N.K.M. Barbados Surfing Association Scholastics Surfing champions

Surfing title No. 4 for St Winifred's

Brief Surfing title No. 4 for St Winifred's

by Heather-Lynn Evanson

THE ST WINIFRED'S SCHOOL are this year's N.K.M. Barbados Surfing Association Scholastics Surfing champions - again.

The contingent from Pine Hill, St Michael, pulled out all the stops and lan

by HEATHER-LYNN EVANSON

THE ST WINIFRED'S SCHOOL are this year's N.K.M. Barbados Surfing Association Scholastics Surfing champions - again.

The contingent from Pine Hill, St Michael, pulled out all the stops and landed their school the top spot for the fourth consecutive year.

Sheer numbers - the body-board final was an all St Winifred's affair - guaranteed that the school would get a total of 7 870 points from all nine divisions and take home the N.K.M Challenge Trophy.

The St Michael School, whose surfer Ametza Nicholls landed the top spot in every female division - was second with 3 860 points, while Queen's College and the Learning for Life School were third and fourth with 3 660 and 2 730 points, respectively.

The switch in venue by officials from the Barbados Surfing Association from Drill Hall Beach, to South Point, Christ Church, worked wonders for the competition. Drill Hall was unsurfable, while South Point served up waves of three to five feet.

Unarguably, it was the boy's Under 16 final - the last event of the day, that served up the most excitement.

It pitted the top two local boys, Bruce Mackie and Lewis St John, against consistent surfer Jordan Heaselgrave and last year's individual points winner Matthew Keiffer.

St John and Mackie came out blazing with both taking off and catching the same wave.

However, even though Mackie appeared to concede the interference call by raising his hands, it made no difference to his eventual first place finish.

Heaselgrave forged ahead to take second from St John, while Keiffer was fourth.

And while the expected names dominated the competition, the day belonged to the Under-12 and Menehune surfers, some as young as six years old, who found themselves battling five-foot waves as high tide turned around midday.