Surfers raise hell in Anglet for the third-ever SVRF PVNK fest
- Text by Shelley Jones
If surfing has picked up something of a cookie-cutter image this past decade – selling healthy living, Zen thinking and preppy dressing off its watery back – the twisted minds behind the Basque Country’s SVRF PVNK Invitational are taking the culture back to its Miki Dora roots.
You won’t find any coconut water sponsorship in this off the wall fest, now in its third year, which brings surfing together with music and tattooing for a thrashy celebration in the spirit of old Southern California.
“The Svrf Pvnk Invitational is a pure celebration of laughing and shredding,” said co-founder Juan Lagarrigue when we interviewed him last year. “We were just bored about everything in surfing and all the surfing clichés. We wanted to create an event that was like us; an event that makes people smile and is just good times between people who share a good spirit. Surfing between guys who love sliding together.”
This year’s installment takes place in Anglet instead of Seignosse, the location of last year’s event and the recent World Tour comp the Quiksilver Pro, won by John John Florence – a move that further distances these hot-rod reprobates from the jock side of the surf industry.
As well as celebrating surfing in a fun way, the fest will feature six French bands – showcasing the best of the country’s domestic garage rock – DJs, tattoo artists and a whole lot of partying.
The SVRF PVNK Invitational 2014 runs Friday October 10 – October 12, surf permitting.
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