Surf Athletes Archives - Page 15 of 24 - New Zealand Surf Journal

Five Minutes With: Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings

Derek MorrisonSep 16, 2020December 12, 20220

New Zealand Surf Journal catches up with Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings to discuss broken backs, new constitutions, the Olympic pathway and to find out what he’d do if he had full control of the sport and no resource limitations. The top role at Surfing New Zealand is certainly not...

Watch: Paige Alms, Eli Olson Win Big Wave Paddle Awards

Derek MorrisonSep 11, 2020September 11, 20200

Paige Alms and Eli Olson win Biggest Wave Paddle-In Award at the World Surf League 2020 Red Bull Big Wave Awards. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, this year’s Big Wave Awards (BWA) honour the best in big wave surfing from the past 12 months, from big-wave breaks throughout the world. Justine...

Maya Gabeira Wins Big Wave Awards With Guinness World Record Ride

Derek MorrisonSep 11, 2020September 11, 20200

Maya Gabeira sets a new Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed by a female as she wins XXL Biggest Wave Award. Gabeira’s record-setting wave measured 73.5 feet, besting her own previous World Record of 68 feet. She broke the record at the infamous big-wave surf break, Praia...

World Surf League In Pre-Season Countdown Mode With Charity Events

Derek MorrisonSep 3, 20200

World Surf League bridges the competition abyss caused by Covid-19 with its pre-season Countdown events. Upcoming competitions will take place in Australia, France, Portugal and Brazil, with nothing on the cards yet for New Zealand’s World Qualifying Series surfers. The idea of these WSL contests is to bring world-class competitive...

Watch: Soli

Derek MorrisonAug 13, 2020August 13, 20200

Take up one super talented filmmaker. Team them up with one of Australia’s most exciting pro surfers. Send them on a lap of the World Tour together and this is what you get: the epic visual story of Indigenous Australian surfer Soli Bailey. 10 years ago, an Australian surf magazine...

Kiwi Judges Confirmed For Tokyo 2020 Olympics … In 2021

Derek MorrisonJul 28, 20200

Surfing will make its debut at Tokyo 2020 on July 25, 2021 when the first competition window opens in Japan. In one year’s time the best surfers in the world are set to become the sport’s first Olympians. The International Surfing Association (ISA) celebrated the occasion by announcing the technical...

Watch: Jordy

Derek MorrisonJul 28, 2020July 28, 20200

Filmmaker Morgan Maassen teams up with South Africa’s Jordy Smith to bring this insight into one of the World Surf League’s most stylish surfers. “My longstanding attraction to surfing has always been through the elegance of style,” offers Morgan. “Watching the way someone can navigate a wave, connecting moves, making...

Special Feature: The Ratso Story

Derek MorrisonJul 27, 2020July 28, 20200

I’m standing in the garage with him as he sniffles back the taps and shuffles through a rack full of surfboards, his long hair hanging flat. He pulls one after another out and they’ve all got stories: he’s made a bunch of them, rode others to world titles and has...

WSL Unveils New Championship Tour Format For 2021

Derek MorrisonJul 18, 2020July 18, 20200

On the back of cancelling the 2020 World Championship Tour and Qualifying Series seasons, World Surf League has today unveiled a radical new format for the Championship Tour. To be introduced for the 2021 season that starts at the end of 2020, the WSL Championship Tour will see key format changes....

WSL Cancels 2020 Championship Tour

Derek MorrisonJul 18, 2020July 18, 20200

The World Surf League has today announced the cancellation of the 2020 Championship Tour season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Citing the health and safety of athletes, fans, employees, and local communities as the WSL’s top priorities, along with the challenges of international travel, the organisation has today cancelled the...