News Surfboards Competitions Battle of the Boards 2026 Back to blog By Jake Chapman 3 Jun 2026 And so it begins… You know that show on Netflix where they all compete at different challenges until there’s only one competitor left alive? Imagine that but with more surfboards, bigger stakes and more twists… that’s The Battle of the Boards. Handpicked with care, 32 of our favourite surfboards step into the octagon. Over the next 31 days, they'll clash head-to-head in an epic battle for glory. When the dust finally settles, only one will emerge victorious as the people’s champion in Battle of the Boards ’26. Oh… and we’re giving the winner away. More on that later. And it doesn't stop there. We've dialled this one up to 11, by allowing more classics (like the iconic CI Black Beauty) and alternative boards (like the Asymmetrical LoveMachine Zambal) into the arena, not just whats currently in the racks! (All available as customs on our Board Builder!) ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!? Contents How it works (and how to get involved) The giveaway Schedule The Champion Boardshop predictions Last time on Battle of the Boards How it works (and how YOU can win one of the boards): Just taking a stab in the dark here… this could be THE most anticipated surfboard comparison competition of the year so far (see what we did there?). Getting involved is easy, plus you get a say in which board deserves eternal glory (oh and you might get a free board out of it). 1. First rule of the Battle of the Boards… you do not talk about the Battle of the Boards. 2. Second rule of the Battle of the Boards, you do NOT… (ok you get the reference). Secondly, every single day in May, 2 boards will compete head-to-head to progress to the next round and ultimately the Final Showdown. 3. To have your say on who wins, follow @Boardshopcouk on Instagram and check our story daily to cast your precious votes. Every surfer that votes is entered to win a custom version of the champion board at the end of the month. That’s right, we’ve upped the stakes. Following the thrilling first 16 matchups, the victorious boards will advance to ROUND 2, battling their way to the QUARTERFINALS, then onto the SEMIFINALS, culminating in the epic Battle of the Boards Ultimate Showdown on May 31st, where our champion surfboard will be officially crowned. The Giveaway Every vote you cast = 1 entry into the giveaway. Yep. So, if you vote every day, you massively increase your chances. At the end of the tournament, one lucky winner will take home the champion board, custom made how they like. The Fixtures Starts Friday 1st May 2026 1st – Channel Islands Black Beauty vs Pyzel Ghost 2nd – Lost Bean Bag vs Pukas Lazy Link 3rd – Channel Islands Mid Twin vs Son of Cobra Round Twin 4th – Lost RNF 96 vs Pyzel Happy Twin 5th – Channel Islands Biscuit vs Lost Original Puddle Jumper 6th – Lost Party Platter vs Pukas Lotus 7th – Channel Islands Neck Beard 2 vs Pyzel Astro Pop 8th – LoveMachine Thick Lizzy vs Axel Lorentz Muffin Top 9th – Channel Islands Fishbeard vs Lost Pisces 10th – LoveMachine Zambal vs Son of Cobra Classic Twin 11th – Pukas Balloon vs FORM Flow Stik 12th – Lost Lazy Toy 2 vs Mark Phipps One Bad Egg 13th – Channel Islands The Solution vs Pyzel Pyzalien 2 14th – LoveMachine GT Twinzer vs Pukas Space Oddity 15th – Channel Islands M23 vs Lost Quiver Killer 25 16th – LoveMachine FM vs Axel Lorentz O.G. Starts Sunday 17th May 2026 Let’s get ready to RUMMMMMMBLE.The battle rages on in surfing’s biggest competition… The Battle of the Boards Round 2.We’re just getting started but we’ve already had some shocking defeats, mind blowing twists, some true underdogs moments and 1 result that made Charlie scream into a pillow.We’re stoked with the lineup of worthy warriors going into the final 16.And because we clearly can’t leave things alone… we’ve added a WILDCARD.A very special board from a legendary shaper is entering the battle.Remember, when the dust settles, only 1 board will be left standing… and we’re giving it away to one of YOU. Just vote in our daily stories to enter. 17th - Pyzel Ghost vs Pukas x Lost Lazy Link 18th - Channel Islands Mid Twin vs Lost RNF '96 vs (WILDCARD) Maurice Cole Red Dingo 19th - Lost Original Puddle Jumper vs Lost Party Platter 20th - Pyzel Astropop vs LoveMachine Thick Lizzy 21st - Lost Pisces vs Son of Cobra Classic Twin 22nd - Pukas Balloon vs Lost Lazy Toy 2 23rd - Channel Islands The Solution vs Pukas Space Oddity 24th - Lost Quiver Killer vs Lovemachine FM Starts Monday 25th May 2026 25th - Pyzel Ghost vs Losr RNF '96 26th - Lost Original Puddle Jumper vs LoveMachine Thick Lizzy 27th - Lost Pisces vs Pukas Balloon 28th - Pukas Space Oddity vs LoveMachine FM Starts Friday 29th May 2026 4/32 REMAIN ⚔️28 fallen contenders now lay strewn across the Battle of the Boards arena. But only four warriors remain.- Pukas Balloon- LoveMachine FM- Lost RNF ‘96- Lost Original Puddle Jumper ‘25Semi Final 1:A battle of Lost royalty. The RNF ‘96, one of the greatest surfboards ever made, takes on the Original Puddle Jumper, the groveller that has probably put more smiles on more faces than any board of the last decade.Semi Final 2:The undisputed reigning champion vs the hottest new prospect in surfing. The FM has been ruling lineups and quivers for years now, but the Balloon has exploded onto the scene and is SO hot right now.Only two can make the Final. 29th - Lost RNF 96 vs Lost Puddle Jumper 30th - Pukas Balloon vs LoveMachine FM Tuesday 2nd June 2026 (Cancel all your plans) 1st - Lost RNF 96 vs LoveMachine FM WE HAVE A CHAMPION…32 of our favourite boards entered the Battle of the Boards arena.After over 100,000 votes from surfboard lovers around the world, we have our Champion. Yep, it’s done it again…The LoveMachine FM is the BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPION. The undisputed heavyweight of the surfboard world.We are yet to find someone who has surfed an FM and not come back frothing. It’s one of those rare boards that somehow exceeds the hype surrounding it.A huge congratulations to Ryan Lovelace and the FM for defending the crownAnd a worthy salute to our runners-up:Lost RNF ‘96Pukas BalloonTwo epic boards that fought their way through a stacked field and absolutely deserve their flowers.We will be announcing our giveaway winner on Friday, so stay tuned and thanks again for getting involved! The Boardshop Bets Few, if any, in the UK (and perhaps beyond) engage in more surfboard conversations than this crew. With an average of 30 daily chats centered around surfboard advice, they emerge as the industry's foremost authorities on what's riding the crest of popularity. These are the boards they're backing with their bucks. Ian’s Predictions "Nostalgia has got the better of me with this one... and as it's the 20th anniversary of this board, the CI Biscuit has my vote, but the new Pukas Balloon could be a dark horse" Roger’s Predictions "Balloon or FM :)" - Short and sweet, like the man himself. Jake’s Predictions "Few dark horses in there this year and we all saw what happened with the FM. Would be cool to resurrect a classic and see the Black Beauty or the Biscuit win, but would also love to see an alternative board champion. My money's on a LoveMachine... Let's go with the Zambal" Charlie’s Predictions "All rise for Queen Lizzy. The wizard that is Ryan Lovelace clearly has a magic touch that goes beyond shaping boards… his (completely legitimate) tomfoolery might’ve had a hand in the FM taking the crown last time. But every king needs a queen… and it’s got to be the Thick Lizzy. It’s become a firm favourite under my feet, and with a bit of that Lovelace magic behind it, I’ve got Lizzy going all the way." Last Time on Battle of the Boards (Previously March Madness) If you thought this was just a bit of fun… last time proved otherwise. Battle of the Boards 2024 was absolute carnage. Packed with upsets, questionable decisions, and enough controversy to keep the DMs busy all month (looking at you, Ryan Lovelace). Big names got knocked out early, underdogs went on ridiculous runs, and you guys didn’t hold back when things didn’t go your way. The bracket twisted and turned all the way to the final, where the Channel Islands Happy Everyday looked like it had it in the bag… until the LoveMachine FM came flying through and stole the whole thing. Chaos. Drama. Nonsense. Exactly how it should be. One Last Thing... Remember, this is meant to be fun… but it gets serious quickly. You’ll back your favourites.You’ll disagree with results.You’ll probably message us saying “this is rigged” at some point. That’s all part of it. So, get involved, vote daily, and let’s see which board comes out on top. Head to our Instagram to start voting. Let the battle… begin. Back to blog