We caught up with Jowan Murphy Pegg, Mango Team rider in Newquay, Cornwall at Colab Surfboard Factory ahead of his film screening x Kern Thunk, Sampoerna "a Sumatran Surf Film" which will be screened this Friday 25th July 2025 at Project Eighty Three, Newquay. 
Photo by Milly Smith @millyjjsmith
Jowan, we're here at Colab, the home of Fouth Surfboards and your board sponsor!
Yeah, I've been with Fourth for 5 or 6 years now. My first ever new custom board came from them. I was 15 at the time, and have worked with Luke Hart ever since, which has been great.
Have you worked in the surf industry before?
No, this is my first real industry job at Colab. I did do surf photography for a season at a surf school. I studied media through college and did a year as an assistant with a film-maker, mainly doing architectural work, which was really interesting. I learnt more in that year than I learnt through all the years of education. I did think about going to university, but spoke to a few people and they mostly agreed it's an industry where it's not necessarily what you know, but who you know and starting to build those connections and learning on the job was more important.
What's your role at Colab?
Content creation, running socials, YouTube videos, board reviews and that sort of thing. I film and edit, and when I'm surfing, Luke will film me, which is pretty sick. He's got a good set-up too. 
Lets talk Comp's. The UK obviously had the BPSA tour. Do you think there's a demand for another tour .. there's no comps in the UK, right? Other than the Surfing England Nationals?
Yeah, Nationals, which has unfortunately been postponed twice this year already.
and Boardmasters. Is that on your radar for competition?
Yep, they're the two that I would try and do every year. Boardmasters is probably the biggest competition in terms of what we get to do, but Nationals I'd say is probably the most important technically, I do enjoy doing them, but if I don't get a result I'm not going to be upset. I'm sort of stepping away from competitions at the moment.
What do you think of the route to the world stage for shortboarding in the UK ?
it's definitely getting better lately with team GB getting funding but it is quite hard to actually break into that. Since the UK tour disappeared, it's been pretty dreadful for us. I remember when I first started doing comps I must have been 12 or 13 and my first few were on the UK Pro Tour. I never actually got to do the whole circuit. But there's definitely a lack of competitions for shortboarders.
We have seen you shredding it up in the Single fin shootout!
Yeah, that 2024 event was the first time I've surfed a single fin, up against another Mango team rider, Dale Foster in the final. It's funny, I got the call up to the event and I was like, fk, I've never surfed a Single fin in my life. I borrowed one off a mate for like a week before the comp and actually had so much fun on it. I think comps like these are way better. The whole vibe about it is better, it's not stressful. It's fun! and we just had another the other weekend gone, was such good fun, pretty dam solid and pumping little fistral…. I couldn’t tell you exactly what board I ended up taking but it went super good. Had a few sick ones, was a great day down the beach with the crew. No trophy this year unfortunately.
Did it inspire you to take out a single fin again or are you done with the alt-scene?
Oh no, definitely. I think I'm at that stage where I'm enjoying exploring with all kind of different boards.
Is there a nice little demo rack here to dip into ?
Yeah, it's been great working here, just having the opportunity to grab a different board. There's always a board for the conditions. It's been really fun starting to explore that realm of other craft, with Colab manufacturing for McCallum, Love Machine, Axel Lorentz and others. 
Talking of exploring, Sumatra, this past winter?
Yea, So I was in Australia to start with for a competition. The Usher Cup, it's a World teams competition held at Snapper Rocks. I went with Newquay Boardriders against what felt like the best in the world, so I think it was 45 of the best board riders clubs, around 23 of them Australian teams and then 22 international teams and it was the first time that the UK had ever been invited! Quite a big deal.
Being amongst the pros like Owen Wright & Joel Parko, that was sick. The experience was awesome but I think it also really made me realize I wasn't enjoying it that much, the whole weekend I was just so stressed out and found it really intense, and then as soon as it was over, it was just a completely different feeling. It made me wonder, why the f**k am I even doing this. haha. Don't get me wrong, it was a sick experience! the competition must have been fierce yeah I've never never experienced anything like that level of surfing in the water. that whole week was nuts. Amazing to see. And then from Oz I went to Indo for 6 weeks which was great. I just love love that place so much. South Sumatra. So many set ups, so many waves, barely any people, it's great. I'll be going back this winter at some point. I've just edited up a 17 minute film on this trip, join us for the screening on Friday 25th July at Project Eighty Three, Newquay. 
Photo by Dyan Pegg @dylan_pegg
In terms of Newquay life, have you always been here?
No, so it's my first year living in Newquay itself. I was born just outside of Newquay. Moved to South Devon when I was about 6 or 7. Grew up there until I was 18.
Is that how you met the Mango Surfing crew, Plymouth way.
Yeah yeah because I pretty much grew up surfing like Challaborough. My dad's still up there and Mum's in Totness, but yeah I moved moved to Mawgan Porth when I was 18 and was there for three or four years and then this is my first year actually doing a season in Newquay, I'm enjoying it. I still love going home and surfing up there when it's good, it's good.
What's the plan for this year?
I'd love to do a few smaller trips in the autumn, maybe an island trip or a quick Europe trip, probably to Star Surf Camps in Moilets, yeah a couple weeks there for sure. I went a couple years ago and it got really good, actually like really good! But head down for now and focus on this job. I'll definitely be UK based a bit more this winter but would love to get to Indo at some point for a little bit.. we'll see ... I think my main goal actually is to get a van after summer, save on rent and stuff !
Van life?
Yea, that's the whole point. I mean I had a small one and did Europe in it which was great but if I wanted to live in it, I definitely want a comfortable one.