Super Girls in Oceanside. Ron Jon founder remembered. Sewage shuts UK comp. Fatal shark attack in Sydney

Some weeks, we really wish we had more good surf news than bad.

‍ Super Girl Surf Festival returns to Oceanside

The Super Girl Surf Festival is back for its 19th year at Oceanside Pier, running Sept. 19–21. Billed as the world’s largest women’s pro surfing competition, the WSL QS4000 event will feature more than 170 top female surfers, including past champs Alyssa Spencer (who we’re hoping to speak to soon on our pod), Kirra Pinkerton, Sawyer Lindblad, Sage Erickson, and Pipe Master Moana Jones Wong.

But it’s more than just surfing. The festival brings together 10 sports and 700+ women competitors in everything from beach volleyball and longboarding to BMX, skateboarding, lifesaving, and even women’s flag football.

And there’s music. 17 free concerts with headliners like Lupe Fiasco, Plain White T’s, and Jakobs Castle. Add in DJ showcases, art exhibits, wellness classes, brand booths, and food tents. Best part? It’s all free to attend.

Sewage forces surf contest cancellation in the UK

For the first time ever, a major surf contest in England was canceled due to sewage. The English Interclub Surfing Championships at Porthtowan had to be called off after the local council red-flagged the beach when a sewage overflow hit on Sunday.

More than 140 surfers had already gathered for what should’ve been perfect 3–5 ft competition waves. Surfing England called it “devastating,” while Surfers Against Sewage blasted South West Water for using a “slightly rainy day” to justify a discharge. They warn that sewage risks include gastroenteritis, respiratory issues, and skin infections.

South West Water says the overflow was used legally after heavy rain, and that it’s investing billions to reduce future discharges—but campaigners argue the system is broken and transparency is lacking. The Environment Agency has opened an investigation.

Surf pioneer: Ron Jon founder dies at 88

Ron DiMenna, founder of Ron Jon Surf Shop, passed away on September 6 at the age of 88. What began in 1959 as him selling surfboards out of his car in New Jersey grew into one of the most iconic surf-retail empires in the world. The first Ron Jon shop opened on Long Beach Island in 1961, and by 1963 DiMenna had expanded to Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Today, Ron Jon operates 13 stores across the U.S., plus locations in Mexico and the Caribbean. Its Cocoa Beach flagship—52,000 square feet of boards, beach gear, and lifestyle merch—is billed as the largest surf shop in the world and draws thousands of visitors each year.

DiMenna was known as a free-spirited but private figure who quietly supported beach preservation, local causes, and founded the Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation.

Fun fact: According to Wikipedia, the shop even made its way into pop culture. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, the character Ruon-Jian is a surfer stereotype whose name was inspired by Ron Jon.

Sydney surfer killed in fatal shark attack

Tragedy struck Sydney’s northern beaches over the weekend when a 57-year-old surfer was killed in a suspected great white shark attack at Long Reef. He had been in the water with friends for about 30 minutes when witnesses saw him dragged under. Despite  rescue attempts, he sustained catastrophic injuries and could not be saved.

The attack—the city’s first fatal shark incident since 2022—and reignited debate over shark nets, which critics say offer little protection and harm marine life. Experts note shark bite risk is influenced by multiple factors, from climate change to coastal development, but remain rare. Still, for Sydney surfers, the loss is devastating.