drift, perspectives in surfing

A profile of shaper Chris Jones: If you surf sooner or later you’ll end up at Chris Jones’ door. Who else can offer you fifty years of shaping experience? Who else was there at the beginning? CJ, legendary shaper/surfer, rugby fanatic, pasty connoisseur is this morning sanding down a vintage Tiki for restoration.

One of the great things about surfing in this current era is the wide acceptance of different board designs. Over the last 10 years, it has become acceptable to pretty much ride anything from surfmat to singlefin, fish to longboard. Words: Chris Preston Photo (2): Dan Crockett

Portugal explodes onto the global big wave circuit with a handful of household names and a freakish wave canyon. Photos: Jorge Leal and Wilson Ribeiro.

A sign on the 130-year-old pier at Saltburn-by-the-Sea warns people not to jump off it. On a big surf day surfers make their way to the end of the sturdy 206 metre structure and jump like lemmings into the cold, murky North Sea. Words: Simon Palmer Photos: Ian Forsyth

A shaper with a real passion for his craft, Tyler Hatzikian has consistently refused to compromise the quality or the integrity of his work in order to make a quick buck. He talked to Drift about nose-riding, refining longboard design and his reluctance to take the limelight. Words & photos: Jamie Bott

"I'm not interested in formulae when it comes to surfing and art." Ryan Lovelace talks to Chris Preston about trusting your eyes, hands, and feet, and adding another leaf to the weird-hull-alternative-vibe-tree. Photos: Morgan Maasen, Brandon DiPierri & Ryan Lovelace

The alaia has become something of a shining star in recent years. Mark Sankey shares a photo essay of Cornish alaia riders. Photos: Lionel Duffau, taken at Crantock and Bundoran.

Looking to the future with an eye firmly on the past, Tom Wegener has reintroduced the transport of kings to surfing's elite. His boards are works of art, but it's his veg patch that really floating Tom's boat right now... Words: Tommy Leitch Photos: Jamie Bott

They're trained to defend their country and protect our freedom and liberty, but when active service is over, many soldiers find themselves struggling with personal and mental problems that the army just doesn't want to know about. Could surfing provide some answers? Words & photos: Russ Pierre

Richard James and his brother Andrew recently finished shooting their first film, a surf trip of 30,000 kilometres along the west cost of Africa. Words and photos: Richard James

Sean Mattison has a reputation as a designer, a coach, and a businessman. His competitive experience, retail background and knowledge acquired from testing hundreds of surfboards made him one of the most versatile surfers in California. Words: Rui Ribeiro.