PHIL HORROCKS: ROAD TO RECOVERYPHIL HORROCKS: ROAD TO RECOVERYWhen a split-second decision in windsurfing doesnt go to plan, even the most experienced riders can find themselves facing a serious setback. For Phil Horrocks, what should have been another routine wave sailing session quickly turned into a nightmare, resulting in a brutal foot-strap injury and a complex Lisfranc fracture. We caught up with Phil as he talks us through the moment it happened, the reality of surgery and rehab and the mental challenge of being forced away from the water.WINDSURF: What did the moment of injury feel like, and did you realise straight away it was serious?PHIL HORROCKS: It was a chunky day, logo high side, onshore and pretty windy, 4m maxed and was getting a bit choppy, but nothing out of the ordinary? I was looking for a wave 360, through the bottom turn and just before getting vert, I thought the wave wasnt pitching and kind of crumbling so I backed out of it into a regular snap top turn, but somehow with a bit of chop the wave broke earlier than expected and the toe rail of the board snatched up at me and I immediately felt the strap crush and flatten my foot with a pop, pop sound/feel, I got rolled and in the washing machine I knew it was bad. I came up and immediately my foot felt like it was in hot water and started throbbing. I tried sailing in but made about three seconds and I had to stop, I got towed in by Sam the Kiting instructor at Funsport and I knew it was game over for the foreseeable future.WINDSURF: How was your Lisfranc injury diagnosed, and was there anything that surprised you about the process?PHIL HORROCKS: The A&E department were greatwithin three hours I was in and out with X-Rays and a moon boot along with the dreaded news a Lisfranc injury. A Lisfranc injury is an injury to the joint in your forefoot where your metatarsals and ligaments join. It is not always that visible the extent of it, it requires a specialist to diagnose it with an MRI or CT scan and weight bearing X-rays, that followed a week or two later when I met the specialist, it turned out I broke a couple of metatarsals and the ligament in-between them, so, it is a bit of a mess!WINDSURF: For those that dont know what is a Lisfranc injury and what is the recovery process?PHIL HORROCKS: The reason this injury is so bad is that you need those ligaments in your feet to keep its shape, without them repairing correctly in the right position you can end up with big problems later in life too. For me that meant surgery.WINDSURF: It seems like quite a few windsurfers have had to go through thishave you been speaking to some of the riders who have had the same injury?PHIL HORROCKS: Its a foot-strap injury, once you start talking to people about it, everyone knows someone whos had one, mostly horror stories of how long its taken them to get back to it, Im trying to focus on the positive recoveries at the moment. Marc Pare had a similar thing, he came back pretty good!, Charlie loch is just coming out of his Lisfranc injury and is back on the wing world tour, so theres a few success stories in there.WINDSURF: We heard you already had the operationhow did it go and what is the recovery processPHIL HORROCKS: Both Marc and Charlie had theirs done by a surgeon in Germany, called Sebastian Altenberger, hes supposedly pretty good at it, he was really helpful to me as he offered his thoughts on my X-rays and we spoke on the phone about my injury and the options available to me, including operational procedures, likely recovery times and what to expect after, that was super helpful and re-assuring knowing a full recovery is possible with the right treatment. In the end I had tightrope fixation surgery here in the UK and so far everything seems to be going well, obviously Im going to be a bit slower recovering than the other guys being twice as old! But Im feeling positive about it so far.WINDSURF: How are you coping with being off the water and what have you been doing since the operation?PHIL HORROCKS: Im generally doing ok, Theres been 2 or 3 really good windsurfing days which I was a bit gutted to miss, but, you know I can handle missing a few of them as theyre fairly few anyway, the thing I miss the most is the regularity of getting in the sea, pre-injury Id be 3-4 times a week in the sea, whether its surfing, foiling, parawing, windsurfing and winging. Theres the craic of learning and doing all these sports too, once you get a sudden stop like that it cuts you off from everything, you dont see people, you feel pretty unfit all of a sudden, you cant work and things can look pretty bleak pretty quickly!WINDSURF: Is it tough being on crutches etc at home and not being able to drive?PHIL HORROCKS: I love being at home, so that bit is easy, we have a nice place with a nice view and I can watch the tide go in and out all day! Yes, it gets a bit samey but it kind of has a lockdown vibe about it too. It happened a couple of weeks before Easter, so the whole family was home and it was really nice, for a bit! No driving is a pain, weve got three kids who are all in football/rugby/cricket/swimming and so on so poor Maike is not only having to look after four of us, shes she getting hammered with all the driving too, but she is also an angel and deserves a medal!!WINDSURF: What were the toughest phases of rehab, both physically and mentally?PHIL HORROCKS: The initial 2 weeks Pre-Op and the first 2 weeks post OP were the worst so far, I literally had to keep my foot in the air the whole time, even whilst sleeping, otherwise the foot would swell and the pain was agony! I couldnt do anything for myself and that was tough. I watched a lot of Niche sports in this time, Southern hemisphere Rugby League, golf, IPL Cricket, even Aussie rules (I still have no idea what the rules are on that one!!) Im 5 weeks post OP so Im almost at the weight bearing stage, then its another month for walking and light exercise. Then at 3 months post op its light exercise, and they say return to sports in anything from 5-8 months, but, I know Marc and Charlie were a lot quicker than that so theres hope yet!WINDSURF: When do you hope to be back on the water?PHIL HORROCKS: Im hoping to be on the water strapless foiling by mid-July, we go to Tenerife for the summer again, I think it might come a bit too soon for windsurfing for me, maybe I can do some gentle stuff with the kids but I dont trust myself to take it easy if Im on my own kit so I may leave that behind and save it for the autumn.Im not sure if Ill do Rhosneigr and Tiree BWA yet, Ill have to wait and see, Im not sure if Id want to go from zero sailing to competing on a dodgy foot straight away?WINDSURF: Will you need to work with coaches or physios before your comeback?PHIL HORROCKS: Im doing some basic mobility stuff now along with floor mat exercises, but nothing weight bearing, once that begins I could do with getting a program together, theres a lot of info out there thats free and readily available on Rehab, but its definitely an advantage to have someone watch you perform and coach on your movements, I guess thats something I should look into more.WINDSURF: Are you already imagining what your first session back on the water like?PHIL HORROCKS: I think it is going to be a flat-water wing or para-wing session, something very easy on the body, as far as windsurfing goes Im looking forward to being 100% fit and going at it full power in the autumn, Magheroarty in the autumn is where my heads leaning towards.WINDSURF: Do you feel like this injury will play with your confidence to go big in the futureseems like guys like Marc Pare are still charging?PHIL HORROCKS: The weird thing Im dealing with in my head at the moment is It didnt feel like I did anything particularly wrong, it didnt feel like I was in a dangerous situation, I have been in far worse and escaped with nothing, so I guess time will tell whether in that same situation would I do the same thing again? probably yesso, I imagine therell always be a bit of doubt there. I have confidence in the surgery and repair that my body will be fixed, so theres no reason why I cant go for it again. Ive been going for it for 30 years and this is the first major injury Ive had, ok 2 years ago I did my ankle ligaments in Tiree but that was only 2 months out, this feels more real. So Ive been lucky so far!WINDSURF: What goals have you set for yourself once you are back on the water?PHIL HORROCKS: Im pretty sure Ill appreciate the bad days more now! I was getting pickier on conditions; Id take anything now!!The last few years Ive been learning various foiling sports which has been fun but theres nothing like the feeling of riding waves on a windsurfer and I cant to have that again soon! See you all out there soon I hope!!WINDSURF: Get well soon and we hope to see you back on the water when you are ready!The post PHIL HORROCKS: ROAD TO RECOVERY appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

2026 QUATRO MAUI PRO WINDSURFING: BY NEPTUNE RIDE2026 QUATRO MAUI PRO WINDSURFING: BY NEPTUNE RIDEJulian Thompson and Lisa Tyerman who have never shot windsurfing before have put together this impressive edit from the Maui Pro Am! Worth a watch!A look through my lens at the world of professional windsurfing at Kahana and Hookipa, on the beautiful island of Maui, at the 2026 Quatro Maui Pro.Created by Julian Thompson & Lisa TyermanThe post 2026 QUATRO MAUI PRO WINDSURFING: BY NEPTUNE RIDE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

POLAKOW PRO MODEL: QUATROPOLAKOW PRO MODEL: QUATROQuatro have just launched the new Polakow Pro Modellet the video do the talking!QUATRO: Jason Polakows approach changed wave ridingbuilt on speed, power, and fearless commitment. The Polakow Pro Model reflects that mindset. Fast, loose, and driven through the turn, its designed to stay connected in the pocket while opening up more range across conditionsfrom clean frontside lines to real onshore sections. This is the fastest, most drive-oriented thruster weve built. Quicker snaps, more projection, and a flow that carries through every section.The Polakow. Filmed by Elliot Leboe, Hortensio Dias Claros, Rudy CastorinaQuatro Boards PolakowThe post POLAKOW PRO MODEL: QUATRO appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

LAST ORDERS FOR EASTERLIES: ROSS WILLIAMSLAST ORDERS FOR EASTERLIES: ROSS WILLIAMS Just when JC had all but given up hope for any windsurfing actionplans drifting firmly into maybe tomorrow territorya late call came in from Ross Williams: its on!. And when Ross says its on, you dont ask questionsyou grab your gear and go.What followed was a chaotic session that somehow salvaged an otherwise frustrating dayand proved, once again, that it only takes one good call to turn everything around even if the action was short and sweet.JOHN CARTER: After spending most of the day glued to web cameras up and down the south coast, trying to figure out what the latest pulse of easterlies was actually doing, frustration had well and truly set in. Id planned to stay local, Isle of Wight can be all-time in an easterly, but the wind had nudged a little too NE, and the waves just werent wrapping into Ventnor. Classic. A full day of sunshine, wind on tap and nothing to show for it.With the light fading and my patience already gone, I pivoted to Plan B: photographing the local white-tailed sea eagles. An equally humbling pursuit, as it turns outhours of waiting for a bird that clearly has better things to do. Nature, as always, keeping expectations firmly in check.Then, just as I was committing to the wildlife grind, the phone rang.Ross.He was down at Bonchurch and reckoned there were a few proper waves sneaking through. That was all I needed. Immediate U-turn. Back home, grab every bit of camera gear I could carry (and probably a bit I didnt need), then a slightly over-enthusiastic dash back along the coast.I rolled up just in time to see Ross dropping into a clean, head-high set and laying into the lip like with a classic Ross Williams surf style hack. The light was perfect.Game on.After some fumbling around getting cameras sorted I was ready for actionplus I had a spare body and lens ready to tempt Scott Gardener, who was hovering on the edge of joining the action, albeit slightly held back by a not-so-minor injury.For the next half hour, Ross Williams did exactly what Ross does best: picking off the best of the sets and attacking every lip with zero hesitation and even less regard for self-preservation.But just as quickly as the session had switched into gear, it switched off.Ross came in, session done. No dramatic finale, no sunset glory run, just a quiet exit stage left. Turns out hed taken a fall the evening before and was pretty certain hed cracked a rib. Which, in hindsight, makes the whole performance slightly more impressive and slightly more ridiculous.So that was it. A full day of wind and sunshine boiled down to a mere thirty minutes of action.But sometimes thats all you need.Short, sweet, and just enough to justify the chaosespecially when it ends with a perfectly timed last orders debrief beer at the Spyglass Inn on the way home.Job done.The post LAST ORDERS FOR EASTERLIES: ROSS WILLIAMS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

Choosing the rightsurfboard traction padcan completely change how your board feels under your feet. With so many options out there, it helps to understand what actually matters when selecting thebest surfboard gripfor your setup.In this breakdown,Parker Coffin, Brent Power (Team Manager), and Todd Janda (CI Accessories Designer) walk through the Channel Islands traction rangefocusing on the key details:grip feel, arch support, pad shape, and tail kick.WHY CI TRACTIONChannel Islandssurfboard traction padsare built with performance, comfort, and durability in mindrefined through direct feedback from team riders.Made withBio Grip(uses discarded waste to reduce landfill)Premium3M adhesivefor long-lasting holdDesigned for consistent feel and performance in a wide range of conditionsSeveral arch and flat pad options to fit anyones preferences or needsCHOOSING YOUR PADFinding the rightsurfboard grip padcomes down to a few key decisions:Flat vs ArchFlat= more freedom to moveArch= more locked-in feelMega Kush Arch= softer, more comfortable, with added supportGrip FeelMixed Grooveis our traditional, more aggressive grip (team favorite for performance surfing)Thermo Pressis a thinner, closer-to-board feel (ideal if you dont usually ride a traction pad)ShapeThink about how much of your tail you want covered and how your foot placement interacts with the pad. The rightsurfboard traction pad shapecan influence control and responsiveness.If youre unsure where to start, signature pads from the team are a good reference point as they cover nearly all shapes and prefernces:Mikey FebruaryDane ReynoldsParker CoffinReef HeazlewoodThese designs cover a wide range of preferences and are built from real-world feedback.Tail KickMore aggressive = added leverage for turns and airsMore mellow = lower profile, more subtle feelFinding the Right SetupTheres no one-size-fits-all when it comes tosurfboard traction pads. The right setup depends on how you surf, how you move on your board, and the level of grip and control youre after.This range is designed to give you options. Whether youre looking for maximum hold, a lighter feel, or the best all-aroundsurfboard grip that fits any tail shape, weve got you.Explore MoreFind Channel Islands traction pads at your local surf shop or explore the full range here:https://cisurfboards.com/collections/traction

Not all board bags are built the same. When youre moving boardsthrough airports, into cars, or down to the beachthe details matter.This is a focused breakdown of three core Channel Islands Surfboards Board Bags: Everyday, Traveler Single/Double, and Traveler Wheeled Quad. Each one is designed with a clear purpose, but all share the same approachdurability, protection, and thoughtful design.CI Team Manager Brent Power connects with CI Accessories Designer Todd Janda, with real-world feedback fromParker Coffin, to walk through what actually matters: protection, organization, and access.All of our bags share common features like weather proof materials, YKK corrosion proof zippers, slip proof shoulder straps and more.Three bags. Three purposes. Built to protect.EVERYDAY SHORTBOARD BAGFor daily use. Simple, durable, reliable.The Everyday Bag is your go-to for routine surf dayskeeping your board protected in transit better than any other on the market with nearly twice the foam of other day use bags.Lightweight, streamlined designDurable exterior for daily wearEssential 8mm of padding for ding preventionEasy carry for quick in-and-out useThis is the bag you leave in the car, grab on the way out, and rely on every movement of your bag in the car, on the foot path, in boats or just on the sand.TRAVELER SINGLE / DOUBLE SHORTBOARD BAGFor surf trips or day trips when you need two boards in one bag. Added protection and versatility are its hallmarks.When travel is involved, protection becomes critical. The Traveler Single/Double is built to handle the extra demands of airports, road trips, longer hauls or even short ones down to Lowers or across town in the back of your truck.Increased to 10mm padding all around for impact protectionFits one or two boards depending on setupReinforced construction for travel wearA stealth compartment to help avoid added airline feesInternal organization for fins and accessoriesA balance between protection and manageabilitybuilt for surfers on the move.TRAVELER WHEELED QUADFor heavy travel. Maximum capacity and ease.This is the most robust option in the lineup, designed for extended trips and multiple boards.Holds up to four boardsBuilt-in wheels for easy transportThoughtful handle placements all around for handling with easeHeavily padded 10 and 20mm foam for maximum protectionInternal and external compression strapsSpace for boards, gear, and accessoriesWhen youre traveling with a full quiver, this is the solution that makes it manageable.WHY CHANNEL ISLANDS BOARD BAGSEvery CI bag is built with direct input from team riders and real-world use in mind. The focus stays consistent across the range:Protection where it countsSmart organization without excessDurable construction that holds up over timeThese are not overdesigned. They are simply Perfected For Your Ride.

GEORGE GRISLEY: PWA PRACTICE HEATSGEORGE GRISLEY: PWA PRACTICE HEATSWith the PWA Fuerteventura freestyle event only a few months away, George Grisley has put together a practice heat all filmed in one take while out in Vasiliki Greece! He set himself a target of scoring 30 points and even got one of the PWA judges to score it!George Grisley: Were back on the YouTube train and are starting out with another practice heat. With the PWA World Cup less than 3 months away, I thought Id get back out there and lay down another practice heat to see where my level is at after the winter. Watch all the way through to see if I can hit my target of a 30 point heatThe post GEORGE GRISLEY: PWA PRACTICE HEATS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

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BIGBURY GOLDBIGBURY GOLDAfter an all-out action-packed day at Gwithian for the Code Red session a few weeks agothe forecast then threw in an extra twist to the story. The following day was showing east winds and another pulse of thumping swell on both coasts. John Carter, Lucas Meldrum and Ian Whittaker didnt take much convincing to stay down in Cornwall and roll the dice on scoring again. What followed was once of those hunches that paid off and at Bigbury they finally struck gold!Photos: John CarterBest Viewed on the big screenclick any shot to enlarge and scroll.JOHN CARTERWHEN ONE SCORE ISNT ENOUGHWe were all on a bit of a high after the epic session at Gwithian for the Code Red swell and when the forecast promised another solid day it seemed rude not to stay down in Cornwall and see if we could strike again. Poor Ian Whittaker was in a bit of a dilemma as he had promised to head home to Witterings to do the school run on Wednesday morning but had to call to his wife to see if she would let him stay down for an extra day of windsurfing! Cue delicate negotiations, a hopeful phone call to his wife and what we can only assume was some elite-level pleading. Somehow he got the green light.Lucas, meanwhile, was frothing. New North and Quatro kit, fresh energy and he had a burning need to test it anywhere possible so didnt need any convincing!Decision made. We were staying!OMENS, BAKERIES AND BLIND FAITHWe managed to find a cheap hotel in Redruth and the plan was to check out Praa Sands in the morning and let the ocean decide. Back at the hotel, I managed to perform a truly world-class act of self-sabotagedropping my Micro SD card inside my drone where it promptly vanished into the internal abyss. What followed was hours of shaking, tilting, and increasingly desperate attempts to retrieve it but somehow, I had actually managed to the SD card completely jammed inside.Morning came. Lucas was already glued to the webcams. While I was still mid-surgery on the drone. Then the miracle of miracles, the memory card simply fell out. Just like that.An omen? A sign? A mechanical fluke? Who caresNow it was game back on.Despite the webcams showing very little, my spirits were lifted. The forecast promised swell later and that was enough for me. Ian was dispatched to Praa Sands as the official scout, while we took on the critical task of bakery reconnaissance. A full sausage, bacon and egg bap was consumed and washed down with a decent mug of latte. The diet would have to go on hold for another day. Lucas even managed to scoff down a donut, but he only weighs about 60 kilos so anything goes for him.Reports from Praa were that it was messy and not very big, so we made a vote and decided to head for Bigbury rather than hang around for the swell to kick in. We checked in with Bigbury locals Ben Page and Dave Ewer but they were both working and unable to join us. We were taking a gamble and banking on Bigbury. We had no solid reports. No guarantees just blind faith that the waves would kick in with the pushing tide.DISAPPEARING ACTBy 11am Ian Whittaker had beat us to Bigbury and reckoned it was logo high and pumping. Suddenly myself and Lucas were fired up that this could turn out to be an epic day. Looking at the sat nav we would be there in less than half an hour. Game on!By the time we reached Bigbury, Ian was still in the carpark and getting his gear together. The logo high swell he had mentioned was not there however. Somehow in the space of thirty minutes it had gone flat! The ocean had changed its mind!Surly this was a mere low tide glitch and the swell would be back once the tide started to really kick in.The good news was that the wind was absolutely cranking and blowing about 25 knots side offshore and it was sunny. With most of the ingredients in place the boys rigged up and were keen to get out on the water and get a feel for the location.TEASING!The next few hours were an emotional rollercoaster for me. Once every half an hour or so a head high set would roll though and I would start getting excited that this was the swell kicking in, but then it would go mostly flat again. At low tide the windsurf action was pretty close to where I was shooting on the beach but as the tide surged the action drifted further away with the tide, turning prime shots into distant specks. The waves werent quite delivering and my frustration was building.The boys meanwhile were having a blast. While they may not have been huge waves, it was still clean, cross off and super fun sailing. I could see Lucas and Ian getting aerials right over the far side of bay but it was just too distant to score the right photos.REGROUP, RE-ROLL, REPEATAround 4pm, Ian and Lucas finally came in both exhausted but buzzing after scoring nearly three hours of epic down the line fun sailing. I must admit, I was still a bit grumpy after not really getting the epic shots I had came for. The swell had not really delivered and I felt there was still some unfinished business to be sorted. In my mind I could not go home without the shots I had came for.Back at the carpark we regrouped and now had to decide if we were going to head back home or go for another session. Ian was suffering with back pain and sensibly decided to call it a day and head home.Meanwhile, myself and Lucas made a new plan to drive round to Bantham, despite it being a painfully long, winding, countryside mission for what looks like a stones throw on the map.THE MOMENT IT ALL TURNEDFinally, we made it to the Bantham side and climbed up over the dunes to check it out. Boom! As we edged to the top of the dune a clean, glassy, half-mast to logo-high set marched across the bay like something out of a surf film.No hesitation. Back to the van. Rig. Go!GOLDEN HOUR GLORYBantham delivered. The wind flirted quite offshore but just enough for lightweight, Lucas to work his magic on his North 4.7m and Quatro Pyramid. The waves were buttery smooth and the light turned almost cinematic.When the sun dipped behind Burgh Island, it cast a golden glow that photographers dream about and rarely get. Lucas threaded smooth lines through the bay, making it all look far too easy. Meanwhile I Sprinted up and down dunes like a man possessed, chasing angles, light, and redemption.This timefor once, everything clicked.WORTH THE ROLL OF THE DICEBy 6pm, Lucas came in grinning from ear to ear. The gamble had paid off. Big time. The swell finally showed. The wind held. The light delivered. Bigbury had revealed its goldwe had to wait for it, just like my memory card but eventually, just like magic it turned on.And as a final bonus? I made the last ferry home with 15 minutes to spare. A nice bit of fortune to round of an epic day.Ask Lucas when the luck changed and you might hear a different theory. But for me it was the moment that memory card dropped out of the drone.From then on the tide turned.Sometimes you dont chase too hard.You just stick around long enough and the luck will come to you!LUCAS MELDRUMSo we got to Bigbury and had been told by Ian it was logo high, but when we arrived it was flat and howling windy. I think about 10 minutes before we got there wed heard it was going off, so I was pretty excitedbut it wasnt quite as good as wed hoped.Still, it was windy enough, just a bit small. We went out anywayI was on my 4.2m and 75L.That first part of the session was actually really fun. When the sets came through, they were maybe head high! The sandbank near the Bigbury side had a nice little lip you could hit. Perfect for little aerials. Me and Whittaker even got a few party waves, which was fun.As the tide pushed in, I thought the swell might pick up, but it never really did. Still fun though and it was sunny again.Then we regrouped and headed over to the other side to check it out, maybe for photos. And when we got there, it was like something out of a film. You walk over the dune and suddenly its peeling waves, super clean and sunset lightingit just looked amazing.It felt like the swell had suddenly kicked in. I was a bit nervous about how offshore it was, it almost looked dead offshore. I rigged a bigger sail and off the beach there was barely any wind, which was worrying. But once I made it out, it filled in.There were some decent setsmaybe logo highbut super offshore. Still, it was such an amazing session. The waves were butter smooth, once you were on them, they were incredible. You could get some really nice turns and a few airs, although the airs were tricky with the wind so offshore.I really enjoy those sessions when you sail somewhere newthat was my first time at Bigburyso you get that adventure vibe, which is different from your local spot.It was not quite a 10 out of 10, but probably an 8 yeah, about a 7 or 8 out of 10.IAN WHITTAKERGwithian was great the day before so decided to stay down the forecast looked solid for Bigbury on Sea. I have sailed there once way back in the 90s With the swell building as we arrived it was low tide and starting to come in, so I grabbed my 4.7 Ezzy wave and my Quatro 86 custom quad.When it hit the water, it started to come alive it was so cross off you could ride the whole of the bay. I remember the third wave so well, it peeled perfectly and had so many sections to it, I nailed two aerials and it had 6 smack-able lips, as I pulled off, I had to pinch myself how good it was.I shared a couple of waves with Lucas turning round each other and airing over each other was a dreamy day!Action from the locals!!The post BIGBURY GOLD appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.