The Surfing Tribe Book - Second Edition

The Surfing Tribe Book - Second Edition

The Surfing Tribe - Second Edition

A History of Surfing in Britain: Surf history man digs up new treasures...Second edition of Roger Mansfield's acclaimed surf history book uncovers new photos and stories.

Cornish surfer Roger Mansfield is celebrating the publication of the second edition of his acclaimed book, The Surfing Tribe. First published in 2009, the book was widely praised and pieced together the roots and history of the sport of surfing around the country. This new edition has been significantly updated and expanded, with an additional 32 pages and 60 new photos. It contains some captivating insights about Britain's surfing pioneers, stories which have only recently come to light. Among these is the story of Lewis Rosenberg, a London lad who made a solid wooden board in 1930 then travelled to Cornwall to try it out at Holywell Bay. Amazingly, he even filmed his exploits, using one of the first home movie cine cameras available. Then there's the story of Charlie Force, a carpenter from Newquay who invented a wooden SUP (stand-up paddleboard) some 50 years before this variation of the sport became popular. And there's the story of how surfing took off in the Channel Islands following the arrival of three South African lifeguards, who only went to Jersey on a whim after seeing pristine beaches and waves on a newsreel film at the cinema.

The Surfing Tribe explains how a quirky seaside-town pastime transformed itself into a phenomenally popular sport and lifestyle. From Newquay to Newcastle and from Jersey to Swansea, the origins of Britain's separate surfing tribes are revealed. All the top British surfers from the various eras are profiled including Rod Sumpter, Gordon Burgis, 'Tigger' Newling, Pete Jones, Linda Sharp, Nigel Veitch, Tim Heyland, Nigel Semmens and Carwyn Williams. The book also charts the evolution of British surfboards, and looks back at the films and magazines that have portrayed the British scene over the decades.

The book represents a lifetime of work for Mansfield. "Riding waves has always been my passion. I began surfing in 1963, when I was 11, and I watched the sport evolve as I grew up. As the decades passed, surfers came and went, new breaks were ridden, and equipment went through enormous changes. I always thought someone would write all this stuff down, but no-one did. The big story seemed to be drifting away as significant members of the tribe started to pass on. I just felt it was time that the full history of surfing in Britain was written down. The Surfing Tribe has been a really big project for me - a lot of research has gone into it. It's factual, it's full of terrific stories and iconic photos. It's an education. Hopefully, surfers will not only enjoy reading the book, but it'll leave them much the wiser about the sport we all love."

About the author: Roger Mansfield is Britain's leading surf historian. He began surfing in Cornwall in 1963 and was British champion in 1970. In subsequent years he travelled throughout Europe, the Caribbean, South Africa and Australia. In the '80s he set up the Offshore Surfing School, the first surf school in mainland Britain. Roger has written numerous articles for surfing magazines such as Carve and Surfer's Path, and he was curator of Surf's Up! An exhibition of British surfing history which toured the country in 2004.

"Encyclopedic, lovingly illustrated and peculiarly British." - Andy Martin, The Daily Telegraph
"The UK and Ireland surf community has needed a book like this for a long time. A superb production." - Phil Jarratt, Pacific Longboarder Magazine

• Full colour
• Published by the Orca publications, publisher of UK?s leading surf magazine CARVE
• Soft Back, coffee table style book
• Superb design and an ideal gift
• First of its kind, from the publishers of Shooting The Curl and The Complete Guide to Surf Fitness.
• Pages: 240. Size: 215mm x 255mm. Illustrations: more than 200 colour photos