A monthly journal from Kudo Surf.
Editor’s Note
If you surf in Siargao, you know June isn’t usually the month everyone circles on the calendar.
Flat spells came and went. Just when it looked like June would stay quiet, another unexpected swell would arrive, sending everyone back into the water. For a few days, the lineup buzzed with that familiar excitement before things settled down again.
That’s surfing.
While the waves came and went, the shop certainly didn’t slow down. We looked back on Queen of the Point, welcomed a bunch of fresh arrivals, and started getting excited for everything coming up in July.
Welcome to the very first edition of The Kudo Log.
All Queens in for the closing ceremony at Harana Surf Resort. Photo by Mati Olivieri
Looking Back: Queen of the Point
Although Queen of the Point wrapped up in May, it felt wrong not to give it a proper mention here.
Held over Mother’s Day weekend, the event brought together an incredible mix of women in the water. Young groms, seasoned surfers, mums, first-time competitors, and familiar faces from surf communities across the Philippines were joined by surfers from overseas, all making their way to Siargao for a weekend that felt like much more than a competition.
With bigger-than-expected swell at Cloud 9, the event shifted to Jacking Horse. While it presented a very different wave, the change challenged the Queens to adapt, creating exciting heats and proving that good surfing comes in many forms.
Siargao’s Shiela Mae Convicto making the most of the Day 1 conditions.
Great surfing unfolded throughout the weekend, but the atmosphere left the biggest impression. Cheering friends, watchful families, and Queens encouraging one another in and out of the lineup turned the event into a celebration of community as much as surfing.
Away from the heats, conversations around treading lightly and protecting the places we surf reinforced that being part of a surf community goes beyond what happens in the water.
Kudo Surf, KS Boardriders, and Sisstrevolution were proud to support this year’s event. To every Queen who paddled out, every volunteer who gave their time, and everyone who helped make the weekend happen, thank you. We’re already looking forward to the next one.
Sakura Inoue (Japan) paddles into Jacking Horse on Day 1, competing in the Pro Division.
Surfing Across Generations
Some of our favourite moments this month didn’t happen in the lineup.
For Father’s Day, we spent the morning with a few families who have helped shape Siargao’s surf community through the years. Joining us were Jeffrey Tokong and Ava, Marama Tokong and Olive, Osot Alcala and Roa, and Sally Alcala and Zian.
Watching them together reminded us that surfing is often passed down long before anyone thinks about competitions or sponsors. It starts with beach days, borrowed boards, patient coaching between sets, shared laughs, and a childhood measured in tides.
While the photos celebrate Father’s Day, they also celebrate something bigger: the generations of surfers who continue to inspire the next.
A huge thank you to all the families who shared part of their day with us.
Rodolfo "Osot" Alcala and son, Roa, sharing a moment in between sessions. Photo by Gabriel Batallones
In the Water
Those surprise swells didn’t last long, but they were enough to get everyone moving.
The group chats came alive, boards came off the racks, and suddenly every spare hour became a chance to squeeze in a surf before it went flat again. They weren’t the biggest swells of the year, but after weeks of waiting, nobody was complaining.
Leo Blancada Rietenbach enjoying a lit-up Cloud 9 during this year's May–June swell. Photo by Gabriel Batallones
Around the Shop
June brought plenty of fresh gear into the shop.
We’ve welcomed new arrivals from Sun Bum, Surf Mud, Ocean & Earth, Surf Shell, and I-Sea, along with new Vissla boardshorts ready for the months ahead.
We’ve also been spending time with the new Firewire Slater Designs Spaceship, with Noah Arkfeld putting it through its paces around Siargao. If you’ve been following along on our socials, you’ll know it’s quickly become one of his favourite boards. His full review and YouTube video are now live if you’d like to take a closer look.
One collection that’s been flying off the shelves is Let’s Go Yago boardshorts from Vissla, with only limited stock now remaining both in-store and online.
The official Queen of the Point event tee, made by Kudo Surf. Available in-store and online.
Looking Ahead
July is already shaping up to be a busy one.
Kudo Surf Riders Edgar Calvo Jr. and Noah Arkfeld are set to compete at the WSL Siheung Korea Open in South Korea. We’ll be following their journeys and sharing updates from the event throughout the weekend.
Back home, new Sunshine State of Mind designs are arriving alongside the first release of our Hemp Tees. Built around durable natural fibres and thoughtful design, they’re another step in Kudo Surf’s commitment to creating long-lasting wear and gear with respect for the places that inspire us to surf.
If you haven’t already, Noah Arkfeld’s review of the Firewire Slater Designs Spaceship is now live, with more product reviews and stories from around the island on the way.
And, of course, we’ll be keeping an eye on the forecast.
Here’s hoping July sends us a few more surprises.
— The Kudo Surf Team
