Barbados’ top rated female surfer is set to make another big splash.
Fifteen-year-old phenom Chelsea Tuach, the country’s top ranked and World No. 9 ranked junior, has two major challenges ahead of her in the upcoming weeks.
She leaves the island on Friday for San Francisco on the United States’ west coast, where she will be competing against eight of the region’s best 16-and-Under surfers in very cold, challenging conditions.
At this time of year, with winter around the corner, temperatures in the Pacific Ocean can dip sharply, and usually hover beneath ten degrees Celsius.
Tuach qualified for this event when she won the Ripcurl Gromsearch event held in New Smyrna, Florida in August.
She has been training hard for this event and is hoping for a better result, having finished third at last year’s event which was held in Puerto Rico.
But Tuach won’t be flying the Barbados flag alone.
She will be accompanied by Barbados’ other top female surfer, Chelsea Roett who was granted a wild card into the event and who is also expected to perform well.
Upon her return, Tuach won’t have much time away from the water, but at least she’ll be closer to home.
She packs up for the warmer waters of Guadeloupe here in the Caribbean, where she will be representing Barbados at the Pan American Surfing Championships which take place from November 12 to 20.
This bi-annual event brings together the region’s best surfers, all seeking to be crowned the Pan-American Champions and earn valuable points for their national teams.
Tuach will be surfing in the Open Women’s Division and will be accompanied by her brother Dane Tuach, and Bruce Mackie who will be representing Barbados in the Open Men’s Division. (BA/PR)
