Most of the UK’s serious surfers take off during winter in search of big waves and hot sun. We spoke to three who do just that, including Europe’s number one, Russ Winter.
Photo of Russ Winter by Alex Williams/Courtesy 'Carve' surfing Magazine.

Russ was the only European on November’s World Championship Tour 2001 in Hawaii, rubbing shoulders with the likes of the US’s Kelly Slater. In the lead-up to that, he’d been to contests in Rio de Janeiro, followed by South Africa. But according to Russ, 2001 was a quiet year: "I’ve spent a fair bit of time at home." He explains that: "All the contests got cancelled after South Africa, because of the terrorist attacks on September 11th."

It’s not just competing surfers who migrate in winter. Simon Jayham runs a surf school on the Gower peninsula, south Wales. He spends his summers teaching, then heads off to one of the many surf hot-spots around the world. "You only really start to surf when you’re 17, with a car and a passport," he says.

And he should know, he’s been to Australia, Indonesia, Fiji and spent eight seasons on the north shore of Hawaii. "There’s nothing like being in Hawaii in January or February," he says.

Yes, well, us mere mortals at BBC Weather will have to take his word for that!

The main attraction for Simon is the consistent and pretty much guaranteed big surf these countries can offer. And unlike the UK, the storm systems stay far out to sea. He reckons it’s ideal for keeping him sharp on the board: "A year in Australia is worth 10 at home."

But you don’t have to do long haul flights to find decent waves. "The Canary Islands are called the Hawaii islands of the Atlantic," says Simon. "A lot of UK surfers head there for the winter."

Head Coach of the British Surfing Association, Barrie Hall agrees that they are an ideal spot: "In winter the UK gets battered, but in the Canaries the localised high pressure gives uniform, clean swell."

Barrie also runs a surf school, this time in Newquay. Like Simon, he takes two or three months off during winter, which he says is quite common for surfers around Devon and Cornwall: "A lot of us work in tourism based jobs. We work through the summer months and travel in winter."

It sounds like an ideal lifestyle. Then again, the only other alternative, if you surf religiously, is to buy the thickest wetsuit you can and brave the UK elements.

Useful links
Surfing Basics
British Surf Association
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