frederico Morais (POR). The experienced Portuguese surfer selected better waves and applied his typical clean carves and smart attack to find one of the few big scores of the round, an excellent 8.00, to eventually take out Mamiya, the winner last week at Pipeline and the 2022 winner here at Sunset. Morais was eliminated by 2019 World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA) in their Round of 16 heat.

Three-time WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) lost to Seth Moniz (HAW) in the Round of 32, Heat 4. Moniz’s confidence gained from defeating Medina carried into the Round of 16 where he overtook rookie sensation Willcox, who previously defeated Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) in the Round of 16.

“That was pretty grindy and I’m sure online it looks a lot easier than it is,” said Moniz. “I’m just stoked I got gifted that last wave. I’m super stoked to make the Quarters at Sunset and I did it in 2022. I had a shocker at Pipe which is the event I look forward to the most so that one hurt. But I’m looking forward and just taking it one heat at a time. I had a long offseason and feel a little rusty getting back into the swing of things but now hopefully I get some better waves on Finals Day.”

11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) also exited in equal 17th place despite keeping everyone on their toes with a last-second roll of the dice that saw him produce his signature carving 360 maneuver on a foamy Sunset right that came up short of the score he needed to advance.

With plenty of shuffling among the rankings set to take place, all-star Quarterfinal draws will provide the opportunity for those who remain in the draw to gain vital ground, and also a chance for the early upper echelon to start putting space between them and their opponents.

For more news and highlights from today’s competition at the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

760 – Toasted Media

760 – Toasted Media

We don’t get much good days at home so when it happens it’s pretty great! Just a friendly Oceanside surf segment. Featuring friends Timo, Ryder, Raymond, Ryan, coral, Erin, Ian, and Bella. Stacked lineup! @caitysimmers