THE BEST of local surfing talent takes to the waves of the East Coast this weekend as the Barbados Surfing Association's (BSA) Lazy Days/Sprite Nationals surf off at Soup Bowl, Bathsheba.
Up for grabs is a $2 000 purse in the men's open division and $1 000
for the best female
surfer in the island.
This year's competition, said BSA president Andrew Lewis, promises
to be bigger and better than ever before, providing the waves are up
to Soup Bowl standard.
"This year, we are really trying to bring it back
to what it was before and we want to have a nice two-day event," he said.
"I believe we should get really good competition, especially from the surfers who are lured by the prize money, provided we get
a good wave. If the waves are good and with the prize money, it could be the best Nationals,"
he said.
Lewis added that
the BSA was trying to recapture the glory of past National Surfing Championships with
this year's competition.
"Years ago, Nationals used to be a big event. It used to be a big thing to be crowned national champion," he said.
Last year's champion Stefan Corbin will be back in the water to defend his title against the likes
of Lewis St John and Jordan Heaselgrave
who is just back from
a fifth-place finish in a competition in Venezuela.
Also looking to regain her form is last year's winner Ametza Nicholls who injured her back earlier this year. She
is up against the Chelseas - Chelsea Roett and Chelsea Tuach - the
two most improved
female surfers.
The best top four open surfers will compete for $800 first place prize; $600 second place purse and $400 and $200 third and fourth-place prizes respectively.
In the women, the top four finishers will receive $400, $300, $200
and $100 respectively.
Lewis hopes the increase in prize money would be an incentive
to all local surfers, especially those who do not normally compete
on the local circuit.
He added the competition could see as many as 48 local male surfers and 16 females taking to the water
in the two-day event.
The event, which
is in its 27th year, has seen champions like Peter Hill, Alan Burke, Mark Holder, Edmund Holder, Jason Stanley, Joe Gamble, Simon Coles, Anderson Mayers and Wendell Anderson
taking the top prize.
Registration closes at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and competition is expected in the Men's Open, Under-18 Boys', Under-16 Boys', the Ladies' Open, Under-18 Girls', body-board,
Longboard, Masters
and Under 12.
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