New Wave is an upcoming 8-part documentary series that offers an inside look at Ireland's emerging generation of junior surfers coming to RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player Monday, 1 December at 5.30pm.
The series follows the country's top young competitors as they train, travel, and chase a place on Team Ireland for the European Surf Championships in Santa Cruz, Portugal. No easy wins. No second chances. No guarantees.
Filmed over one unpredictable season, New Wave brings you all the highs and lows of life on the Junior Surf Tour, where just three surfers per division will make the national team. The series moves from wild Atlantic conditions of the Irish coast to the heat of international competition, as the surfers balance school, training, and the pressure of qualification.
The series follows young surfers from Donegal, Sligo, Clare, Dublin, Waterford, and Kerry. Some are already national champions while others relative newcomers. Locations include some of Ireland's best known surf towns like Lahinch, Tramore, and Bundoran, with trips to the southwest coast of France and Northern Spain, as well as the season highlight of the European championships in Santa Cruz, Portugal, where the stakes couldn't be higher as every wave counts.
Told from Within
What sets New Wave apart is its point of view. The series is narrated by one of the young competitors themselves - champion surfer Caoimhe Skinner-Syme. See their rivalries, friendships, setbacks and breakthroughs unfold in their own words. New Wave offers a rare and honest perspective on growing up in one of the world's most demanding sports.
Shot over 10 months, New Wave blends observational storytelling with cinematic visuals of Ireland's Atlantic coast, including drone, long lens, and in-water footage. Viewers are brought right into the water for competition heats, training sessions, and spontaneous encounters with basking sharks, jellyfish, and dolphins. These moments reveal the deep connection the surfers have with the ocean, even when it's not cooperating.
Behind the Scenes
New Wave is produced by Gone West Media for RTÉ KIDS and directed by Marc O'Gleasáin. Co-produced by Marcus Stewart and Marc O'Gleasáin, the series was filmed entirely on location with full access to competitors, coaches, families, and local surf clubs.
For more great show from RTÉ KIDS visit rte.ie/player/kids.
