Channel Islands Regional Report

Jake Powell — Photo: @ninebyfivephotography

Regional Report — Channel Islands

Channel Islands

The Channel Islands occupy a unique corner of British surf culture — Atlantic-facing, tide-driven, and fiercely proud of their own scene. Jersey in particular has built a community that punches well above its size, with a contest calendar, a cast of characters, and a lineup culture that's entirely its own. Jake Powell has been in the thick of it since before most people could find the island on a map. Here's his first dispatch.

2026 started as the first year we ever had two simultaneous GB Cup champions — and it's only got stranger from there.

GB Cup

Nathan Elms — Photo: Lawrence Chay

2026 started as the first year we ever had two simultaneous GB Cup champions in the form of Owen Graham and Naughty Nathan Elms. In annual familiar fashion, lifeguards returned from their yearly Indo "surf trip" armed with Bintang headaches, onshore clips of Ulus, and questionable tattoos — while those who stayed on island quietly scored weeks of pumping uncrowded waves.

CI Champs

Matt Chapman — Photo: Theo Cabot · Currently MIA somewhere in Holland 🇳🇱

Ironically, the wave tap turned off just in time for the CI Champs, leaving organiser old man George scratching his head after forgetting daylight savings had kicked in and being the wrong end of the tide. A few heats were run before the finals were pushed back for another day — TBC.

VIACY Torched

Josh Evans — Photo: @ninebyfivephotography

Josh Evans — Photo: Theo Cabot

May brought the long-awaited VIACY TORCHED event, only for Poseidon to smite down every bit of low pressure heading for the shoreline — this time old man George was on the money with his predictions. A last-minute tweak to the format, somewhere between tag team wrestling and a surf comp, mixed with a skate jam and secret afterparty, may have unlocked a whole new beast and meaning for the event going forward. Watch this space.

"Somewhere between tag team wrestling and a surf comp — watch this space."

Looking Ahead

Brad Ferguson — Photo: Daisy Barnard

Summer will see Albie G and the rest of the junior gang battle it out in the local series to decide who gets on the plane to the Euros in Ireland — but first, a trip to the Rip Curl GromSearch, where it would be no surprise if we had a few champs returning. Elsewhere, the older crew continue their best Peter Pan impressions — working, surfing, partying. It somehow gets harder every year.

There's plenty to look forward to in September with VIACIFIED: A Tribute to Jersey Surfing on the 12th, and BOWLACROCK: Carnival of Skate Culture. It's going to be a good month on the island, which normally sees a fair bit of swell — so if you fancy coming over, get in touch and I'm sure some local folk will help you out with a couch. And a beer.

Let's make #JerseyGreatAgain

SURFILMUSIC / Jack Johnson

The Great Estate secures exclusive uk premiere of the highly anticipated documentary ‘SURFILMUSIC’

In a major cultural coup for the UK festival landscape, The Great Estate has today announced it will host the exclusive UK premiere of SURFILMUSIC - the deeply personal and critically acclaimed new documentary featuring multi-platinum musician and surfer Jack Johnson. Mirroring the independent spirit of both the artist and the event, the film will debut on Friday 29th May 2026 as the headline showcase of the festival’s newly conceived Silent Cinema series. Stepping away from conventional cinema multiplexes, the premiere will immerse audiences directly into the natural landscape of the Scorrier Estate. Attendees will be welcomed into the ancient canopy of the Whispering Woods, taking their seats on bespoke, hand-crafted wooden chairs - built specifically for this experience by resident festival carpenter Merlin, utilizing timbers salvaged entirely from fallen trees during recent UK winter storms. To complement this visually arresting environment, viewers will wear high-fidelity silent disco headphones, completely isolating the rich soundscape and creating a profoundly intimate viewing sanctuary within the bustling festival grounds. Directed by celebrated filmmaker Emmett Malloy, SURFILMUSIC arrived to rapturous praise at its SXSW world premiere earlier this year.

The documentary elegantly traces how Johnson’s formative years directing surf films alongside close friends laid the foundational architecture for his global musical career, beautifully illustrating how his experiences in the ocean directly informed his rhythmic songwriting. The feature seamlessly integrates rare archival footage and private family documents with contemporary reflections from definitive cultural figures including Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Gerry Lopez, and Ben Harper, all set to an exquisite original score composed by Johnson and instrumental virtuosos Hermanos Gutiérrez. The Great Estate will host three exclusive screenings of SURFILMUSIC across the weekend, providing festival-goers with multiple opportunities to witness the piece before it begins its official international theatrical run on June 5th. The maiden UK voyage will broadcast on Friday 29th May at 19:00, establishing a serene, cinematic counter-narrative to the high-octane live performances across the estate.

"Securing the UK premiere of SURFILMUSIC is a monumental milestone for The Great Estate. Jack Johnson’s ethos of environmental stewardship and independent creativity mirrors everything we strive to build at the festival. Having our guests sit on chairs sculpted by Merlin from our own fallen storm trees, listening to Jack’s melodies under the leaves - it delivers exactly the kind of beautiful, rambunctious magic our community expects."

- FESTIVAL DIRECTOR BEN HALL

The cinematic unveiling forms part of a sprawling, multi-disciplinary schedule for the 2026 iteration of the festival, which takes place from 29th to 31st May. Alongside the film premiere, guests will experience headlining musical performances from Kaiser Chiefs, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and Skunk Anansie, late-night woodland takeovers by the Bang Bang Club featuring Jeremy Healy, and intimate talks with Hollywood icon Simon Pegg and rock royalty Skin.

Wales Regional Report

Logan Nicol — Photo: @livs3rdeye

Regional Report — Wales

Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬

Wales has always punched above its weight — a rugged, swell-hungry coastline stretching from Pembrokeshire to the Llŷn Peninsula, and a community that knows exactly what to do when the Atlantic delivers. For our first Welsh dispatch, we've handed the mic to Callum Thomas — surfer, local, and someone who's been in the water for all of it. Here's his take:

The swell didn't stop from January till May for most of Europe, so it's going to be hard to cover everything that's happened in God's country — here are some highlights.

Porthcawl

Porthcawl has a great surfing community and most spots handle different conditions, so there's always somewhere to find. Logan Nicol testing the air game at Coney Beach.

George Schofield — Photo: Tony John

George Schofield doesn't miss much and has the backhand to prove. Aside from drinking coffee and texting me the surf report, here's a nice off the top from the local legend.

Gower

Patrick Langdon-Dark — Photo: Rhodri Williams

Patrick Langdon-Dark has been home most of the winter, planning his wedding later this month and sharpening his tools ready for the QS season. Gower probably lacked the most versatile options with the south-easterly winds that blew from January till April. Some spots had moments, but for the Langland crew it was a quiet start.

The crisp mornings in Llangennith and the walk up to the peaks can sometimes pay off.

Photo: @langlandboardriders

Alys Barton recently qualified for the Challenger Series, making her the first British surfer to achieve this. Langland Board Riders held a fundraising night to get everyone together and celebrate the success so far before Alys takes on her biggest challenge yet.

"Making her the first British surfer to achieve this."

Pembrokeshire

Photo: Dai Williams / @seasidehues

Photographer Dai Williams has always been amongst it, ensuring he doesn't miss the best days. These long-distance swells and easterly winds have lit up parts of Wales this year. The Pembrokeshire crew haven't got it easy but always seem to find the good corners — whether it's a left wedge or a right-hand barrel. There's always a strong crew out, from Tenby's Will Howells to the Buik brothers from St David's.

Al Morris in his natural habitat — Photo: @seasidehues

Al Morris in his natural habitat.

Cardigan

Elliot Barton — Photo: @seasidehues

Some days require getting in the car and going for a spin. Elliot Barton set his alarm this day, whilst Al Morris… again found some shade from the spring sun.

Welsh Nationals

Welsh Nationals — Photo: Peter Price

The Welsh Nationals went down in an epic weekend of sun and surf. Full write up: https://www.carvemag.com/2026/05/new-champions-crowned-at-welsh-nationals-2026/

North Shore Prosthetics Hawaiian Surfing Championships

Llywelyn 'Sponge' Williams — Photo: @tommypierucki

That's a wrap on the North Shore Prosthetics Hawaiian Surfing Championships. It's been a while since Sponge last placed 3rd — Mark and Dariel used their priority perfectly and picked off the best waves. After the sunscreen incident during the semi-finals, he was lucky just to make it into the finals. What an incredible day of surf though — great waves all day and amazing performances from everyone involved. Next stop: Adaptive Surf Japan.

As I tap out of my first regional report, I look forward to keeping people up to date. In the meantime — Da boch. 󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁥

Don’t Jump Off the Pier

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Interview: James Wilkinson Photo: Ian Forsyth / room2850.com

We caught up with Simon Palmer to talk about his book documenting the history of surfing at Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

Hi Simon, how are you doing? Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m great thanks. I’m working in Greece currently. It’s a struggle to find waves in the Aegean Sea but they’re out there. And I’ll find them this winter. I’m a lifelong surfer, starting at 13 in Cape Town and now based in Northeast England for over 30 years. I’m still chasing waves and believe the Northeast has world-class surf.

What inspired the book about Saltburn surfing?
It started with a photo of surfers from 1965. Meeting pioneers like John Smith and Ian Roughton revealed a rich, undocumented history. The second edition updates that story, reflecting the growth of the scene—especially more women surfers—and Saltburn’s rising popularity.

How did the community shape the new edition? 
Collaborations with local creatives like Matt Whaley and Emma Tweddle transformed the book into a more visual, inclusive project, blending photography with personal stories.

What stood out about the early years? 
The sheer dedication. Surfers built their own boards, braved freezing waters, and created a scene from scratch with minimal resources—pure passion and resilience.

Any memorable stories? 
Plenty—like surfers riding waves in a Stetson, fainting from cold, or wiping out spectacularly off the pier. The town has always been full of colourful, tough characters.

How has Saltburn’s surf identity evolved? 
It’s grown massively in popularity, but its core—hardiness, community, and love of the sea—remains unchanged.

What are the challenges of documenting a living culture? 
Surfing in Saltburn is still evolving, influenced by social change, tourism, and history. Capturing it means balancing past milestones with ongoing developments.

How does geography shape surfers? 
Cold water, strong tides, and hazards like the pier demand toughness and build character—it’s not an easy place to surf.

What makes Saltburn unique? 
A mix of rugged conditions, varied waves, strong community, and a creative, bohemian town atmosphere.

Final thoughts on “Don’t Jump Off the Pier”? 
It’s a personal celebration of Northeast surfing culture—preserving its stories and spirit for future generations.

Check out the full interview with Simon in issue 231 here, grab a copy of Don't Jump Off The Pier from the link below.

Click Here To Buy The Book