Celtic Cup Surf Competition

The original date for the Celtic Cup was on Saturday the 3^rd and Sunday the 4^th of March and it was being held at Black Rock in Bude. When we got there at 8am the surf didn’t look very nice from the car park. It looked big and messy and I wasn’t looking forward to going out in it.

After the check-in and the safety brief I found out that the first heat of the day would be the Junior Short final (which I was in). I got changed quickly as I hadn’t a lot of time and then I got a bib and my boat off the roof-rack and went down to the beach. We launched, and paddling out I had some of the worst beatings I’ve had for a long time! The surf was really powerful and if I timed something wrong I definitely got a beating. I finally managed to get out back and then I found that I couldn’t see the flags! After looking very carefully I managed to spot them and saw that the green was up meaning the heat had started. It was really messy and I had trouble catching a wave. In the end I caught one but it wasn’t very good. It was closing out so I only had time to turn and go for the lip. Once back inside I found that I couldn’t get out back again so I tried to get a few inside waves and managed to get a couple but they weren’t very good.

When the heat finished we got out and did safety cover for the heat that was on after us, then I went up to the car park and got something to eat and drink and watched the next heat. At that point it was decided that the competition would be cancelled and re-run on a different date. It was decided, though, that the expression session ,which was going to be held on Sunday (the next day) would be held then instead, but at a different beach. I hadn’t entered this so I stayed around and watched a bit before I went home.

The re-run date was decided for the 17^th and 18^th of March (Saturday-Sunday) at the same place. After getting there I saw that surf was smaller than the time before but was still messy. There were a few heats before my first one so I had some breakfast while I was watching them. My first heat was in the Open Short and I didn’t do very well. I came third and the surf wasn’t very nice: again it was powerful and messy but it was better than the previous date! My next heat was later on in the day in the Open Long so I had time to watch everybody surfing. My heat in the Open Long was combined with the Junior Long final. I went out and I was glad of the extra length of my long boat as it was faster on flat water so it was easier to paddle out. I again didn’t do brilliantly and I came third so I didn’t move on to the next heat of the Open Long.

I had one more heat and that was a rep in the Open Short and I did a bit better in that and came second but I needed a first place to move on. That was all for me as I didn’t have any more heats to attend so I went and got changed and had some lunch and then I helped out with the judging for the rest of the day. There was some impressive surfing to be seen and towards the end I think everybody was beginning to feel tired.

Finally, at the end of the day we had the prize giving. The results for the Junior Short that was held on the first competition date still held and I came 3^rd in that. In the Junior Long I came 2^nd. I would like to congratulate Jon Mount who won the Open Short for the first time, beating the current world champion in the process. Well done! I can’t wait for the next competition (which is in April) to try and better my own results. See you around.

JTG