Cosmic Creek Byron Bay Is Back

A Nostalgic Celebration of the Sport's Rich Heritage

A homage to surfing's golden era while getting a glimpse into its future.

Vissla's Cosmic Creek, a cultural surfing spectacle first held in California's Salt Creek in 1997, is scheduled in Byron Bay on Saturday, August 26. This exciting return is part of the much-anticipated Byron Bay Surf Festival.

A Quarter Century of Cosmic Creek

This iconic annual surfing event was conceived and continues to be led by Californian surf industry stalwart Eric Diamond. Diamond will be present at Byron Bay, alongside a spectrum of surfers and shapers, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Cosmic Creek.

Originally, Cosmic Creek was founded to pay tribute to and celebrate the surfboard shaping community. This cherished tradition has been maintained in honor of Eric's father, Daryl, who famously supplied the U.S. shaping community with the iconic Clark Foam surfboard blanks from the 1960s through the 1980s.

Celebrating Evolution, Embracing History

In collaboration with the surf brand Vissla, the event pays tribute to the evolution of surfboards. A special emphasis is placed on single fins and twin fin surfboards constructed in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Cosmic Creek participants are given the unique opportunity to ride boards shaped up to half a century ago by some of the region's legendary shapers. These include the likes of Bill Wallace, Gunther Rohn, Dick Van Straalen, Geoff McCoy, Tony Dempsey, Hayden Kenny, and Chris Brock.

A Spectacular Surf at The Pass

The surf-off is slated to occur at Clarke's Beach, located at the terminus of Byron Bay's renowned The Pass point break. It's a must-attend feature of the Byron Bay Surf Festival, running from Friday, August 25 through Sunday, August 27.

Last year's gathering at Byron Bay witnessed an influx of the region's most dynamic emerging surfers and free surfers. Notable winners included competitive surfers Quinn Bruce and Lucy Callister, free surfer Toby Mossop, and surfboard shaper Jason Jameson. Other standout participants were former world tour surfer Mitch Crews and his surfboard-shaping brother, Alex Crews of ACSOD surfboards.

The Antipodean Debut

The 2022 Cosmic Creek was a milestone event, marking the competition's first venture into Australian waters. The event brought together a diverse mixture of professional surfers and enthusiastic members of the public, making for an atmosphere brimming with positivity and style.

Join the Ride

All surfboards used in the event are generously supplied by Vissla. To ensure fair play, the craft for each heat is determined by a random draw before each heat commences. This ensures no individual gains an advantage by riding their own custom board.

Ready to dive in? Entries into Cosmic Creek are now open. You can sign up at 2023 Byron Bay Surf Festival. Don't miss your chance to be a part of this nostalgic yet forward-looking celebration of surfing culture.

Quiver Available

Boards Made by Shapers including Michael Peterson, Geoff McCoy, Dick Van Straalen, Byrne Brothers, Chris Brock, Tony Cerffs,  Mark Richards, and Stuart Campbell

EVENT TIMETABLE