Inaugural UK surf and skate expo attracts big names to Newquay

Internationally-renowned skateboarders and surfers are attending a surf skate expo in Newquay, Cornwall this weekend.

The UK Surf and Skate Expo is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors over three days, organisers say.

Tony Alva, from Santa Monica, California, a pioneer of vertical skateboarding, is attending the event.

He said: “We’re bringing some information and the history, but we’re also talking about how surfing and skating affect each other technologically as well as like the ethos of surfing and skating – so that’s mainly our concept is something that’s solution-oriented.”

Mr Alva, along with Jay Adams and Stacy Peralta, joined the legendary Z-Boys skateboard team in 1972.

In 2002, he featured in the award-winning documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys, and in 2005 was an authenticity consultant and stunt coordinator on the feature film Lords of Dogtown, based on his life with the Z-Boys, according to the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum.

The three-day event includes a skate competition being hosted at Concrete Waves skate park in Newquay, a surfing event at Great Western Beach and more than 35 speakers.

Jason Lock, from DYSUJO – which is organising the expo, said surfing brought “hundreds of millions” of pounds to the UK economy.

Mr Alva said skateboarding was a multibillion-dollar business.

Visiting Cornwall for the first time, Mr Alva said he was hoping for “some decent weather” during his stay so he could “do some fun stuff” as well as work.

He said he was waiting to “see if Mother Nature co-operates” to allow him to surf at Fistral Beach – which he said was “stormy” and “crazy-looking” on Friday.

CEO and professional skateboarder Stefani Nurding, originally from Plymouth, said the expo was “a really positive thing”.

“It’s a chance for everyone in the community to come together, and such a lovely community, and I feel really cared about by the community, so it’s great to see everyone here and it’s great to bring everyone together and appreciate it.”

Ms Nurding, who is now a mum, said she was competing again after a hiatus.

“Just coming from Prime Skatepark in Plymouth and skating the mini ramp, and putting a lot of dedication into it, I’ve travelled all over the world.”

Mr Lock said the event was about “bringing people together” and promoting skateboarding and surfing, adding there were more than 65 businesses in the expo village at the event.

He said: “We wanted to bring the UK surf and skate culture together… the whole idea is since Covid it feels like everyone’s been kind of siloed and stuck behind screens.

“We want to take people away from that and bring everyone together, have a nice time.”

Mr Lock said speakers at the three-day event included British Olympian skateboarder Lola Tambling and world-renowned Big Wave surfer Andrew Cotton.

He said there had been a surge in the number of people surfing in recent years.

“Since Covid, there’s been a real boom with surfers, not just in the UK, but all across the globe, it brings hundreds of millions to the UK economy every year,” he added.

“Skating is probably a little bit less, but it’s growing and growing.”