Surftember Spectacular 03/09/2011

The day began with everybody thinking that the weather was for once going to be very nice.

We all met at the car park for 8:30 and the sun was already out and it was very warm.

After the briefing at 8:45 the first heat got on the water for 9:30. I had hours before my first heat so I went out for a free surf after helping take all the judging equipment down to the beach and then up onto the cliff.

The surf was very big, messy and extremely powerful.  I took awhile to get used to it as it was the biggest surf I had been out in and the first wave I took was a bit of a disaster.  I went flying down the face of it and then bottom turned and went for the lip.  I hit it and I came down and was instantly turned upside down and I was tossed about quite a bit till I was released off the back of it.  After that I choose my waves very carefully!  Sadly the weather started to make a turn for the worst.  The sun went in and dark clouds appeared though it didn’t start raining till later on in the day.

I went up the cliff to the judging area and watched everybody else surfing till my heats came up and I was able to see whereabouts the best place for surfing was.

My first heat was the junior short semi-final and the surf hadn’t dropped off any at that stage so it was still extremely big.  I only had a couple of waves both of them long rides but sadly I miss-timed all of my ”off the lip moves ” so I didn’t score as highly as I could have done although I did well enough without them to win that heat and put me in the final.  I had to wait quite a long time again for my next heat and I debated going out again for another free surf but in the end decided against it.

The tide had really gone out when the time came for my next heat which was the junior long final.

It was quite dumpy and still big so it was hard work to paddle out and to get a good ride.  I don’t think it helped having a boat with lots of water in it either!  I’m going to have to check it and make sure I don’t have any holes in it as my deck fits it pretty well.   I didn’t really have any good rides so I wasn’t very happy at the end of it!

I had about an hour till my last heat of the day (which was the junior short final) and it was now raining so I took the chance of getting to the van and getting warm and also having something to eat.

The organizers were wondering whether to leave the rest of the heats till the day after (Sunday) as it was still dumpy and it would take several hours for the tide to come in enough to make a difference but in the end they decided to carry on as the forecast for Sunday was not very nice.  – Bigger surf and horrible weather.

At last the time for the junior short final arrived and we got into the water and paddled out back.  It was still big and it was hard to get a good wave.  I had a couple of waves but wasn’t too happy with them but considering the conditions I didn’t think I had done too badly.

There was now a couple of heats left so I had enough time to change and deal with all the boats and kit before the prize giving.  I was able to watch the last two heats and a couple of people had some swims which wasn’t too surprising as everybody was getting tired.

At the prize giving there was a box of ‘goodies’ kindly donated by AS Watersports  for the people who had come first and second.  Also there were some very nice shields for the ones who came first but sadly I just missed out on one as I came 2nd in the Junior Short and I came 3rd in the Junior Long.

Next competition is the World Championships in America in three weeks!