Surfs up at Boardmasters festival

A general view of surfers on Fistral beach, Newquay, on the first day of the week long Rip Curl Boardmasters competition in 2008. Credit: PA

The Boardmasters festival in Newquay has started today (10 August). More than a hundred thousand people are expected at the event over the next few days which brings top suffers and mainstream pop stars to Cornwall.>The big topic among the surfers is the news that surfing will be included in the next Olympic Games. The festival's surf director told ITV West Country it will herald a new era for the sport.

Some of these surfers at the festival could be competing on a much bigger stage in four years. Surfing will feature for the first time in the Olympics at the Tokyo games in 2020.>One of those hoping to take part is British surfer Russell Winter.

Russell has been surfing since he was 9 years old and is one of the few British surfers to compete on the world tour. He used a favourite word among surfers to welcome the news.

New Zealand's Rowan Aish performs in heat five of the Rip Curl Boardmasters 2008 on Fistral Beach. Credit: PA

News of surfing's elevation to Olympic status has added impetus to Boardmasters.

Credit: PA

The line-up entertaining Watergate Bay this summer include:

  • James Bay

  • Chase & Status

  • Kaiser Chiefs

  • Craig David

  • Example

  • Sigma

  • Wolf Alice

  • Gabrielle Aplin

  • Jamie Lawson

Here's what festival-goers can look forward to: