It’s a rock and roll maxim that, despite all the arenas in the world, the biggest show of all is the hometown show. 

“The people who called you a weirdo in high school get to see what a successful freak you’ve become.”

After a world tour that took in Australia, South Korea, Switzerland, England, Wales, and Brazil, Wavegarden founder Josema Odriozola was planning to build a wavepool in his hometown of San Sebastian. What a homecoming that would be! What a gift to the surfing community of his childhood!

Alas, many of the surfers of San Sebastian don’t want a wavepool built there. They’ve banded together to oppose any such project.

It may appear counter-intuitive - after all, surfers are the intended beneficiaries of the pool - however it’s not a lone decision. Last year, the surfers of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, just thirty kms up the Basque coast from San Seb, also opposed a Wavegarden, and they won.

The San Seb case is still up in the air, however the fact there’s so much resistance from Odriozola’s hometown puts a sting in the story’s tail. Also, the two cases represent blowback against wavepools and their claim of spreading surf crowds. Amongst other things, the Basque surfers claim the very opposite: That wavepools increase the surfing population and thereby decrease surfing amenity.

Speaking of increasing the surfing population, the Olympics starts this weekend with a potential viewing audience of four billion people. The International Surfing Association and all the national peak bodies would dearly love to grow their bases, but that’s contingent upon the visuals coming out of Shidashita.

Will it be 4-6ft typhoon lines with an airbrushed offshore, and a Wavestorm stampede to follow, or will it be a knee-high gurgle and a quick channel change to the breakdancing? Craig’s done a number of forecasts that you can read within.

- Stu

Basque Wavegarden Project Has Far-Reaching Implications

The feature story this week involves the somewhat surprising news that Wavegarden founder Josema Odriozola is facing stiff resistance from this own hometown. In opposing the pool, the activists have put some novel - and potentially detrimental - theories on the table. Read More >

Contact Proof: Tom Servais

Bruce Irons on the Pink Pony, Tom Curren on the Reverse Vee, Andy dropping into Chopes, Healey's board going over at XXXL Cloudbreak. Tom Servais was on hand for many of surfing's defining moments and here he gathers them into one all-star gallery. Read More >

Let's Help Rename Shark Attacks!

Last week, shark scientists disputed the language of their profession. "Shark attacks are a lie," they claimed. The problem, however, is that while 'shark attack' may be misleading they've offered no obvious replacement. At last count Swellnet readers had offered 135 alternatives. Read More >

The (Un)Official Olympic Forecast - Four Days to Go

Four days to go and the 'phoons are firing! Will the sparkling grey sand of Shidashita be covered in glory, or will it be a blowout? Read More >

Watch: Lobotomy

This week, Volcom released their latest film, the first since 2015's 'Psychic Migrations', and it has yet more crunching guitars and dicking-with-the-straights-attitude, but it also has Jack Robinson, Noa Deane, Ozzie Wright and Ryan Burch unleashing an almighty frenzy of big moves and big waves. Read More >