A surfer from Noosa's sun drenched shores obsessed with the dark world of gothic horror, Jai Lee's personal struggles and addiction to noseriding have twisted his creativity. Words: Chris Preston Photos: Thomas Robinson (pp 1&3), Andy Staley (pp4)and Dane Peterson

A worthy addition to European surfing culture, the surfilmfestibal festival attempts to connect the global surfing community through moving picture, art and education. Words: Howard Swanwick. Photos: surfilmfestibal

When it comes to surfcraft there's a newcomer making waves. Drift discovers the new world of handplaning with Cornwall's finest craftsmen. Words: Clare Howdle

Rebel wave riders on a mission to enlighten the Western world to the true culture of the Middle East, blakkbox redefine the notion of surfers as beach bums who only care about the next wave. Photos: Cole Estrada & Anthony Allen

Meeting a legend is something few people have the opportunity to do. During a short stay in California last winter Dave Muir created his own luck in finding Skip Frye at home. He was welcomed in to take a look around. Words: Dave Muir Photos: Dave Muir and Skip Frye

Sean Mattison has a reputation as a designer, a coach, and a businessman. His competitive experience, retail background and knowledge acquired from testing hundreds of surfboards made him one of the most versatile surfers in California. Words: Rui Ribeiro.

S.M.A.S.H. @ Wallako

September 25, 2009 | Words By: Niega

smash-wallako-openerWallako is a cool surf shop. And I mean cool in a good sense: it’s managed and tended by a nice crew of real surfers, and it specialises in beautifully handcrafted boards by some great shapers whose work was almost unavailable until now around here (DVS, Neal Purchase Jr., etc. ).

Next to the boards they also display a lean -but healthy and classy- range of surfwear from selected brands, and a stylish homemade decoration to make many a San Franciscan mussel or a Brooklyn squid green with envy (get it? click on the links if you don’t). Besides it is in Bidart, the only other place in the French Basque Country (apart from Guéthary) where I’d care to live. I have only heard of one other shop like this in Southern Europe, Florian’s The Flying Longboarder in Comillas (Cantabria), and so it was with sadness that I learned a few days ago that it is about to close down. Shame.

The guys at Wallako (who don’t even know of my existence, by the way, in case you think that this is some sort of plug) also make an effort to display exhibitions of local artists. This is the case of Rudy Jacques, a French photographer from l’Île d’Oléron and the man behind the Avthentic blog. Rudy is also a filmmaker, and his Things short film reached the Final of the Surf Short Film Competition within the AMSTEL Surfilm Festibal7 held in Donostia this past June.

The photography exhibition –S.M.A.S.H.- will open this coming Saturday 26 September @ 19:00 h. and Rudy, who lives in Paris now, will be there to greet you. Do not miss it if you are around.

smash-wallako

Wallako Surfshop
111 avenue de Biarritz, 64210 Bidart

Niegà

         

Comment

←
→

Advertise here