PLUS 50% OFF LOADS OF CLOTHING, 25% OFF WINTER SUITS, 20% OFF WETSUIT ACCESSORIES AND 20% OFF SURFBOARDS!
DAY 1: Brixton Pinnacle Jacket - Olive WAS €120 NOW €40
This relaxed fit jacket features a custom quilted lining and has been treated with a water resistant coating, so not only does it look great it will also keep you warm and dry all Winter!
With a MASSIVE €80 off its not a deal to miss!
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/collections/jackets/products/pinnacle-jacket-olive
DAY 2: FREE STAR WARS STANCE SOCKS - WHEN YOU SPEND OVER €10 ON STANCE.
As simple as it sounds - everyone wants socks for Christmas so its the perfect opportunity to pick up some stocking fillers and get ahead on your Christmas shopping.
This is while Stocks last so hurry over and check our our epic range of Stance stocks here:
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/collections/stance
DAY 3: MANGO COLOUR CREWS NOW €12.50
So popular we decided to launch it online, this was meant to be in store only but we have had so many requests we have decided to add them to our website too! Pick up any Mango Colours Crew for just €12.50!
Classic Colours Crews are available here:
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/collections/homepage/products/mango-basic-crew-classic-colours
Or if you are feeling more crazy our Bright Colours Crews are available here:
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/collections/homepage/products/mango-basic-crew-colours
DAY 4: SEX WAX STOCKINGS NOW JUST €16
I don't think you can get a better stocking filler than the Sex Wax Official Stocking!
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/collections/sex-wax/products/sexwax-christmas-stocking
DAY 5: €75 off ALL SoftTech Surfboards
Perfect for any beginner surfers out there! Drop us a message if you need any advice or pop into our Cornwall Services Store!
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/collections/softtech
DAY 6: LOST RNF RETRO BOARDS - WAS €675 NOW €349
Our biggest Black Friday saving yet with a massive €326 off our Lost RNF surfboards, available in store and online.
More details on the boards we have available here:
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/collections/black-friday-daily-deals
DAY 7: HALF PRICE VISSLA 7 SEAS DRY PACK - WAS €25 NOW €12.50
DAY 8: Bic Inflatable SUP Package WAS €450 NOW €299!!
DAY 9: ?
DAY 10: ?
]]>
We are offering a massive 20% OFF the RRP of all of our Surfboards for the next 10 days! The sale will be ending on the 1st of December, giving you loads of time to pop into our Cornwall services store to check out what we have available, browse our website or even better drop us a message.
Due to the shop refit we have just started on our Cornwall Store we are a little behind on getting all boards online and even finding room for them in our store so its worth sending us a message over on facebook or via email and we can let you know exactly what we have available.
If it is not a board you need why not check out our Hardware sale with 25% OFF all wetsuits AND 20% OFF all wetsuit accessories!
ENJOY!
The men’s competition has seen a couple of upsets with Julian Wilson, Connor Coffin and local style master Michael February going out in the round of 32. Due to the fact that John John is out for the season the title race has been split wide open so the fight for points in the top 10 is hotting up and to get passed the Round of 32 is a must. Michael February showed the tour his style and unique lines in the long walls of J-Bay but it just wasn’t enough to get past Toledo who is looking to get his 3rd consecutive title at one of the worlds best right handers!
Wave scores above a 7 were very few and far between with only 5 waves going into the excellent range. Kanoa Igarashi had the best heat total with a 9.03 and an 8.50 showing that his consistency is growing and he’s looking very dangerous going towards the last half of the season. Seabass got the wave of the day for a 9.07. His stylish and powerful surfing shon through with a unique line drawn which we’ve been missing of late. Italo threw the tail on his last move on a long wave to score an 8.23 and was showing his usual back hand flare to overcome Freestone. South African Jordy Smith was showing his usual dominant and powerful surfing at a wave he knows very well and scored and scored an 8.50 and 7.17 to overcome rookie Soli Bailey.
Seabass showing us his style
Kelly Slater looked pretty hungry also showcasing his legendary carve to slide on several occasions and is through to the round of 16 after taking out Caio Ibelli. Will slater ride a slightly longer board in his next heat with the swell forecast to be a bit bigger than what we’ve seen? There have been calls to see him put more rail in the water and go back to the days when we would see him ride 6ft+ boards in normal size waves. He’s coming up against a very inform Italo Ferreira so he might need something to show the judges a point of difference against Italo’s powerful back hand attack.
Kelly Slater’s trademark slide
Other heats to look out for in the round of 16 is Medina Vs Callinan, the goofy footers are 2 of the best on their backhand and the long J-Bay walls have plenty of canvas to work with. Sebastian Zietz is up against Michel Bourez and with the forecast looking the way it is it will be hard to predict the winner. But I have to say Seabass has one of the most unique and best styles on tour with a touch of Taj Burrow thrown in so expect the unexpected.
Fingers crossed we get a bigger swell with favourable winds so we can see the last 16 of the men’s and quarters of the women’s battle it out in epic J-Bay conditions.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just pop into our Cornwall Store on the A30 or drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
To be honest the WSL should have just stayed down this side of the beach because the North ends left hander, sorry straight hander, was just awful! If you watched the second to last day every so often the camera would pan around and give a view of the full length of the beach and down in the far end you could just make out a heavy right barrel draining off in the distance. But for some reason they held the men’s and women’s early rounds in double over head wobbly closeouts!?!? Maybe it’s because there aren’t many rippable lefts on the tour and some competitors have brought that to the attention of the WSL... who knows... but when there’s waves around a venue that are better surely they should put the best surfers in the world on the best waves...!?
Just another reason to hold the comp at the North end of Saquarema!
It was frustrating on the second to last day because the conditions finally cleaned up and instead of setting up down the south end of Saquarema at the right hand bank the day started with the women’s round of 16 in double overhead close outs at the north end and when it was time for the men’s round of 16 to begin there was a 4 hour delay so they could move the event down the beach, during that time the right hand bank of Saquarema was PUMPING. But as soon as they started the men’s round of 16 the wind had come up and messed up the swell a little so the men’s competitors had to make do with a tricky and unpredictable semi close out.
Andino was ripping!
There was only a few waves scored in the excellent range and the match up between Toledo and Slater was the 1st heat in and they utilised the change to the heavy right and cleaner conditions to get a couple of amazing waves! Toledo did what he does best and did a full rotation front side air reverse to get a 9.17 and Slater did what he does best and got barrelled to get a 9.50, although he struggled to find a decent wave to back it up. Toledo got a good barrel on a heavy looking wave and got the heat win with an 8.67. The other heats didn’t quite match up to the 1st heat because the conditions were pretty tricky, so the term “should’ve been here earlier” was definitely in the thoughts of the competitors and the crowd. The only other significant thing to happen during the round of 16 was that John John re injured his knee with 10 minutes to go in his heat with Wade Carmichael while doing a fly away kick out. John John went in early but still won the heat to go through to the quarters. It wasn’t until the finals day John John announced he was withdrawing from the contest to rest his knee ready for Jefferys Bay in a couple of weeks. This shows us his competitive intelligence, he knew he’d come away with a 5th place and the yellow jersey so he’s looking to get his knee better for the next event.
Slater on a bomb!
The finals day delivered much smaller but fun waves, although it was a little slow compared to the early rounds. Kolohe Andino silenced the Brazilian crowd by taking down Medina but couldn’t carry it on past the semis when he was taken down by an in form Jordy Smith. Andino maintains his second spot on the WSL rankings with Jordy sitting in fourth. Fredarico Morais took full advantage of his injury replacement slot in the Oi Rio Pro and went all the way to semi finals but wasn’t able to get past Toledo who just looked unstoppable. Morais put on his usual display of powerful on rail surfing but wasn’t able to find the waves in his heat to get him the scores he needed. Toledo carried on his charge finding the best waves and surfing them with speed and flare to beat Jordy Smith in a very one sided final. The waves just came Toledo’s way, whereas Jordy was catching everything he could with little or no affect.
Toledo flying high!
The next stop is Jefferys Bay in a couple of weeks, Toledo won there last year so he’s looking to defend his title and close the gap to John John on the WSL rankings. Fingers crossed John John’s knee is ok and ready for Jefferys so he can maintain his lead and make it harder for the other competitors to catch him in the race for the 2019 title.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just pop into our Cornwall Store on the A30 or drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
There are 6 to choose from and we have put the price down to €440.00 GBP!!! Thats an UBER saving of €170 from their RRP of €610!
We have a 5’8, 2 x 5’10’s, a 6’0, a 6’2 and a 6’4 available for online purchase only but we can have them brought into our Cornwall Services store if you want to have a look, just let us know!
Uber Driver by ...Lost Surfboards from Lost Video Productions on Vimeo.
Technical Description:
"Uber” means excessive, beyond, and above all. The new Uber Driver is just that. Excessive fun, beyond expectations and above all – a great everyday surfboard. It’s designed to further blend the barriers between hybrids and Pro-Formance surfboards.
The Uber Driver features the outline and rocker/concaves from the back half (engine room/control center) of the DRIVERS currently ridden in smaller waves on tour by Kolohe Andino and Griffin Colapinto. It is then blended to a lower, wider, faster, more forgiving and playful nose. The tail features a low centerline rocker with a curvy rail line rocker under the rear foot, that transitions from a generous single/double concave through the front fins, to a noticeable vee behind the rear fin and out the tail. The nose rocker and forward outline was imported from our Rocket series outlines, and allows this board to be ridden shorter, with more speed out the gate and more drive and stability for everyday surfers. The outline and rocker are blended in a way that enables the board to still be surfed like a modern Pro-formance shortboard. It just feels like you’e cheating a little. The Uber-Driver is the Ripper’s Pro-formance hybrid. Uber-ripping fun for everyone.
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just pop into our Cornwall Store on the A30 or drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
We have a selection of Softechs to choose from for intermediate surfers to the surfer who’s looking for a bit of extra floaty fun for the smaller days or summer shorebreaks.
Softech Handshaped Original Funboard Surfboard
Features:
An ideal mal shape for beginner surfers. The generous volume allows easy paddling onto small waves and the user-friendly outline provides a stable platform for beginners to get to their feet easier.
Softech Handshaped Original Funboard Surfboard
Soft Sky
€269.95 GBP
Features:
An ideal mal shape for beginner surfers. The generous volume allows easy paddling onto small waves and the user-friendly outline provides a stable platform for beginners to get to their feet easier.
Softech Sabre FCS II Thruster Surfboard
Blue
6’0 €199.95 GBP
6’6 €225 .95 GBP
Features:
The Sabre by Softech is a performance softboard at an affordable price that will suit grommets learning to surf and more experienced surfers who want a fun and care-free session in smaller waves. It comes with a screw through softboard fin set up that includes a set of fins.
Softech Flash Eric Geiselman FCS II Thruster Surfboard
Features:
The Eric Geiselman Flash surfboard by Softech comes in a range of sizes that accommodates any level of surfer. The more experienced surfer can ride this board shorter while a beginner/novice level surfer could ride this at the longer lengths. The Flash will be super-fast down the line and be able to generate lovely smooth turns with its thruster set up and squash tail.
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just pop into our Cornwall Store on the A30 or drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
John John keeping his rail in
Margaret River Main Peak was the scene for the finals day and the size and power of the surf was ruined by the famous West Oz wind. It wasn’t pretty and the 3 turns to the close out on the dry rock shelf was the go to method of getting scores, but you had to be picky and have John Johns power and control to complete a decent turn. If it was cleaner I think we would have seen a really good heat between Kolohe and John John but we had to make do with very choppy and not so pretty final.
John John wins the 2019 Margaret River Pro
John John and Kolohe are number 1 and 2 on the Championship Tour rankings going into Rio and this is an event where anyone can win, even Kelly Slater (will Slater even turn up!? He’s famous for missing Brazil) so who knows what will happen in when we head to South America. But the way John John and Andino are surfing they’ll be keeping there place in the top 2 and Italo Ferreira is not too far behind. Even Julian Wilson is just hovering outside the top 10 so this is the part of the year where things start getting interesting.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
]]>
Italo at the Box
But maybe this is what adds to the beauty and excitement of the Margaret River Pro. With 3 waves available for the event we get to see a blend competitive surfing in varying conditions that bring out the best in the competitors.
Slater at Main Peak
The Main Peak is a heavy and wally right and left and to be fair we have seen some amazing surfing go down over the years, just think back to John John’s 9+ down carves and Slaters barrel to turn combo which earned him a 10. But most of the time we see a bouncy and tricky wave which when going right closes out on a dry rock ledge or if you go left it bends out to sea and rarely has a wall to attack. When it’s 8-10ft this is when the Main Peak comes into its own and it gives the worlds top surfers a chance to show us what they can do on a powerful deep water reef break.
John John’s 2018 down carve
The Box, a long paddle across the channel, is one of the heaviest right hand slabs in the world and makes watching the event so exciting because there’s a very thin line between making the barrel of your life or getting the beating of your life. Some competitors have even said they don’t really want to surf the Box (Medina almost refused to go out in 2015) and some think it’s unfair on goofy footers... even though Owen Wright scored a perfect 10 back in 2015 in big and perfect conditions and then only a couple of days ago Italo got an 8.17 on his 1st ever wave at the Box.
Italo’s 1st ever wave at the Box!!!
To me it splits the field, it allows the chargers to show off the barrel riding skills as well as showing how brave they are and it’s really exciting to watch. Connor Coffin got the wave of his life when he shared the Box with the local dolphins.
Connor Coffin sharing his wave with the locals
There might be only a few waves made in an entire heat but if you get the likes of John John, Zietz, Owen Wright and Local boy Jack Robinson you know you’re going to be entertained. Robinson missed his 1st heat due to travel troubles, got through this elimination round heat in average waves a Main Peak and then went on to surf his favourite slab with just Toledo out and score the highest heat total of the year so far. Toledo, who usually looks pretty comfortable in heavy waves, was no match for Robinson, who’s been surfing this wave since he was a grom.
Jack Robinson in his element
North Point combines the above, giving us a hollow slab with a long, heavy and multi lipped wall. Over the years North Point has seen some epic heats with ridiculous barrel sections and multiple ramps. But due to the wave needing the right conditions to work and the fact that it lies within a National Park the event can only be held on selected days of the event period. But to have it as a back up location once again gives us another reason to keep our eyes focused on the forecast to see if they’ll hold a few heats there just so we can see the worlds best go for it at one of the worlds best right hand points.
Zietz inside North Point
The semi finals have been drawn and we’ll be seeing John John take on Caio Ibelli and Kolohe Andino take on Julian Wilson. The forecast looks pretty big for Tuesday, maybe a touch smaller than what we saw when the Box was firing on Saturday but where they hold the finals day all depends on the winds. John John is looking to continue wearing the yellow jersey into the Rio event and this also gives Julian Wilson a chance to climb above his disappointing 19th position on the Championship Tour rankings. Kolohe Andino is currently sitting in the top 5 and is looking at being in the title race. Caio Ibelli is currently at the bottom section on the Championship Tour rankings and just being in the Semis will boost him further up the table.
Owen Wright on his 10 point ride in 2018
Fingers crossed we get to see the Box or North Point going off for the final.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
There were a few shock exits though in the round of 32 and round of 16. Current world no.1 John John Florence was taken down by Frenchman Joan Duru in a very close heat where John John only needed a 5.87 to go through. Last years winner at Keramas Italo Ferreira was knocked out by Jack Freestone, who won the Red Bull Airborne event the day before and who has also had 2 Junior World Title wins at Keramas. Current World no.5 Gabriel Medina was taken down by a very deserving Leonardo Fioravanti. The Italian has been surfing well of late and was able to put his fast and fluid style into action, ending his waves well to push the scores a bit higher than Medina. World no.3 Jordy Smith has been on a charge recently but couldn’t get the scores he needed to beat Jesse Mendez, who’s clinical back hand attack put him ahead of the South African.
In the round of 16 Julian Wilson got knocked out by Michael Rodriguez, only managing to go a round further than the last 2 events and still only in the lower half of the table. Wilson’s Title hopes are suffering and he’s only just floating around the cut off point so needs a string of good results to push him up the table. Last years runner up Michel Bourez was knocked out by a revitalised Kelly Slater, who has been laying down some of the fastest and most powerful on rail turns of the competition so far. The Tahitian is also known for his fast and powerful on rail turns so we were expecting fireworks and we weren’t left disappointed because it was one of the heats of the event so far.
The waves were pumping and the wind was pretty much non existent and the rest of the round of 16 was an entertaining affair seeing a combination of airs, barrels and turns, which is just what we’d expect from Keramas. Some of the event favourites have been knocked out but the quality of surfing was really high, although the judges are definitely holding back on their scores. There wasn’t many waves that went into the excellent range, in fact only 7 waves have scored over an 8 in the entire event so far! Filipe Toledo, Kanoa Igarashi and Wade Charmichael scored the highest heat total for the round of 16 leaving room for higher scores from the judges, who are expecting slightly more than what they’ve seen to score above an 8. Kelly Slater was heard saying he surfed his heart out just for a 5.
The quarter finals have been decided and there’s a an expected pulse of swell towards the end of the week, but they said that last time so we’ll have to wait and see, but we’re definitely in for some more explosive action at the most fun looking right hander in the world.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
]]>
The 1st heat saw John John continuing where he left off taking the heat with his on rail power surfing and aerial attack. With John John surfing the way he is he remains one of the favourites to win the event.
Jordy Smith also continued his form in the smaller conditions showing us that he can still put the scores together when he needs to in smaller waves.
Julian Wilson has had a disappointing start to the season and was in need of a boost in his confidence. The waves of Keramas suits his style of surfing and he was able to skip the elimination round by winning his seeding heat. He’ll need a better finish than his 17th placing in the last 2 events to move on up the rankings.
A slightly injured Italo Ferreira was in his usual attacking style by scoring the highest combining total with the least waves ridden in his heat and skips the elimination round.
Filipe Toledo was the only surfer in the seeding round to score in the excellent range by getting a 9.0 for a huge full rotation air. To be honest I think the judges were being a little harsh on some waves ridden in previous heats but they scored this one bang on. Toledo moved on to go into the round of 32.
Local wildcard Rio Waida was able to take out the current world champion and Deivid Silva in his opening heat. It was a pretty slow heat but it was enough and Medina follows Waida, missing the elimination round.
Yago Dora’s surfing suits Karamas and his fluid style helped him through his round with Owen Wright a close 2nd. Soli Bailey only needed a 4.33 to go through but just got pipped by an ever consistent Wright.
Connor Coffin looks fast and loose and his combination of powerful on rail turns and fin throws helped mix up his usual on rail surfing. Coffin along with Jeremy Flores go through to the round of 32.
Slaters back... it’s taken 2 comps but he looked fluid, fast and powerful laying down a combination of seering turns, a carving 360 and some airs to skip the elimination round. Slater was closely followed by Kolohe Andino who is also looking very explosive. Ryan Callinan just missed out in a tough heat and has to fight it out in the elimination round.
Ricardo Christie looked stylish and quick and took a convincing win over Wade Carmichael and Seth Moniz who has to pick himself up to head into the elimination round.
Mikey Wright also looked more fluid against Joan Duru and Igarashi. Mikey is almost back to his stylish and unpredictable self and along with Joan Duru goes into the round of 32.
The final heat of the seeding round saw Michel Boulez take on Colapinto, who’s just coming back from injury, and Willian Cardoso. Bourez continues his form on a wave that really suits his style of surfing, his fast powerful on rail turns were too much for Griffin and Cordoso, who will have to fight it out in the elimination round.
With the forecast looking good towards the end of the week it depends on the conditions and decisions made by commissioner Kieren Perrow if we’ll see any more action this week but I’d imagine they’ll run the round of 32 and round of 16 during the week and wait to close the event in the bigger swell that’s predicted towards Friday.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
]]>
Last years winner, Italo Ferreira, laid down one of the best 10's ever when he launched a massive full rotation backside air, landed smoothly and went straight into 2 clean carving reos before finishing the wave with a pop shuvit. But it wasn’t airs that got Michel Bourez to the final to meet Italo, Bourez combined barrels and powerful on rail carves and clean finishes to get there but just lost his momentum to an on fire Italo in the Final heat.
So basically whoever can combine airs and a powerful rail game can pick their way through the heats. But consistency is the key and after a couple of events where the waves haven't really been epic I guarantee the competitors can't wait to get stuck into a wave that is consistent, clean and is known to be one of the best high performance waves for progressive surfing in the world.
John John is back on top after his win at Bells, Italo is close behind and behind them is a collection of surfers who combine the above high performance components so predicting the outcome will be a difficult one.
Will Slater’s practice in his perfect pool suit him on a wave that usually produces clean high performance waves. The 11 time World Champion has got off to a slow start but could this be turning point in his campaign!? There are some crazy good locals that might be in the mix too so could they produce a few upsets!? All I know is that I want to see more progression and less safe surfing, and this is the place to let it all go...
With the forecast looking pretty good for the 1st day and a slightly bigger forecast for a few days into the waiting period this could be the event to liven up a very below average start to the season.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
Here at firstmasonicdistrict we love to surf and now that the spring is finally starting to warm up we have a selection of women's summer wetsuits available.
Our new range of Rip Curl Summer Wetsuits include a few different styles to choose from.
The Omega 1.5mm Shorty incorporates high end features at an economical price. The E5 neoprene is in the arms and the E3 neoprene is in the body and a back mesh skin panel.
Rip Curl Omega 1.5mm €70.00 GBP (Also comes in black)
The Women's Dawn Patrol 2/2mm offers the perfect balance between function and aesthetic appeal. A combination of E5 is used in the arms and Freeflex neoprene is used in the body. The entire suit is glued and blindstitched for supreme warmth and comfort.
Rip Curl Dawn Patrol 2/2mm €100.00 GBP
The Madi Boyleg is a long sleeve 1mm wetsuit. Made with the highest quality E5 neoprene 1mm, designed with Estitch high stretch seams.
The Madi Boyleg 1mm €100.00 GBP (Also Available in Off White)
Omega 3/2mm Back Zip €120.00 GBP (Also available in Black)
The Dawn Patrol back zip offers the perfect balance between function and aesthetic appeal. A combination of E5 is used in the arms and Freeflex neoprene is used in the body. The suit is glued and blindstitched with taping in critical stress points.
The Dawn Patrol chest zip offers the perfect balance between function and aesthetic appeal. A combination of E5 is used in the arms and Freeflex neoprene is used in the body. The entire suit is glued and blindstitched for supreme warmth and comfort.
Dawn Patrol 3/2mm Chest Zip €210.00 GBP
The GBomb Zip Free features E6 thermoflex with E6 stress point taped seams for a lighter, ultimate stretch, easy entry, water tight wetsuit. With a super feminine look and feel.
GBomb 3/2mm Zipperless €260.00 GBP
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
Our new range of Sisstr Clothing also includes Wetsuits and we have 3 styles available, a 4x3mm Chest Zip and 2 colour variants of the 3x2mm Chest Zip summer suit.
Sisstr Evolution 4x3 Chest Zip €260.00 GBP
Sisstr Evolution 3x2 Chest Zip €240.00 GBP
Sisstr Evolution 3x2 Chest Zip €240.00 GBP
WARM & STRENGTH
FIT
DURABLE & WATERTIGHT
CARE
WETSUIT WARRANTY
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
Ryan Callinan
The previous day saw massive but unruly, messy and challenging conditions for the last heats of the Round of 32 and Round of 16. A bigger, thicker heavier board was needed to link turns together and patience, wave choice and bravery also played a big part.
The finals day saw clean, offshore but still pretty big conditions and every quarter final heat was a goofy Vs Regular affair. Ryan Callinan carried on his impressive form against Slater in the 1st heat but to be honest Slater didn't really turn up. You'd expect the 11 time World Champion to revel in these kind of conditions and Like Pottz said, you kinda wanted to see him on a bigger board to lay down his trademark rail turns. But he didn't, he didn't even score over a 3.5... but not to take anything from Callinan who, especially on his back hand, rips in all conditions deservedly took the heat.
Filipe Toledo
Toledo Took on another Goofy footer and wildcard Jacob Wilcox in the 2nd quarter. Toledo's smooth combination of bottom turns, carves and a clean finish earned him the highest scoring wave of the heat along with a good back up to take out the wildcard.
The biggest heat of the event so far saw John John take on Medina in the 3rd quarter and they did not disappoint. They were trading blows for the entire heat laying down powerful turns but John John just seemed to have the edge and under priority he linked big open carves with explosive and powerful turns on the end section to claim the win and a place in the semis.
Now the 4th quarter final heat between Jordy Smith Italo Ferreira ended very controversially. I know its what the WSL rule book states about interference calls and a competitor hindering the scoring potential of the other surfer on a wave but long story short, Italo took off out the back, went around Jordy who was paddling diagonally up the face who then caught the whitewater and got to his feet after Italo had jumped off the back of the wave. Yes, Italo went passed Jordy and didn't straighten out but Jordy had both hands on the board while laying down in the white water and Italo's tracks didn't hinder his scoring potential (Jordy got a 7.9). Jordy was winning the heat but Italo came back with the highest score of the heat, an 8.4 and then got a 7 on his last wave before coming in, (which would've won the heat) clearly upset with the decision. Italo has been really consistent recently and maybe he should have straightened out but without actually causing any interference or hindering the scoring potential it did put a slightly darker cloud over the event. Maybe the rules have to be adjusted a bit in the future, but its what it is and for every decision that goes against you, sometimes they might go in your favour.
Interference cal!?
The 1st semi final saw Toledo take on Ryan Callinan and it was close... Callinan got the highest scoring wave of the heat but Toledo’s consistency and fluid style helped him get a solid back up score in the big rolling rights to get a place in the final.
John John was up against Jordy Smith in the 2nd Semi and it was a close call between 2 of the most consistent surfers in the contest. They were both linking on rail carves on the big Bells bowl and finishing their waves with powerful closing manoeuvres. Florence needed a big score in the closing stages of the heat and ended with a 9.43 on a big set wave to go up against Toledo in the final.
Toledo wanted pay back for the previous heat that he met John John when Florence took the win in a closely fought round 4 heat on the Goldy. Both surfers throughout the Bells event seemed to be the most stylish when linking their turns together with precision and ending their waves consistently. We all know how powerful John John can be but Toledo has been making a name for himself as a quietly powerful surfer when the waves get bigger so the Bells final was going to be close. And it was, both surfers finding good scoring waves but a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes didn’t allow the scores to go into the excellent range but they both put together some amazing turns so maybe the judges were being a little too critical!? In the end John John took the win but Toledo came pretty close with his final wave. John John was able to ring his 1st Bell and show us all he was back on top. It also puts him In the yellow jersey for the upcoming event, the Corona Bali Protected on the 13th of May. Things are starting to get interesting...
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
Bells has been sleepy for the early rounds with heats going back and forth between Bells and Winkipop but with the forecast looking pretty good (the winds aren't amazing) we could see waves in the 10-15ft+ range. This is the type of conditions that will allow the power surfers to step up and show us how to surf in proper waves on the Bells Bowl.
Kelly Slater knocked out Julian Wilson in the 1st heat of the round of 32. This was Slater's 1st heat win of the 2019 campaign and it's what he needed to get the competitive drive back. Connor Coffin carried on where he left off by eliminating Soli Bailey in heat 3. The Californian was a stand out in the slack waves of Winkipop by linking turns together with power and speed. Ryan Callinan surfed with style and precision on his backhand to take out Bourez and continues to the next round. Another Goofyfooter Jacob Willcox, who is a wildcard for the event, took out one of the favourites and current number 2 in the world Kolohe Andino. Kolohe almost got the score he needed in the dying seconds but fell on his final turn to allow Willcox to get a place in the next round. Mickey Wright got taken down by the Hawaiian Rookie Seth Moniz who continues his run. This could have been one of the heats of the event but Wright looked a bit stiff and out of sorts and the conditions didn't really allow both surfers to put the show we were hoping for. The Brazilians in the 1st few heats of the round of 32 were pretty much up against each other. Peterson Crisanto was up against Michael Rodrigues in a very close and well surfed heat, Peterson just edged through. Toledo took out Ibelli with rail turns in another closely fought heat and Deivid Silva took out Wade Carmichael. Both surfed well but the Brazilian's back hand hits were too much for the powerful Ozzy.
The rest of the round of 32 will continue on Friday (10pm tonight our time) and with the swell peeking we could see some amazing surfing go down, lets just hope the winds cooperate. The Final day of the waiting period on Saturday show the swell decreasing slightly with 8-10ft and with lighter winds so we could see an epic finals day... but who will be there? It's a tough one to call but I think we'll see at least one goofy foot in the final along with either Slater or another strong regular footer like John John, or Coffin, or Jordy or even Zeke Lau... your guess is as good as mine!?
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
Compared to Bells, Winkipop is slightly faster, steeper and hollower allowing for a more dynamic mixture of surfing but even here the surf was not really showing its true form. Even though many say Winki's a better wave, there's no better place to showcase your power surfing than on the bigger walls of Bells when the swell and wind is right. But, like the Quiksilver contest, which was meant to be held at another famous right point break, the swell and winds have not been favourable so Winkipop has been the back up location. Some explosive surfing has gone down and the usual names have stepped up and continued their form from the 1st stop of the World Surf League tour on the Goldy... but it still seems like not all the competitors are firing on all cylinders... is it the conditions or nerves or both!?
In the Seeding round the standouts have included Toledo, Jacob Wilcox, Medina, Ryan Callinan, Julian Wilson and John John with scores just about creeping into the high 6's and 7's range. There was some explosive surfing from Wildcard Reef Heazlewood and Kolohe Andino which to me stood out because due the conditions in a lot of the heats many of the competitors were playing it safe whereas these 2 seemed to have a bit more flare in the sloppy conditions allowing them to skip the Elimination round.
The Elimination round was held in pretty mediocre waves and Owen Wright, Soli Bailey, Reef Heazlewood and Michael Rodrigues won their heats respectively with Jack Freestone, Wade Carmichael, Mikey Wright and Caio Ibelli just sneaking through to avoid being eliminated. All competitors are hoping for the conditions to improve so they can go out on the Bells Bowl to showcase what they can do in the round of 32.
There are some pretty tough matchups in the Round of 32. Kelly Slater and Julian Wilson go head to head in the 1st heat, which will put the 11 time World champion against the Ozzy who is yet to claim a World title, but definitely deserves to. Italo Ferreira wants to continue his winning streak and retain the Bell from last years epic Final against Fanning but he'll be coming up against a very inform and hungry Jack Freestone. Other stand out heats include the battle of the Goofys, which sees Medina take on a very exciting Wildcard in the form of Heazlewood who's getting a name for himself with his explosive and stylish backhand attack. Last years Wildcard Mickey Wright, who went on to get a place on the WSL thanks to a string of good results is up against another full time Rookie Seth Moniz. This could be one of the heats of the event due to both surfers having a unique and unpredictable approach to surfing their waves. But Wright has been recovering from a back injury and he didn't seem to be his usual self in his 1st 2 heats so once again there's an air of uncertainty for different reasons. Soli Bailey and Connor Coffin will also make for an interesting heat. Coffin has upped his game and has thrown in some unique fins free turns to back up his strong and stylish rail work. Soli Bailey has just got flare and you're never too sure what he'll do next on a wave. Lets just hope the surf improves and the competitors get a chance to go over to the Bells bowl to put on a display and show us how it's done!
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
Last years comp was pretty epic, it was Mick Fanning's last competitive appearance and he got all the way to the final but was unable to finish his competitive career with a win. It was an inform Italo Ferreira who clinched the coveted Bells Trophy and it's Italo who wears the Yellow jersey leading the WSL rankings at stop no. 2 in 2019.
Italo and Fanning
Looking at the conditions its not looking epic but there will be some waves for the early rounds. Looking further ahead towards the end of the event window there could be pretty good swell and wind conditions for the last couple of days.
So, who's looking in good form for Bells...!? To be honest its tough to decide from a few favourites and the rest of the field, anyone could win it!
I think Italo is going to be tough to beat, but with bumpy conditions forecast, power carves will be tricky, maybe airs will be the way to go! Italo is one of the most explosive surfers on tour and has so many tricks up his sleeve so we might see some new school surfing come into play.
Italo
Kelly Slater wants to get back on top, or does he... is he hungry enough...? Watching recent free surfs of him he's still ripping obviously but there are others around him who might be a bit faster, more energised... but at 47 though he's still up there in my opinion and if he gets into the right headspace we might see the Kelly Slater of old come back on top.
Kelly Slater
Will we see John John come back to form? Last year he got rattled by Zeke Lau in round 3 and got knocked out in uncharacteristic form. Maybe John John has something to prove, he was surfing back to his usual dynamic style we've come to know but was knocked out in the Quiky Pro Semis at D-Bah by an inform Kolohe Andino. Kolohe is another one who shows so much promise and is looking to continue his form at Bells after coming 2nd to Italo on the Goldy.
Zeke and John John
Like I said, the Bell could be anyones to ring this year, it all depends on swell, wind, tide and who's got the flow... I think it will be Italo in the Final again because he's so consistent at the moment. I would like to see Kelly up there in the final heats but maybe its time for someone else to take over the reign.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
The guys at Mango have a file set up with Nigel Semmens at Ocean Magic Surfboard Factory. It has all the historic boards ordered, in order to copy previous boards or simply amend your standard board to handle bigger waves.
A few simple amendments turned my 6,3 standard short board into a 6,7 Step Up Board. Keeping the same width and thickness, whilst changing the tail into a rounded pin to suite hollow waves. By adding more length and more surface area this increased the volume to help paddling into waves that move faster and require a bit more float.
The board was then processed through the factory and a month later it was ready for collection. Mango can arrange any selection of colours you want. I chose a green rail with with a grey fade on the front. When the board was collected it looked great and i cant wait to test the step up board when the waves get bigger.
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
The water was so clear and about 20 deg C, I wore my 3-2 xcel Infinity wetsuit which was perfect, such a good flexible suit. Some locals surfed in boardshorts but I didn’t think it was that warm.
Nearly everyday was pumping, with clean 3-4ft perfect waves and conditions, I scored some of my best waves, and also some of my biggest a few days were 5-6ft.
There are quite a few other reef breaks all within walking distance. Although they all break over volcanic reef the rocks on the left are pretty flat and covered in soft seaweed, the rights however were quite sharp and not as flat.
I did surf a nice right a couple times but couldn’t get enough of Spanish Left, it was that good, can’t wait to go back…
]]>
The Early rounds were held in pretty big, junky waves and in round 3 we saw an overlapping format which allowed 2 heats to be in the water simultaneously, which allowed the heats to be longer and gave the audience more action to watch.
Slater, who's back on tour for the whole 2019 campaign (we think) got knocked out in round 2 along with Jadson Andre, Caio Ibelli and Mateus Herdy all finishing with an equal 33rd. Not ideal but I'm sure he'll bounce back at Bells and if the swell shows up we might see the competitive hunger in him return.
The stand outs to me were Seth Moniz, Reef Heazlewood, Conner Coffin, John John, Kalohe Andino and of course the eventual winner of both the Airborne and main event, Italo Ferreira. The 2 Rookies for the 2019 campaign Seth and Reef combined style, a explosive rail game and some ridiculous airs to get 5th and 9th respectively, knocking out top names along the way. John John is back with his unique powerful style, a combination of airs and attacking rail work and was only pipped by an inform and on fire Kalohe Andino. Kalohe brought his air game and and an abundance of energy and was consistently landing his trade mark, tail high, '3's', but this time he was adding in some extra style with some unique grabs including my favourite 'Stalefish'. Conner Coffin, who is known for his powerful full rail turns, brought a new flare that I think he's been missing. Some of his lip glide Reo's oozed style and power and it was refreshing to see, and it almost worked because he was close to knocking out John John in the quarters. Italo was his usual consistent, energetic and explosive self. I think he caught more waves than anyone else and his combination of speed, power and flow helped him with both of his wins and the coveted yellow jersey and the WSL rankings lead.
There was the usual controversy of the WSL choosing to put the contest on hold and move the finals day from Duranbah to Snapper to try and maximise the weekend crowd and spectator involvement at the famous right hand point. Commissioner Keiren Perrow said, when the finals day was moved but then put on hold, that the swell hadn't materialised and an un-favouring wind had made Snapper not the ideal place to hold the 1st quarter final even though just round the corner Duranbah, where the comp had been held from day 1, was pumping and was the best it had been all week.
We would have all loved to see cranking Snapper for the finals but the forecast had given Northerly winds (not ideal for Snapper) and a possibly better period swell but with the sand only just showing up on the point and the swell and wind not ideal for it anyway why not just hold the comp in pumping A-frame beach break waves...!? Instead, the Finals day was held in pretty below average waves at Duranbah. Some amazing, raising the bar, type surfing went down but it just wasn't as good as it could've been, but thats surfing and if I'm honest I still think Italo would've won no matter what. Maybe 2nd, 3rd and 5th could've been different but who knows!?
The 2019 WSL Championship Tour has a whole host of amazing talent and this year could be close, especially if the rookies keep up their attack and the just below the radar surfers show us what they've got and keep us guessing when it comes to choosing our WSL Team. Lets wait and see what Bells brings in 2 weeks time, which is plenty of time to get your teams ready...
Have you joined our league for the chance to win a free trip to Fuerteventura and loads of mango goodies? If not visit World Surf League.
League name: firstmasonicdistrict
Password: firstmasonicdistrict
http://mct.fantasy.worldsurfleague.com/team/732298
Make sure to Tag your crew so you can dominate them all!!
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo and other online media outlets have allowed surfing films and clips to be put out into the public domain with a lot more ease. Surf films, clips, vlogs and everyday surf footage is readily available and the collection is massive! All you have to do is use an online search engine, and you'll have the latest session that went down or the latest clip from one of the top pros.
Jamie O'Brien and a recent Vlog.
Previously, with Videos and DVDs you would have to wait until they were available, purchase them (or borrow them) and play them. You'd build up a collection and sift through them when you were keen to watch them to get amped for a surf, or just something to watch on a rainy day. VHS surfing films were about 30-40 mins of good surfing and good music. DVDs had multiple sections and they were easily manipulated to skip scenes, change music and watch added extras, whereas now you can watch quick clips from different companies, surfers and locations at the press of a button.
Some people like to collect surfing films on VHS or DVD. There's something about having a physical collection you can store (alphabetically if you're that way inclined) and keep safe ready for another binge or just because you like having a collection readily available to you. There's also the nostalgia of old surfing videos. Like the way we watch surfing films, surfing itself has evolved over time and it’s important to preserve history so that it can be shared with others. Watching the progression through time allows you to have more of an open mind about styles and types of surfing. Whether it's power surfing, styling on a single fin or launching airs on impossible looking sections you can you focus in on it, see how it was done and allow yourself to be inspired.
Kolohe Andino "Free to Roam"It’s quite easy to watch an old surfing film on YouTube, but not all of them are there or available in their entirety. There's something special about sitting down with an old VHS player and watching a classic surf film for 45 mins or so. And because you've made the effort to plug in the right leads to the back of the TV, rewound the tape to the beginning and pressed play you're more likely to sit down with your mates and watch it all the way through.
Whatever your preference is, there's so much out there and its pretty easy to get hold of the latest video or even look back and watch a classic. You can search online forums and buy a VHS or DVD you couldn't get when it first came out and share the stoke with others. You can follow your favourite surfer on Instagram and watch 1 min long clips of their latest edit and follow links to watch the full edit or you can watch live events from the WSL or sessions going on around the world. Either way it's something to do and get you amped until you get a chance to paddle out and do it for yourself, and maybe what you've seen has inspired you surf in a slightly different way, try something new or improve your technique.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
If you're unable to surf much during the week due to work or other commitments or because there's still less than favourable daylight hours then the weekends can't come around soon enough! I always look to get away and surf on the weekends when I can and look for places I may or may not have visited but also to get away from the crowds. Devon and Cornwall has a lot of coastline to explore but you can also go further afield to Wales or other parts of the UK.
I'm not going to post pics of spots and say where to go, you've got to spend some time doing that for yourself exploring and finding places that suit you. I've spent years driving around finding secluded beaches and coves to surf, some are more consistent than others so the time of year or the right forecast can determine where you go.
Back in the day I could go anywhere and sleep in the back of my car (I still do...) but as I've got older and I have my wife and dog with me I'll have a look for local B&B's or campsites near to where I like to go and that way I can do more than just surf, I can explore, take in the sites and relax and make the most of the time I have!
A good local pub and fish and chips is important along with a selection of things to see and do. I also like exploring just that little bit further around the area I'm visiting so on another trip I might be able to surf somewhere new or that breaks in different conditions. I have a list of places I have seen that haven't quite been doing it but on the right swell, tide or wind could be amazing. Maybe next time I'll get it good somewhere new!?
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
]]>
We will be continuing our Relocation Sale until we close towards the end of April and one thing we know you'll be stoked about is we will be reducing the price of our Surfboards (only in our Plymouth shop) by up to 20%. So if theres a board you've had your eye on pop in and see what kind of deal we can make you!
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
This means we have a lot of stock in Plymouth to clear to make room for our new range that's heading to Cornwall... So, we're putting on some extra special offers on selected items.
Only surfboards from the Plymouth shop will be available in our extra special sale so below you can see what boards we have on offer.
firstmasonicdistrict Surfboards
Pastel Blue Fish | 5'8" Twin Fin | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was €490.00 GBP | Now €392.00 GBP
Pastel Pink Shortboard | 5'8" Thruster | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was €490.00 GBP | Now €392.00 GBP
Pastel Blue Shortboard | 5'10" Thruster | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was €490.00 GBP | Now €392.00 GBP
Pastel Yellow Shortboard | 6'0" Thruster | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was €490.00 | Now €392.00 GBP
Pastel Pink Fish | 6'0" Twin Fin | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was €490.00 GBP | Now €392.00 GBP
Pastel Blue Shortboard | 6'4" Thruster | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was €490.00 GBP | Now €392.00 GBP
Pastel Pink Mini Mal | 7'0" Thruster | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was €500.00 GBP | Now €400.00 GBP
Mini Mal | 7'4" 2 + 1 | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboards Was €480.00 GBP | Now €384.00 GBP
Pastel Blue Mini Mal | 7'8" Thruster | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was € 500.00 GBP | Now €400.00 GBP
Pastel Pink Longboard | 9'0" 2+1 | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was €680.00 GBP | Now €544.00 GBP
Pastel Yellow Longboard | 9'2" 2+1 | FCS 2 | Mango Surfboard Was €680.00 GBP | Now €544.00 GBP
]]>We have some BIG news
We are moving out of our Plymouth store to open a MASSIVE 2nd floor in our Cornwall shop!
It’s sadly time to be closing the doors to our Plymouth shop at the end of April. But we’re moving on to BIGGER things: Opening the doors to a HUGE 2nd floor in our Cornwall Shop & Café a week or so after...A massive additional 100sqm of space!
It’s a huge project and as an independent shop, we have to focus all our efforts on this exciting, but also slightly daunting task. But Plymouth deserves a surf shop and it’s a community we are honoured to be part of. That’s why we’ve got plans in place to open a bigger, better and even more kitted out store soon after the summer. Until then it’s not “goodbye,” it’s a huge “THANK YOU and SEE Y’ALL SOON!”
Our parting gift is an epic RELOCATION SALE in Plymouth to say thank you, clear some excess stock and save Ross and the team having to move it all! Ross will be in store tomorrow so come on in, grab a bargain, and don’t be afraid to ask for a discount on the board you’ve been eyeing up for years before it moves over seas (the Tamar).
🙏
I was pretty young when I first saw these films and there were others of the same period that I had seen before that my dad had on tape but it wasn't until I was older that I really appreciated them. Having watched these films at different stages in life you start to realise how surfing evolved with different board designs, manoeuvres, style and the type of waves being surfed! My dad Barry started surfing in the mid 60's so I'd see photos of him and his friends and hear the stories about his time surfing around North Cornwall and Bantham during the 60's and 70's.
My Dad at Bantham in the late 60's
Style is a huge part of surfing and there were so many stylish surfers of the late 60's into mid 70's. The thing that struck me was the way they surfed these bigger, heavier boards with single fins or as twinny's and drew their speed and lines with fluidity and power. Terry Fitzgerald, Nat Young, Rabbit Bartholomew, Mark Richards, Shaun Thomson, Buttons Kaluhiokalani, Larry Bertlemann to name the ones that stood out to me because as surfboards were getting shorter and more dynamic they pushed the level of high performance surfing and their styles made them stand out.
Buttons Kaluhiokalani
Watching these films at a young age I believe I absorbed what I was viewing subliminally and they had a passing influence on a younger version of me. But it wasn't until I was older, in my late teens, that as I watched these films, I took in what I was seeing with a more conscious regard. I was hanging out with friends, who were older than me, around Constantine bay in North Cornwall and we would sit on the sofa watching these videos on days when there wasn't much surf or we were just chillin' in the early evening before our evening antics. These films had a huge influence on us because we had an admiration for the filming techniques, the surfboards, the different styles and the music. The evolution of our own unique surfing styles stemmed from watching these 'Classics' and gave us the vision to surf the way we did and start being involved in other passions including music and film.
Me at Bantham. Pic: Spike Chambers
Surfing with friends who had the same appreciation for style gave me a more three dimensional insight into how I wanted to surf. I could incorporate what I had watched in a film into my surfing and then while I was with my friends I could create my own unique style. I had a lot of good surfers to look up to and being the younger, skinnier grom I had to work hard because there was a very tight knit group of good surfers and I had to try and establish myself within the pack.
Me at Bantham. Pic: Spike Chambers
From experiencing different surf films with surfers and their styles being portrayed to being in a position where I was surfing within a group of people with a mixture of styles and characters gave me a huge melting pot of ideas to draw from, and in turn, come up with my own style of surfing. There were so many influences I had growing up and I was lucky because of where I surfed but also because I had the desire to surf the way I do and I was always watching surfers I looked up to so I could watch, appreciate what they were doing and learn for myself.
Part 3 will look at surf films and the changes that have taken place.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
Me at 12!
Gripping Stuff and Gripping Stuff 2 were 2 films that I used to watch over and over when I was around 10 yeas old. Before these early 90's videos there were others that my Dad had on tape that I remember watching but it wasn't until I got older that they had more impact on me, these were films like Crystal Voyager and Morning of the Earth.
These 'Classic' surfing films brought you to places that you have never seen or heard of, the site of people surfing perfect waves in Boardies and crystal clear waters captivated the audience. Maybe one day you might even get to visit these places and surf the waves for yourself.
The collection...
As I got into my mid teens (mid 90's) surf films were becoming more energetic in the style of surfing, the music and waves being surfed. Every Saturday morning in the winter before a surf me and a couple of friends would put on our favourite surf video and get amped for the surf, which either ended up with a lift to Wembury or a walk to Bovi.
The Taylor Steele Collection of films of the Momentum Generation from Momentum 1+2, Good Times, The Show, Loose Change, Hit and Run and Campaign 1+2 (and many more) gave us another view of surfing and music, mixing the profiles of the top surfers along with bands like Pennywise, NOFX, Sprung Monkey, Bad Religion, Blink 182 and Offspring to name but a few. Taylor Steele also introduced us to the quirky 'film' like structure when the starring surfers would act out different roles and characters with humour and general cheesiness and then come out and put in some of the best surfing of that era. This was a brilliant mix and made the whole surf film watching experience even more enjoyable and entertaining.
The surfers that featured heavily in these films were Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian, Rob Machado, Kalani Robb, Taylor Knox, The Malloy Brothers, Benji Weatherly, Donavon Frankenreiter, Barney Barron and many more. These surfers were the ones pushing the limits of surfing and bringing new styles and progressive surfing manoeuvres along with their personalities to us all through the TV screen.
The Lost and Volcom movies would also have punk, grunge and rock music blended in with explosive surfing from other, more underground surfers as well as the more well known crew and the experience paved the way for the style of surfing I wanted to do.
Me at 20!
On the Road with Spike opened my eyes (in more ways than one) to Sublime and Frank Black, travelling and new styles of surfing. Spike’s film following Strider and other surfers adventures exploring with friends and having a good time showed a lighter side as well as a more relaxed and care free approach to Surf Travel.
Litmus was another mid 90's surf film that was a little bit different, it captured the thoughts and feelings of some of the most iconic surfers and mixed it with a alternative sound track and some world travel to unusual locations, surfing strange boards and shedding light on some more obscure themes.
Lost’s 5’5 x 19’1/4 inspired me to surf small, fish like Surfboards and experiment with a more eccentric and aggressive form or surfing... going as fast as possible and launching into a big turn or air. At 36 my boards are still in the 5’5”-5’7” range... ‘normal’ boards just don’t suit me or excite me!
Taj Burrow was the surfer, for me, that brought it all to another level altogether. Sabotaj and Montaj were 2 films I watched more than any other in my late teens. Taj was not only an amazing contest surfer he was just ridiculous when free surfing. When it came to being an all round surfer Taj ticked all the boxes, he could surf 2 foot beach breaks with speed and flare and 8 foot slabs and make it look effortless.
Taj Burrow
I would watch these surf films over and over again and I would use them as a tool to help me improve my own surfing. Not everyone reading this will appreciate it but sometimes having to use fast forward and rewind on a VHS tape to get to your favourite section or to watch a clip again was not the easiest thing to do, but it was all part of it. I would spend hours watching these films when I couldn't surf and I really believe they helped me because I would be looking at what the surfers were doing and I would be trying to visualise it myself and mind surf through the video.
Out of all the surfers I watched, Tom Curren, Martin Potter, Taj Burrow, Rob Machado and Benji Weatherly always stood out and they were the ones I wanted to emulate. Their Style, Progression and Personality stood out amongst the rest and they were a huge influence on the way I surf today.
Tom Curren at Backdoor!
Me at 35 at Bovi!
In Part 2 we'll look into the nostalgia of surfing films and other ways they can have an influence on the viewer.
Matz Ginman-Trout
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
]]>
Here at firstmasonicdistrict we LOVE to surf, so we have joined forces with Star Surf Camps in Fuerteventura to offer you €275 for 7 nights accommodation in our epic Surf House.
With only a few days to go and the weather and surf forecast looking good for El Cotillo, why not book a last minute surf trip to Fuerteventura with us.
The waves could be like the pic below... with sunshine and offshore winds El Cotillo offers fun waves for all levels of ability.
Flights are not included in this package but there are loads of good deals to be had on flights to Fuerteventura.
Skyscanner is always a good way to look for cheap flights.
Lastminute.com will also help you find last minute deals.
You will be staying in a beach front surf house in the northwest of Fuerteventura in El Cotillo. The standard accommodation for the surf trip is shared dorm style rooms with single beds for anywhere between 2-8 surfers. We also have private room upgrades* available on request depending on availability.
The surf house has a swimming pool and 2 sun terraces plus a large open plan communal areas with fully-equipped kitchens and a lounge with a home cinema.
Daily hearty and healthy breakfasts and lunches are available along with 3 evening dinners cooked on site and we'll recommend places to eat out at our favourite restaurants nearby.
Our onsite team will make sure you are well looked after with information on what to do and where to go surfing. Whether you're a beginner or looking for some Fuerteventura reef breaks to challenge yourself there are plenty of options available. Surf Photography from the land or in the water is available to capture the days action.
We also offer access to skateboards, exercise equipment, snorkel sets and a home cinema system to keep you entertained between surfs.
You can add airport shuttles from Fuerteventura airport direct to the surf house in El Cotillo for just €40pp return. Other travel options include public transport, getting a taxi (around 55€) or if you are thinking of renting a car it is around a 40 minute drive. If you are coming as a group it might work out cheaper to rent a car for the week rather than pay for transfers. There is car hire from around €60.00.
Fuerteventura has great surfing conditions all year round, thats why we have chosen it for our next Mango Surf Trip!
Drop us a message if you would like any more details on our firstmasonicdistrict Fuerteventura Surf Trip and to Book! We just need a €50 deposit* to secure your place!
Contact us:
Here at firstmasonicdistrict we love to surf, so if you need any more help finding out about or Fuerteventura trip or any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message or pop into our surf shop in Plymouth or Cornwall Services on the A30 or shop online.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
]]>
This is the most popular Retro model and a faithful recreation of MR’s favourite twin fin which was a ‘magic’ contest board, and was 6’2” by 20 ¼” by 2 ¾”. He shaped the original in May 1980 for the professional events in South Africa in June, where he won the Gunston 500, and the Hang Ten International on it. The original outline template with a lot of forward area, making it a dream to paddle and the classic wing-swallow tail shape which reduces the tail area to give the board holding power through turns. Also with a nice deep-V bottom which gets the board flowing from rail to rail.
Here at firstmasonicdistrict we have the 1980 retro model in 3 sizes. The blue and black is a 6’2, the matt white is a 6’6 and the really special 6’0 finished with an incredible gloss and polish. You can check out all 3 models on our website at the link below.
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/collections/mark-richards
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict
I have been surfing for over 15 years and i would recommend it to anyone, the sport is full of arrogant, egotistical (men) but don't worry about that, they seem to all have forgotten that everyone has to start somewhere and one point we were all "kooks" In my honest opinion i had 100x more fun surfing as a beginner and here is why...
Too small....who cares lets go in anyway
Too windy...who cares lets go in anyway
The swell direction is off..who cares lets go in anyway
Lets just check 1 more beach...who cares lets go in anyway
So here is what you will need to start your new career in surfing:
A Surfboard:
Here is where most people go wrong, they think big boards are not cool. I'll tell you whats not cool, struggling on a board thats to small, not catching any waves and giving up.
Learn the basics on a foamie, perfect those techniques on a mini mal and then think about going smaller but it's not a race. Listen to someone speaking from experience, if I could go back and do it that way maybe I wouldn't have such a rigid style and maybe I wouldn't fall off so much.
Above, Matz Ginman-Trout demonstrating what years of practice can achieve and I demonstrate what happens when you consistently ride boards that are too small, and don't master the basics before moving on.
To go with the surfboard you will also need fins, a leash and some wax. These will all be fairly specific to the board you are using so just don't be afraid to ask for advice/help.
A Wetsuit:
Again, buying the most expensive wetsuit will not make you a better surfer. If you can only afford one wetsuit get a 5mm, this means you will be able to surf all year round. Try a few different brands on, a €100 suit that fits is better than a €500 that doesn't. Ask for advice in a surf shop instead of just buying online, we have years and years of experience and love to help.
This is really all you need to start your surfing journey but there are a few other bits that could make the process more pleasant..
A car:
You can take surfboards on buses and trains but you are limited where they go, if you don't have a car find a friend who does and learn together, sharing the stoke will make the experience so much better. Chances are your surfboards will need to go on the roof so a set of soft roof racks are a great purchase, they are relatively cheap and mean you can take multiple boards on your road trips.
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/products/premium-soft-racks-single
Wetsuit Boots:
If you plan on surfing from October-April in the U.K some wetsuit boots will really help, again relatively inexpensive and will definitely make the experience more enjoyable. When your feet feel like bricks it's hard to do anything.
One final bit of advice before you start splashing the cash, do a lesson or 2 at your local beach, this will benefit you in a few ways. If you absolutely hate it you haven't wasted a load of cash and maybe more importantly they will be able to teach you about the break, where and where not to surf, optimum tides and locations of rips.
The only thing more fun than learning to surf, is learning to surf in warm water with like minded people, check out our friends at star surf camps for amazing holidays, in epic locations that wont break the bank.
https://firstmasonicdistrict.com/
Knowledge is power!!
Here at firstmasonicdistrict, we love to surf, so if you need any more help with any of our products just drop us a call, an email or a Facebook message. We want to help find the right item for you.
Phone: 01752 229624
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: firstmasonicdistrict
Instagram: firstmasonicdistrict