Catching Up with Corinne Evans

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Lee

We talk Mussels, Music, Tours and Cornwall with Corinne Evans

Hello all! This week we had the opportunity to speak with one of our favorite surfers: Corinne Evans! We’ve spoke with Corinne previously (read here) and we thought it was time for a catch up.

Corinne, one of the UKs best known surfers, is currently sponsored by Animal. Find out more about Animal on their official site and view her Animal profile here. You can buy Animal gear here at Urban Surfer too!

Animal & Jason Feast

US: Hi Corinne. It’s been a while since we last chatted. How are you?

CE: I’m great thanks! Hope all is good your end

US: Very good, thanks! The last time we spoke was Summer 2012 and we’re half way through 2013 now! What have you been up to this year?

CE: Well I signed with Animal at the start of the year, which was amazing! Then in February I flew out to Sri Lanka for a month of surfing in a bikini with some good friends. Since coming back I have been super busy planning my Girls Surfing Tour, which kicked off on 6th April. It’s been a busy few months but I have loved every minute of it!

US: Sounds great! Of course – You joined Animal! How are you finding it?

CE: I absolutely love it! Animal are such a great company to work for with a rad team of staff and riders. I’m so excited for my future as an Animal Surfer and Model.

US: That’s great to hear! You mentioned your Girls Surfing Tour earlier. It looks really fun and is now a proven success. Can you tell us more about it?

CE: My Girls Surfing Tour is really my way of getting more girls and women into the sport. The days are about having fun, meeting new people and learning how to ride waves.

US: Sounds awesome. I’m sure some of the Urban Surfer girls would like to attend one day! Do you need any experience to come along to a session?

CE: None whatsoever, my days cater for all abilities. So even if you have never surfed before you can still attend my days and have lots of fun.

US: No excuses for not attending now! Haha. Have you always wanted to teach youngsters and others about surfing?

CE: I knew that when surfing and modelling became my job in 2010 that I wanted to give back and help more girls get into the sport. It’s something that has grown and grown as the years have gone on.

US: Are Animal and the other girls supportive of the tour?

Animal & Jason Feast

CE: The Animal team are like one big family. We all support each others individual projects and talents. I’m extremely lucky to have Hannah Harding helping out on my Advanced Girls Surfing Days. She is a brilliant competitive surfer so has a lot of knowledge to share. We are currently planning a camp together, somewhere nice and tropical.

US: We await our free invite to this tropical place The tour even takes you to France. Very lucky! What’s France like for surfing?

CE: France is brilliant for surfing. The waves are consistent and with surf spots and up and down the coast it’s easy to find an uncrowned peak. I’m so excited to be heading back out to Feral Surf Camp!

US: What’s your verdict on the local cuisine? I’ve never dared try Frogs Legs!

CE: I’ve never tried frog’s legs but I have eaten Snails, which weren’t too bad, but my favorite thing to eat over there is Mussels. They really know how to cook them. I could eat some right now haha

US: Sorry for making you hungry! If you had to choose one – France or England?

CE: England all the way! It’s my home and always will be. Nowhere compares to England and especially Cornwall. It’s such a beautiful place to live and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

US: Very patriotic! What’s the female surfer scene currently like?

CE: Really exciting! There are some brilliant up and coming young women who are putting the UK on the map. It’s an amazing time to be a surfer girl in the UK!

US: Great to hear! Do you think the female surf industry could be improved?

CE: Personally I feel it has come on leaps and bounds! It’s always going to be slightly different to the male side of the surf industry but I don’t see a problem in that. As long as the industry continues to support female surfers it’s only going to get better and better.

Animal & Jason Feast

US: We know you’re a huge fan of Boardmasters coming up soon – Are you heading there again this year?and it’s

CE: I will indeed. I’ll be there cheering on my fellow teammates in the competition and hopefully doing some bits for my sponsors.

US: I wish I could go! Is there anyone you’re dying to see? Both on the water and on the stage?

CE: Obviously I am exited to watch Hannah (Harding) and Stokesy (Alan Stokes) in the water. Music wise I am amped to see The Joy Formidable and Everything Everything.

US: Good choices! I’d love to see Little Comets there. A great band based not too far from us in the North East. Finally, what’s the plans for this summer and what is next for Corinne Evans?

CE: Summer will see me surfing as much as I can and working with my coach to push my surfing to the next level. I have lots of Girls/Ladies Days booked in as well as my Frane camp so that will keep me busy busy busy! All in all it’s going to be an epic summer for me!

US: Sounds awesome! Thanks for talking to us, it’s been a pleasure! Best of luck with the tour and everything else!

Thanks again to Corinne Evans for taking the time to talk to us. We love catching up with Corinne and it’s always a laugh talking to her.

Keep up to date with Corinne on Social Media:

Follow her on Twitter: @Corinnevans
Like her on Facebook: facebook.com/Corinne-Evans
Read her blog: corinneevans.com/blog

Keep updated with the girls surfing tour on Corinne’s official site.

Wales Finest Surfing Spots!

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Lee

Here at Urban Surfer we want to tell you about all of the awesome surfing spots the UK (and beyond!) has to offer.

Next on our surf spot tour of the UK is the land of the red dragon – Wales! There’s more to Wales than lots of Sheep you know..

Check out some of Wales top surfing spots below

First up, we’re at the beautifully named Hells Mouth. Located in the north of Wales, the beach can pick up any swell due to facing the south west. Hells Mouth gets a pretty decent surf height, and today a high of around 7ft was reached!
Despite the good conditions, the beach can be touch to find and has very limited parking but we wouldn’t let that put you off!

Next we’re travelling to Castlemartin in Pembrokeshire to the Freshwater West beach. This is regarded as one of the best surf spots in Wales and with swells coming from the west and north west and a surf height regularly reaching upwards of at least 12 feet it may just be the best Wales has to offer. A warning though – this beach can be dangerous with rips often unpredictable. Caution is definitely advised!

Surfing at Freshwater West. Attribution: Nigel Davies

Llangennith, a village located in Gower, Swansea is the next spot on our surf tour of Wales. Like Freshwater West, Llangennith also gets a pretty high surf height with 12ft + often being reached. Swells head in from the west, north west and the south west. Not bad at all! This beach is suitable for beginners, though caution is advised and there is no lifeguard cover.

Staying in Gower, we head to Langland Bay. This paticular spot is popular with surfers due to its handy location near residential areas. The spot also offers a range of different waves depending on the tide, allowing novices and experienced surfers to use the beach. A number of locals have competed on the world stage, including Carwyn Williams who was the European Professional Surfing Association (now known as ASP Europe) Tour champion in 1989.
Conditions-wise, Langland is quite impressive. A surf height of 14ft is regularly reached with swells from the North West.

Langland Bay – Image by Alun Morris Jones @ gowerscapes.com

What do you think of the surfing spots Wales has to offer? Comment below!

Stay tuned to learn more about surfing spots in the UK and beyond. Who knows – we could be near you!

Surfing Spots in Scotland!

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Lee

Hello! Here at Urban Surfer we want to tell you about all of the awesome surfing spots the UK (and beyond!) has to offer.

Next on our surf spot tour of the UK is Scotland! The land of Haggis, Kilts and some pretty decent surfing spots.

Check out some of Scotland’s top surfing spots below

First up, we’re at Europie! Located in Inverness-shire, Europie can get a surf height up to 10ft in good conditions with swells coming from the west and north-west. Today, the surf height struggled to reach 1 meter!

Our next destination takes us incredibly far north up to Sutherland and the remote Sandwood Bay. There is no road access to the bay, instead a 4 mile well-trodden path has to be negotiated! Once at the bay, surf height can reach between 2-6ft in good conditions, with swells coming from the west and north-west. Today, however, waves only reached a high of 0.9 meters.

Sandwood Bay

We’re staying in Sutherland for this next spot as we travel over to Torrisdale. A remote area, Torrisdale can get a surf height of up to 6ft in the conditions whilst swells come from the north-west. Today, waves can reach a high of 1 meter – higher than both Europie and Sandwood Bay!

Melvich is our next surfing spot – again located in Sutherland! This spot can get a surf height of up to 6 feet in good conditions with swells coming from both the north and north-west. Today, waves have reached just under 1 meter whilst the water is a chilly -14! Though, this might be warm for Scotland

Next we travel west to the village of Reay to Sandside Bay. The surf height is reaching around 1 meter today, while good conditions allow a surf height of 6ft with swells coming from the north and north-west.

Sandside Bay

We go east for our next spot – Thurso! In the best conditions, Thurso can offer a surf height of up to 10ft, whilst swells come from the west and north-west. Not bad! Like most of the spots featured, the surf height only reached 1 meter today.

Finally, we’re travelling over to the west of Scotland. Machrihanish is a village located in Argyll. Today, the surf height has reached a disappointing 0.3 meters! In better conditions, the surf height can reach up to 6ft.

Machrihanish Beach

So, that concludes our look at some of the surfing spots Scotland has to offer. Watch this space for features on spots around the UK and beyond!

US HQ

Surfing Spots up North!

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Lee

Hello there! In a new feature, we want to show you all of the awesome surf spots across the UK and beyond.

First up, we’ll be telling you all about spots close to Urban Surfer HQ up here in North East England!

Check out some of the surfing spots in the North East below

When we say Bamburgh, whats the first thing you think of? Probably the castle, or, you’ve never heard of it! Well, it’s pretty decent for surfing too. Although, today waves didn’t even reach one meter, waves usually reach from 2 to 6 feet and with swells coming from the North East, East and South East; it’s not bad at all!

Bamburgh – Photo By Michael Hanselmann @ http://www.michaelhanselmann.de/bilder.htm

Another spot up here in the North East is Embleton Bay. Located in Northumberland, Embleton Bay regularly receives a surf height of up to 6 feet with swells coming in from the North East. Today, the waves got higher than Bamburgh, but only reached a high of 1.1m whilst the water was at a freezing -15oC!

Surfing Spots Embleton Bay – Photo by Peter McMillan

Alnmouth is another spot in Northumberland! The best conditions Alnmouth has to offer is a surf height of 2 to 6 feet with swells coming from the North East. Today, the surf height has reached 1.2m whilst the water temperature has been warmer than Embleton Bay – only by 1oC mind!

Suring in Saltburn – Photo by Stephen McCulloch

Now we travel a bit south to Saltburn in Teesside! Like the spots in Northumberland, the best conditions for surf height at Saltburn is 2 to 6 feet. Swells come from the North East and wind from the South and South West. Lately, the surf has been poor, with the surfing height struggling to beat 1m . Let’s hope it picks up soon!

Saltburn has become a popular spot with surfers, with the town holding regular surfing competitions.

Next we’re near Whitby – Sandsend to be precise! The best conditions for Sandsend offer a surf height of 2 to 6 feet (again!) with swells coming from the North East, East and South East. Like most spots, the surf height has struggled recently – with 0.8m the highest! Water temperature is a chilly -14 oC!

So, that concludes our look at some of the North Easts surfing spots! Watch this space for more info on surf spots from the UK and beyond!

US HQ

News Roundup!

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Lee

Afternoon! Here’s some little bits of news from the past few weeks from the world of Surfing!

We’re good to you aren’t we…

Check out some news below

Swift Moves!

So, top surfer Jon Jon Florence is apparently dating country-pop singer Taylor Swift! He’s the latest in a line of famous names to be linked to the singer following on from Harry Styles and a load of other people I don’t think I’ve heard of.
According to the Daily Mail, the pair have been texting and when asked on Aussie TV, Jon Jon said “Uh, I’m not supposed to comment about that”.

Jon Jon has been surfing since he was a youngster. He was (until recently) sponsored by O’Neill, and you can buy some of their gear here at Urban Surfer!

We look forward to a song been wrote about him in the future

Enever joins Billabong

Laura Enever has a new sponsor! As well as making her mark in surfing (Laura finished 10th in the 2011 womens world tour and 8th in 2012!), Laura has also become a huge player in the world of fashion. News - Laura Enever joins Billabong

Anyway! Billabong is the latest to see the appeal of Laura and have agreed a sponsorship deal with her!

Of the deal, Laura said “I really love what Billabong represents. My other passion besides surfing is the fashion world and it’s clear Billabong is all about taking high fashion to the beach.”

You know.. you can buy Billabong here at Urban Surfer.

Lowers Pro Prime Event Postponed

Event news! Unfortunately, this years Lowers Pro prime event has been postponed. Nike, the events main sponsor for the last 5 years, suddenly withdrew from the surf industry last year.
Scheduled to run from 30th April to 4th May, organisers were left with no choice but to postpone the event as an alternative sponsor could not be found.

It’s not all bad! Lowers Pro will be back as normal next year! Phew!

So, that’s all folks!
Watch this space for more news and updates

US HQ

Garrett McNamara chats Records, Surfing & more with Urban Surfer

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Lee

Garrett McNamara is a record breaker. In November 2011, Garrett broke the record for the highest wave ever surfed in Nazaré, Portugal. The 78-foot wave beat the previous record, held by Mike Parsons, by over a foot!

Fast forward to 2013. Same guy, same spot as 2011. Garrett attempted to break the record again! Although it’s yet to be confirmed, it looks like he did it – 100ft high! Now we’re all hoping that this can be verified by experts.

Check out a video of the surf below

This week we had the opportunity to speak to Garrett about surfing and his life. Take a look at what he had to say -

US: Hi Garrett – thank you for taking the time to talk to us!

US: A huge congratulations on surfing the biggest wave ever (again!) – How does it feel being a record breaker?

GM: I think whoever is in charge of measuring waves is still deciding if it is a new record.

US: Ah, we hope they decide in your favour. Tell us about the incredible ride? Did you have an idea you’d broken the record?

GM: I just remember it being the longest drop ever! I had no idea.

US: Can you compare riding the wave to anything?

GM: It’s like skinning down icy moguls with an avalanche chasing you.

US: So, this spot in Portugal – Can you tell us a bit more about it?

GM: It is the 8th wonder of the world! It is the best spot I have ever seen for a spectator to enjoy and feel the power of gigantic waves.

US: Nice! How did you find out about the spot?

Garrett McNamara

GM: One of the locals, Dino, sent me a photo of the wave breaking all the way on the outside and then the town invited me to see if it was possible to surf the waves.

US: Lets rewind back to the beginning, what got you get in to surfing?

GM: Well when we lived in California my brother and I loved to skateboard and when we moved to Hawaii my mom told us surfing is just like skateboarding except when you fall you don’t hit concrete.

US: Have you done much surfing in the UK?

GM: I have never been to the UK unfortunately, but my tow partner from last year, Andrew Cotton, is from Devon and he is an awesome guy!

US: Are you a fan of any other sports?

GM: I am a fan of all different sports. I guess it depends on the season and who the athletes are at the time. Like I use to watch tennis all the time because of Venus Williams.

US: Did you catch much of the Olympics last year? Here at Urban Surfer we had Olympic fever!

GM: I have been sooooo busy that we didn’t get to see any of the Olympics

Garrett McNamara

US: That’s a shame! It was fantastic! What are your interests away from surfing?

GM: My wife Nicole.

US: What kind of music/artists are you in to?

GM: I LOVE music, all kinds of music. I am really into Pandora which allows me to pick one type of music and then suggests new artists. Its really fun!

US: Cool, I really want Pandora to come to the UK. I’ve read a lot about it!

US: And finally, what is next for Garrett McNamara?

GM: We are working on our property in Hawaii, making it a sanctuary for people to come and relax and enjoy the ocean. We are also working with the city of Nazaré to open an aquatic training center, big wave museum and environmental education center.

US: Sounds good – we’d love to check it out one day! Thanks for talking to us, Garrett!

We’d like to thank Garrett (and Nicole!) for the opportunity and we wish them well in the future. Thanks guys!

Read more about Garrett’s 2013 record break here.

Here at Urban Surfer you’ll find all of the latest collections for men, women and kids from great brands like Quiksilver, Animal and a whole lot more. Whether you’re after a pair of socks or hats and caps and everything in between you’ll find what you need right here.

Stay tuned to the Urban Surfer Blog for more interviews, product reviews and product features!

Keep up to date with Urban Surfer on Social Media

Like us on Facebook - facebook.com/urbansurferuk

Corinne Evans Exclusive, Girls Only!

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Max

Sometimes at Urbansurfer we feel as though the girls are a little left out on our blogs, and in the surfing world in general. So that’s why we’ve decided to bring you an exclusive women’s surfing report and a general overview of how the female scene is doing right now.

And the best way to do this report is to give you guys an exclusive interview with one of the most renowned female surfers around in the shape of the beautiful Corinne Evans! As we take a sneak peak on the life of a professional surfer and model! Here’s what we found…

US: “Hey there Corinne, how are you? We are chuffed to little bits to be talking to you!”

CE: “Hi Urbansurfer, I am great thanks! It’s a pleasure”

US: “So let’s start from the top then, how did you get into surfing?”

CE: “My brother and Dad surfed when we moved down to Cornwall and after years of them trying to persuade me to go in I finally gave in and have been hooked ever since.”

US: “Love at first sight… Was it always surfing?”

CE: “Surfing came into my life quite late, before that I always wanted to be a professional dancer.”

US: “We thought you had a bit of the Step Up movies vibe about you! On that note, what’s your favourite film?”

CE: “Blades of Glory”

US: “Serious choice Miss. Evans, so then enough of the chit chat, what would you like to see next for women’s surfing?”

CE: “More girls participating, that’d be awesome”

Lucia Griggi©

US: “It sure would! You run your own surf days especially for girls, how rewarding is that?”

CE: “So rewarding. I love getting more girls into surfing and I get as excited as they do when they stand up!”

US: “It’s great to hear people giving back to the surfing community, but what’s the one thing you wanna change about women’s surfing?”

CE: “More funding!”

US: “Amen, and finally how bright do you think the future of women’s surfing is?”

CE: “As bright as the sun! This generation of female surfers are amazing”

US: “Thanks Corinne! One last thing, any words of advice for young female hopefuls out there?”

CE: “Don’t hold yourself back!”

I think as we can all see, Corinne is determined to get female surfing really out there and into the lime light and its fantastic to see girls like Corinne have such passion, although women’s surfing is indeed growing, it still needs as much help as it can get.

Get kitted out in this years latest surf clothing and show your support for women’s surfboarding, get to your local surf spot and get ready to catch some waves this year!