Considering the South West’s reputation as one of the world’s top destinations, it might seem strange that the European Tour Longboard took so long to visit the region’s shore.
But four years since the tournament began, Europe’s finest longboard surfers finally pitched up in Cornwall to compete.
The weekend’s heats, held at Watergate Bay in Newquay, were the first to be staged anywhere in the UK as part of the five-round tour.
Local hero Ben Skinner was pipped to the crown by Frenchman Remi Arauzo. But for spectators and organisers alike, simply seeing the adrenaline sport in Cornish waters was satisfying.
The weekend was a mixture of conditions, with blue skies and big heavy surf greeting competitors on Saturday.
The sense of occasion, and the battle for the top spot between Skinner and Arauzo, gripped the crowd as the spectators formed into two camps to support their favourite surfer.
** Archived October 2010 **
[wordbay] surf wear [/wordbay]
