Now in its 40th year, the English National Surfing Championships is one of the oldest and largest competitions on the British surfing calendar, attracting competitors in top form after their winter training spent in foreign locations like Indonesia, Hawaii and Australia.

Current English Open division champion Tom Butler has just returned from a winter of big wave surfing in Ireland and is very keen to retain his title. Tom has established himself as an all round talented surfer, both on the competitive circuit and through his big wave surfing. His recent exploits in 50 ft surf at Mullaghmore, Ireland, saw him nominated for the 2012 Billabong XXXL awards which recognise the biggest waves ridden in the past year from around the world.

Tom said: “The level of English surfing is rising every year, with amazing younger guys constantly coming through the ranks. In many ways there is more pressure involved in competition surfing than with tow surfing as you only get that 20 minute window and there’s a certain degree of luck involved about which waves come your way.”

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of competitive surfing in this country, the event will be run by the English Surfing Federation (ESF) and supported by Cornwall College Surf Science and Technology Foundation Degree Students, who will help organise the event.

Surf science lecturer and former English champion Roger Mansfield added: “The Cornwall College students are learning how to become part of the surfing industry, rather than just observers of it. They are building on their social, communication and technical skills on the job.”

Other surfers expected to defend their titles are Anne-Cecille le Tallack (France) for the Ladies, who will face fierce competition from Hannah Harding. Hannah is keen to match her success on the UK Pro Surf Association circuit last year and has just returned from several months surfing in Indonesia.

There will be a handful of juniors stepping up to the Open Division to make their mark in the senior competition as well as the opportunity for the more experienced competition surfers to enter the Seniors (over 28 years), Masters (over 35 years) and Veterans (over 45 years), with likely perennials Jed Stone, Tony Good and Roger Knight contesting for the top slots.

You can find out more Information about the event and how to enter at www.englishsurfing.co.uk or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. For more information on the events taking place at Watergate Bay please visit: www.watergatebay.co.uk/events.htm

Photo: Nick Law

Although no official response to an open invite for members of the British Royal family to participate in the contest has been received, it is thought that at least one person will come along dressed as a monarch on the day. Organiser and BBC Radio 6 resident poet Murray Lachlan Young said: “As crap surfers are the new royalty of the waves, we concluded that the Queen might appreciate a crowning on the weekend of her jubilee, in one of her territories.”

The World Championships of Crap Surfing brings together surfers from all over world in a celebration of effort, courage and ultimately failure for what has become one of the most sought after crowns on the world surfing stage. Last year’s world championships saw hundreds of spectators on the shoreline at Praa Sands to witness more than 50 substandard surfers battle against persistent onshore drizzle, wind, fog and mushy surf. Last year, panel of keen, experienced judges, that included a woman’s surf instructor, a professional boxer and a window cleaner, marked points for moves such as inadvertently doing something good or performing a magic moment of stupidity. Theatre director Bill Bankes-Jones swept to success last year after displaying a series of elegant dismounts from his board.

This year’s contest looks to be equally hotly contested with several categories and a wide range of prizes. This year rather than have a surf after party, championship organisers have decided on a before surf party with a Crapsurfer’s Ball at the Sand Bar, on Saturday, June 2, at the Sand Bar, Praa Sands. Murray added: “Some people try hard at pastimes, yet never excel. These efforts are never rewarded in the same way that successful participants are. Thus was born a contest for those who will never get better but deserve the opportunity to enter a competition and be judged on effort, not ability.”

For more information and entry forms, go to www.crapsurfer.com

Championship categories include: crap paddling, crap pop up, number of missed waves, unwittingly doing something good, accidentally swallowing seawater, best wipe out, most genuinely upset loser and crap board control. Out of the water, prizes are to be awarded for the worst wetsuit, worst surfboard, worst beach strut, worst beach bum, best beach swagger, most colourful wetsuit, laziest surfer, best presented woman’s feet and Miss CrapSurfer. Surf companies, lifestyle magazines, breweries and second hand goods shops have all pledged generous prizes to the event. Surfboards, magazine subscriptions, quality surf attire, surf accessories, beer, stickers, a key ring and a cheese and onion pasty are among the fantastic prizes up for grabs to the world’s worst surfers. 247 have got on board too, sponsoring the best surfer in a bikini competition too, open to both male and females.

Murray Lachlan Young added: “The level of incompetence of this year’s world championships is really quite astounding. We’ve had one person turn up a month early for the event – he had come down from Wales for the World Championships of Crap Surfing on the right date, but in the wrong month.”

The World Championship of Crap Surfing takes place at Praa Sands, Cornwall, on September 24, 2011, at noon. The Crapsurfers Ball takes place at the Sand Bar, Praa Sands, in the evening from 9pm until late. For more information, championship entry registration and afterparty tickets, please go to www.crapsurfer.com

The Champions of tomorrow will be at Fistral Beach 25-29 August to take on the waves at England’s most famous surfing beach. Situated in the South West of England, the Cornish coast provides the most consistent surfing in England. The Quiksilver Pro Junior UK 4* (only 4* in Europe) is the last of 7 events on the European Junior Tour, which will crown the European Junior Champion. 80 young international surfers are expected at this event fighting for a share of the $20 000 prize money. The best international riders will compete in the European Tour Event. All aged Under 21, the surfers will try everything to win this last event. Vasco Ribeiro, the current junior ratings leader hopes to end with a victory in England but nothing is settled yet. With a victory comes 1000 points, meaning many can still claim the European title.

After a European qualifying tournament, the names of the 32 surfers who have qualified for the final in Newquay are finally unveiled. All have participated in national qualification events to earn their ticket for this European Final. A wildcard will complete the final heat sheet. It has been given to the young Leonardo Fiorvanti; the 14 year old who was last year’s winner. The Italian has made an impression around the world after winning against older opponents. He will also participate in the Quiksilver Pro Junior UK 4*. The competition will be fierce. At stake for the top 2 continental finalists will be a ticket for the International final which will be held during the Quiksilver Pro France (4-13 October) where they will rub shoulders with the World’s elite surfers (Kelly Slater, Jeremy Flores, Dane Reynolds…) on the Basque–Landes coast of SW France.

The full list of surfers who have qualified for the European King of the Groms final follows:

UK: Arran Bright, Max Payne, Gearoid McDaid, Jobe Harris, Patty Daniel and Harry De Roth.
France: Aldric God, Nelson Cloarec, Titouan Deffarges, Charly Termeau, Arthur Lassée and Andy Criere.
Spain: Gonzalez Natxo, Yeregi Imanol, Iriondo Alex, Egiguren Julen, Botin Marcelino and Iribar Markel.
Portugal: Miguel Blanco, Joao Kopke, Pedro Coelho, Jacome Correia and Tomas Fernandes.
Canary Islands: Saùl Torres and Will Davey.
Morocco: Joris Greusard and Tarik El Basity.
Antilles: Tim Bisso and Elliot Ivarra.
Italy: Aaron Farina.
Benelux: Boris Feillon

Alongside the two competitions, a program of music offers the public the chance to see groups and DJ’s from across the UK. Headlining on Saturday will be ‘Auction for the Promise Club’, a local group from the village of St. Agnes in Cornwall. After touring the English summer festivals, they will play tracks from their album ‘One’ on stage at the Quiksilver Pro Junior UK, on Saturday 27 August. On Friday, ‘The Last Gentleman’ will ignite the stage. Based in Brixton, London, Lascelles and Adam Basey have swapped their guitars for a more electro sound. They will play Friday night after the final of the European King of the Groms. More information at www.quiksilverlive.com

Commenting on her commitment to the campaign, Kirsty said: “Sea Sense is about having respect for the ocean, other water users and your own limitations. This means pausing to observe and acknowledge when the conditions seem too dangerous for you.” Herself the victim of an accident in Mauritius last year that required reconstructive knee surgery, Kirsty added: “Having the right insurance is just part of ensuring your water safety. I was able to concentrate on recovering from my injury rather than worrying about paying for treatment, but of course a lot of Sea Sense is about reducing risk in the first place.”

Enjoying the surf with Kirsty were Andy Heath, and his girlfriend, both from Stevenage, who won a weekend of kite surfing with Kirsty courtesy of Essential Travel through a national newspaper competition. Stuart Bensusan of Essential Travel said: “People often don’t think to invest in specialist water sports cover when holidaying somewhere like Cornwall. It’s really important to ensure you’re covered for water sports wherever in the world you go, just in case the holiday spirit inspires you to try something new.”

The space is split between Quiksilver Men’s, Skate, Technical Surf, Roxy, Quiksilver Women’s, and Youth, where all areas are designed to create a unique shopping experience. At the entrance you’ll see the latest Quiksilver apparel and exclusive Custom Boardshorts program where you can design your personalised boardshorts instore. To the right, the skate area uses subtle materials inspired by the streets, concrete flooring and brick walls to create the urban environment. This space holds an impressive collection of skateboards, skateboard accessories, core skate apparel, and footwear. Opposite, a 100m2 area dedicated to girls includes the latest Quiksilver Girls and Roxy collections, presented in a cool and cosy environment. An explosion of colour, natural sunlight, rustic wood features, and a vintage feel gives this space a ‘home sweet home’ feel.

The central feature of the store encompasses Quiksilver’s largest technical surf range in the UK, with spectacular views overlooking the surf at Fistral beach. The impressive range includes more than 150 surfboards by legendary shapers Bradley, Merrick, Grace, Phipps, and Anderson. The technical area is complimented by a large wall dedicated to wetsuits, lycras, and surf accessories, with paddleboards, bodyboards, and accessories opposite. The final touch is the surfers lounge area facing the ocean where customers are invited to watch the surf, access free internet, browse through surf books, and absorb the incredible scene.

“I’m stoked to see my long term sponsor and the world’s leading surf brand based right by my home break. Having been with Quiksilver for 26 years and now working as the Surf Team Manager it’s awesome to have such a strong base in the UK. The new store and new showroom are huge statements for us and we’re all really excited to have them here.” said Spencer Hargraves, Quiksilver UK Surf Team Manager. “This new space will really enable us to showcase our brands and bring it back to the beach. We want to continue to support & promote surf in the UK and what better way than to have our showroom based at Fistral Beach.” added national sales manager Herman Semmelmann.

A clean 3ft swell groomed by offshore winds and flip flops freebies greeted the cream of British surfing talent for the inaugural running of the Rider Slip Slider Pro Invitational.

In a break from the surfing competition norm, the guys at Rider flip flops devised a unique format whereby each surfer competed in two heats with the scores from their best two waves securing a place in the four man final. The format proved popular, with the surfers encouraged to cut loose and go for the biggest moves in their repertoire as they chased the maximum two wave score.

The first round of heats were contested in typically punchy Porthmeor. With the new format taking the pressure off the guys to get some solid banker scores on the board, the pace was slower as the key was to pick off the best of the sets and try to nail some high scoring turns. Local St Ives lad Tom Lowe and Newquay’s Oli Adams set the tone early on with some big airs. Tom’s air reverse in the second heat secured him an 8.7, the wave with the highest score and loudest hoots of the day, plus the prize for the “Sickest Move”.

With perfect timing both the surfers and the waves turned it up a notch for round two, as a mid tide bank started to work with a highly rippable, wedgy peak and this provided the platform for some big moves, in particular standout waves by Gordon Fontaine of Bournemouth with a powerful, vertical forehand snap and Constantine’s Micah Lester’s vertical backhand attack on the best left hander to break all day. Johnny Fryer showed a cool head backing up a solid round one performance by pumping in some heavy scoring, setting himself up as the man to beat.

Tensions continued to build during round two as it became clear that securing a place in the final was going to be tight and with no one knowing who was going to make it through until the last heat had finished everyone gathered to hear the results. Eventually the competitors for the final were decided by the closest possible margin with Gordon Fontaine missing out by just 0.1 of a point.

The final took place in clean but highly challenging surf as the sets became less frequent. Each of the finalists had demonstrated throughout the heats that they were capable of landing the top prize but in the end it was the ability of Johnny Fryer, from Isle of Wight, who consistently got more quality turns on each wave which enabled him to walk off with the title and a cheque for £1,000.

THE FINAL RESULTS
1st – Johnny Fryer – Isle of Wight
2nd – Mark “Egor” Harris – Newquay
3rd – Tom Butler – Newquay
4th – Tom Lowe – St Ives

Rider is a Brazilian brand of surf inspired flip flops for men, women and kids
www.riderflipflops.co.uk

Watch this short movie of the days action with some great surf on the Cornish coast and a great final to find the eventual winner

Organisers are confident the new format will benefit the surfers taking part. Contest director Andy Sturt from the English Surfing Federation said: “This year’s event is special in that we will be able to look at the surf forecast and pick the best surfing day. This will give each surfer the best opportunity to advance and ultimately win, and it will be great for spectators because they’ll be able to watch the country’s top surfers put on a show in the best conditions available to us.

“Surfers will be competing in the Open, Ladies and Longboard divisions and the contest will form the basis on which the selection will be made for the English surfing team to compete in the European Surfing Championships in Ireland in September.” Entries are still open for the contest, with 2010 champions Jayce Robinson (Open), Ben Skinner (Longboard) and Sarah Beardmore (Ladies) all expected to defend their titles at Watergate Bay.

Last year’s Open division produced a final where a crop of the young up-and-coming surfers demonstrated that contests are far from a foregone conclusion for the favourites on the entry list. Established surfers including Sam Lamiroy, Reubyn Ash, and former champion Oli Adams were all eliminated in the early rounds by the young finalists, with North Devon pair Lyndon Wake and Stuart Campbell both putting in stellar performances. But it was St Ives surfer Jayce Robinson who became one of the youngest ever English champions, aged 20.

The longboard division will as usual be keenly contested. Last year’s champion Ben Skinner will no doubt look to stamp his authorityon the event, but James Parry and Ben Howarth will do their best to gain top honours surfing their blend of traditional and progressive manoeuvres to impress the judges.

A significant number of the ladies have been abroad for winter training and will be keen to wrest the title from Sarah Beardmore, from Poole, who is returning to the country from overseas to defend her title and will be a subject of an ITV documentary.

The decision on which day to run the competition will be made in the week preceding the contest, with the details announced on www.watergatebay.co.uk, www.facebook.com/watergatebay and www.twitter.com/watergatebay

The winners following categories were:
 1.    Saltrock Rookie of the Year 2010 – Winner Gordon Fontaine (France)
2.    Wavelength Most Promising Junior 2010 – Winner Harry DeRoth (St Ives)
3.    Carve Aerialist 2010 Winner – Winner Oli Adams (Newquay)
4.    Surf Girl Most Up and Coming Female Surfer 2010 – Winner Tassy Swallow (St Ives)
5.    Surfersvillage Most Improved Surfer 2010 – Winner Stuart Campbell (Woolacombe)
6.    Gul Best English Surfer 2010 – Winner Russell Winter (Newquay)
7.    Gul Best Welsh Surfer 2010 – Winner Mark Vaughan (Llantwit)
8.    Gul Best Scottish Surfer 2010 – Winner George Watts (Frazerburgh)
9.    King Of Watersports King Of The Wave Award  2010 – Winner Russell Winter (Newquay)
10. Animal Commitment Award 2010 – Winner Simon Trebilcock (St Ives)
11. Relentless Money Move 2010 – Winner Andrew Griffin (Newquay)
12. Dirty Dog Surfers Choice Award 2010 – Winner Mark Harris (Newquay)
13. UKPSA Services to the Sport of Surfing 2010 – Winner Nick Williams (Newquay)
14. Ignite UKPSA Best Surf Judge 2010 – Winner Mike Durkin (Newquay)
15. Christian Surfers Sportsman Award 2010 – Winner Johnny Fryer (IOW)
16. Pitpilot Man on A Mission Award 2010 – Winner Mitch Corbit (Newquay)
17. A1 Most Inspirational Surfer 2010 – Winner Jed Stone (600 votes online)
18. Tiger 24 Brand Award – Winner (Commercial Brand supported surfing in the UK) Winner Relentless

UKPSA Trophies:
Bilbo Under 12 Open Champion 2010 – Winner: Harry De Roth (St Ives)
Groundswell Trophy for Under 16 Girls Champion 2010 – Winner: Tassy Swallow (St Ives)
Groundswell Trophy for Under 16 Boys Champion 2010 – Winner Luke Dillon (Newquay)
Groundswell Trophy for Pro Junior Champion 2010 – Winner Stuart Campbell (Woolacombe)
Pull In Trophy for Women’s Champion 2010 – Winner Gwen Spurlock (Swansea)
Pull In Trophy for Open Champion 2010- Winner Russell Winter (Newquay)
 
The event was a great success and rewarded surfers from across the UK for their achievements in 2010. It included images and videos highlighting the highs and lows of the year and culminated in the Relentless After Party.  The Men’s and Women’s Open trophy was once again sponsored by Pull In and the this years winners: Gwen Spurlock and Russell Winter were treated to a gift box containing Pull-In’s Limited Edition 10th anniversary cupcake style pants along with their trophies.
 
Russell Winter stole the honours, receiving three of the awards on the night including the prestigious UK Pro Surf Tour Open Title.