It's all over!
That feeling you get on the final day of Boardmasters comes but once a year - total exhaustion!! After seven days of world class surfing, skating, non-stop parties and over 40 live music acts a sudden calm has descended upon Newquay...
Definitely the most successful Rip Curl Boardmasters festival to date, certainly the largest in 26 years, attracting over 250,000 people to the UK’s most famous surf spot.
The Men's Rip Curl Boardmasters 5 star World Qualifying Series (WQS) surfing contest ended on a high, with former Foster's ASP World Tour surfer Ben Bourgeois (USA) defeating Brazilian excitement machine Heitor Alves in tricky, 2-3ft (1m) surf. For Bourgeois, the win launches him to second on the WQS Ratings, just 24 points behind WQS Tour leader Tiago Pires (PRT).
The ‘Unleashed’ music concerts were hosted once again on the cliff top location at Watergate Bay overlooking the ocean, accompanied both evenings by a stunning sunset. This year’s music offering proved to be the most successful Unleashed concert for the Rip Curl Boardmasters since it’s inception 3 years ago. Headlined by the energetic Funeral For A Friend and melodic Ash, the afternoon sets were fulfilled by The Subways and Fightstar on Friday 10th August.
After six days of non-stop action at the Rip Curl Boardmasters, Paolo Nutini’s headline appearance at Unleashed on Saturday 11th August induced a refreshing atmosphere to the week-long shenanigans. Playing alongside the Watergate Bay surf spot, Paolo delivered an ambient set that captivated a 10,000 strong crowd.
Tom Worman - www.southerndesigns.co.uk
The Relentless No Half Measures stage on Friday hosted hot new acts Enjoy Destroy, The Future and Reuben who encouraged an energy packed audience and delivered performances that are certain to see the live acts continue to rise. Saturday’s line-up in the marquee included electro DJ acts Tiny Dancers who threw down a resoundingly successful alternative to the mellow vibe on the main stage.
We premiered the eagerly awaited No Half Measures (NHM) Tour movie featuring highlights from the BMX and Wakeboard Tours. The NHM Vert skate Tour took place over the week featuring the country’s 10 best (and unruliest) vert skate kids. The Tour proved a great success with all the kids skating incredibly well throughout the week. The proof was in the pudding with Sam Beckett and Sam Bosworth both qualifying for the Men’s Pro Skate Event Final. Bosworth came in 7th out of 16 original entries and Sam Beckett came third. Sam will be a dominant force in vertical skateboarding. Watch out!
At the Vans Summer Session Pool Gap, featured at Unleashed, Matt Crowhurst took 1st Place in the Rococo rail tour wakeboard head 2 head and 2nd Wakeskate Best Trick. The stunning pool gap constructed for the music site holds 200,000 gallons of water and was the
playground for some of the country’s biggest and best wakeboarders including NHM Tour boys Jonty Green, Marc Rossiter and James Young.
Tom Worman - www.southerndesigns.co.uk
The final action sports contest of the festival, the Vans Summer Sessions was completed after a fierce weekend of competition. Standouts in heat one included Jussi Korhonen and the ever dangerous Terence Bougdour, a 2 time winner of the event. Heat 2 featured Aussie Renton Millar and youngster Sam Beckett who were wowing the crowd with some of the best skating ever seen in this country.
Before the results were announced there was just time for a best trick contest whih was won by Renton. The final placings saw Sam Beckett in third, Terence Bougdour second and Renton Millar take the victory and a total of $7000. Not bad, nice one Rentos.
Bedoiun Sound Clash officially closed the festival at Fistral with final set of the week, the last of over 40 bands to have graced Newquay with an electrifying performance.
See you next year!