It’s low tide as evident of the ridge of exposed rock between the Goose and Pentire Headland, and Jamie Crossman is having a crack at it on the Loco El Diablo. This was in slightly happier times as right now Jamie is nursing a burst eardrum due to an unfortunate head-rail interface with a beginner surfboard. But it did mean that he was available to take photos later on. The Fistral area is ideal for testing boards; there’s s well of some kind just about every day and on the other side of the Towan Headland there’s a huge expanse of deep water that rarely breaks, but which is exposed to wind and bumps before it runs into the sheltered close-outs of the town beaches. I just felt it was time we gave you a quick run through of our area.
On Test Four rigid surf shapes and two inflatables round out this issue’s gear locker. First up, two performance surfboards from Loco bracketing either end of the spectrum: the El Diablo is a real pocket rocket at 94 litres and 7’9, while the Inca is a 9’6 performance noserider. Both are finished in Loco’s unique-looking Paulownia wood veneer and are designed to give the unrepentant waverider what they want.
From the rugged shores of Brittany, Nah Skwell sent the 8’5 Snap in the 33” wide fuller-template. This board has a remarkable turn of speed, and an uncanny stability in bouncy Atlantic surf. If you like going vertical and don’t like falling off, check it out.
SMIK continue their evolution of next-retro with the Hipster Twin Transformer by future-proofing it with inserts for windsurfing, foot straps, and most interestingly, a foil. If you feel the call of the foil but still want to surf a lot, this deserves your attention.
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Turning Points
With spring in the air and the start of a new decade, thoughts naturally turn to what we can do differently in the name of betterment. Finn Mullen reflects on some changes to consider when looking to improve your SUP surfing.
THE CLOSE OUT- TREV'S GREAT BIRTHDAY ADVENTURE
I have had my fair share of great birthdays, usually coinciding with a national holiday in a country that I’m visiting. But this one was a bit different.
Paddle Science #18 - The Body Fortress. Boosting Immunity
At this time of year, the rate of infection for colds and flu normally tends to slow down as we enter warmer, springtime months. However, if you’ve been anywhere at all in the world recently, then there’s one word you can’t escape at the moment: Coronavirus. Infection rates, mortality rates and prognostic data are changing daily at the moment. As a new virus none of us have previously been exposed to it, meaning that currently, we have no immunity to it. It’s only through being infected by a virus that our bodies are able to make the right antibodies to not only enable us to recover but to also help protect us from any recurrent and future infection from it. If you’re keen to stay well and keep getting out on your SUP board this spring, then focussing on boosting your immune system is a positive step to take.
Ceylon Stories
Like a teardrop on the tip of the Indian sub-continent, Sri Lanka is a little tropical El Dorado of beautiful landscapes, rich cultural heritage and people with incomparable kindness. Thanks to its favorable exposure to the swells of the Indian Ocean, the has a large number of good waves along its incredible southwest coast where French pro Alexis Deniel and his partner Melanie had an unforgettable experience this winter. Discover their colorful journey through this dream destination sharing its jewels after decades of civil war and the tragedy of the 2004 tsunami.
Polar Bear
In 2019, the Polar Bear showed the world his teeth. After a fourth place in the toughest SUP race in the world, the Red Bull Heavy Water, the now 19-year old Christian Anderson became World Champion in November in the Technical Race at the ISA World Championships in El Salvador. He also won the U-18 title on the Euro Tour with an 11th place overall. What’s behind the young Dane's rise to power?
SHADENFREUDE
TEST REPORTS
Desire Lines
We were on the outskirts of Helsinki, scouting a new destination for our sup camps. Just 45 minutes’ drive from the city, the untouched nature of the Nuuksio National Park stretched out before us. Mirror-smooth lakes, wild herbs and an impressive fauna waiting to be explored over on board or on foot via the many desire lines made by the land mammals.
Magical. Mystical. Epic.
Alexandra is a club ambassador and SUP racer for Bray Lake; relatively new to the SUP scene she completed her first race season in 2019. She participated in her first international event, the Gla Gla, 2020, and placed 1st Brit, 8th lady and 81st overall, out of a mass start of 637 paddlers. Here she shares the highlights of her first Gla Gla experience.
Green Medicine
As a keen outdoorsman and busy GP, Paul Sampson has come pretty close to attaining the mercurial work-balance. When not busy with his patients, he can be found hiking, climbing, paddle boarding, wild swimming… anything that gets him outside soaking up the great outdoors and reconnecting with nature in the beautiful South of Cornwall.
Depth Charge
Many of us have are staying away from the beach for a while, some are confined to our homes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still train for the surf. If you try the following for just one week you’ll see results, never mind three months…
