BARBADOS’ teenage surfing prodigy Chelsea Tuach continues to make a name for herself with another podium finish on the west coast of the United States.
Competing last weekend in the 20 and Under Girls’ Division of a Volcom Surf Contest in Mandalay, Oxnard, California, which attracted some of the top junior surfers from the United States, Tuach, in spite of surfing in difficult, shifty beach-break conditions, earned a close second place to United States’ team rider, Frankie Harrer.
The Barbados’ 2012 Surfer Of The Year champion in both the Open Women’s and Under-18 Girls’ divisions and the Caribbean Women’s champion, is now the 11th ranked female junior in the world.
The previous weekend, Tuach competed in a National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) Gold Coast Explorer event as well as a North West Open Women’s event on successive days in the frigid waters of Morro Bay, Northern California.
She was again second in both events against some of America’s top females with her signature power carves and backside off-the-lips manoeuvres.
The 16-year-old Tuach has also been competing in the Open Women’s Division of the South West Open Conference of the NSSA where she is ranked third.
The South West Conference has the largest membership and is regarded by the surfing industry as the highest level of surfing competition on the West Coast of the United States.
Tuach earned rave reviews also when she competed at an event held at Seaside Reef, San Diego, California on September 30.
“Barbados’ rising female star, Chelsea Tuach showed the exceptional depth of her skills by posting the event’s only perfect 10 score,” the organizers wrote on their website.
Another post following her display at the Gold Coast Explorer event in Ventura said: “A noteworthy performance was put in by Barbados’ top female surfer, Chelsea Tuach, who has already shown signs of greatness in contests this season, and who had the highest heat total of the day – 17.2 (out of a possible 20).”
Tuach, who is sponsored by ROXY, Red Bull, Dragon Alliance and Dakine, heads to Oceanside this weekend
 to compete in another NSSA South West Open event under the watchful eye of world class coach, Mike Lamm. (EZS)
