Northern surfers are riding high on a crest of a wave after securing funding towards a national competition in the Highlands – fuelling hopes of nurturing some Olympians in the wake.
The Scottish National Surfing Championships will take place in April in Thurso, bringing together surfers from across Scotland to compete for the national title in adult and children’s competitions.
This competition is more important than ever, as, in 2016, the member nations of the Olympic Movement voted in favour of the inclusion of surfing in the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.
Over the four-day event in Thurso, as many as 55 surfers will take part in competitions for under 14s, under 16s, under 18s boys and girls, over 35s and open men and women with a separate competition for longboards.
For the first time since its inception in Bettyhill in 1973, EventScotland’s National Programme Fund has given £5,000 to the event.
The championships often take place at the better-known surfing locations of Thurso East or Brimms Ness, along the north coast of Caithness, but the best conditions for last year’s competition were to be found at Sinclair’s Bay, on the east coast.
The event will also be used to select the Scottish national squad.
Last year’s Men’s Open winner was Thurso-based Mark Boyd – one of Scotland’s best competitive surfers; and Phoebe Strachan scooped the Women’s Open title.
Chris Clarke, of the North Shore Surf Club and contest director for the Scottish Surfing Federation at the Scottish Nationals said: “The North Shore Surf Club look forward to once again hosting the biggest event on the Scottish Surfing Federation calendar, at Scotland’s premier reef break Thurso-East and welcoming Scotland’s best surfers back to Caithness.”
Chris Taylor, VisitScotland regional leadership director for the Highlands, said: “This is a popular competition on the Scottish surfing calendar and great opportunity for people to experience this exciting sport ahead of its debut at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.
“I am delighted the championships have been awarded funding to help make this event as successful as possible, as it is so important for the Highlands’ identity as a fantastic location for hosting all sorts of watersports events.”
For more information about the championships, visit www.thessf.com