Surfers & Lifesavers Battle The Elements At The Surf Relief Festival,
Two days of stormy weather couldn’t dent the enthusiasm of over 1,000 schoolchildren, surfers, lifesavers and beach-goers who took part in the Surf Relief Festival last weekend (17 & 18 July).
Braving the stormy waves on the first day of the event were surfers competing in the opening rounds of the UK Pro Surf Tour. The 4-6ft surf was torn apart by strong onshore winds, making stamina and persistence as much of a factor in the heats as technical surfing ability.
After Friday’s challenging conditions, surfers in the UK Pro Surf Tour were pleased to see a marked improvement in the waves, with the 2-3ft swell given decent shape by a light cross/offshore breeze.
Two St Ives surfers put in outstanding performances: Harry De Roth winning the Under 12 Open division, and Tassy Swallow winning the Under 16 Girls but just missing out to Swansea’s Beth Mason in the Women’s competition.
Croyde’s Beau Bromham won the Under 16 Boys division ahead of Leon Mansfield (Newquay), but aerial specialist Reubyn Ash stole the show in the surfing, winning the Open division and picking up bonus prizes for the King of Watersports highest wave score and the Relentless Money Manoeuvre.
Open winner Reubyn Ash said: “Conditions were really hard yesterday so there was a bit of luck to get through that, but today it got a bit better because it was more manageable. There was more of a contest rather than just a paddle battle. It was good to win the Money Manouevre – I did a little frontside air reverse which I managed to pull off in my final heat, so it was all right.”
Competition Results from the Surf Relief Festival, Watergate Bay
UK Pro Surf Tour 2009 – Round 3
Open
1 Reubyn Ash (Bude)
2 Mark Harris (Newquay)
3 Tom Butler (Newquay)
4 Reubin Pearch (South Africa)
King of Watersports Highest Wave Score
Reubyn Ash
Relentless Money Manoeuvre
Reubyn Ash
Women
1 Beth Mason (Swansea)
2 Tassy Swallow (St Ives)
3 Gwen Spurlock (Swansea)
4 Jo Dennison (Pembroke)
Under 16 Boys
1 Beau Bromham (Croyde)
2 Leon Mansfield (Newquay)
3 Tom Good (Newquay)
4 Miles Lee-Hargreaves (Bournemouth)
Under 16 Girls
1 Tassy Swallow (St Ives)
2 Lucy Campbell (Woolacombe)
3 Gabi Rowe (Looe)
4 Jemima Knight (Chumleigh)
Under 12 Open
1 Harry De Roth (St Ives)
2 Liam Murray-Strout (Port Isaac)
3 Will Bailey (Woolacombe)
4 Max Payne (Wadebridge)
