Swellboard Shootout 2018 – Conclusion.

Swellboard Shootout 2018 – Conclusion.

by Nog Competition news Fundraiser General Club News St. Ives Surf School events Surf Club Events

Once the judges had seen the teams in their finery, it was off round the town on the traditional parade. Through the Digey, along Fore Street, down Lifeboat Hill, along the harbour and back to Porthmeor for the surfing element to commence. With only ankle-biter waves, and few even of those, it didn’t present the spectacle that previous editions have offered, although the contestants gamely tried the reverse take-offs, switch foot manoeuvres and headstands which have become the currency of progressive teams in the Shootout story.

Here’s a gallery of the day as it developed:

Somewhere in the middle of proceedings we managed to take a break while England won a World Cup football game, before running the final in the smallest, glassiest wave of the day. And then it was all round to The Balcony to wrap up the day with the prizegiving and to get our rocks off to the sweet soul sounds of our favourites, The Sandy Acres Seven. Here’s the gallery that brings the day to a conclusion.

Our thanks are due to Harris and the crew of St. Ives Surf School for another fabulous edition of the Swellboard Shootout. Thanks also to Porthmeor Beach for hosting the event and feeding the participants. Thanks to our volunteer lifeguards, our judges and Pete for bringing an element of order to the day. A big thank you to Maurice Symons of The Sloop Inn for the £200 prize for the Fancy Dress winners, and to Swell for the gift of a swellboard which was awarded to Luciana and Flavio for their selfless contribution to the running of saints boardriders. Thanks to Red Bull for their continuing support of our event, and thanks to the Sandy Acres Seven for bringing the whole day to a rocking finale! We love it!

Swellboard Shootout 2018 – part 1

Swellboard Shootout 2018 – part 1

by Nog Competition news Fundraiser General Club News St. Ives Surf School events Surf Club Events

An all-star super group of Freddie Mercury, Elton John, Iggy Pop and The Artist Formerly Known As Giacomo performed at Porthmeor Beach in the seventh edition of our annual Swellboard Shootout – but were they the stand-out act? There was glorious Sunday sunshine, but only the suggestion of a wave, as we gathered before the judges to parade the teams and process through St. Ives for the wider appreciation of the town before getting down to the semi-serious business of fancy-dress surfing. Have a look at our teams in the gallery below and choose your favourite fancy dress. You’ll learn of our judges’ decision later.

Stay tuned for the next instalment of the 2018 Swellboard Shootout extravaganza!

 

Hot!

Hot!

by Nog General Club News Groms Surf Club Events

A small but rideable swell greeted us on Saturday morning at Porthmeor. Beautiful warm weather with no wind allowed eighty plus surfers to enjoy a mellow session and polish our skills.  The younger groups were able to practice their pop-ups and even find time to trim along the waves in such favourable conditions. Happy Days! Here are some pics from the session, including a sneaky practice for tomorrow’s Swellboard Shootout competition by an unnamed instructor.

 

We’re Back!

We’re Back!

by Nog General Club News Groms Surf Club Events

Saturday 9th of June was the first Kids Club of the season, and 99 eager surfers answered the call. Add in the instructors the helpers and the admin crew and that amounts to over 130 people enjoying the balmy morning, with just enough surf to give the newbies a gentle introduction to the sport but some bigger peelers out back for those returning members to rediscover their mojo. With such fine weather, decent surf and a chance to catch up with old friends, it was a successful day all round. The gallery below captures some of the action.

A Clubhouse Update

A Clubhouse Update

by Nog General Club News Surf Club Events

Our last bulletin saw us gathering at the site with some of our principal sponsors for a photo op as the old building was torn down. Things have moved on apace since then, so here’s a montage of images illustrating the progress to date

New toilets, showers and a kiosk for public amenities and a clubhouse and store for saints boardriders to be open soon. Watch this space!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018 Sign-up

2018 Sign-up

by Nog General Club News Groms Surf Club Events

Saturday 21st of April in The Balcony was the start of the season for many of our younger members as the Kids Club opened for registration for the 2018 season. The crowd had filled the bar long before the 10am sign-up time arrived, and our committee team had a hectic first hour before the flood became a steady stream. Our banner picture features Emma, Luciana and Rebecca manning the desk.

Nav showing clubhouse plans

We were joined on the morning by Lloyd Davies of the RNLI who was recruiting some of our advanced youngsters to a junior lifeguard scheme. He was pleased to report that his target quota for this initial intake was easily filled. Well done in stepping forward kids!

Lloyd outlining the junior lifeguard scheme

Over 140 signed-up to saints boardriders on the day, and there are several more who were unable to make that date but are keen to re-enrol. We also had an enthusiastic take-up of our family membership offers which has proved to be a useful step in our drive to recruit a greater adult membership. All we need now are the waves!

Big Spring Beach Clean 2018

Big Spring Beach Clean 2018

by Nog General Club News St. Ives Surf School events Surf Club Events

Grand National Day 2018, and our banner picture shows some of the runners and riders who completed the course. No !! Not the Aintree course, but the grand sweep of St. Ives and it’s beaches covered by the Big Spring Beach Clean of 2018! An annual event on the Surfers Against Sewage calendar, the beach clean has always found an enthusiastic following in St. Ives, and 2018 was no exception. Led by Harris Rothschild of St. Ives Surf School, the volunteers split into two groups and harvested the marine coastal litter from opposing ends of the town. One group began at Porthmeor West, the other at Porthminster Point and they came together on the harbour slipway with their hauls. It was a relaxing and social way to spend a fine Spring morning, and the benefit to the environment can be gauged from the the amount of trash collected in the bags and buckets at the end of the exercise. The Coffee Lounge on Tregenna Hill offered free coffee vouchers for participants and a prize bag for the most enthusiastic beachcomber, which went to Eve Dudley. The gallery below shows some of those who answered the call to help polish the jewel that is our heritage here in St. Ives. Many thanks to all who participated, and please, all readers of this blog, help keep our coastline free of litter – it is hazardous to wildlife as well as a blight on our beautiful environment.

Coming Soon!

Coming Soon!

by Nog General Club News St. Ives Surf School events Surf Club Events

And so, finally, after a frustrating four months delay, our clubhouse project springs back to life! We won’t rake over the litany of negotiations regarding warranties, legal charges, car park charges and the mere time that these things take. Instead we’ll celebrate the fact that we are on site and things are happening. The picture below shows the first steps in the process as the toilet block is demolished.

By the day’s end there remained a pile of rubble to be removed and recycled. An information board has been erected at the site to bring the community abreast of what’s happening – see the proposed layout below

 

 

 

It was a particular pleasure to gather together at the end of the first day on site many of the people and organisations who are instrumental in making it happen. This final picture by Susie Excell of Tregenna Castle shows some of those build partners .

From left to right are: John Navin (Saints Boardriders), Katy Spencer (The Wave Project), Vanessa Luckwell (Cornwall Council), Joshua Martindale (Saints Boardriders), Shaun Paisley (Saints Boardriders), Tristan Easterbrook (Painting & Decorating), Harris Rothschild (St Ives Surf School & Saints Boardriders), Steve Hewlett (Tregenna Castle Resort & Saints Boardriders), Rebecca Martindale (Saints Boardriders), Emma Jarvis (Saints Boardriders), Neal Peek (Tregenna Castle Resort), Ray Renalls (Jewson), Nigel Smitheram (Jewson), Tom Dodd (Frame Homes UK), David Stephens (Ace Engineering), Alan Woodward (Saints Boardriders).
Not present in the picture, but equally deserving of our thanks are:

 MV Clatworthy, C.I.B. Lello Plant Hire Ltd, Summit Roofing, BBN Electrical, Country Carpets, Stevens Scaffolding, A and P Williams, Cornwall Aluminium Windows, Bu-Mar Skip Hire, Porthmeor Beach management and Christian Simmons, architect at CASA Studio Ltd.
saints boardriders committee members who were unavailable for the photo are Ray Trebilcock, Flavio Favero, Luciana Bueno Favero and Simon Trebilcock.
 

 

 
 

 

 

It’s Christmas!!! – loud like Noddy Holder!

It’s Christmas!!! – loud like Noddy Holder!

by Nog General Club News Groms Surf Club Events

Our traditional Christmas Day bash saw it’s largest ever attendance. There was a friendly wave for those taking to the water and a welcoming array of beverages both hot and alcoholic – and sometimes both – for those enjoying the gathering on dry land. There were a few of our Saturday club nippers answering the call as well as a strong contingent of St. Ives surfers who might swell our adult membership once the lure of the clubhouse is available. Construction there has been delayed due to as yet unresolved issues around what builders warranties are required, but we are still expecting to complete in time for summer 2018. More news when we have it! There’s a gallery below of some of those in attendance on Christmas Day, my apologies to anyone I have missed with my roving lens.

Surfers Ball 2017

Surfers Ball 2017

by Nog Fundraiser General Club News Surf Club Events

Friday 20th of October had been underlined on many calendars in St. Ives as the night of the Surfers Ball, a chance to pull on the glad rags and dress to impress as the social event of the year unfolded at Tregenna Castle. This was to be saints boardriders’ major fundraising drive of the season, and comes just days before the anticipated start of the clubhouse construction. The club committee and Tregenna Castle had worked hard to produce an event which would grab the imagination of the town and sell 250 tickets to fill the ballroom of the hotel to capacity. This is what you got for your money;  

Tom Quirke and Ross Williams

Even as you were leaving your coat in the cloakroom you were being entertained with a selection of jazz standards from Tom Quirke (piano) and Ross Williams (bass). There was then a chance to pose in your finery before the surf club backdrop for a commemorative picture by Andre Otto. The casino was open for an early flutter until we were seated at our tables to hear an introductory address by Nick Rees of Surfing England. He outlined the part they have played in helping to develop the sport, and the part saints boardriders have played in introducing so many youngsters to surfing in St. Ives.

Saints boardriders committee men

 

Towards the end of a splendid three-course dinner, auctioneer, Robin Turner went into action inviting us to bid for some very desirable lots which had been generously donated to help the cause. There was a case of a dozen bottles of wine given by Burdett Wines. Kegs of beer packaged with a golf day and tickets to a Pirates rugby game donated by St. Austell Brewery. There were paintings by renowned local artists, Michael Quirke and Peter Beeson. Premiership club rugby shirts signed by their players, and tickets to an international match. There was a weekend holiday package for four at Tregenna Castle, and a surf lesson and lunch with local pro surfer Jayce Robinson. There was a water sports activity package for eight people with St. Ives Surf School, a new resin-tint surfboard by RT donated by Boardbox in St. Ives and there was a beautiful chair from Kettles of Fowey. Bidding on all the lots was brisk, and by the end Robin had realised over £4000 for the cause. Thank you and well done to both him and our bidders!

And then it was a case of clear the decks as the Sandy Acres Seven got into their stride and got the house rocking, while the gamblers among us were back in the casino trying their luck at roulette and blackjack. The night went on at a pace into the small hours leaving everyone with that quiet-but-contented buzz as the cabs rolled off down Tregenna’s drive and the croupiers counted the chips back into the treasury. And Sandy Acres Seven had done us proud once again – can we call you our house band?!

 

There are many more photos from the Surfers Ball on our saints boardriders Facebook page. Take a look if you can’t see yourself in this blog!

And we end by offering our deepest gratitude to Tregenna Castle for hosting the evening, to our casino ladies, to Tom Quirke and Ross Williams, and to Sandy Acres Seven for the music. Thanks to Andre Otto for the red carpet photos and to Gavan Goulder and Matty Snelling for the reportage pics. Many thanks also to Robin Turner, auctioneer and to our generous benefactors who donated the auction lots. And finally, thank you to all those who were there on the night to support saints boardriders and help us realise our goal. We hope you enjoyed the night as much as we did – and if that’s the case then why don’t we do it again next year?