The 2019 Wilkinson Sword Welsh Interclubs

James Jones at Langland, Pic by Mark de’boer Lloyd

The “2019 Wilkinson Sword – Welsh Inter Clubs” is scheduled to take place at Langland Bay, Swansea on the single best days forecast over the 9th/10th March weekend. (Back up date 23rd/24th March).

Following last year’s defeat of multiple champions Channel Coast, LBR finally put an end to the Llantwit clubs dominance of this event and earnt the right to host this unique and prestigious club competition.

Langland Board Riders – James Jones

“Prising the sword away from Llantwit last year was a superb team performance. Now as reigning champions and hosts it’s our turn to benefit from local knowledge. Which quite clearly is the advantage that has helped Channel Coast to retain the Sword for so long!

We have nothing to fear from the competition this year. Channel Coast couldn’t beat us at home, even with their crazy currents! Porthcawl’s Welsh Coast have some talent, but they’ve no Pat Dark amongst them! In fact this year we expect our greatest challenge to come from Pembroke. If the Pembs crew were to pool resources we’d at least anticipate some half decent competition, something I very much doubt we’ll see from Llantwit or Porthcawl. I’ve little doubt the Sword will remain in Swansea once again this year.

In all seriousness, LBR are really looking forward to hosting this event and I think all the clubs are pleased for a change in venue. Hopefully we’ll get some great waves at Langland and continue the good competitive vibe this contest is known for. For me the Wilkinson Sword has always been about bringing the WSF’s clubs and their surfers together for a good catch up and exchanging plenty of good light hearted banter!

WSF’s Contest Director – Craig Burrows

“Langland has always been a great contest venue and will provide a much needed fresh feel to the event. The WSF have amended the team format slightly this year, in order to encourage a more competitive event. So as officials we’re looking forward to officiating some first class action.

Historically it’s been tuff for any visiting team to win at Langland. That being said, most years have seen the last heat of the day decide our champions and I anticipate 2019’s contest being no different. As always I’ll be looking forward to catching up with old friends and seeing how our junior surfers have developed over the winter break.”

A call will be made Thursday 7th (if not before) on what day we will run.

Clubs need to ensure their teams are registered as per the entry form attached and all memberships fees for 2019 are paid and up to date.

Entry forms here

We look forward to seeing you at Langland.

The 2018 Billabong MiPost Welsh National Surfing Championships

Huge Congrats to all our 2018 Welsh Champs – Writeup of the Billabong – MiPost Welsh Nationals by Martin John and full results here

Refreshed Format & qualification announced for the British Surfing Championships & British Cup

The home nation surfing bodies for Wales, Scotland, England and the Channel Islands proudly announce a refreshed and exciting format for the prestigious British title event and bring back the British Cup, with a new qualification process, providing opportunity and a future facing format.

Following the announcement in 2017 that the British Surfing Championships would rotate annually throughout each home nation, the inter-nation discussions have centred around modernising the event, its format and its qualification process. A vital approach at a progressive time in Surfing, with the rising stature of the ISA World Surfing Games and the build up to surfing’s Olympic debut in the 2020 Tokyo games. A collaborative and unified approach to ensure a sustainable event future and one that can cater for the changing landscape.

The British Surfing Championships & British Cup event will now mirror the exciting format of the ISA World Surfing Games, with each nations surfers competing for both individual surfer titles as well as a home nations team title (the British Cup).

The event will host four shortboard categories; Men’s Open (16 surfers), Women’s Open (16 surfers), Boys Under 18 (16 surfers) and Girls Under 18 (16 surfers). Qualification for the event will be given to 16 surfers in each division, made up on the top 4 surfers in each division in their respective home nations championship only. For example, the Men’s Open will comprise of the Wales top 4, Scotland top 4, Channel Islands top 4 and England’s top 4 surfers from each home nations championship, making up the 16 man draw. The country code of each surfer will be used to identify their representation (WAL, SCO, CI & ENG). Each surfer will be vying for the British Champion individual title, whilst points for finished placing at the event will be given to each surfer and combined to identify a home nations British Cup team champion.

The event will provide a high level competition platform, which in turn will drive standards of the surfers and judging and officiating levels across the home nations with each country having representation on the judging panel. The event also provides an opportunity for the nations to introduce and gain experience in any international competition developments.

The qualification process compliments the opportunities provided to many at at each nations respective home championships and provides increased motivation and prestige to the finalists in the qualifying divisions. However, should a surfer forfeit their qualification the respective home nation will maintain that position and pass the spot to the 5th placed surfer and so on proceeding through their results. A surfer can only enter the national championships of one country (for whom they must meet the eligibility requirements to compete for) to attempt to qualify for the event.

The event schedule is as follows;
– 2018 British Surfing Championships & British Cup. England (Fistral Beach, Cornwall – October 6th & 7th)
– 2019 British Surfing Championships & British Cup. Jersey, Channel Islands.
– 2020 British Surfing Championships & British Cup. Scotland
– 2021 British Surfing Championships & British Cup. Wales

For further information on the event in surfers can contact their respective surfing governing body.

For all sponsor opportunities please email: [email protected]

British Home Nations Olympic Statement March 2018

Background

In August 2016 the International Olympic Committee announced that Surfing would be included in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics as a demonstration sport.

On 16^th March 2018 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released to all the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) the approved qualification system for Surfing’s Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.

The key elements of the qualification system are as follows:

20 men, 20 women.
Maximum of 2 surfers per gender per National Olympic Committee (NOC).
Qualification spots will be earned on an individual basis, by name.
In accordance with IOC guidelines, the qualification events have been determined in hierarchical order of qualification, as further explained below; If two surfers of a gender have qualified through the first hierarchical order, that NOC will not be able to qualify more surfers of that gender through qualifying events lower in hierarchical order.
All surfers selected by their respective National Federations for their national teams must participate in 2019 and 2020 ISA World Surfing Games in order to be eligible for Olympic qualification. The final details of the eligibility requirements are still under review by the ISA and the IOC.

The hierarchical order of qualification will be as follows:

2019 World Surf League Championship Tour: First 10 eligible men and first 8 eligible women.
2020 ISA World Surfing Games: First 4 eligible men and first 6 eligible women.
2019 ISA World Surfing Games: 4 men and 4 women selected based on their continent. Top finishing eligible surfer of each gender from Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
2019 Pan American Games: First eligible man and first eligible women in the surfing competitions.
Host nation slot: One man and one woman slot will be guaranteed for the host nation of Japan, unless already filled through the above hierarchies. Should athletes from Japan qualify regularly, their slots will be reallocated to the highest ranked eligible surfers from the 2020 World Surfing Games.

Channel Islands, England, Scotland and Wales athletes will represent Great Britain at the ISA World Games 2019 & 2020 and the Olympic Games if selected, please see excerpt from official ISA Statement below;

Country Representation for Athletes without an NOC

For events serving as official Qualifying Events for the Olympic Games, and in accordance with the Olympic Charter, surfers may only represent an ISA Member from territories with representation of a National Olympic Committee (NOC). ISA Members without NOC representation (Channel Islands, England, Hawaii, Scotland, Tahiti, Wales) will not be allowed to participate in Qualifying Events.

The surfers who have once competed for Member Federations without NOC representation will therefore be subject to selection for the National Team with NOC recognition of their territory (Channel Islands, England, Scotland, Wales: Great Britain; Tahiti: France; Hawaii: USA)

Athletes will return to represent the home nations at the ISA World Games after the Olympic Qualification events are completed. 2 out of every 4 ISA World Games could potentially become Olympic Qualification events should surfing also be included in subsequent Olympic Games.

In the meantime we can confirm that all surfers will be required to make themselves available to be part of Surfing Team GB for the 2019 and 2020 World Surfing Games, and if selected will be required to participate. Failure to meet this requirement will render the surfer ineligible for the Olympic Games. Information on the selection process for Team GB will be released in due course.

Funding

We have made submissions of funding requests and submission of all relevant data to UK Sport. On extensive analysis, UK Sport believe it is currently unlikely that currently any British surfer will win a medal in Tokyo 2020. UK Sport investment is wholly focused on medal winning performances to inspire our nation.

It is also yet to be confirmed if surfing will be in the 2024 and 2028 Olympics which also makes attracting investment into surfing a challenge. We will continue to collectively work to source performance funding.

We collectively recommend to all interested surfers that in order to attract funding from UK Sport, podium results in major international events needs to be achieved. Should podium performances be achieved, this would be clear evidence of medal potential at the Olympics and allow us to put forward a better case for UK Sport funding.

Collectively the Home Nation Federations will continue to monitor the status of the Olympic pathway and we are in close communication with all the relevant governing and decision-making bodies.

If you have any further questions, please contact your respective home nations body and for further information please visit their websites or the International Surfing Association website.

Scottish Surfing Federation

Surfing England

Welsh Surfing Federation

Channel Islands Surfing Federation

To view the complete Olympic Qualification System for Surfing in Tokyo 2020, click here.

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Langland Boardriders Claim 2018 Wilkinson Sword

The 2018 Welsh Interclubs aka the Wilkinson Sword is, and quite often has been the curtain raiser for the Welsh competitive season. Winter rusty competitors gathering to brush the dust off their 4/3’s; all hoping to kick start their competitive seasons and enjoy the camaraderie of surfing within a team environment. Make no mistake, this competition matters and always has. The Welsh are a patriotic and tribal bunch and surfing for your local club is tantamount to representing your community, your family and friends, and the opportunity to get one over on anybody who believes that their town is better than yours. The 2018 edition was no different. Llantwit Major’s Channel Coast Surf Club have dominated the event for years now, giving them somewhat of a superiority complex (perhaps justified) over the rest of Wales. But this year there was a determined effort to remove the sword from Vaughnie’s grasp…. I mean Llantwit Major is a lovely place but I think the rest of the competitive field were hoping that they’d be enjoying the blue water of Pembrokeshire next year, or the amphitheatre and variation of Langland…. or whatever is in Porthcawl these days…. Greg Owen? Either way Channel Coast had a target on their backs and would face a real fight to keep hold of the trophy they’ve probably begun to think of as their own. Competition began in earnest on Saturday morning; the surf was nice, in the 2ft and clean range with the promise of it getting better and better throughout the day. First in were the over 35s and it was an early win for...