Published on July 3rd, 2014 | by Jacob Kelly Quinlan

Interview with Ben Di-Qual – Founder of the River Surf Forum

On my way down to the Payette River Games I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Benjamin Di-Qual. Ben and I had lengthy discussions on the current state of river surfing and the culture that is being created in each region. For example in Munich, surfers will clap their board when people are spending too long on the wave and in Alberta, surfers know it is time to get off the wave when they hear nothing – their spectators only clap when the surfer pushes to their best ability.

In the interview above I was interested specifically with the upcoming River Surfing Forum on August 1 and 2nd. It seems like there will be lots of exciting presentations and not just more of the same from last years forum. Check out more information about the forum here.

The thing I learned most at the Payette River Games this year is that we are part of a global movement right now. River surfing is still so new that everything we do influences the future of the sport. Conversations we have now can shape our future. This is a rare thing in our generation and an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. It wasn’t the surfing I loved most at the PRGs but meeting surfers from around the world. Sharing stories and making new friends. If you are able to attend this year’s River Surfing Forum, I highly recommend coming. You’re coming for more than the lectures, you’ll be in the room with everyone in the world that is shaping our sport right now.

Register before Tuesday, July 15 at: ONLINE REGISTRATION

Official website and programme: River Wave Forum 2014
PDF handout: River Wave Forum Handout

Hope to see you there!
Stoke and Flow,
Jacob Kelly

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Jacob Kelly Quinlan A founding member of the Surf Anywhere Project, Jacob loves exploring new waves, meeting stoked river surfers, and hopes to make it easier to surf anywhere in the world. Beyond that, Jacob's passion is community and is a pioneer of river surfing culture.