Slide Mag

Good Grief... Shipsterns!

Nowhere is as messed up as Shippies. Here's a bunch of contenders from the Billy XXL comp. Clip after the jump-

Mick... Again.

The surf dropped, the wind swung and Supers was back to being Pupertubes today so it wasn't exactly a world tour final of note. After yesterday's sublime sandy shacks no one really cared that much. Bede did Parko, Mick got a bye into the final cos Owen's ear is buggered from yesterdays Super's bitch slap so he was stoked and then he won. So it's all done. Euro leg c'est fini. I'm outta here tomoz for the fezza home thank firk... Final day pics on the Rip Curl link above...

Holey Sheeeeat!!!

There's been a lot of merde thrown at the ASP and the World Tour recently. Bad waves event after event, rebel tour rumours and interweb forum bitching. Today will hopefully remind people why the tour is a good thing- the world's best surfers in the world's best waves. Waves that us mere mortals would not have a hope in surfing. 10-point tube rides like this.

Portuguese Smog...

Been a rum old day at the Rip Curl Pro Search Peniche. That dastardly Portuguese foe- the fog bank has been playing havoc with us all day. Pity cos there were some fun waves at the Belgas site. Bit bigger than yesterday and not as shapely but still ultra-smashable.The call from 8.00 was every half hour or so until 2.00pm. A long time to be stood on a damp, noisey, draughty beach in the fog.

Only 3-Heats But A Shedload Of Action...

Twas a day that started with a 'Oh... That's not good.' Pushing the curtains back at the Hotel Soleil revealed a grey miasma (that's right- a miasma, google it) and any concept of surf contests went out the window. Fog ain't good. Unfortunately we still had to drag our sorry arses out of bed, scarf down a quick brekkie and lead boot it out to the event site in Cabbage Land. Even with signposts we took the wrong turn four times and drove about like eedjits. As semi-secret spots go it will be fine after the event as we can't find it when we know where it is with directions...

Wheely Big Airs...

Actual Waves For A Euro Leg Event Shocker!

It's a crazy concept I know but the World Tour actually got decent waves today. As in barreling, good, not-shit in anyway waves. The guys were getting kegged left, right and centre. Punts were hucked and made and life as a photographer was generally a joy rather than a chore. Half of Portugal came to watch and cheered whenever someone walked down the beach for their heat, came back or rode a good wave. All in all the best day of the European leg by a million miles...

Hmmmm...

So. The Rip Curl Pro continued today. The painful 'who gives an arse' Round 1 of the new short format was finished. I have decided that I don't like the short format. The classic model gives you all the best guys surfing in the first round. The short format gives them all a by into Rd2. Meaning the back 32 are scrapping for a spot in Rd2 and interest is low. Add fat, slow, unsmashable waves and it was a day that couldn't pass fast enough.

Peniche Pics A Plenty...

Busy day in Peniche today, first half of Round 1 got run but I was frothing on freesurfing before, during and after the event... The results of which can be seen here...

Insane Mundaka From Wednesday...

Mama Nature has a sense of humour. A mere matter of days after the Billabong Pro Mundaka finished in poop waves she went and done this-

Heaven & Hell all before 9am...

Exciting times at the Rip Curl Pro Search in Peniche. The big swell totalled the Supertubos event site over night leaving electronics, speakers, bio-loos and every other bit of event guff swilling around in the sand, "It's kinda like Katrina down there" was the pre-dawn report this morning. It took a while to go and check it out at dawn as the gate security were being overly zealous and not letting anyone down. So I just parked away from the site and walked down the beach. It was a mess. The photos show you the devastation. Shortly afterwards half the top-45 went out for a puntathon at Mohle Leste beach at the N end of the event site. So good to see some freesurfing finally...

Nom Nom Nom...

Waking up to the sound of torrential rain and the wind whistling through the cracks in the Hotel Soleil Peniche is as good an alarm clock as you could wish for. Nature’s way of saying, “wake up there fella! Time to be functioning so you can go through the pantomime of pretending that a surf contest might happen today.”

MVP You Decide... Liam Turner

Brit ubergrom Liam Turner. Tres impressive non?

Cafe Con Leche...

No surfing in the Rip Curl Pro Search yet. Supertubos was head high but not exactly 'aving it this morning. This little reef in the vicinity was kinda fun but it ain't one of the three event sites. So. What's occurring? Lot's of surfing in weeny beachbreak waves, a lot of light Facebooking and a day structured entirely around food. Most events are not renowned for the food, if any, that us media scum can purloin.

It Comes Down To This...

 

Reubyn Ash's Day In France...

While I was stuck skint in Mundaka Reubs was doing all this malarkey in France-

Greetings From Peniche...

Welcome to sunny Peniche in Portugal. A town famous for it's super tubes, fish stench and rancid bodyboarders; it's now also famous as the fifth spot for Rip Curl's globally mobile WCT event (nice discovery guys!). You'll be glad to know the all-pervasive smell of squished fish entrails has vanished. In the good old days it was an olfactory assault that  'would make you wretch' if you encountered it.

Who Is JOB Trailer...

Amazing what RED cameras and a Canon 5dMk2 can do to the production values of a surf vid-

Hot Tubs Or Death By Coconut?

Here’s a question for you- If you had the proverbial gun to your head (imagine a friendly but menacing 9mm Beretta) and had to choose to only ever go on surf trips to cold water destinations or warm water spots for ever more which way would you go? Which way does sir hang? Wetty or boardshorts? The loving confines of rubber or the freedom and potential ball rash of nylon?

Red Elvis On- Sweepers...

Join me if you will in welcoming a new acerbic voice to the Slide- Red Elvis...

There are very, very few people who look comfortable on a SUP. These people are generally very good surfers in the first place; people who can surf well in serious waves. These people also generally start off with a pleasant looking surfing style, and adopt this style somehow to their approach to SUP riding. But these people, as mentioned, are very few and far between. After Laird, there are probably less than a handful worldwide.