Strange Beautiful Life

Surfer Alan Stokes and film maker Tim Davies have collaborated on a new online film project titled Strange Beautiful Life. With episode one, Take me to the sun, due for release anytime now we thought we would catch up with the pair and see what makes them tick and what the project is all about.

Alan Stokes on the project:

“This project for me was something that I have wanted to pursue for some time. Being a surfer travelling around the world, seeing all these cool places and rad waves, this project is a way for me to share these experiences.

I’m also really interested in capturing moments on film, it makes you look at the world in a completely different light. I guess you’re trying to paint some kind of a picture for others to enjoy and I love the thought of that.

Strange Beautiful Life; these words have been banging around in my head for some time now, don't know why, I just like the way it provokes meaning. These have been the words I have lived by for the last year, so it seemed a fitting title to the project and the only way I could get them to stop banging!

Tim and I go way back, he's a classic Welshie, wears his heart on his sleeve and lives life to the full. I like to surf a lot, he does too but he also likes to make films. Strange Beautiful Life is an on-going project and we can’t wait to see where it takes us in the future.

I hope you enjoy watching, I hope it makes you feel like surfing.”

Film and editor Tim Davies

''I have been filming, travelling and surfing with Stokesy for years now and needless to say we have a blast! Then one day in Costa Rica it was like a lightning bolt striking us both, eyes glazed from Mojito's and sea salt we decided to do a series.

Stokesy's really focused on pushing his surfing and has been blowing me away lately with his ability to mix technical surfing with style and grace. I just love to entertain people through visual art and with all the ideas and destinations we have planned for the series its only going to get better and better.''

ASP Europe - Alan Wins Quicksilver Expression Session

Alan Stokes Wins Quiksilver Expression Session Specialty Event Bundoran

BUNDORAN, Ireland (Saturday, June 25, 2011) – Alan Stokes (Newquay, GBR) 30, won the Quiksilver Expression Session an ASP Europe sanctioned specialty event pulling off a massive air-reverse to claim the 3,500 Euro first prize in peaky 3-4ft (1m) waves at Tullan Strand beach Bundoran.

The Quiksilver Expression Session is the first specialty event that ASP Europe have sanctioned in Ireland and saw the best surfer’s of Ireland and the UK in a simple ‘best move wins’ format. 5,000 Euros total prize purse as well as a wildcard spot for best Irish surfer for the up-coming ASP 6-Star Relentless Boardmasters at Fistral beach, Newquay 9-14 August 2011.

A rapid increase in swell late this afternoon offered Quiksilver Expression Session officials the perfect window to run the qualifying heats and final which saw Stokes streak away from the pack with some innovative aerial surfing to clearly take home the winner’s cheque.

“It is not a bad day’s work really,” laughed Stokes on his win. “Stoked and really happy with the win. There were great waves in the end and it was good to have it on a wedge because it is high performance surfing and it all came good. It is my first trip to Bundoran, I love it and it is great. Guinness and waves I can do airs on is as good as it can get for me.”

“It got so much better the last heat that it felt like it was punchy and you could do loads of stuff so it was a good call by the local boys to run,” continued Stokes. “We were looking at it this morning saying ‘not again’ because we have been here for 3 days and looking out at the reef with no waves so it is sick to have waves here now.”

Cain Kilcullen (Easky, IRL) 25, was awarded the best local performance (riding his Quiver) to earn himself a wildcard in the Relentless Boardmasters this August. Surfing hard and mixing it with some of Europe’s finest aerial specialists has been a learning experience for the young Irishman.

“It is way out of my league but it is always good to see that level of surfing. It is a good experience and hopefully do better than last year.”

“I am really happy with the result even though it is kind of embarrassing with the English guys blowing us out of the water but it is really good to see that sort of surfing over here. I am happy so a good day.”

Kilcullen repeats his appearance as a wildcard in Newquay and hopes to continue improving in such a high level event.

Best performance in the runner-up round and 500 Euros went to Nick Hardie (Raglan, NZ) 24, for his standout surfing performance during the 25-minute heat. Riding both the left and right peaks, Hardie laid down powerful rail-to-rail turns to impress the hard core crew of onlookers lining the headland.

“I’m pleased with the result and it was flat and raining this morning and then it has turn into a really nice day so everyone is pleased. Some of the surfing, I just saw Stokesy out there, is blowing my mind so there has been some excellent surfing going down in some quality waves. Everyone was a bit apprehensive about going out there in the beginning but it has turned out to be good in the final.”

Quiksilver Expression Session Results
BEST MANOUEVRE; Alan Stokes. - Riding Quiver Model
BEST LOCAL PERFORMANCE; Cain Kilcullen. - Riding Quiver Model
BEST PERFORMANCE; Nick Hardie.

Quiver teams with Driftwood Surf Project

Quiver has teamed up with the founder of Driftwood Surfboards, Dave Forsyth. The factory has just finished a range of his boards under his brand 'Driftwood Surfboards' and we at Quiver, were so impressed with the quality of his work that we are keen to get a line of Quiver's going through the factory.

Here are some of his creations that we finished in the factory this week and keep your eyes out for our first line of Quiver wooden surfboards which will be ready for August 2011.

Surfers Skin Tag & Win Competition

This month in June, we are running a tag & comment competition with Surfers Skin on our Quiver facebook page.

So how does it work? Simple…Tag yourself on an area on the surfers skin brochure and share your thoughts with us on the sunscreen range and if its the lucky spot, you will win a Summer Sun Pack from Surfers Skin. It’s that easy!!! A winner will be picked on Friday the 1st July 2011 and notified by facebook.

Click here to go to the facebook page link:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=216829278339287&set=a.216829251672623.55263.100000366483701&type=1&theater

TOM BUTLER WINS THE ETNIES YOU-TUBERIDER CHALLENGE 2011

WINNER OF THE ETNIES YOU-TUBERIDER CHALLENGE 2010/11

So without further ado we hand you over to one of the craziest barrel riders on the planet and our head judge— Mr Jamie O’Brien to announce the winner of the etnies You-Tuberider challenge 2010/11.

A fantastic result to our Tom Butler and we are all super stoked for Tom here at the Quiver factory.

Stu Campbell wins Saltrock Pro Junior

Quiver team rider, Stu Campbell from Woolacombe, North Devon won the Saltrock Pro Junior up in Croyde last weekend riding his EPS Parabolic Quiver. Here's a nice shot of Stu making the sports pages of the North Devon Journal.

Like Quiver, Dane Reynolds Rides US Blanks

Here is the making of the Wave Bandit by Dane Reynolds. Choosing the best choice of blank for the job, US blanks which we at Seabase & Quiver have supported, used and raved about for years, Dane shapes and crafts his new board from start to finish. Describing the board as a "pretty crude piece of equipment", Dane shows his true skills at the end of the video portraying what it is like to have fun surfing!

We have a full container of US Blanks arriving Tuesday 07/07/11 so give us a shout before they are all sold so you can get your next Quiver shaped from these blanks which really are the best in the business.