En Voyage - Issue #8

JOSEPH GAUDION
JAKE WARR
Guernsey is home to a good range of
waves, but by far the most popular and
where it all began, is Vazon Bay. At
about one and a half miles long, it
is the biggest bay and where most
islanders learnt and got hooked on
surfing, including Dave Fletcher, who
founded the Guernsey Surf Club in
1964. Vazon has six main surf spots.
The most surfed spot is ‘The Beach’.
In 1968 the surf club negotiated with
the local government to have an area
of the beach specifically for surfing.
It has proved an important legacy and
has helped with managing the beach
for all users over the years and has been
fundamental in protecting the development
and progress of surfing in Guernsey.
The huge demand to surf has created its own
market locally. Surf shops Yak Wax and Freedom
continue to thrive, while new businesses such as
local start-up Roons Surfwax, are beginning to make
their mark in the market. But it is the establishment
of the Guernsey Surf School which has helped make
surfing accessible to all. During the summer, its
base at Vazon is swamped with people of all ages
and abilities wanting to hone their surfing skills.
Approved by the International Surf Association,
the school offers a fantastic programme of
classes, from family lessons and birthday
parties to one-on-one training and summer
camps. The instructors are all qualified
beach lifeguards and coaches, helping to
give people the confidence and the skills
they need to go surfing in Guernsey and
beyond. Here, islanders and visitors alike
can also learn about surfing etiquette and
pick up any equipment they might need.
Despite its small size, the island punches well
above its weight when it comes to home-grown
talent. Among those names to have come out
of Guernsey are Channel Islands champion and
euro team member, Johnny Wallbridge, as well
as British University Champion, Matt Le Maitre.
But it is Tom Hill, multiple champion and euro
team member, who many argue is the
best most powerful local surfer.
Hot on their heels however, is the
recent rise of junior surfers, who
are already putting Guernsey on
the map on a global scale. This
new group of young talent is
headed by Louis Tostevin and
Tom Hook. The pair competed
against the world’s best junior
surfers in October at the 2017
VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing
Championship in Japan. It was a
historic event for Guernsey and
Channel Island surfing with the first
ever CI team to compete at a world
junior championship event.
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