The O’Neill Surf Academy

The O’Neill Surf Academy

Teaching hundreds of groms the joys of surfing,

the O’Neill Surf Academy is back for its 12^th year running

Warmond, June 13, 2008. Kicking off in Holland on July 5^th, five expert surf instructors from America – including O’Neill team rider twins, Sierra and Hailey Partridge – will travel the coast of Holland and Spain bringing the experience of surfing to kids aged between 6 and 16.

The sense of fun and enjoyment is experienced as much by the kids on the Surf Academy as it is by the instructors during the three weeks in the water.

Hailey Partridge is back with her sister for a second year running: “After being involved in The Surf Academy last year, I couldn’t wait to come back,” she said. “The gratification I felt after each day of teaching those kids was almost indescribable. Just seeing the smiles on their faces after they stood up on their very first wave was amazing. I was able to see firsthand how incredible it is to pass on the gift of surfing.”

The O’Neill Surf Academy was started 12 years ago by Jay Moriarity, Richard Schmidt and Robert “Wingnut” together with O’Neill. Offering free day-long surf tuition to kids between the ages of 6-16 years old, the Surf Academy offers hundreds of children their first experience – and hopefully not their last – of surfing.

Joining Hailey and Sierra on the tour through Holland and Spain this summer will be Surf Academy veterans, Chris Lynch, Joe Hutson and Travis Nicolet, bringing a taste of their hometown of Santa Cruz to the beaches of Europe.

This year sees the launch of a new initiative:

The O’Neill Surf Academy: Out of Bounds
An additional surf camp catered for the visually impaired.

For two days in July, children with visual impairment will come from all over Holland to Scheveningen beach where they will rise above the obstacles that normally limit them in the ocean and start surfing with the help of the expert instructors and volunteers from within O’Neill.

The O’Neill Surf Academy will take place from July 5 until July 29.

The dates and locations are as follows:

5,6,7 July Bergen (Netherlands)

9,10,11,12 July Scheveningen (Netherlands)

14,15 July Domburg (Netherlands)

19,20 July Noja, Playa de Ris (Spain)

23,24 July Ferrol, Playa de Pantín (Spain)

The O’Neill Surf Academy: Out of Bounds

Scheveningen Beach July 28, July 29