Surfers will be getting on their bellies and taking on the waves on Sunday in the world’s only Belly Boarding Championships.
The event, organised by the National Trust, will see hundreds of participants take to the sea on old-fashioned wooden belly boards.
The 2010 World Belly Board Championships is sponsored by Skinners Brewery.
Wetsuits are not allowed – and many participants even come in traditional bathing attire, including frilly bathing caps.
The event is the brainchild of two keen local surfers – Chris Ryan, who is Chapel Porth National Trust car park attendant, and Martin Ward, an RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor. The two friends developed the idea in 2002 as a memorial to the late Arthur Traveller, a Londoner who holidayed with his wooden board at Chapel Porth every year.
From its humble beginnings with only a handful of competitors, the championships now boast over 200 entrants.
Robyn Davies, five times British Surf Champion and Surf Project Officer for the National Trust said: “The World Belly Board Championship celebrates all that is good about surfing. This event brings a communal stoke factor back to an ever growing sport.”
Last year hundreds of surfers on traditional wooden belly boards took part, from as far afield as New York, Denmark, the British Virgin Islands and Australia.
This year participants can register in advance at www.bellyboarding.co.uk.
Surfers will compete for the coveted World Title as well as for the Most Stylish, Best Trick and Spirit of Belly Boarding categories.
There is also the opportunity to win prizes out of the water, with belly boards judged on the Best Artwork, Best Patina and Best Vintage.
There will also be prizes for the Best Costume and Best Bathing Cap.
There are now three age categories, Junior (under 60) and Senior (over 60) and the Groms (under 18).
** Archived September 2010 **
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