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Surf in Belharra with Hercules swell

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Thanks to fate and my friendship with Benjamin “Sancho” Sanchis, Billabong Europe free surfer, big-wave legend and former XXL winner, I recently had the opportunity to participate in an unforgettable adventure to Belharra.

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Esta foto es por atrás de la ola…

After seeing all the media buzz surrounding the storm “Hercules”, I got in touch with Sancho, who I had just seen the month prior to do step-offs in La Nord in one of the biggest days to date (according to the locals). Sancho told me, “I have Shane Dorian in your bed, but you can stay with some friends, but you have to get here tonight in order to leave at dawn to Belharra...” So, I got my stuff together and drove two and a half hours from my current home in the Pyrenees Mountains, to the pretty town of Hossegor. I didn’t want to miss my chance at this experience.

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Shane Dorian y Guillermo Lecumberri (pionero y legenda del tow in en el pais Vasco),

In the morning, we headed to the port of Handaye, where there was already an entire camera and safety team ready to shoot the session of Shane Dorian, Sancho, Justine Dupont, Twiggy Baker and Jamie Mitchel.

We headed out on several boats and jet skis and found some waves a few kilometers outside and the show began...

 

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Justine Dupont, la única mujer en surfear Belharra ese día… si no me equivoco es campeona mundial de longboard...

 

 

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belhara surf13De izq a derecha Benjamin “Sancho” Sanchis, Shane Dorian y al fondo Justine Dupont (la única mujer en el agua ese día)….Fue la primera ola corrida en el día...

 

Thanks to the experience I gained in driving jet skis in Pascuales, I had the opportunity to drive one and put myself in the place of the shooters by taking pictures with one hand and steering with the other, which was pretty tough and I only ended up capturing a few somewhat blurry shots.

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We stayed out there for a few hours but the wind didn’t allow the session to play out as we had expected, though we still caught some big waves. It seemed like the biggest part of the swell happened at night but it was still a great experience to see such legends of big wave surfing and have the opportunity to participate on the team in some way.

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After the session, we all went out to eat and from there went on with the typical work of surfers of this caliber: TV, Radio and Press interviews of all kinds and autograph signings at a Billabong surf shop. By chance, it happened to be Sancho’s Birthday that day and we finished off the night by partying at Biarrtiz, toasting some good French Champagne. As is the sacrifice of every vigilant surfer, we had to sacrifice sleep because the next morning the waves were incredible at Hossegor. Sleepless and tired, we took out the jet skis and went to shoot some photos and catch some tubes. It was my turn to take Shane Dorian and Sancho into some good waves. Later, they took me into some good tubes to top off a great day of surfing in the frozen waters of Hossegor. It’s also worth mentioning that Justine Dupont was there in the session this day as well. She’s got a lot of talent plus the necessary physical preparation to go far in the world of big waves. We’re sure to see more of her soon. Regarding Sancho and Dorian, like I said, legends.

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Greetings to all in Mexico and keep surfing! Merci la France for its hospitality and to Sancho and his crew for everything. I hope to return the favor in Pascuales soon.

By: Carlos Hernandez
Translation: Heido Sundstrom

 

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The power of Hercules

The winter storm named “Hercules” for its great strength has been unlike anything that has been seen in over 118 years and some say it’s even stronger than the 1991 storm dubbed “The Perfect Storm”. Hercules made its move across the Atlantic Ocean and slammed the European coasts last week.

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Due to large waves and strong winds and rain, coastal communities were evacuated and damages were suffered by homes, roads, dams, cars, and, worst of all, injured persons, causing officials to implement a “code red”.

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Weather services warned people about the alarming prognosis after the severe winter storm attacked the East coast of the United States and Canada with sub-zero temperatures that are normally rare. Once the storm moved over the Atlantic, it gained strength and produced giant waves.

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“Since Portugal was hit with huge waves of the St. Jude Storm during the last week of October, the Atlantic Ocean has experimented with what I consider to be the most consistent string of radical storms ever seen in the modern age of big-wave surfing,” said Bill Sharp, Director of the XXL Billabong Big Wave Awards Trial, presented by Pacifico. “Especially within the last month, it’s been one huge swell after another and the parade of great wave images we’ve seen coming from Ireland, Portugal, Spain and France is unprecedented. And now, what may be the biggest swell of them all is headed this way. It’s an exciting moment for anyone who follows big-wave surfing.”

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"The first waves of Hercules began hitting the coast on Monday morning and the photos and videos from Ireland to North Africa have been leaking onto the Internet, showing the biggest waves of these places. Surfline.com predicts waves of over 50 feet as the storm makes landfall. ”.

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In spite of the tragedy, the surfers who love and seek out these types of waves to feel its adrenaline and all that that encompasses, have spread out to different points to catch the perfect wave; true kamikazes with enormous surfboards. The wait has ended and the waves that these surfers have been waiting for have finally arrived in order to challenge their goal, to enjoy the grandeur of nature, to overcome their fears, to feel alive and to enjoy the glory or the death.

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Ladies First

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 Translation: Heido Sundstrom


Jessica Selby-Spackman and Isabelle Leonhardt Arce are the general organizers of this unique and exciting event dubbed, “Ladies First”, the first of its kind in Mexico. With a prize purse totaling $25,000 pesos, this inaugural Women’s Surf and Bodyboard Open will take place on the world-renown beach, Playa Boca de Pascuales in Colima.

Surfers from around the world flock to this beach every year to surf waves that compare to some of the best waves in the world, like Hawaii’s Pipeline.

The purpose of this contest is to promote women’s surfing culture in Mexico, while recognizing this beautiful and extreme sport. Our neighboring countries like the United States, Panama, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Brazil have given us a good example to follow. Their culture of women’s surfing has achieved high popularity and publicity, and continues to grow every day.

We invite you to participate in this progressive and visionary movement by supporting our event, “Ladies First”. Come to watch, or even better, come be a competitor.

“Ladies First’ will be a great step forward for women’s surfing in Mexico, something new that has not been previously seen with this magnitude and quality.

The women surfers in this country are ready and are just looking for their chance to show their talents to Mexico and the rest of the world.


Here are some of the women who will be participating:

Italivi Fuente
Sarah de Berardinis
Rachel Dawn Roth
Valeria Peconi Izquierdo
Itzel Zamora
Ana Laura Gonzalez
Leila Takeda
Paulina Aguilar Padilla
Asaya Brusa
Sonia Barrios Camacho
Tania Zuleica Vazquez Morales
Jessica Selby-Spackman
Isabella Leonhardt  

Latin American Surfing Tour 2014 Calendar

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2014 Calendar
Translation: Heido Sundstrom


For the year ahead, the Latin American Surfing Tour has shown its growth and development by announcing the inclusion of the Bodyboarding and Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP) categories in this circuit, which includes seventeen stops in nine different countries.

The first event of this year’s circuit will take place on January 28th, 2014 in Ecuador, followed by Africa and Peru. Upon returning to Ecuador once more, the circuit will then travel to Costa Rica, Panama followed by Chile and then North once again to Venezuela. Then it’s off to Peru again, then El Salvador, Chile, Nicaragua and closing the circuit with two important events in Venezuela.

Karin Sierralta, Executive President of the Latin American Surfing Association (ALAS, for its initials in Spanish) said, “This will be the thirteenth event that has traveled the continent and it all started as a dream. It is very gratifying to see the development of the circuit over the years. We know we still have a lot to do and that there are many challenges ahead, but we’re ready to face these challenges in order to improve each day... The strength of the circuit goes along with the strength of the surfers and thankfully we’ve seen incredible results that Latinos have achieved all over the world. So, we’ll continue to move forward.”


2014 ALAS Tentative Schedule

January 28th – February 1st
Playas – Ecuador
ALAS 5-Star Prime

(To be confirmed)
Africa – Peru
ALAS Bodyboard Prime

February 15th – 20th
Montañita – Ecuador
ALAS 6-Star event

March 19th – 26th
Manta – Ecuador
ALAS Bodyboard event

March 5th – 8th
Manta – Ecuador
ALAS Bodyboard event

(To be confirmed)
Santa Teresa – Costa Rica
ALAS 5-Star event

April
Venao – Panama
ALAS 5-Star event

June 6th – 9th
La Cupula – Antofagasta, Chile
ALAS Bodyboard Prime

June 20th – 23rd
Iquique, Chile
ALAS Bodyboard Prime

August – Venezuela
Los Caracas
ALAS 6-Star Prime

September
Lobitos – Peru
ALAS 6-Star Prime

(To be confirmed)
Punta Roca – El Salvador
ALAS 3-Star event

November 14th – 17th
Reñaca – Viña del Mar, Chile
ALAS Bodyboard Prime

November
Punta de Lobos – Chile
ALAS 5-Star event

November
San Juan del Sur – Nicaragua
ALAS 6-Star event

December
Parguito – Margarita, Venezuela
ALAS Bodyboard Prime

December
Parguito – Margarita, Venezuela
ALAS 6-Star Prime

 

 

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