SE: How was your winter, been getting some good waves I heard?

Yeah we’ve been lucky with couple of sand banks holding the big stuff at home. I didn’t travel much this winter and I am glad I didn’t. Banks are still good and we’ve been documenting it a fair bit. Some of the older crew said that they never saw banks this good, especially the outerbanks with a lot of ‘small islands’ with some deeper water and inverted rips creating hollower and more powerful waves.

SE: What’s the main difference between your joint and the Capbreton, Hossegor, Seignosse stretch?

If you wanna improve your surfing, you got to surf among the best surfers, that’s one thing. Also in the south Landes, the waves are breaking closer from the shore and the banks are usually way more stable. In the Capbreton to Seignosse area, you have to drive less to find good waves.

Contest wise, you had a pretty good run so far, a few quarter finals if I not mistaken?

Yes I had a pretty good start this year, first with some tow in & paddling in the big stuff, big barrels, then 15 days on the Goldy, more barrels at home, 5th place in Scotland and in Vendée, 9th place in Brazil and now enough points to enter the Prime event in Ericeira next June!

You are killing it in the freesurf that’s not new but also with a jersey on, which is a bit more of a novelty on the major QS events. What happen? Your team manager reckons it was all planned?

I have been training physically since january at home. I wanted to be at 100% for the contests . My 5th place in Scotland proved that it is paying off…We worked with Rusty to get my name in the media, I think it helps even during a heat when the judges know you a bit better.

Lacking a bit of waves in the quarter final in Scotland, it looked like you could hve gone all the way?

Yeah, I got a bit nervous and always paddle on the first wave of the set. Brent (Dorrigton and eventual winner of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Scotland) was on the second ones, that proved to be the best.

To be continued…

Josh aerial skills are no stranger to anyone in the surfing world, especially since he is again part of the dream tour and starting to put a few results together thanks to massive alley oops and FS airs. So showing up to the première, I was wondering if I would by OD on airs after 10 minutes. First impression is always key in life and I could tell that much work & love has been put in the movie, with a good rythm and nice soundtrack. Second impression: Kerrzy’s film isn’t all about airs. I loved the Java part with Rizal and those fun indo walls and also the tubes orgy in the Caribean where Kerrzy gets shacked off its nut. Third impression… well make your own opinion, Kerrazy Kronicle is now downloadable for free on www.rusty.com

Sancho, "Next, I am gonna get into paddling those big waves"

Sancho is already back on the job, after the XXL Awards ceremony he flew straight to Tahiti & Chopes and we caught up with him just off the plane…

Congratulations Sancho…How do feel?

As happy as a man can be!

What are you going to do with the 15 000?

I gonna give half to Eric (Rebière). Then I am going to buy a new tow board and a few guns for next year. Then a little trip to London and it is all gone!

How was the ceremony?

We had a good time there. We are a good crew and we had a good laugh.

What did you say to the audience?

I thanked my sponsor, Reid Pinder, Sam Carrier, Francois Liets and my tow partner Eric.

And everyone at home and invited everyone to come and surf the european waves. I also congratulated the boys for their paddling session at Jaws. I thanked Bill for this good night and said a word for Sion and Malik

Does it feel like a world title?

The recognition of your peers, there is nothing better.

That morning when you saw the line up, what did you think?

It wasn’t big enough, there wasn’t enough wave coming through and too many guys out but the tide range was good.

Can you tell us about the particular wave?

We were just coming back from Ireland and we were all relaxed. We arrived two hours late and we left priority to the guys already in the water. Eric and I were sitting more on the inside and everyone missed that wave. It is was a double up. Eric towed me in perfectly. There was a lot of wind and chops.

How does that compare to that session you had in Ireland?

Ireland was ace, big fat barrels.

Belharra needs to be bigger and glassy

What’s next after the XXL?

I am going to get into paddling big waves

A lovely french mansion right behind the dunes, a short sprint to one of the most heavy beachbreak around, rippy as hell to make you strong, a local coach (Antoine Benetrix) that knows the barrels & bars (where you won’t be allowed in coz it is 8-14 years old camp only…) like the back of his hand, the Volcom A team on hand (Duru, Piter, Distinguin) for advices, video feedback, barbecues, girls chasing, the Mullet fish contest on the front door, a skatepark not far inland…

What else can you ask for Grommets?

Hassle your parents, implore grandma, do the newspaper round for a couple of months, beg, polish strangers shoes, be an all round good boy: it is only 400 euros a week all included, so make your way down to the south west of France this summer!

Check the dates on volcomeurope.com, places are limited so be quick!

8 summer sessions only to get shacked, sun burned and taste the Hossegor life style.

Can’t wait to see them freezing their balls from the 1st until the 11th of November, now let’s all sing:

If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there

Lalala

No better place for the changing of the guard on the european surfing scene than arguably the best WQS contest in Europe of the decade: the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Scotland. It’s been pumping, 6 foot screamers that make you want to put on a thick wetty and head to Thurso East and to couple of the quality slabs in the vicinity. We have had Ozzy domination (except for the victory of Russ Winter on the inaugural edition) and numerous new lords from down under the last few years. But this year, half way through the contest, we’ve got a fair bit of euros left in contention. Charly Martin, Joan Duru, Vincent Duvignac, Alain Riou, Adrien Toyon and Romain Cloitre are still potential Lords on this saturday afternoon. What these guys share in common? They are all part of the new generation of european surfing, some of them just fresh out of the junior ranks.

Let’s not forget two formers world tour surfers, Tim Boal and brit bulldog Russ Winter.

So this year on the scottish northern coast, it never look that good for european surfing. So boys, keep that highland sword home!

Photo: Jim Martin

You know at Surf Europe we really pay attention to what’s directly linked to the shredding department. As our editor-in-chief Da Paul Evans once said to me putting on his wetsuit in Cap B: “Going surfing is the second best thing for our magazine after writing.” Being in total agreement with the boss on that one, I didn’t feel the need to add anything to his statement. But you can bet that anything that might make us surf longer and better is of particular interest to us in the office.

Unfortunately, with no big revolution or innovation in the surfboard or fin department, our most important tools, our curiosity turned to the wetsuit division. And there has been a few big breakthroughs lately, innovations that have translated into true benefits for the every day surfer. The new and increase flexibility & warmth of modern winter wetsuits has allowed us to keep a kind of ‘summery’ stretch in our surfing and also waste less energy fighting against cold water. It has also opened up new line ups in the most extreme parts of the world if you can be bothered organising a trip there instead of to Indo.

The latest innovation to date comes from the guys at Patagonia. And looking closely at their R models and the merino wool linings inside, it is a smart nod to the past… Before the invention of the modern wetsuit, hardcore surfers were braving the cold water with the good old wool pullover & beard & long hair system. Wool, unlike cotton, is able to keep you warm even when wet. And well before surfers, fishermen were big fans of the warmth you could gain from wool. So after a bit of testing involving a couple of long hold downs & ‘not making it out the back’ in the freezing January & February conditions here in France, Patagonia’s quality neoprene and wool linings appear to be a winner combination. What’s more, the actual contact with the merinos wool is very pleasant. You can almost feel the nice burning wood fire, wool carpet & glass of red around you.

But what exactly is Merino wool? Wikipedia… (and a few seconds later): It is a special breed of sheep prized for the quality of its wool with an excellent warmth to weight ratio. So now you know.

Definitely a wetsuit worth checking out (turn it inside out, it boasts a high finish grade) and last but not least, it is also a move away from the ‘all neoprene’ wetsuit. Surfing with a cleaner wetsuit can’t hurt!

Stunned by the price? I guess, but you could be surfing in the same wetty for at least the next 3 winters,  you do the math.

Cory Lopez, Mark Matthews, Christophe Allary and a bunch more will be photographed and filmed from all angles during a ten day trip to Morocco. You can follow this truly international gathering daily on the Internet.
They are already mid away through the trip but swell was on its way so after some tow-at around their base camp in Immousane, they traveled north and went back to the old fashion paddle powered surfing on some semi secret long right hand point breaks. Maybe a couple of good slabs too. No Internet up north, so last episodes that should be epic will be a wee late.
Check out the episodes here:

More Surfing Videos >>

Or for more on the ‘Close Encounter’ concept on line go to O’Neill.com and their facebook fan page.

Although not yet official, rumours have it that Portuguese Tiger Tiago Pires is another to have made the most of Christmas transfer window to sign a new deal. Photo copyright: ASP/Cestari

It’s that time of year when everyone is back home, not yet thinking about the next contest, rating points, Kelly’s new haircut or location for the RC Pro Search 2011… But underneath the apparent calmness and industry hibernation, there are intense contract negotiations in the signing. Better than Xmas shopping, companies are buying, reinforcing, consolidating teams not unlike soccer or rugby clubs. Course, you’ve heard the news about Julian Wilson signing to Nike 6.0 and Steph Gilmore entering the Quiksilver Womens team. But it’s funny how in mainstream sports salaries are made public, whereas with surfing these things are kept under wraps…

Back to our transfer subject, we’ve got another news for you: The Portuguese Tiger has also jumped ship, joining the Quiksilver crew and his long time friends on the team. Tiago Pires will be busy in the next few weeks shooting with a new logo on his board and getting ready for his new sponsor’s event, the Quik Pro Goldy coming soon to you via webcast. Rumors have it that he could be heading to some remote Atlantic island with fellow team rider Aritz for some intense training. More on that shortly…