The project involved trying to catch the biggest wave on the European continent or anywhere in the Atlantic in 2011.

Surf movies and live music will be on tap for the next three weeks, visit the official web site at zinematiksurfing.wordpress.com

What? First time ever a movie is screened using the most advanced 3D analog technology, with live bands and plenty of other performances.

Where? Behind the Kursaal, right by Zurriola beach, in Donostia – San Sebastián (Basque Country – Spain).

When? Friday June 4 at 23h15, right after the European premiere of 180º South.

Who? Organized by the Amstel Surfilm Festibal, of course…

Niegà

P.S.: über cool dudes wearing skinny pants, wool beanies and xwide neck tees also admitted… this time!

Enjoy!

Niegà

Patrick Trefz

Patrick has his own particular vision of the surfing world through the unique characters he portrays. While some are more famous than others, they all have in common that they shine in obscurity far from the mainstream surf media limelight. But that is no obstacle and their stories have a profound impact on us all nevertheless.

Harbour Bill. Photo by Patrick Trefz

Andrew Kidman. Photo by Patrick Trefz

Lance Glassing. Photo by Patrick Trefz

Josh Mulcoy. Photo by Patrick Trefz

Tom Curren. Photo by Patrick Trefz

Idiosyncrasies a photo exhibition by Patrick Trefz. June 4 – July 4 at Galería NoColor, Donostia – San Sebastián.

Niegà

This year the FestiBaila is taking us to the world of smoky Jamaican beats, ragga and dancehall with promises of all sorts of mischief until the wee hours of the morning. Do not fear as what happens at the FestiBaila stays at the FestiBaila. Here’s the lineup:

Friday 11 June Boom Shaka Laka Gaua

21:00 Boom Shaka Laka Live: RAPSUSKLEI

23:00 LONE ARK

1:00 NOVATO

2:15 BOOM SHAKA LAKA MAKALA GAZTEA FESTA

Saturday 12 June
10:30 NUDO ZURDO

12:00 SAN LEON

1:30 WE ARE STANDARD

3:00 DJ GRAHAM

Where: Gasteszena, Calle Baztan, 21, Donostia.

How much:
Friday 11 Rapsus Clay live: 12€. Until 22h30. From 22h30 onwards 6€.
Saturday 12: 15€ for the whole night.

Tickets will be sold at the usual places: Servikutxa, Donosti Kultura, etc…

Niegà

First of all, and thanks to Patagonia, we will be screening the European première of the much-acclaimed documentary 180º South directed by Chris Malloy. It tells the journey of Californian surfer, climber, photographer and writer Jeff Johnson from California to the Chilean Patagonia in his quest to climb Pico Corcovado. The yacht that takes him from México to Chile runs into some problems in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and has to stay put on Easter Island before resuming the trip South. Although it is not strictly a surf film the quality of the images, the editing and the strong environmental message makes it a sure choice to watch while chilling down right outside the Kursaal, and a stone’s throw of the waves of la Zurriola. Make sure to attend: Friday 4 June at 21.30.

The movie will be preceded by the cool tunes of Buffalo, a local band from nearby Zarautz. Make sure to check them out!

Niegà

(…) where he worked for several shapers while showing his paintings in a few art galleries. On his return to France he moved south to Biarritz, where he has been busy making art and glassing beautiful boards for some very renowned shapers. In a few weeks he is opening his own glassing business in Anglet (Creamy Glassing) and I decided it was a good moment to finally meet him and find out more about this very young (21) artist:

(Tristan) I became very interested in surfing from a very young age, like 8 or 9, at the same time as I started skateboarding. But I obviously didn’t have any money for a board so I could only surf in summer on borrowed boards… or skate. When I was 15 I started an apprenticeship in carpentry. With my first salary I finally managed to buy my very first board board, an old “Hawaiian Juice” and since then I’ve been surfing every week, basically at Ile de Ré and Ile d’Oléron.

Where do you surf normally these days? And what type of board?

These days I surf in the Anglet/Biarritz/Bidart area. I love it! I normally ride retro boards; I’m a big fan of them. I love beautiful boards and odd boards that are made to glide… just as long as they have good glass jobs.

What’s your current job?

I’m a freelance glasser and I work wherever I’m offered a job. Currently I split my time between two places. I work with Daniel’s Longboards – he’s a good friend of mine and, like myself, a fan of all things retro. I also work with Fabrice Morous at Blend Glassing, from whom I’ve learnt a lot (thanks Fab!). And now I’m about to open my own little glassing business in Anglet that will specialize in glassing, tints and polishes.

You have a blog devoted to mini-simmons boards. That is actually how I found out about you first. Where does your interest in these boards come from? Have you surfed any?

About three years ago I found photos of mini-simmons on different blogs. They were the very first that were being shaped, by Joe Bauguess and McCallum. I fell in love with the design, the concept, the shape. Not long after a friend of mine from UWL and myself wanted to have one shaped, so with Renaud Cardinal we started researching the fins (that I made) and we shaped the very first one that we both fell in love with. Since then that’s is the only board I ride except when I use a log. As far as I am concerned the mini-simmons are far better than the fishes.

As a European glasser who has worked for different Australian shapers, what are your thoughts regarding the way they approach their art? Is the average shaping level very different between Europe and Australia?

From my experience in Australia I’ve learned a lot, both personally and professionally. That has motivated me a lot and pushed me to open my own little business. Australia was definitely a very important experience for me. Clearly you’ve got many more board makers in Australia than in France, everywhere I worked they demanded the very highest level possible, sometimes they were extremely touchy about this. But they are very good and they make a very good job. Having said that I think you can find some very good boardmakers in France too, and they are producing a superb job. The potential is awesome.

What shapers have you glassed for?

Renaud Cardinal (UWL, T&C hawaii, Sharp Eye, Classic Malibu, Bob Cooper…); Rhino Laminating (Channel Islands, Steve O’donell, Campbell Brothers, Mike Psillakis); Sean Wilde, Aido (Rusty), Michael Cundith (George Greenough), North Coast Surfboards (Bear Surfboards, Donald Takayma, Rooster, Dick Brewer, Dick Van Straalen…), Peter White (Classic Malibu), Axel Lorentz, Daniel’s Longboards, Blend Glassing (Channel Islands, Billabong, Zaka, Chris Christenson, Josh Hall…)…

Who has impressed you the most and why?

Renaud Cardinal (UWL) without a doubt. He is an excellent shaper, a lovely guy, very passionate about his job, from whom I’ve learnt a lot and he’s a role model for me.

When looking at your art one is surprised that it’s got nothing to do with what we could call “classic surf art”… but you are showing your paintings in real surf meccas and some of it on surfboards. Do people from these places accept it easily or they are rather reluctant to move away from traditional surf art?

You are right, my paintings have very little “classic surf art” in it… if any at all. It’s more my “skate and rock’n roll” side that comes out. But I think that it’s been quite well accepted. On the other hand, when I’m making a board for myself I’d rather do a nice resin tint than one of my paintings.

Art influences? Graffiti?

Sure, 100% street art and graffiti. There are plenty of artists that I love dearly and that inspire me such as Dulk, Morning Breath, Koa, Thomas Campbell, Alexone…

Finally: where can we see your paintings?

At the UWL gallery. Also at Spacejunk in Bayonne and the Retrospect Galleries in Byron Bay (Australia). And also on some decks from Rekiem Skateboards.

From February 15 until March 28 at the Bar Lepanto (C/ Pedro Eguillor Emparantza 2, Bilbao). Check Ion’s website HERE to get a glimpse of his art.

Niegà

(…)

I started surfing as a teenager but stopped soon after as I didn’t like the close-mindedness of the people I was surfing with, and it kind of put me off it. When I was 25 i returned to surfing and I realized how much I had missed it. Since then I’ve developed a liking to ride different boards and different waves, and to experience the glide over the water in very different ways, from a shortboard to very long logs or a gun. Later, in 2004, I moved to the Basque Country and after quitting my job, I took a break during which I built our house and thought about my future. I had planned to start my own company and since surfing was my passion, why not in the surf industry?

Damien testing his wax at Parlamentia (Guéthary)

So that’s when Greenfix arrived?

Yes, I wanted to develop a product that was not heavily marketed (unlike surfwear) and I kept coming back to wax. It is something that every surfer needs and is not highly marketed. I did a survey of 250 local surfers to see what their feeling was and, after seeing the results I joined the ESTIA. The ESTIA is a local polytechnic university, but also an incubator of ideas and a cluster of technological companies that can use share all its technological knowledge and facilities. With their help I started researching different wax compositions and we managed to find formulas that resist very high temperatures (60ºC for the cool/warm and up to 70ºC for the tropical wax).

But not just any surf wax?

Right, the aim was to develop an excellent surf wax in terms or performance, but that was also environmentally friendly… and made locally. I don’t want the consumer to have to make the slightest concession: I’ve always seen our duty as a company to develop a product that is good, environmentally friendly and that doesn’t cost more -to the customer- than the less environmentally friendly ones. It is the only way that customers will shift to more eco-friendly products. Finally this past summer we launched the brand.

And how was it received?

We did a market test in early August in France and we have been very well received. So much so that we could hardly keep up with the orders. At the beginning we were outsourcing our production to a French company that makes candles and assorted wax products, but after a couple a little problems this past autumn we decided to make the wax ourselves, in Bidart. Today we pour the liquid wax in the moulds by hand, we demould by hand, etc… we would need a much higher production volume to afford a more automatic method. So for now we will keep it this way, although we are constantly trying to improve the process. On the other hand doing everything by hand gives us the opportunity to constantly check the quality of the wax.

There’s a trend from other wax brands to launch environmental friendly waxes. How does it affect you?

Before we launched Greenfix there already was a specific natural wax brand on the market. And some existing brands have launched eco-waxes too. So we are not the only ones and we like it, as it’s all a step in the right direction. But as far as we are concerned there are definitely several differences between us and them: (1) we don’t produce in China, but locally; (2) our wax is highly resistant to the heat, which comes in handy when you leave your board in the sun (or inside your car) in summer; and (3) the shape of our wax bar, that has been designed specifically for easy use and great performance. On the other hand we believe that certain natural waxes might not be as environmentally friendly as they claim they are. Back when I was having a look around, several Chinese suppliers offered me “bee wax” (a key ingredient), that after further research I discovered was not coming from bees at all, but rather an oil-based product modified to mimic real bee wax. This is just an example of what can happen if you don’t look closely enough.

Hence your decision not to mass-produce in China?

Correct. Today must of the surf-related items are made in China. Several large companies have launched eco-friendly labelled products or collections as a way to increase their market share, not because they want to make an honest move towards a more environmentally friendly production. We know that by producing locally our costs are much higher, and it is our choice. This is why we are planning a lab test, that an independent lab will carry out, to analyze most of the “natural-labelled” waxes existing on the market today and then (in a month or two) we’ll see which ones are 100% oil free and which ones aren’t. We want to set the record straight on behalf of all the customers.

Is this just marketing or a part of Greenfix’s ethics?

From the very first moment I had three pillars in mind around which to build the Greenfix philosophy: (1) to produce environmentally friendly products; (2) to produce locally as a means to help produce or maintain jobs, whether directly or indirectly by using local suppliers; and (3) to bring our staff into the ownership of the company in a similar way to a cooperative, with a strong emphasis on social responsibility. Producing in China would give us more time for sales and a lower cost price, but that is not how we want it. Some people say that I am an utopian. But I like making things. Maybe by the end of this year I will be proved wrong, but so far that is the way we are moving. Also, we work with a C.A.T. (centers that employ physically impaired people) for our packaging and logistics, something we are very proud of and that we couldn’t do if we were producing in China. And with other products that we are planning to develop soon, I hope we will be able to follow the same path. Actually these new products will also be heavily focused on their recycling possibilities.

Right, what’s next?

Commercially we are already in France, soon in Spain and we are actively looking for distributors for the rest of Europe (UK, Portugal, Italy…). Contact us through our website if you know someone who may be interested. We know that by producing in France we will always be more environmentally friendly than other brands that are made in China or California, if not only because of the environmental cost of the transport. If we ever decide to expand into other markets beyond Europe we will only do that by  producing locally; not just for environmental reasons but also to give something back to the communities where we are selling. But that is still a long way away.

Niegà