Race The Waves is a unique motoring heritage event held every year in Bridlington on the East Coast. 

The race takes place on the beach when there’s maximum low tide - once the sand is dried out the racing can begin. Then it’s literally a race to complete the event before the tide turns – and it comes back in quicky – hence, Race The Waves. 

I first attended the event in 2022 and couldn’t wait to go back each year to enjoy the excitement and thrill of racing. It’s the only event of its kind and takes place in almost the same spot as they used to race in the 1920’s which is pretty cool!

It’s a great place to get some exciting photography - hot rods, classic vintage racers and bikes ripping down the sand and everyone living for the thrill of the moment. It’s the perfect fit for the Joe Browns who have always had a brilliant ethos of enjoying and living life to the max. 

We shot the first Joe Browns Menswear Race Ready Crew campaign in April ‘23, with a small gang, and it was a great success, amazing images - it was an awesome day. Being able to shoot around all the vehicles, bikes and their Pilots in the pits area gave an atmosphere to the shots that would have been impossible to achieve anywhere else, it is a truly fabulous spectacle.

This season, we were back with a bigger crew, male and female models to shoot the new autumn/winter collection, so I brought along a '76 Suzuki Bobber and Joe Browns brought their classic Triumph Bonneville – both bikes got a lot of interest on the day. 

We were all set to go, but while the rest of the country bathed in glorious sunshine, on the beach a thick sea mist rolled in and stayed for the full day! Working with the Joe Browns crew is always an amazing team effort and with a ‘never say never’ attitude we created some remarkable shots!

The next day I took part in the race, along with Scott, the Digi technician. It was our first time entering the race and neither of us had raced on sand before, so we were excited to take part and we had glorious blue skies – perfect. 

We got the bike off the van and Scott rode it into the marshalling area along with 100 other bikes, but it stopped running. We couldn’t get it going but luckily, we were parked next a team mechanic for the German and American riders, he was looking at a classic Harley Davidson for its owner who was well known USA races Chris McGregor. He came over with a large hammer and still rod, gave the carburettor a couple of taps and it fired up straight away - huzzah! 

By now, all the bikes were away down the beach, so I joined in the line of hot rods, classic racers and American trucks down the slip road onto the beach, it was like a scene from Wacky Races.

There were some truly wild vehicles involved, and it's an amazing feeling riding on the beach to the pits area, with over 300 vehicles and pilots, plus thousands of spectators lining the esplanade, all full of anticipation for a truly exciting (and noisy) day. 

We parked up in the pits with all the other bikes and the shout went up "motorcycle pilots start your engines - you race first"... 

Scott and I looked at each other and were both thinking the same thing - "You go first“. Scott jumped on the bike and rode down to the start, and soon it was his turn to go. The flag drops and he was away, gunning it down the beach. He had another race, and came back grinning with excitement,  two great runs. And then it was my turn, I rode down the beach past the huge crowd of spectators and joined all the other pilots in the queue - it’s a great feeling being in the middle of all that noise and smells, it's pretty heavy stuff. 

The queue moved forward, and the anticipation was immense, I pulled forward to the start line and off we went. The flag girl pointed to all of us to make sure we were okay to go, raised her flag, my heart was in my mouth, she leaped in the air and dropped the flag, we were away.

Sand was flying everywhere as the rear tyre digs for grip. I watched as the other three pilots powered ahead of me - and before I knew it the finishing line was there. I was fourth, but it didn’t matter - it was always about being out of my comfort zone, living for the moment and just having a go. WHAT A DAY! 

A massive 'Thank You' to Paul Garbutt and his amazing team of helpers, you produced an extra ordinary  spectacle for pilots and spectators and it was a privilege to be involved.  

Will we back next year? Hell yeah! 

Shop New Men's Collection

Shop New Women's Collection