Wavelength Community Radio

To round off the incredible series, podcast host, Sophie Everard, talks to Imani Wilmot, an incredible woman who has sparked a new wave of change and energy in surfing. Imani started surfing at 8 years old in Jamaica, and along with her inspiring family, started the Jamnesia Surf Club, the heart and soul of surfing in Jamaica. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every so often in life, an athlete comes along who truly blows the doors off the realms of what's possible. With that in mind, we're stoked to introduce the 9th episode of The Drop In Sessions presented by Mermaid Gin, offering one of the first interviews with the freshly crowned champ of women’s surfing, Stephanie Gilmore. We welcome Steph fresh off claiming her record breaking 8th World Title following her mind blowing performance at the 2022 Rip Curl WSL Finals at Lower Trestles, California. The iconic victory, which she describes as her best ever, makes her the greatest of all time in women’s professional surfing, and boy, did it deliver some epic watching! Kick back and settle in for an incredible insight into the illustrious and inspirational, Steph Gilmore. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 8 of The Drop in Sessions brought to you by the awesome folk at Mermaid Gin has landed, and features one of the most loved and influential women in both pro and grassroots surfing, Holly Beck. This truly insightful episode charts Holly’s journey of self-discovery and acceptance, of setting herself apart and being proud of the differences that make her unique....dive in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are stoked to share that episode 7 of the Drop In Sessions presented by Mermaid Gin is a brilliant conversation with iconic champion and one of the stars of Girls Can't Surf, Jodie Cooper. ⁠ In this episode, Sophie and Jodie talk about her wild experiences of the 80’s and 90s and why taking a stand against the homophobia of the industry in the 80’s was such a pivotal moment.⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we dive into a further five episodes, our next guest is a true groundbreaking pioneer in women’s surfing. Hawaii-based Rochelle Ballard electrified the world of surfing when she emerged onto the competitive circuit, with her fearless barrel riding, progressive big wave surfing and dedication to the sport making her an icon for the ages. “If you’re meant to succeed in whatever you’re meant to succeed at in life, you’re going to break through any sort of challenge that there is…” (Rochelle Ballard) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This awesome episode will be a goldmine for those of you who love to explore surf history and hear nuggets and jewels of gilded beautiful times, as we explore the incredible career of Kassia Meador. Kassia Meador truly moves to the beat of her own drum with the stylish grooves that come from sensei-esque levels of surf mastery, beautiful creative work, general radness and excellent energy. The California based longboarder, once aptly called the “Queen of Nose Riding” by the New York Times, is a surfer who is truly iconic, a central nucleus if you will, of longboarding and the beautiful culture and business, that surrounds it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our next guest on the Drop In Sessions presented by Mermaid Gin is multi-decorated champion, Lucy Campbell. She is a powerful athlete who has become a much loved and inspiring sportswoman and spokesperson in the UK. Hailing from Woolacombe, South West England, she is a 7 time National Women’s Champion and the current British Women’s Champion. With Lucy already eyeballing the next Olympics in Paris, dive into our latest episode to see her in a brand new light! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are stoked to share that the third episode of the Drop In Sessions presented by Mermaid Gin is with Captain Liz Clark - incredible sailor, activist, environmentalist and surfer. Dive in for a juicy episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 2 of the Drop In Sessions bought to you by the fine folk at Mermaid Gin has dropped sees us chew the fat with Rhonda Harper, the enigmatic, vivacious and unstoppable founder of Black Girls Surf an international organisation dedicated to supporting black girls and women who have dreams of competing and developing their careers as professional surfers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the competitive trailblazers bulldozing down barriers, to the activists who have fundamentally changed women’s surfing for the better, The Drop-In Sessions are a deep dive into women's surfing through the protagonists at the centre of impactful change and progression. And, who better to kick off our first session than the incredible Keala Kennelly? Maintaining her position at the forefront of progression within women's surfing for over 20 years and redefining competitive limits time and again, Keala has single-handedly changed the sport of surfing and it's culture for the better. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the latest episode of The Inspired Surfers Podcast, Jim is joined down the line by one of surf culture’s most enlightened duos; iconic free surfer and environmental campaigner Dave Rastovich and his partner, pro-longboarder turned author and activist, Lauren Hill. After many years of surfing professionally, just under a decade ago the pair settled on an idyllic plot in Byron Bay, where they grow food for the community, raise their child, Minoa, present the Water People podcast and campaign on environmental issues. In this conversation, recorded through an at-times patchy phone line (they only get signal in one room of the house) the pair discuss activism, growing food, parenthood, and – after a lifetime of non-stop surfing – the wave riding experiences they now find most fulfilling. Episode summary: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Jim is in conversation with Fergal Smith; surfer, environmentalist and regenerative farmer. For long time fans of British and Irish surfing, Fergal needs little introduction. From the late naughts to the early 2010s, he set the bar at Ireland’s heaviest waves, gracing magazine covers, laying down incredible video parts and cementing himself as one of his generation’s greatest surfing talents on the international stage. Then in 2012, he made the sudden shift from jet-setting free-surfer to hard-grafting farmer, establishing a small community garden in County Clare, spurred on, in no small part by a decision to quit flying for good. In this episode, Fergal takes us deep into the thought process that led up to that moment, charting how his upbringing, his surf career, the Fukushima disaster and a chance encounter with Kelly Slater in Fiji all converged to see him plough his unique furrow. From the tale of his last ever tow wave in Tahiti ten years ago, to a recent two-wave hold down beneath the cliffs of Moher, it’s packed with great stories and wide-ranging insights on food, land management and the changes we desperately need to secure the future of our planet and all who inhabit it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Jim is in conversation with Tom Hewitt MBE, founder and CEO of Surfers Not Street Children – a charity that uses surfing, mentorship and care to intervene in the lives of children living on the street in South Africa and Mozambique. After first encountering street children on an anti-apartheid fact-finding visit with his father, Tom settled permanently in South Africa at the age of 19 and set about working with local organisations to improve the lives of the kids sleeping rough around his neighbourhood. It wasn’t until many years later that he was inspired to combine his lifelong passion for surfing with the programme and establish a new structure that offered mentorship, intervention and distraction through the act of riding waves. In this conversation, Tom recounts the charity’s origin story and the significant moments in his own life that led to its inception and development. He dives deep into the logistics of operating in a fast-changing South Africa in the early days and the importance of embracing anarchy as well as the myriad ways SNSC has since established itself, from forging relationships with local gang members to applying global media pressure to the South African government via a well-timed newspaper editorial. He also discusses the unexpected challenges – like the backlash faced by local white Durban surfers when young black kids from the programme took their place in the lineup – and the humbling rewards – like when a group of kids in his care stepped in to face down a man threatening him with a machete. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 5 of Series 2 Jim is in conversation with athlete Melissa Reid who's list of sporting accomplishments is long enough to make your jaw drop, including but not inclusive of her paratriathlon Olympic Bronze medal in Rio Brazil in 2016, her 2 World titles in the AmpSurf ISA World Para Surfing Championships (making her Britain’s only ever surfing World Champion), being named Cornwall’s Young Coach of the Year in 2012 and the BBC’s South West Disabled Athlete of the Year in 2013. Make no bones about it, whether it’s dropping into bombs at Aggie or passionately working to widen the opportunities for people with disabilities in surfing, being born with a visual impairment hasn’t held Melissa Reid back one jot. This episode was recorded live from day 2 at the Blue Earth Summit at The Bristol Wave. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born and raised in Newcastle, NSW, Belinda first made a name for herself as a competitive surfer, winning the Aussie longboard circuit and getting third in the World Champs in 2000. However, after falling in love with single fin logs on a trip to California, she became a key figure in traditional longboarding’s resurgence. As a free surfer, she became celebrated for elegant style and approach, landing roles in numerous surf films, including the seminal Sprout and becoming the first female surfer to be featured on the cover of the Surfers Journal. Belinda is also a passionate climate activist, having worked as a surf and environmental ambassador full time for Patagonia for several years. She played a central role in the Fight For The Bight campaign, which last year succeeded in deterring Norwegian oil giant Equinor from drilling in the Great Australian Bight. Around the same time, Belinda co-founded Surfers For Climate – a non-profit set up to provide a place for surfers to come together and turn the tide on climate change, alongside legendary surf filmmaker Jack McCoy and Sir Paul McCartney. In this conversation, Belinda and Jim discuss her various forays into surfing and activism, exploring in detail the elements that allowed the FFTB campaign to succeed and how local communities around the world can apply that powerful model to tackle their own local issues. Episode summary: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Ep.3 Jim is in conversation with Nick Hounsfield, Blue Health researcher and founder of The Wave. In the episode, the pair discuss Nick’s ten-year journey to achieve his dream of creating England’s first inland surf facility, how the reality married up to his expectations and the ramifications of a life-changing stroke he suffered last year. The pair go into depth on the importance of purpose when striving to build something, exploring the experiences that allowed Nick to refine his vision for The Wave, including his past career as an osteopath and the seismic impact of a conversation with his father just before he passed away. More than just an inland leisure resource, Nick has always strived to create a facility that enables people from all background’s to access the social and health benefits of surfing and spending time in nature, with his current role in the organisation dedicated solely to bringing that further to fruition. Episode summary: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first episode (series 2), Jim is in conversation with master lensmen Nick Pumphrey and Mike Guest, hosting a wide-ranging discussion centred around their Dawn Days project. Episode Summary: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we are in conversation - Nick Corkill. A surf photographer who has battled addiction. Nick's story and his relationship with surfing are distinctly different to that of our other guests, like world champion Carissa Moore or business folk Richard Walker and Andy Medd, who used surfing as a supplement alongside a more conventional life on land. Nick has always worked in the ocean, from years in the Navy to stints on superyachts as a diving instructor. However, alongside these varied roles, he's fought a long battle with drug and alcohol addiction. Throughout his journey, he's been offered lots of different support. But it wasn't until he realised the positivity he could draw from his time in the sea that he began to find a way through his troubles - something he now describes as his ‘higher power’. Today Nick focusses on surf photography and its abundance of positive influences on his life. When he is in the sea or focussed on photography, he is able to show people his love for the ocean and its this which he credits with helping control his addiction. Nick has managed to make a career out of something that has arguably saved his life. Today he is an established photographer who works for different clients and sells shots to others who share a passion for the ocean and surf. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Jim is in conversation with Bethany Hamilton - one of the most inspiring sportspeople of our time! A Hawaiian surfing sensation, who overcame the loss of her arm in a shark attack aged just 13 and to become one of the world’s top female surfers. The diversity of her accomplishments remain unrivalled among her peers, from big wave exploits at Jaws to setting the bar in barrels at Teahupoo and Padang and leading the charge of female aerial progression. And this year, before Covid struck, she had planned to rejoin the QS full time and have a solid crack at qualifying for the CT in a move that undoubtedly had the rest of the field standing to attention. Beyond her surfing achievements, Bethany has worked tirelessly to share her inspiring story far and wide and, over the last half-decade, raised a family with her husband. In this conversation, the penultimate in the first season of Inspired Surfers, she delves into family life, surfing pregnant, shifting perspectives, dealing with trauma and the importance of telling her own story, including the parts left out by its Holywood dramatisation ‘Soul Surfer’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Jim is in conversation with Rachel Murphy - Founder of Women and Waves. Women + Waves started out as a weekly meeting of friends and has evolved into a movement/business that brings women together through surf all over the world. They inspire more people to get in the water and benefit from all of the physical, mental and social benefits surfing brings. Summary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.