Newlyn to Penzance 1400 metre sea swim.

Los Tres Amigos, decided to enter their first swimming competition....well that's not entirely true, it transpires that Golden Balls (a.k.a. Justin Easton) is actually a full fledged international having represented Kenya as a nipper.

The water was cold, the nerves high and unlike journeying up and down the old municipal pool, 1400 metres looks a real long way when you look over it in its entirety.

All manners and niceties end as you enter the water, after that kicking, punching and rumours of eye gouging become common place.


Visibility under water meant that you couldn't see your hand, this didn't matter as my goggles were so steamed up that, I thought I was swimming next to a seal until its white foot kicked me square in the gob.

I was spent just reaching the start line, I attempted to start with the horn but found that I just got beaten up, so I lost 20 seconds just waiting for everyone else to move.
The sewage outlet half way along, spurred most of us on to the Penzance slip way and finish line, where as one tried to get to ones feet, cramp hit instantaneously. The removal of my goggles at the slip allowed me to realise a few key things. 1) There were quite a few people behind me...hooray. 2) Golden Balls was already on the railings chatting my bird up. 3) Andy McCreedy (a.k.a The Jock) and his bright pink swimming hat were nowhere to be seen. Placing me in the silver spot in los tres amigos.

Bilbo, the now infamous  dog and his proud owner also swam....respect.

There are worse places to swim but with leaky goggles I could have been in Somalia.

Talking of Somalia, nice boat.

It turns out that Golden Balls had opted for the quick start option and then didn't want to swim behind anyone and after vomiting a bit, came home in 34th place out of 480 odd with a time of just over 19 minutes, not bad for someone who hadn't done any training at all. I of course has a conscientious lifeguard have been swimming nigh on every day and pulled in at just a smidgen under 24 minutes. Whilst the Jock who despite being fit as a fiddle, but more of a land lubber type romped home in a most respectable 25 minute time.

Gloating Golden Balls, something else he's very good at with no effort.

Bet he'd need a few more minutes to get 17 stone of prime beef over the line.

Job's a good'un.

 Training for next years Newlyn to Penzance swim begins d'rectly and the first new comer to the Spinalsurfer competition is Greg Martin of Wavelength.....anyone else?

It looks nice in Tahiti

The Go Pro

The Go Pro is making me feel even more amateur than I already consider myself. Thankfully this is not because of the footage of my poor technique, rather I simply have woefully failed to master filming on an electronic device that only has two buttons. Despite downloading the online manual and reading it as well as strapping it to a rock for hours of rock running filming on every setting it must be said that I have yet to pull off a single video or picture of any interest.  Now as Inkawaves previously owned the camera and successfuuly used it and every other Tom, Dick and Harry who has one, uses it without a hitch, this can only be human error. So I will persevere.

 Shout out for http://www.surfsurfsurf.co.uk/ who sent me a mounting kit for the Go Pro for 21 quid despite the fact I gave them the wrong address. I haven't choosen whether to put it on my fish or longboard yet, it all seems academic until I can actually use the camera!

Teahupoo starts on Monday

According to Magicseaweed Teahupoo will be 8.5ft at 10 seconds on Monday morning when the World Tour blows into French Polynesia and one of the world's heaviest waves. Last year quite frankly they might as well have not bothered running the event as the wave never roared into live. What makes this year particularly compelling, is the new format. At the end of the Tahiti event only 32 of the top 44 will progress to the rest of the events. In other words guys who have been ticking along for years or who have had bad starts to the 2010 season are having their livelyhoods pulled from underneath them. So pumping hectic waves and desperate top pro's will be pitted against each other, you can watch the live action on this link and then clicking the "live" tab or click on "video" for replays. Tahiti time is:

Surfers who need to dig deep and go hard or face extinction may include: Feral Aussie veteran Mick Campbell and Coolie Kid Dean Morrison to name but a few. (full ranking here.)

 Being a bit of an old skool guy, I love these events where the old power guys like Knox, Perrow (he needs a result) step up. I'll be watching to see how Dane Reynolds and the new aerial wonder kids get on in heaving pits.....let the games begin.

The swell looks set to fade pretty fast through the week, so I'd of thought that they'll be getting underway as soon as.

Top picture: Laird Hamilton at Teahupoo

Middle picture: Shane Dorian giving it a go.

This Picture: As if the wave wasn't heavy enough, the flotilla of jet skis, boats, photographers all heighten this experience. Kooks and drop ins hey!

Derek Hynd and his finless surfboard.

Derek Hynd is one of surfings great innovators and explorers. Derek's ability to surf to such a high level as well as have such a fine understanding of board shaping and hydrodynamics puts him in a category which only the likes of George Greenough and Tom Wegener can really hold a candle to.

 Rumour has it that for over 2 years D.H hasn't ridden a surfboard with any fins. Instead of joining the throngs on the trail of the Polynesian Alaia he's been bringing the concept up to date, through the advances that PU blanks allow in bottom contours, D.H has been harnessing the reduction in friction from skegless boards and combining this with the hold,trim and turning properties of concave. The results may just be a window into the future. Derek Hynd we salute you!

Above is a Portrait of Derek Hynd by Katherine Hall

To the Right Derek holding one of his wonders pre J-bay session.

Below the result

Rock Running

Well since becoming an RNLI lifeguard for the summer holidays things have been getting a little competitive in the Hayle Hut. A new one on me is rock running. Pretty simple really, line up a big rock(so big you can barely lift it on land is the go), swim down, grab it, keep as low to the floor as possible and run until the lungs burn and then let go....always do it with a friend.

 Now I've seen those Hawaiian boys doing it, in their boardies, with bright fish flying by and the visibility so good  you think there in the bath.......all I got to say is, they couldn't hack it in Cornwall, first problem is finding your rock from the surface.......Hawaiian boys are pussies....Local footage to follow, so you can check us out Shane Dorian.

Cornish Summer