Recent Articles
The rebirth of the alaia surfboard by Tom Weneger
Author: SurferToday.com
Through tons of research and experimentation, he has perfected the simplest and purest wave sliding vehicles possible. Today, finless surfing is a great experience also because of Tom's passion for shaping "ancient" boards.
On top of bringing the soul and stoke back to surfing, he has brought an awareness of our sports impact on the environment. His alaias are made from Paulownia wood, which is grown in nearby New South Wales.
Sustainably harvested and hand made, the wood needs no treatment before hitting the waves. Local, organic, no resin or toxic chemicals - these are the least toxic boards you can buy.
Tom has taken his mastery of craftsmanship to the next level with full sized boards made much in the same way boats are. He will hand shape you your very own eco long or short-board at his Creation Plantation in Noosa Heads, Australia.
His working shop shows us a custom he is working on. Wood shavings are much nicer than polyester. Noosa Heads is Tom’s spot. On any given day you can find him on anything from a 10-foot tanker to the finless 5-foot SeaGlass.
Tom Weneger's surfboard shaping project is supported by Surfers Without Borders.
Gabriel Medina has taken out the Quiksilver Pro France 2011, in high-performance three-to-four foot (1 metre) waves at La Graviere. The Brazilian surfer defeated Julian Wilson to win his inaugural ASP World Tour stage.Medina, in only second event as an ASP Top 34 member, cut a swathe through the world’s best surfers, securing three of the top five highest single-wave scores of the event en route to his emotional win.“This is the best feeling ever,” Medina said. “I beat some great guys...
Kulia Doherty honoured the passing of her dad, Mike Doherty, after winning the Under 18 division of the Nike Surfing America Prime presented by Got Milk?, at San Onofre State Beach. The young surfer decided to compete only two days after losing her father of a heart attack. Mike raised by himself his daughters Kulia and Lani and moved from Maui to San Clemente, in 2009. "We have lost a member of the Surfing America family," says Surfing America. "He loved to watch his girls compete, and...
Enjoying kitesurfing has been considered to be dangerous in Perranporth, Cornwall, UK, because of a research carried out by the Plymouth University in partnership with the RNLI to study rip current. There is scientific equipment in the water, some of which is on scaffold rigs and contains sharp objects. The rigs are exposed at low tide and partly submerged at mid tide. The rigs lie in an area near flat rocks (mid beach) due to the excessive rip currents in this area and are marked by two...
Lewis Crathern stunned the world when he jumped over the Brighton Pier and the Worthing Pier, in the UK. The kite stunt crossed the globe and what was thought to be impossible is no longer a dream. The British rider is an avid crusader for the cause of renewable energy. Lewis is now teaming up with Global Marine Energy Inc., the leader in subsea power cable installation, to bring the message of the power of offshore wind farms to a broader...
Steve Thorp has successfully hit the 50-knot barrier, at West Kirby, a windsurfing speed spot located in the United Kingdom. "It was an amazing day for speedsailing which attracted sailors from all over the UK and Europe including Martin Van Muers, Hans Kreisel and Jacques van der Hout", says Thorp. With 60-knot wind gusts, the conditions were simply great. "The wind was blowing from first thing and was predicted to increase through the day. I broke the golden rule in speedsailing of not...
Fabian Weber is the new 2011 German Freestyle Windsurfing champion. The rider from Munich was crowned during the Rollei Bullet HD Freestyle DM, in Stein, Laboe. Weber enjoyed ideal windsurfing conditions and was able dominate both the single and double eliminations. Nevertheless, all competitors had to wait for the premium conditions in order to get back to the water. The green light only came when the first autumn storm decided to show off. Seventeen freestyle windsurfers traveled from all...
Damian Prisk is the new UK bodyboarding champion. Prisk has secured the Auto Sleepers British Bodyboard Club Tour 2011 in the last stage of the season, held in Porthtowan, during the British Bodyboarding Nationals. He collected a total of 1265 points. Remi Geffroy took first place in the last round of waves and Prisk secured the silver medal in the event. Alex Winkworth came in third position and Aaron Dinham was fourth. In the Drop Knee division, the man of the year is Alex Winkworth,...
Alex Uranga has conquered the Nissan Reunion Bodyboard Pro 2011. It has never been done before, but the Spanish bodyboarder had to do it. The rider came directly from the Trials to claim a Grand Slam Series event, in four-to-six foot glassy waves. In the final heat at Les Archers, Saint Pierre, Uranga defeated the Australian charger, Jake Stone, by less than a point: 15.25 versus 14.85. The Spanish wonder took down many world bodyboarding stars before reaching the final. Guilherme Tâmega,...