>> FEATURES

MATTHEW ALLEN’S CALIFORNIA     

“Well if you want to get weird and artsy, I can help you get there,” said Californian multi talent Matthew to the ed in the lead up to this issue. Well then, step right up Matthew! We’ve got 12 pages of his trippy images and some of his graphic artwork here and there all connected by his illuminating descriptions of each. Groovy baby!

FRESH EYES ON MAZATLAN Mazatlán

The annual Mexi Log Fest attracts great surfers from around the world to its unique blend of waves, culture, community and positive vibe. Also each year, bobbing around in the water from sunup to sundown is a roll call of top photographers catching all the action. This year we look at the Fest over 12 pages of the best photos from 11 of these amphibians plus a snippet or two of insightful info about each of them.

MINGLE’S BIG TEN

Now to the opposite side of the world to the far cooler waters of Sumner in New Zealand’s South Island for the 10th Mingle which shares the same contest/not contest friendly vibe but definitely ups the party and dressing up side as well. Gold Coaster Saxon Gallaher and his crew of mates have been planning their lives around the trip across the ditch to this quaint seaside town for the last five years and this year’s was the biggest and best. Saxon gives us his very active participant’s perspective on the contest and the partying with particular emphasis on the latter!

SOUTH ISLAND SOJOURN

Who would have thought the chilly South Island of New Zealand would become the centre of the longboarding universe, even for a moment, but there it is! Twenty or so of the best longboarders on the way to the Mingle descended on a point break at Mangamaunu to delight the locals. Tyler Boyce from the Sunshine Coast was there to take the photos and also chip in some words.

STILL GOLD

And just to tie it all together the organiser of the Mingle, Ambrose McNeill originally from Christchurch, but now the southern Gold Coast, gives his thoughts on his adopted point breaks, crowds and all. And he’s still loving it as shown in the accompanying photos by Kyochi Miyashita.

SURFING SINGAPOREAN

For many people Singapore is a gateway to Bali and so it was for Beckie Liu, a Singaporean local who has now been lured to Bali full-time after years of multiple trips in university holidays. Beckie repped for Singapore at the South-East Asian Games in the Philippines and as well as operating her swimwear brand, brings women from Singapore every month to Bali for a week of surfing. Beckie’s story brought to us by globetrotter Lucy Small with tropical shots from here and there.

>> DEPARTMENTS

THE BUZZ

Craig Baird takes us back to the 1967 Oz Titles at Bells Beach - complete with Midget, Nat, Peter, Ted, and Vi Couper’s wind-up cake-timer. Ray “The Godfather” Gleave’s never-ending reign at Agnes. Groms of all ages at the Seas The Day shindig in Kingscliff. A roundup of the 36th Snowy at Mid Steyne complete with a D-fin tribute on the 60th anniversary of Midget’s triumph there in the ’64 Worlds. And, our charming 103rd PLB board winner Téa Wallace-Carroll from Avalon who’s now scored a 9’4” Carabine Piglet.

UPFRONT

A catch-up with travelling winemaker and longboarding ripper Megan McHale from Oahu’s North Shore who’s now had a hand in four vintages – one each in California and France’s Rhone Valley and two in Central Otago in NZ. Cheers to that.

OUT THE BACK

French star Edouard Delpero takes the Olympic flame (flamme) for an officially sanctioned surf in Biarritz on its way to Paris. Fabuleux!

+ THE 104th BOARD GIVEAWAY

Archer Surfboards is a new brand designed, shaped and finished by young Northern Beaches local Archer Drinan, who’s been building his reputation, boards and skills alongside local legends like Steve O’Donnell, Simon Anderson, Mike Psillakis and Greg Webber - and some Aussie subscriber is going to own a stunner 9’4” Archer Noserider by next issue!