OMG we made it! This is the 12th BOMBA Rewind, wrapping up an entire year of surf, surf culture and bags of fun, and since surf is the gift that just keeps giving, December was incredible.
The mad month kicked off with record-breaking winds over the islands, maxing out at 87km/h!
With winds maxing out early in the month, it was clear that December wasn’t f*cking about! We surfed everywhere this month, with Sky even getting snapped by Liam in a (mini) barrel! That’s definitely Malta’s first tube ride caught on camera. However, we can’t forget Carlo’s barrel at Fajtata earlier this year, too! Immense.
Thanks homies, Homega
Remember the video we talked about, highlighting surf culture through the eyes of Valerio and yours truly? Well, it’s out now, so check it here! Well done, and thanks to the amazing videographers on the days of shooting, and thanks to all for the support and belief in what we do!
BOMBA Surf News
Our website underwent a major upgrade and is now your number-one source for international surf news, WSL news, comps and more! Look out for two daily articles and read up on international surf spots right here on BOMBA. Get clued up on WSL, surf history, global culture and more with daily drops.
International BOMBA crew
A huge shoutout goes the way of Basile Rio, who took part in the Nene Masters in Bandol, France. He was blessed with heavy conditions, cursed by a nasty cut on on hand but still made it all the way to the semi-finals, rubbing shoulders with the pros! Basile’s surfing style is revered locally, and we’re sure he learned a thing or two on our shores!
The value of Wave Hunting
December finished as it started: HUGE. the 23rd of December was a wild one with massive conditions bashing the entire west coast of the islands. Flynn and Mark (Hey!) went on a mammoth wave-hunting session, checking no less than six potential spots. Ghajn Tuffieha and Golden Bay were ridiculously big, but we finally settled for a super hidden spot, surfed by precious few. Of course, surfers code, so no videos are published – but one lesson is learned from a day like that: Don’t wait for cam updates: GO GET SOME! We surfed in insane conditions, with massive balls of hail smacking our faces in the sheer cold wind. This takes dedication and its just how we roll.
It was my ____ consecutive day surfing, with a mix of conditions slamming the island all week, a new personal streak, climaxing with a glorious Christmas Day surf as the sun drenched Ghajn Tuffieha, making everything in this crazy world feel alright again.
2024 was quite something. The sessions, the dramas, the parties, the hunts, the laughs, the highs, the lows… just one year of local surfing. It ain’t easy at times, the self-doubt kicked in loads this year, but the belief and support this little magazine gets is warming. When you think about it, the likes of Joe Turpel himself are fans of the mag, and that interview is something I’ll take with me forever, no matter what this sport does to me.
I wanted to end this newsletter on a note of gratitude. Yes, surfers fight, yes there’s currently a lot of drama on the island, but we’re still standing, we’re still surfing and the waves can wash away anything. Keep in mind we surf for fun, we’re not pros, we’re just all trying to catch a few waves on days we can. Moments like the wave hunt Flynn and I had, or the epic Golden Bay session we shared restored my love for the sport. It’s not always easy, but BOMBA will always strive and fight for this community, for the sport and for the amazing vibe we see on the regular.
The year of three comps
To think that this year we hosted and sponsored THREE surf competitions, it’s been amazing. Read about them here:
Reef Rampage
The first ever girl’s comp: Mermaids of Malta
Summer Snap
A lot of hard work goes into these moments from a tonne of incredible humans and we look to keep building and keep creating surf history on the Maltese Islands.
Take a message of kindness into 2025 – we’re working on big ideas, new merch and yes, more parties too! Stay real folks, life is just a game: the angriest lose!
Check out the full list of BOMBA interviews this year:
Joe Turpel Podcast
Branko Petrovic – One Breath with a World Record Holder
Flynn Mifsud – Living his best life
Flying High with Basile Rio
Sosty’s Snaps
Sea Cat
