On Friday, 8th August, after our epic beach clean up, the Għajn Tuffieħa car park turned into the ultimate surf fan’s lounge. Under a blanket of stars, with the summer breeze rolling in from the hills and bay, we gathered to watch the WSL Teahupo’o Women’s event together, right where we normally park and wax up our boards.
It was pure tailgate magic. Cars, scooters and vans lined up, doors open, coolers out, and camp chairs circled around a big outdoor screen. The projector lit up the night as we tuned in live to see the world’s best women charge one of the heaviest waves on the planet. Music drifted between heats, the WSL audio fed straight into our little Maltese surf community, and every deep barrel or heavy drop brought cheers that echoed off the cliffs.
There was an extra spark of stoke knowing we were watching history unfold, local surf fans shouting encouragement as Kelia Gallina paddled into Teahupo’o on her 13th birthday, becoming the youngest ever WSL competitor. The energy was contagious, and the moment didn’t go unnoticed.
WSL Share the Stoke
WSL icons Joe Turpel, Stider Wasilewski, and Kelia herself gave our watch party a nod on their social media channels, putting our small but passionate scene on the global surf map.
By the end of the night, as the last heats wrapped up and the stars above seemed brighter than ever, it felt like we’d done more than just watch a contest. We’d shared an unforgettable moment, the kind that reminds us why we love surfing, the ocean, and this little community we’ve built here on the island.
Are we the first surfers to ever project a live surf event at a local surf spot? We’d like to think so but drop in if you’ve done something similar!
