Last weekend saw over 100 budding wave-riders attend the first stop on Rip Curl’s girls learn to surf days presented by Renault. The European Girls Tour kicked off in Cornwall and Devon as part of Rip Curl’s grass-roots programme designed to get girls of all ages into the water and (hopefully upright) on their boards.
French longboard champ Justine Dupont was on hand in Newquay to give first-time surfers advice on the basics of paddling and how to pop-up, while intermediate and advanced surfers were taken out to deeper waters and treated to top tips on how to improve basic wave riding manoeuvres such as cutbacks, bottom turns and re-entries.
Large choppy surf over the whole weekend didn’t make for the easiest learning conditions, but the sunny weather provided good conditions for chilling out and enjoying the laid back beach spirit over the course of the weekend.
Saturday kicked off bright and early in Newquay with over 40 girls checking in at 9.30am for the morning session with the Rip Curl English Surfing School and the BSA National Surfing Centre on Fistral beach. In Croyde Bay, North Devon, even greater numbers of girls took to the water with Rip Curl team rider and coach Elsie Pinniger and instructors from Surf South West Surf School.
Following a warm-up and stretching session, the girls were introduced to the basics on paddling, wave knowledge and how to get upright on a surfboard. The ensuing two-hour surf session allowed them to put their new-found knowledge into practice before a well-earned free lunch. After a spot of Brazilian martial art Capoeira, the participants headed back into the water for another two-hour surf session.
After a busy day face-planting in the surf, the Brazilian theme of this year’s tour continued at after-party in Newquay’s Chy Bar. Girls were treated to the best Latino beats from top Cornwall’s Brazilian DJ Nina Martin and mingled with live hip-wiggling Brazilian dancers.
If you missed out on the fun, the next stop on the UK leg of the Rip Curl Girls Tour will be on 5th & 6th July at Bournemouth, Dorset and Llangennith, Wales. Call 0844 887 0109 to book your spot.
