200 surfers, one wave: Newquay world record bid is on for Saturday

Around 200 surfers. One wave. And a record that has stood since 2009.

The Earthwave world record attempt at Great Western Beach in Newquay has been given the green light for this Saturday (31 October), after organisers checked the surf and weather forecasts and decided conditions were right.

The call was made with water safety specialists ERA Adventures, Newquay Boardriders and Great Western Beach. The forecast points to moderate conditions in the bay, waist-high waves and some sunshine. Founder Dene Botha’s response was short: “GREEN LIGHT. LET’S RIDE!”

The record they’re chasing

The aim is to set a new mark for the most surfers riding a single wave together. The current record is 110, set at Muizenberg Beach in Cape Town in 2009 at an Earthwave event founded by Dene.

Around 200 surfers have registered for Newquay, including volunteers and invited participants. The attempt is the return of an event first planned for September, which was postponed.

Surfers assemble at 1.15pm for a welcome and compulsory safety briefing at 1.30pm, then head into the water at 1.50pm. The attempt itself runs from 2pm to 3pm, subject to final water safety clearance.

Who can take part

Riders need to be confident swimmers, able to control a board and able to surf safely. Children can take part too, subject to age, consent and competency requirements.

No board or wetsuit? Softboard and wetsuit hire is listed on the Earthwave website, where riders also register, though availability should be checked first.

Entry fees

• Beach entry: free
• Adult wave rider: £10
• Under-16s wave rider: £5
• Softboard Surf-Off: £5
• Dig for Gold: £3
• Capture Earthwave: free
• Raffle tickets: £2.50

You don’t need a ticket to watch. Participation tickets are only needed for riders.

What’s on through the day

The beach opens at 10am with registration, food, drink, music and activities, plus a sand art demonstration and competition.

• 11am: Start & Co. Dig for Gold (under 10s)
• 12pm: Northshore Under-16s Softboard Surf-Off
• 2pm to 3pm: World record attempt
• 3pm: Beach activities continue
• 4pm onwards: Earthwave finale, awards, raffles, speeches and a DJ

Dig for Gold

Children aged 10 and under dig for hidden treasure, with prizes including caps, beanies, T-shirts and a £150 Sola Wetsuits voucher. Every child is guaranteed a prize worth at least their ticket price. Spaces are limited, and tickets are on the Dig for Gold booking page.

Northshore Softboard Surf-Off

Presented by Newquay Boardriders, the Surf-Off sees under-16s compete in 30-minute heats on softboards only. Prizes come from Northshore Surf Shop, BeachBum, Sola Wetsuits and Lenzi Optical, with awards announced on the day. Surf-Off tickets are available online.

Photos and raffles

The Shaka Studios Capture Earthwave photo contest is open to everyone. Register at the beach and submit photos through a QR code, with winners announced on Wednesday 4 November.

There’s also an Earthwave raffle and a raffle for The Wave Project, which uses surfing to support young people’s wellbeing. The Wave Project draw takes place on Monday 2 November.

If conditions change, organisers say to follow official Earthwave updates. The 110 mark from Muizenberg has stood for 17 years.

📷Credit: Earthwave