welshkate

I heard about two surf competitions running back to back in Bude, Cornwall. I called Simon to register a place for both days but I was amazed to find Saturdays competition full. I drove down anyway on the off chance some people would drop out and I could take their place. As fate would have it, just that occurred and i competed both days. It was my first time surfing in Cornwall in my reflex, surf was fairly small and sets were infrequent, but the sun was shinning I didn’t do too well in the Classic, but i didn’t really care. To be fair i had a good excuse for my second heat whereby i was drawn against Nathan Eades, Sam Davenport, Tamsin Green and Ed Long. Ho-hum.

Photo: A pelthera of mutli-coloured surf boats

Something I’m learning about competitive surfing is that although etiquette is prevalent, surfing aggressively is super-important. That means even if a paddler is going for a wave, another paddler is well within their rights to paddle for it too. Jockeying for position (maybe a bit of snaking???) seems to be a tactic too; and with waves few and far between there was some of that going on. Naomi and Nathan did really well, with Nath taking top place in the comp and Naomi taking 7th; a good day for the Welshies!

Photo: Naomi in her pink DB.