News

Calling all Groms! Get involved in the Whitesands Surf Competition.

Follow Pembrokeshire Surf Club on socials to keep up to date.

Email phil@pembrokeshiresurfschool.co.uk to enter. It's only a fiver!!!!

The call will be made on October 12th - lets hope there's waves.

Categories are U12, 14, 16 & 18. (Boys & Girls)

The Welsh Surfing Federation would like to congratulate Patrick Langdon-Dark and Logan Nicol on their selection to compete for Team GB at the ISA World Surfing Games, starting 16th September at Huntington Beach, California. The dynamic duo ensure that Welsh national surfers occupy two out of the six available places in the British Team who will be competing for the ultimate prize of Olympic Qualification.  

The WSF wishes Pat, Logan and the rest of the team every success at the event. In addition to the selection of our two young rippers, it's really exciting that the WSF’s own Gwen Spurlock has been appointed to the role of British Surfing’s Pathway Development Lead, and will join the team in California as Deputy Team Manager. Congratulations to the three of you!

The event can be followed @ https://isasurf.org/event/2022-isa-world-surfing-games/

The WSF have received the following official announcement from British Surfing to share:
 
British Surfing are pleased to announce the team that will compete in the upcoming ISA World Surfing Games. The ISA World Surfing Games will take place from the 16-24th September at Huntington Beach, California. This event represents the start of the qualification process for the 2024 Olympics.
 
This event is also the first following British Surfing’s appointment of Victoria Gosling OBE as the new British Surfing Chair; Joel Gray as Performance Pathway Manager; and Gwen Spurlock as Pathway Development Lead. 
 
“This is a real positive step for British Surfing and the fact that the funding and positions are long term focussed is like a breath of fresh air. Personally Im really excited to get to work. These ISA Games are just the starting point and we hope to put in place a healthy pathway for emerging groms to aspire to with healthy numbers competing on the WSL and of course WT and Olympic Qualification as realistic goals.” Joel Gray 
 
“With the Paris 2024 Olympics approaching, and surfing as a sport now being recognised and supported, I personally feel extremely excited about the future for our athletes. I am driven by creating the platform that supports our surfers to achieve an Olympic medal in the not-so-distant future.” Gwen Spurlock. 
 
Future Squad and Team Selection Policy will be announced shortly; furthermore we will provide information on upcoming Squad Development Camps planned to take in the UK and overseas.  

 
Of Note: British Surfing are in the process of launching a new website - live from early from Oct 22.  In the interim please see all live updates from the forthcoming ISA Competition at the  British Surfing Instagram page.

Vicky 

Victoria Gosling OBE

British Surfing Chairman

 

British Team - ISA World Surfing Games 2022 

 
Men’s Team

Patrick Langdon-Dark
Luke Dillon
Logan Nicol
Arran Strong (reserve)

 
Women's Team

Ellie Turner
Alys Barton
Lucy Campbell
Emily Currie (reserve)

Team Officials

Team Manager: Joel Gray 

Deputy Team Manager: Gwen Spurlock

Coach: Llewellyn Whittaker

Physio: Michael Pellegrino

GOOD LUCK to Emily Evans as she heads to Denmark for the 2022 EuroSUP Championships for Team Wales. 

​ 
​We are super excited to support Emily as she battles it out in several SUP disciplines: distance, technical, sprint and surf. 

Opening ceremony: Saturday 27/08
​
​Keep up to date with the action online... https://supcitydenmark.dk/

WSF's Paul Killa has worked so very hard on this project, and to see it come to fruition is a testament to his dedication to water safety and maintaining the Welsh beaches and coastline.

Below is the write-up from the Swansea Bay News when the story caught the eye of the local press. The initiative will hopefully be a blueprint for other beaches/areas to follow in Caswell's footsteps.

A new initiative has been launched so people know leisure operators using a Gower Beach have the skills and experience to provide safe fun activities delivered to the highest standard.

Swansea Council has joined up with the RNLI and the Welsh Surfing Federation to launch the Caswell Beach Operators Charter.

It aims to ensure safe and sustainable use of one of Gower’s most popular beaches for activities while being mindful of the many thousands of casual beach users who visit each year.

The other founding members are Surfability UK CIC, Progress Surf School, Gower Surf Academy, Mumbles Lifeguard Club and Gower Activity Centres.

Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration and Tourism, Robert Francis -Davies, said: “I’m really pleased that we have been able to join together as partnership to launch this charter and I’d like to thank all those involved.

“This charter allows people to know they are using an authorised locally-based operator with the qualifications and experience to deliver safe activities while being mindful of the environment and other beach users.

“Swansea has more than 40 miles of coastline so water safety and sustainability is vitally important."

“This is one of the first initiatives of its kind in Wales and something we hope to extend to some of our other spectacular beaches.”

The charter is designed to be flexible and will be reviewed regularly with operators updated within the confines of the sustainable use of the beach.

All organisations that sign up to the charter must be able to demonstrate that they have the skills and experience to offer licensed beach activities.

They also give a commitment to avoid any damage to the site and leave it in the condition they found it, to minimise any disturbance to wildlife, fellow beach users and the local community and to promote sustainable beach use to all who use their services.

Signs have been put up around the beach promoting the charter and its members.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Surfing Federation said: “We have worked with partner agencies to achieve what is a first for the country and something that we hope will be adopted by other landowners and local authorities to give an industry standard, promoting the safest possible environment for the public who engage in lessons and coaching from surfing and SUP organisations that are affiliated to the WSF.”

Image: Swansea Council

The Welsh Coast Surf Club hosted their annual Grom Festival at Rest Bay, Porthcawl today. On what was one of the sunniest, busiest beach days of the year so far, the club managed to run the event to completion. 

The waves were small, but the water warm and the stoke level dialled to maximum!

The groms battled it out in the following categories:

U10, U12B, U12G, U14B, U14G, U16G & U18B (B = boys, G = Girls)

The feedback has been amazing from the competitors!

Fun day comps like this is where so many grass-roots surfers begin, and we would like to thank all of the sponsors of the event for helping WCSC put on such an amazing contest.

Keep an eye on our events calendar where we will keep you updated on everything that is going on.

Well done WCSC!

There is a live stream of the event for you to watch from where ever you are in the world. Visit the Surf Snowdonia page to find out more by clicking here.

If band width's a problem for you, or you're in a meeting or place where video watching is frowned upon, why not just follow the live scores! The WSF are hosting the live scores for the WASC event in Surf Snowdonia. Find them by clicking here.

Surf Snowdonia are hosting for the second time the Welsh Adaptive Surfing Championships.

Welcoming back surfers from all over the world for the contest, Surf Snowdonia will stage the event in their freshwater Wavegarden surf lagoon over the 1st and 2nd July. 

This year is going to be better than ever following two summers of lockdowns and restrictions – in short, the waves are rolling, the surfers are preparing and the stoke levels are at an all-time high. 

Participating in the event (as well as being responsible for making much of it happen), Wales' very own Llewelyn Williams of Abersoch, North Wales.

Good luck to all the competitors!

Head to the Surf Snowdonia site by clicking here to catch all the action via their live stream!

2022 PuraVida MiPost
Welsh National Senior Surfing Championships hosted at Llantwit Major
 
Logan Nicol successfully defends his Men’s Open title and Joanne Dennison makes a successful return to competition to make it eight Women’s Open titles! Elliot Dudley adds yet another win to his haul of Longboard Men’s titles.

A sun-kissed Llantwit Major staged the PuraVida MiPost Senior Welsh National Surfing Championships for only the second time in the event’s history. With the Junior event having already run off in May, the Welsh Surfing Federation took the decision to utilise Llantwit Major over the traditional home of Freshwater West. Competitors were blessed with fun, highly contestable conditions thanks to an unseasonably solid swell. Whilst not quite eclipsing the 2011 epic last held in The Vale, the alternative location once again provided an excellent weekend of high-quality competition.

Held on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th June, the Welsh Surfing Federations showpiece took advantage of a decent swell in the Bristol Channel. Competitors were blessed with breezy head-high waves to carve up in front of the judges and the beach-side crowd.

Saturday brought the more challenging conditions of the weekend, with surfers working hard to thread scoring manoeuvres together on solid, wind-battered faces.

The day belonged to Gary Lewis (Welsh Coast Surf Club) whose overall tally of 8.93 was enough to win the over 40s Grand Masters final, just ahead of runner-up Greg Owen (WCSC) who clocked 8.37. Lewis, used his momentum to dominate in the over 50s Grand Kahunas final; a score of 11.33 enabled the Welsh Coast Surf Club evergreen to take the crown.
 

 
Gary Lewis: “A lot of paddling to do today, but the sun was shining and there were nice waves so I can’t complain. I haven’t been in the contest for 25 years, so I’m a bit rusty but it all worked out in the end – good fun, I think everyone enjoyed it. It’s great to be back and catch up with familiar faces.”
“It feels great to be champion, it’s always nice to get a trophy in the cabinet especially after such a long time out.”
 

 
The bodyboarders sorted out the last of the day’s business, with the final taking place in 2-3ft peaks folding over on Pago’s Peak, a super fickle high-tide slab at the eastern end of Llantwit beach breaking in a foot or two of water. Watched on just a few meters away by an enthusiastic crowd who were treated to a gritty display comprising of barrel-rolls onto the ledge and some very short but intense tubes. The closely fought final saw George Bevan nudge Richard Livock to the top of the scoreboard at the final hooter.

George Bevan: “It was great to contest the finals on a sponger’s wave. It was sick! It’s good to have a division here and represent. It was really fun and a good vibe in the water, lovely weather and a great day all round. Awesome day.”
 
Sunday brough clean shoulder-high surf was the order of the day to settle the four Welsh titles left up for grabs. With the waves building through mid-morning, the Masters final was quite a tussle. James Jones (Langland Board Riders) ran into a couple of decent rights to post an overall 12.16 and secure the Masters crown. Runner up, Mark Vaughan (Channel Coast Surf Club) missed out by a fin’s breadth, posting 12.00. Porthcawl’s Sam Moore with a combined total of 11.67 only a fraction behind an out of sync Greg Owen.
 

James Jones: “The pushing tide definitely improved conditions, so there were more open faces available. I tried to be more patient and wait for the better ones.
 There was a lot on offer out there and I think having priority helped me, and the wind wasn’t too bad.”
Commenting on his victory: “I just like beating Vaughanie to be honest, on home turf too. I don’t care if I come fourth, as long as he comes fifth, that’s literally all it’s about. I’m chuffed with the win. I only decided to enter the contest yesterday and I’m stoked with the win.”
 

The Women’s Open final saw a real mix of experience as Pembrokeshire’s next generation: Katie David, Indi Lynch and Poppy Owen took on the past champions of Emily Williams and Joanne Denison who between them share 15 Welsh titles! The Pembrokeshire girls showed committed displays and solid surfing over the barnacle covered boulders to prove that the future of Welsh women’s surfing is in good hands. The greater experience of the past champs battled it out for this year’s title, as the final came down to just 0.5 separating North Wales resident Joanne Dennison and Emily Williams of Channel Coast Surf Club. The girls traded off on the longer running rights, Emily’s vertical forehand versus veteran Jo Dennison’s powerful backhand hooks, it was the extra whip of Jo’s attack that was enough to seal the deal with an overall score of 10.9.

 
Jo Dennison: “The conditions were quite tricky, just like yesterday, but it’s my first-time surfing Llantwit Major so I’m just happy to be here and excited to try a new wave. My first ride was nice but I couldn’t really find another one, but there were some nice should-high runners if you could get on them.”
“I couldn’t defend my title last year, so I’m just really happy with the result.”

The hotly anticipated Welsh Men’s Open final saw current Welsh champion and semi local, Logan Nicol (CCSC) up against the rapid-fire Patrick Langdon-Dark (LBR), first time and quite possibly the youngest ever Open finalist Eli Perrins-Davies (CCSC) and quite likely the oldest ever Open finalist Mark Vaughan (CCSC).

 
With Llantwit’s infamous rip now in full force, fitness, timing and local knowledge proved to be key! In the battle of the ages, Eli took a notable third place finish ahead of veteran Vaughanie, who having made the finals of three categories, had double the heat count of his fellow finalists, and ran out of steam.

This left Wales top two pros to fight it out. Logan’s understanding of Llantwit’s intricacies gave him a slight advantage and saw him get off to a blistering start. Pat answered back quickly but with Logan locking in two solid scores in the opening minutes, Pat was left chasing his lead. With time ticking away Pat was clearly holding out for a tasty wall to attack that just didn’t materialise. A little slice of history was repeated as Logan’s smart and precise surfing was enough to defeat PLD, who had to settle for second spot.

Logan Nicol: “Conditions were really tricky out there. For me, surfing here a lot with a bit of local knowledge definitely helped, but there was a strong rip current, and I just about managed to pick off the right waves and get the job done.”
“Thanks so much to everyone, I’m stoked, just so happy. Obviously, my best mate was in the final, so I’m super stoked to come away with the win. It was a hard competition”

The final piece of the weekends action saw the contest switched from the peak known as The Point over to The Left-Hand Side, a right-hand point break, (yes this is the Llantwit, The Right that’s named The Left) for the Men’s Longboard final, which provided a sparkling curtain closer to the Welsh National Surfing Championships.
 
Finalists Blake Jones (WCSC), Evan Rogers (CCSC), Arran Bright (CCSC) and Elliot Dudley (CCSC) took turns to impress on reeling shoulder-high rights, with plenty of nose-riding and knee-drop turns keeping the judges on their toes. Consistency was key for multiple European longboard champion, Elliot Dudley who took home the gold thanks to a seasoned performance.

 
Elliot Dudley: “There were definitely some good waves on offer, they were affected a little bit by currents running through and some wind on it, but there were some that really sat up nicely on the reef and doubled up producing some really good waves.
 
“It took me a while to get into the flow of it; had a couple of shockers, and then the last couple I had, I manged to get my scores up. That’s the good thing about having a 25-minute final, sometimes you run out of time and end up having to do 15- or 20-minute heats, but this contest has been so well organised; it’s great we’ve managed to have 25-minute finals.”
 
“I couldn’t do the Welsh last year due to injury, so I missed out, and the year before that there was Covid, so I think it’s been three years since my last contest. It feels great to get the title back, I’m stoked!”
 

In summary the event was a huge success for the WSF and an excellent locational choice given the conditions available over the weekend. It will be hard to prize the Senior Nationals away from Llantwit in the future
 

Huge thanks go to:
 
All our competitors and spectators at Llantwit Major for being part of another great Welsh National Surfing Championships.
 
A massive thank-you also to our sponsors @puravidaboardriders #MiPost and @power_2go for their terrific support.
 
A big shout of appreciation also to: Christian Surfers Wales; Sport Wales; and WSA (Welsh Sports Association).
 
Sarah Jones - Vale of Glamorgan Council
Matt Childs and Louis Evans - RNLI
Maria - Llantwit Major Beach café
Llantwit Major Surf Life SAVING Club
Curtis Hancock and all at Channel Coast Surf Club
Rhydian Brewer - Christian Surfers Wales for their unwavering support of Welsh Surfing.
 
Photographers - Huw Morgan Williams, Pete Bounds, John Dudley and James Bowen.
Web Cast Team – Tom Anderson, Craig Nicol, Dayana Del Puerto, Joshua Vaughan, Rob Blythe and Callum Thomas.
Website & Social Media – Sam Johnson, Steve White, Craig Nicol
 
Priority Team - Sam Moore, Rudi Perrins Davies, Tim Aylett, and Paul Beatle & Joe Lewis
Beach Marshall - Morgan Hendry
WSF Judges - Jamie Bateman, Craig Garvey, Gwen Spurlock, Emily Williams, Curtis Hancock, Rhydian Brewer, Phil Saddler, Mark Vaughan, Tim Aylett
Head Judge - Craig Burrows
Refresh Live Scoring - Tim Aylett
Contest Directors – Huw John and Mark Vaughan
 
Full Results - 2022
 
Bodyboard
1.     George Bevan; 2. Rich Livock; 3. Tai Jackson; 4. George Boucher
 
Grand Kahunas (over 50s)
1.     Gary Lewis (WCSC); 2. Colin Bright (CCSC); 3. Neil Newman (LBR); 4. Craig Burrows (CCSC); 5. Simon Blower (PSC)
 
Grand Masters (Over 40s)
1.     Gary Lewis (WCSC); 2. Greg Owen (WCSC); 3. Simon Page (LBR); 4. Mark Vaughan (CCSC)
 
Masters (over 35s)
1.     James Jones (LBR); 2. Mark Vaughan (CCSC); 3. Sam Moore (WCSC); 4. Greg Owen (WCSC)
 
Men’s Longboard
1.     Elliot Dudley (CCSC); 2. Evan Rogers (CCSC); 3. Arran Bright (CCSC); 4. Blake Jones (WCSC)
 
Women’s Masters
1.     Joanne Dennison
 
Women’s Open
1.     Joanne Dennison, 2. Emily Williams (CCSC); 3. Indi Lynch (PSLSC); 4. Katie David (PSC); 5. Poppy Owen (PSC)
 
Men’s Open
1.     Logan Nicol (CCSC); 2. Patrick Langdon-Dark (LBR); 3. Eli Perrins Davies (CCSC); 4. Mark Vaughan (CCSC)