This years UKPSA Pro Surf Tour got off to an amazing start last weekend with the first stop, The Surfaced Pro in association with Quiksilver & Roxy. Early Saturday morning the surfers were greeted by the early summer sun and solid 6-8 foot lines rolling into Watergate Bay. This year’s event was especially epic as it was the first time an event was broadcast live to the internet, expanding the audience, giving more exposure to the surfers, the location and the sponsors. This marked a new chapter in UK Pro Surfing as going forward, every event on the tour will be available to watch live on ukprosurf.com
The first day of competition on Saturday, saw a large swell arrive with offshore winds delivering near perfect conditions and the ultimate challenge for the top surfers. The Fistral Beach Men’s division was first up, standout performances came from European Champion Jay Quinn, also WSL Brit Luke Dillon, Jobe Harriss and last year’s tour champion Reubyn Ash, who all progressed to the final. The Under 18 Boys battled through the large surf and stamped their mark on the future of UK Surfing. True to form and befitting the ‘gender equality’ aspect of the event, the women’s open took to the water with the girls showing just as much grit as the guys in the challenging surf. The 2nd day and finals day started with Nerf Clash of the Groms Under 16 Boys division followed by the seven other Junior categories. Surf conditions were still very big with above head high sets still coming through. The weather remained sunny throughout attracting a substantial crowd of spectators to the beach. By the middle of the afternoon on Sunday the finals of all the divisions took to the water
Now in it’s third year, The Surfaced Pro champions the cause for gender equality in sports with both male and female participants receiving equal prize winnings – unprecedented in most sports, including surfing. Instigated by students at Cornwall College Newquay, who plan and implement the event as part of the Surf Science & Technology and Marine Sports Science degree programs, welcomes in a new era in professional surfing and further challenges the traditional norm by having each surfer’s highest wave score doubled, awarding powerful, impressive wave scores over an accumulation of “safe” rides. The Surfaced Pro, like last year, is the first stop on the new Nerf Clash of The Groms Tour, which covers 4 exciting events on the UK Pro Surf circuit, making stops at Watergate Bay with The Surfaced Pro, The UK Schools Surf Championships at Fistral beach, The Thurso Surf Festival in Scotland before returning to the home of The UKPSA at Fistral for The Clash of The Groms finale, giving our new generations of surfing talent an important pathway to hone their competitive skills and promote fresh talent across the UK. Presentations on the beach were the call for the day. Ben Sousek from Quiksilver & Roxy was joined by Cornwall Brender Wilmott to award our Contestants their prizes and crown the Surfaced Pro Champions.
We would like to Thank our fantastic event sponsors for their support Quiksiver, Roxy, Nerf, Korev, The Boardmasters Foundation, Fistral Beach, Cornwall College, Season Surf, Watergate Bay and we look forward to seeing you all at the Night Surf in July 2018
Results:
Men’s Open
1st: Jay Quinn
2nd: Luke Dillon
3rd: Reubyn Ash
4th: Jobe Harriss
Women’s
1st: Joe Dennison
2nd: Emily Currie
3rd: Emily Williams
4th: Lucy Campbell
Under 18 Boys
1st: Barnaby Cox
2nd: Seth Morris
3rd: Patrick Langdon-Dark
4th: Noah Capps
Under 18 Girls
1st: Lily Mandeville
2nd: Francesca Sayer
3rd: Mischa Maguire
4th: Tegan Blackford
Under 16 Boys
1st: Max Hudson
2nd: Sol Hawkins
3rd: Travis Pearce
4th: Sam Hearn
Under 16 Girls
1st: Francesca Sayer
2nd: Alys Barton
3rd: Tegan Blackford
4th: Lauren Sandland
Under 14 Boys
1st: Sam Hearn
2nd: Alex Townsend
3rd: Thomas Reeves
4th: Bertie Norman
Under 14 Girls
1st: Alys Barton
2nd: Tegan Blackford
3rd: Asha Sykes
4th: Lauren Sandland
Under 12 Boys
1st: Flynn Gillespie
2nd: Arthur Randell
3rd: Reen Bowden-Inoue
4th: Finlay Lucas
Under 12 Girls
1st: Lauren Sandland
2nd: Eva Blackford
3rd: Sienna Morison
