Peter Russell, Ric Friar, Jack Lydgate and John McIlroy were the first four named people to ever ride the Cribbar Wave in Newquay, Cornwall. It was September 1966 – and now they’re planning a big Cribbar Reunion as it’s nearly 50 years on.
Ric had no clue what a big deal riding the Cribbar was until he started researching big waves earlier on in the year – and was surprised to find his name kept jumping out of the internet at him! Since then, he’s tracked down the other riders of the Cribbar wave and they want to put on a reunion – there is even talk of erecting a monument to their achievement in the town.
Ric Friar was just 22 when he rode the Cribbar and lived … just. And it wasn’t even a planned ride, he was in Newquay and spotted the swell, so just thought he was popping into the water for a quick surf of a large wave….
Ric has now set up a website to help raise funds for the reunion party.
