YEAR AFTER YEAR WE HAVE SAT IN P&CO HQ TALKING ABOUT GOING TO THE INFAMOUS WHEELS & WAVES FESTIVAL. THIS YEAR WE FINALLY GOT THE CHANCE TO ATTEND FOR OURSELVES; AND LET US TELL YOU IT WAS WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!
SITUATED IN BIARRITZ, A STUNNING COASTAL TOWN IN SOUTHERN FRANCE, THE FESTIVAL, NOW IN IT’S SIXTH EDITION, IS A COMING-TOGETHER OF BIKERS, CUSTOM BUILDERS, SKATEBOARDERS, SURFERS, MUSIC AND ART. SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS BACK IN IN 2013, THE ONCE ‘SEMI LEGAL’ ROAD RACE HAS TRANSFORMED INTO A SYMBOL OF THE MOTO/SKATE/SURF COMMUNITY AND CONTINUES TO GROW WITH EVENTS SPREAD ACROSS SEVERAL LOCATIONS.
WE ARRIVED EARLY AT THE BUSTLING WHEELS AND WAVES VILLAGE WHERE WE WERE GREETED BY THE SMELL OF PETROL, THE SOUND OF REVVING ENGINES AND THE HEAT OF THE BLAZING SUN. WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE AWESOME WEATHER ALL WEEK, BUT YOU JUST KNOW THAT IF THE HEAVENS OPENED OR EVEN HELL REIGNED FIRE THE SHOW WOULD GO ON! IT WAS THIS DIE-HARD KINDRED SPIRIT THAT REALLY SET THE VIBE FOR THE WHOLE FIVE DAYS- EVERYONE WAS THERE TO SEE MACHINES, MEET FRIENDS; OLD AND NEW, AND HAVE A GOOD TIME!
THE PUNK’S PEAK RACE, AS WE’RE SURE IT WAS FOR EVERYONE, HAD TO BE OUR PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT (WE’LL SAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER TIME), BUT THE INDIAN MOTORCYCLES WALL OF DEATH WAS ALSO INSANE! PEOPLE CRAMMED INSIDE TO GET A GLIMPSE OF THE ICONIC RIDERS CHALLENGING DEATH AND BRINGING, WITH THEIR PERFORMANCE, AN ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE.
ASIDE FROM THE BIKES, CARS & TRUCKS… THE SKATERS WERE STRONG CONTENDERS IN STEALING THE SHOW- AS THEY CARVED UP THE SUNKEN ROOF OF THE CITE DE L’OCEAN, THREW OUT TRICKS ON THE MINI RAMPS AND WERE JOINED BY THE LEGENDARY 80’S-90’S PRO SKATER & MUSICIAN STEVE CABALLERO.
FROM START TO FINISH OUR WEEK IN BIARRITZ WAS UNREAL. IF YOU HAVE OIL RUNNING THROUGH YOUR VEINS,YOU CAN BARE BEER-SOAKED LEATHER ON A HOT DAY AND YOU CAN RIDE A WAVE OR TWO, THEN ALL I CAN SAY IS SEE YOU NEXT YEAR, CAUSE’ WE’LL DEFINITELY BE THERE!