
Norman Landa hails from the classy Basque city of San Sebastian – famous for hot she-mulleted senoritas, tapas and late night partying. The soft rollers of the La Concha bay gave him his very first rides at around age 5 or 6, but Norman remembers at first that his whole family bar his mum were set against it.

One of a hot young generation of Portuguese rippers, Frederico has been turning heads around the contest circuit for a couple of years now. At just 14, he came runner up in the U16 at the National Championships in 2005. That was no freak result mind, he finished 3rd in the Quiksilver Grommets Trophy in 2003, and won National titles at U12 and U14 in 2002, ‘03 and ‘04.

Jason Griffith shares his musical guilty pleasures...

Whilst so often revered as an international surf capital, Hossegor will probably never be known for its contributions to the world of music culture. At times, the closest you’ll come to ‘live music’ might be a mic’d-up bar proprietor toasting over favourites like ‘Everybody Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump Around!’ well into the wee hours.

Over the years, Thurso has been described in many different comparative contexts - ‘like a section at J-Bay, but with a better barrel’, ‘like Nias, but cold’, ‘like Rincon on steroids’. The truth is that Thurso East has its own special character, much in the same way that a fine malt whisky stands apart from its rivals.

The best surfers in world on show in segments, with ‘Hollywood’ skits in between. Enough quick-cut editing to make your head spin, as do the surfing performances of Slater, AI, Shane Dorian, Dane Reynolds, Ry Craike, Jamie O’Brien, Rasta and Parko among others.

Documentary on Tom Curren’s epic 1990 contest season, which saw him come back from competitive retirement to surf from the trials and take the World Title at the final event of the year at Sunset from rivals Elko and BL. Narrated by Gerry Lopez.

The subject is one of the world’s most exciting surfers, Bruce Irons, and features his maiden WCT season, Eddie win, mental free surfing and insights from friends, family and entourage. Shot on 16 and 35mm film with the incredible wave riding of Bruce, his brother Andy plus Dean Morrison, Gavin Beschen, Bol and Koby Abberton on display.

There are loads of variations of this turn, in fact the very best surfers can do several of em in a row and vary each one slightly each time. The important part is busting those fins out of the top of the lip, your message to surfers in the line-up is, ‘Say Hi to these guys.’

The best clobber in the stores this month, from cool boardies to toasty beanies.