Newquay – A True Atlantic Ocean Surf Town!

Surfing Capital of the UK

Origins of Surfing

In the beginning were the ancient Hawaiians, on their tropical islands in the Pacific Ocean, who rode waves standing on big solid carved wooden surfing boards. Captain Cook first told us about that in his global discoveries from his 18th century voyages. It was often later referred to as ‘the sport of kings.’

This practice was exported to California where the development of hollow wooden surfboards by key pioneers lead to a cult following of wave riding there in the early 19th century. It was only after the Second World War in the 1950’s that modern surfing arrived with the use of modern materials of foam and fibreglass with which to make lighter, more manoeuvrable surfboards. This marked the start of the modern sport of surfing in California as epitomised in early Hollywood movies like Gidget in 1959.

A coastal town grows

Newquay Beaches - 1920s [#33] — Newquay Beaches – 1920s [#33]

The story of Newquay’s relationship with the sea began in the 1800s when it was a small fishing port catching pilchards. This was work for the local Cornish as fishermen.

Newquay harbour was nestled into the shelter offered by the Towan headland, with a vast sweeping cliff-lined bay to the north exposing an expanse of golden sand at low tide. Whilst the sand dune backed Fistral beach on the western side of the head was exposed to the full power of the Atlantic swells.

The town’s new identity emerged in the early 1900s as bathing cabins on wheels appeared on the summer beaches. This came with the arrival of rich city holiday makers to bathe in its vibrant Atlantic waters. They had discovered Cornwall with the building of a passenger railway line in 1876. Until then sea-bathing was only a summer pastime for a few of the locals who could swim doing it for some fun and recreation.

Bellyboarding

It was only after WW1 that any type of surfboard riding emerged on these coasts. It came in the form of a practice called ‘belly-boarding’. The idea of riding prone on a flat wooden board pushed by the broken whitewater was pioneered in locations like Perranporth and later Newquay. The practice had been imported to Cornwall by 1919 after it had been described to Cornishmen in the trenches by fellow South African servicemen, describing what they did in their home waves in Durban, South Africa.

By the 1930-50s belly-boarding was firmly established as a popular sport for all to try as a summer pastime. It was relatively easy to learn, for young and old. Hence there were hundreds of practitioners in the sea on the best days when the surf was running and the sun was high.

The development of the Great Western Railway ushered in a new era of ‘tourism’ to the town. Newquay with its nine golden sand beaches open to ocean swell was naturally equipped for the import of distant beach culture to become a future centre for surfing.

Solo Pioneers

Newquay boasts Europe’s earliest pioneer of stand-up surfing in the identity of Pip Staffieri, a Newquay born man of Italian parents, who came to make ice-cream. He sold ice-cream on the bay beaches and loved to swim in the ocean waves.

Encyclopaedia Britannica had informed him about surfing in Hawaii. His personal research and enthusiasm lead him to build his own hollow wooden 14ft surfboard which he rode solo in the waves by 1939. The distraction of WW2 meant no one immediately copied his example.

Pip Staffieri rides waves in Newquay - 1939 [#23]

Pip and his hollow, wooden surfboard - 1939 [#24]

Guys on a wave - 1963 [#25]

Solo Surfer rides the white water - 1963 [#26]

It was in the early 1960s that the import of distant beach cultures from California, Australia and South Africa came with the arrival of a few ‘lifeguards’ native to these surfing countries. They came carrying their surfboards and rode the waves standing up. Onlookers were amazed. A living example of modern surfboard riding had arrived on the wave battered Atlantic shores of north coast Cornwall. Called ‘surfboard riding’ in the first instance, it was abbreviated by the later popular California surf lingo, that followed it, to become ‘surfing’ by the mid-60s.

The 1960s became the initial boom time for the emergence and discovery of the new sport of 9ft-plus Malibu surfboard riding, with early national press information making Newquay the centre of this beach culture under the title of ‘surfing capital of the UK.’ Indeed, by 1964 the town Tourist Guide was sporting a bold image of surfboard riding on its front cover. This unique, new holiday trend was actually getting some immediate community endorsement!

The cult activity was evolving into a sport as more surfboards were being built locally, attracting the opportunity for others to join in the exciting wave riding.

Bill Bailey - The father of British surfing - 1965 [#5] — Bill Bailey – The father of British surfing – 1965 [#5]

By 1965, Great Western beach had become the main hangout in town for most of its surfers. It was effectively the cultural centre for surfboard riders. Bill Bailey, a former aeronautical engineer, was its lifeguard and the most experienced English surfer. He was a visionary as he could see the future. He had learnt early how to build surfboards and subsequently created with partners (Doug Wilson, Bob Head and Freddy Blight) the European Surfing Company. Situated in the town it built the now iconic early ‘Bilbo Surfboards’ which became the dominant brand manufacturer of all UK’s early surf equipment.

Over the next six years they built more than a thousand surfboards to supply local demand in Cornwall, plus satisfying the demand of other pioneering emerging surfing nations in Europe such as France, Wales, Ireland and England. Then later Scotland, Spain and Portugal.

A new industry was born as Bilbo, along with other smaller manufacturers, fed the demands of a new and enthusiastic audience. Surf clothing, wetsuits, skateboards etc. were to be included as Bilbo quickly opened main street surf shops in town. Another national first as the town was now selling the beach life-style and all the equipment to back it up!

Bill Bailey profile - 1963 [#31]

Grem – a young boy surfer - 1964 [#7]

Pioneering surfboard shaper Bob Head - 1963 [#13]

Chris Jones built foam and fibreglass surfboards – 1967 until 2019 [#22]

Great Western Beach Scene - 1965 [#3]

Beach Boys - 1964 [#2]

The birth of UK skateboarding - 1965 [#14]

In 1966 a band of four visiting experienced foreign surfers made their way to the end of Newquay headland to ride a big wave called The Cribbar. At 20ft it was ominous in its size and potential danger. They had varying degrees of success; but all survived. This defining epic example marked the beginning of big wave surfing in Europe.

With the gradual development of surf shops, surfing wetsuits and surf fashion the activity was becoming more recognised as a sport. This was confirmed by the creation of a new clan element in the form of ‘competitive surfing’ contests. Hundreds would flock to the beaches to see, ‘Who was the best on the waves ?’

Surf Culture Progress

The first mainland British Surf Championships was held at Fistral in 1966, when the already famous ex-patriot Brit, Rodney Sumpter won the event and with it the National Trophy. Rod repeated his victory in the waves for the next two years before being replaced by more local talent.

Early female surfer. Gwynned Haslock – 1966 [#20]

By the end of the 1960s surfing had an established identity in island Britain and Newquay was recognised as the centre of the emergence of this new ocean sport. The sport was migrating outwards to other nascent surf regions from Newquay and Cornwall! Other parts of the nation which had waves were copying this central example. Certainly, more than a thousand individuals in Britain were now calling themselves ‘surfers’, riding their 9ft Malibus around our island shores.

With the 1970s there was a complete gear-change in surf culture with a new production development of 6 ft. ‘shortboards’. This critical design shift, which had emerged from Australia, made surfboards lower in flotation and more manoeuvrable. This instantly became the chosen equipment of the proficient, committed surfer. The future of surfing was now to create more extreme performance on the wave face!

During this 70’s decade Malibus disappeared from the beaches and the number of new surfers declined, as many found the shortboards so much more difficult to learn on. Culturally a more underground, hippy surfing life-style community developed. However, Newquay remained a creative centre of evolution in the sport, which was undergoing a slump in its popular national expansion. This included building short surfboards with multiple fins as international design trends developed and influenced progressive surfboard design. It was the start of a new more radical surf era!

Newquay – top venue and centre of influence

Newquay was very much at the centre of surfing re-inventing itself in the resurgent 1980s. Surfing became more extrovert and commercial, with the surf industry revitalized with new products for a new era. Fluro wetsuits, contests and sponsorships to promote products was becoming the new character of the sport.

1990s Surfing. Spencer Hargreaves takes air! [#32]

Newquay profiled this development with The Newquay Surf Classic Pro-Am in 1982 at Fistral Beach. This May event attracted a big audience to watch competitive surfers to be rewarded with money for the excellence of their contest performance. Some touring international pros turned up to compete and exhibit their expertise. Some professionalism within native British surfing was on the cusp of its arrival!

By the mid-80s Fistral had become the established venue on the newly created World Tour of Surfing Professionals (ASP) bringing the best surfers in the world to display their skills on Newquay’s beach break waves. Their example raised the standards of British surfers, especially among the best of Newquay’s locals, some of whom went on to dominate for future years as British pro-surfers in the UK e.g. Nigel Semmens, Spencer Hargreaves and Russell Winter. Their international performances carried the name of Newquay with their profile, whilst the national TV attention this annual event created only added to Newquay’s perceived profile as the centre for surfing in the UK!

When in 1986 the worlds surfing nations elected to hold The World Amateur Surfing Championships at Fistral Beach in Newquay, thirteen national teams with over 200 individuals were destined to compete for the title of top world’s surfing nation . This one week event involving many competitors and officials from around the world attracted international media attention and in the process identified Newquay as UK’s top contest venue. Australia won!

Surf Schools

In the mid-80s a Newquay man, a former British Champion, had an inspirational idea which came to him while trying to avoid the increasing numbers of tourist learners with hire surfboards in the surf zone. ‘Why not teach them how to do it properly with the right techniques and the correct equipment !’ was his revelation.

His experiments over a number of years resulted in the emergence of the Offshore Surfing School on the town’s Tolcarne Beach. Men, women and children could now find a safe way into this male dominated sport, to have some more secure fun in the waves. It made surfing a family activity!

Over time this unique Newquay example was copied nationally and Europe wide. Today, many thousands are now taking surf lessons with the towns many surf schools with every passing summer season.

The appearance of three generations of surfers within a single family, male and female, all on the beach to play and surf together in the waves has become a familiar example for others to follow.

Progressive renaissance – 1980s

Malibu Masters - 1986 [#38] — Malibu Masters – 1986 [#38]

After twelve years of shortboard surfing some of the oldest and most experienced of surfers became frustrated with the limitations of its performance in poorer wave conditions. Experimentations with the creation of a new longer surfboard materialised after an innovative event called Malibu Madness took place in 1983 at Newquay’s Watergate Bay affirming that some bigger surfboards were needed. More fun was needed in the water!

The Malibus of the 60s may have become lost in time but by the 90s a modern variation, called ‘Longboard riding’ was being practised nationwide, with a circuit of contests for this new surfing genre. It was another example of Newquay’s influence in the evolution of surfing in the UK!

Globalisation

In the 1990s surfing just expanded around the world. It was a sporting boom time, in which the industry for clothing and equipment expanded on the back of a big circuit of well publicised, international Pro-surfing contest events screened globally by the internet.

More people wanted to become surfers! A sporting population which is now an estimated 35 million worldwide. In the UK Newquay has always been at the centre of this wave-driven social momentum!

Surfing finally became an Olympic Sport in 2021 when it premiered in Tokyo, Japan. Surfing’s influence on world sport has been significant when you consider that sporting activities such as wind-surfing, snow-boarding, skateboarding etc. have been born from it’s example. Now, Newquay was even exhibiting tow-in surfing behind jet-skis, which pulled the best surfers, stood on their boards, at speed onto the towns biggest waves,

New Millennium

With the arrival of the 2000s the identity of Newquay as the dominant community influencing surfing’s growth, since its inception in the UK in 1960s, had been confirmed

It was witnessed in a string of significant heritage events over the previous fifty years during which time UK surfing had evolved from a cult to a sport and finally an industry. Modern surfing had also matured to become a genuine fun, family pastime as much as an individual performance skill.

Today

Surfing’s current attraction for the young and the family market, connected by the internet, has swollen the tourist numbers helping sustain Newquay’s critical tourist industry.

Accommodation providers, restaurants, shops, surf schools, manufacturers and other service providers have all gained from this business; whilst providing work for local folk in the process. Over the last three decades as this momentum peaked, hundreds of millions of surfing pounds have been attracted into the town, to the benefit of its resident community! A 2017 study earmarked the value of surfing at £150 million yearly for Cornwall alone!

Surfing is now a globalised sport linked around the world by the internet, identifying its key destinations. Newquay is now such an established key destination, confirming its title, earned over the last sixty years: