The Ride With Us Project

Boardshop’s Ride With Us Project… What’s that!?

We want to shine a spotlight on surfers around the UK, the core lords, the rippers, who you always see, no matter the waves or conditions. The frothers that are not fully sponsored QS chasing surfers.

The plan, find a team of underground, ‘diamonds in the rough’, that we can promote and highlight across our channels and send surfing care packages to.

Step one. As we wanted to find the legends at everyone’s local spots, we thought there’s no better way to discover who is out there than to ask the nation…

We took to social media and posed the question:

“This year at Boardshop we want to help surfers out.

We want to bring a spotlight to the diamonds in the rough, the locals who rip but don’t have stickers on the nose of their board.

This is your chance to nominate them to receive a surfing care package twice a year. Along with this we will promote these surfers, highlight any edit or images of them and maybe even help them find a sponsor or two.

Who do you think deserves this? Tag them in the comments for us and we will pick 15-20 surfers to become part of the Boardshop Surf Team.”

The response was better than we could have hoped for, with over 750 people nominated. The next task was whittling this down to 15-20 surfers. After going through each one, we landed on an initial team of 17. You can read more on these below.

We will be highlighting their surfing and edits on our social channels and we may even have some events and trips up our sleeve.

Get to know the first members of the Ride With Us Team below. We have  drafted a short bio on each surfer for you to pick a favourite!

Where do we start with Callum. Callum was nominated by some heavy UK surfers, the likes of Patrick Dark and Logan Nicol no less. After being picked, we actually managed to head on a trip with Callum and witnessed how much of a frother he is. Surfing for hours! The 25-year-old, who calls Swansea his home, epitomises why we are doing this, giving back to the core grafters who just love surfing for surfing. We cant wait to see and hear more from Callum.

Give Callum a follow: @callumthom22

Callie would put a lot of us to shame. She is a 12-year-old, based in the Northeast of Scotland, Fraserburgh. Surfing waters colder than most people’s ice baths, she still manages to rip, even head to toe in thick neoprene. Callie is one to watch on the UK, European and World scene for years to come and we are just stoked to help in a small way with her journey. Callie is a young lady who loves surfing and already performs at a very high level.

Give Callie a follow: @call1e.cruickshank

Finn Clark, a barrel hunting, bucket throwing, lord. Another surfer from Scotland, this time the South East, at just 16, Finn has mad turns in his locker, he won’t shy away from a big pit and loves surfing even when its below zero degrees outside!

Give Finn a follow: @finnclark_

Willem has a back side bottom turn that we can only dream of. This 16 year old, Welshman, can punt, turn and get tubed as well as almost anyone at his age. Partial to a barrel, this oversized grom has stoke for days and will surf from sunrise to sunset if the waves are allowing. Willem just loves surfing, like all of us!

Give Willem a follow: @willem_beck

Mr Keech, a surfer after our own hearts. Whether it’s his picks of where to surf, what his favourite surf films are or his experiences he has had in some world class waves, Reuben sounds like someone anyone would want  on a surf trip. He can hammer front side wraps, nail air reverses and find himself getting hell barrels too. A 20 year old Cornish hell man, Reuben is a core surfers surfer.

Give Reuben a follow: @reubenkeech47

Every clip we have seen of Teddy, they get better and better. Improving every day, this 14 year old, St Ives charger is an underground ripper. A front side carve that has water screaming off his rail, Teddy will try to pull into any hollow wave, and most of the time makes it too! Style for days, this grom is going from strength to strength, one to watch on the UK scene.

Give Teddy a follow: @teddy.nichols.uk

We will keep his location on the down low, as Jack Smiles is one of the rare surfers who still manages to surf uncrowded spots that are yet to be blown out. This 23-year-old goofy footer fully sends it on some reef break monsters. Fear doesn’t really come into play with Jack, especially if there is a cone to be threaded. Not only a tube fiend, Jack will go above the lip too.

Give Jack a follow:@jacksmiles_

Any 14-year-old that lists an Andy Irons surf film as their favourite has a place in our heart! Coming from Newquay in Cornwall, Lilly Issberner is a young lady who can really SURF! Selected to be part of the Junior England team, Lilly has the potential to make a mark in competitions around the world. Comfortable in reefs, having surfing in Barbados frequently, but also very good in a full hood and gloves in England, Lilly is set to light up any line up, and we are stoked to have here on the Ride With Us Project.

Give Lilly a follow:@lillyissberner

Maxi! The story behind Max is close to us. Myself (Matt) first met Max 4 years ago, he was surfing in February in a wetsuit with two big holes, on an old board. He had the biggest smile on his face, and we surfed for roughly two hours. From that moment, I thought, this kid loves surfing. We loved that. We have helped Max with a few demo boards, new wetsuits (thankfully) and other bits since. He is now a full-time ripper. He surfs at every chance and is already one of the best locals we have. It is the right time to give him a touch more help. He is only 14, local to the Wittering’s but will grow and his surfing will get even better!

Give Max a follow: @max.metcalfe_

Beau is someone who needs so much more recognition. The time and effort he puts in for other surfers is unreal. We are stoked that we can help support in such a small way. At the youthful age of 30 and hailing from North Devon, Beau runs a surfing performance programme for all ages and is on the beach, rain, shine, wind, snow, all weathers!

Give Beau a follow:@beau_performance

Inspired by a certain Rockhopper Penguin called Cody Maverick (we hope you get the reference) Aidan is just as happy to throw himself down the face of huge slab as he is to grab a classic twin fin and cruise. A serial cylinder dweller, we are stoked that Aidan is part of this project, and we want to taste his friends Chow Mein too (apparently he has a chef friend who surfs but makes a mean Chow Mein).

Give Aidan a follow:@aidan_smith_uig

Backed by Harry Timson as a pick for this Ride With Us Programme, Finley Donovan is a 16 year old Cornish surfer who has caught the eye of some of the UK’s surfing elite. Recently finishing 3^rd in the Ripcurl GromSearch event, Finley is surfing better than ever. With a backslide whip and a front side crack that we are jealous of. Fin’s surfing will go from strength to strength and we are amped to help out where we can!

Give Finley a follow:@finleydonovan

Our youngest Ride With Us surfer, but maybe the most psyched! Jenson Martin is 11 years old and you’ll mainly find him surfing on beaches in and around Newquay! Jenson made a podium finish in his first ever comp and with his love of JJF, this Cornish ripper has bags of potential and promise to grow into one of the UK’s best! Keep an eye out for his bright red and yellow John John inspired FORM board!

Give Jensen a follow: @j.e.n.s.e.n_m.a.r.t.i.n

Kyle brings a different angle to this project. Any surfer knows the best friend you can make is a photographer. This 25 year old, Devonian loves being in the surf just as much as he loves being behind the lens of a camera shooting other people’s surfing. We wanted to give some support to the camera clicking core lords and Kyle was nominated multiple times, which shows just how great his work and effort is. Don’t be fooled, Kyle can surf good too, check out his style.

Give Kyle a follow:@kb_pho_vid

A Dorset Goofy footed style master. Oscar Johnson is understated in his deminer, but his surfing does all the talking. Like most goofy foots, Oscar has an insanely good style, whether cracking into a wrapping turn, slinging a full rotation or even just slotting into a barrel, he makes it look good! The best thing about Oscar is he will call you into waves and be just as stoked as if he scored himself. A genius behind the camera to; we are stoked to have him as part of the crew.

Give Oscar a follow:@oscar_johnson

The most mature 16-year-old we may have ever spoken too. From St Ives in Cornwall, Oli prides himself on his excellent surfing, his incredible photography and film making. Editing clips of himself ripping and scoring them too, he has the most “followable” Instagram out there! From barrels and turns, to clips and stills, Oli has a steeze and style that is beyond his years. We are pumped to see where Oli takes his surfing, we are eyeing him up as the UK’s next top free surfer and clip maker!

Give Oli a follow:@oli.riley

Polzeath’s very own spinning top, Rory Morgan is a 23-year-old surfer who can throw rotation airs, thread barrels and lay into hacks! Rory has surfed around the globe and was nominated for this project for being the most excited surfer. This guy will surf for hours, even in bad waves! 

Give Rory a follow: @rrymorgn

These are the current Ride With Us team members. There is no cap on how far we will take this. The aim is to help some underground surfers and have fun doing so.

Keep an eye out on Boardshop social channels, Instagram, YouTube and newsletters for updates and more information on the Ride With Us team.