THE INTERNATIONAL surfers came to conquer but the local surfers held their own as the curtain came down on the Barbados Surfing Association’s Sprite Independence Pro and McEnearney ASP Junior Pro contests at the Soup Bowl in Bathsheba yesterday.
The biggest cheers were for Barbados’ own queen of surfing, Chelsea Tuach.
All eyes were on the island’s ASP surf champion, and she did not disappoint those who cheered her every move.
Surfing in the ASP Pro Junior Women’s final, Tuach, who was coming off a third-place finish in her last overseas event in Brazil, showed just why she has been dominating the international surf scene.
With her attacking style and local wave knowledge, red-jerseyed Tuach kept dropping scores in the six and over point-range for her big off-the-lip manoeuvres.
So pleased was she with her final wave, which gave her a 9.0 score, that Tuach pumped her fist in jubilation as she headed for the beach. And the crowd echoed her enthusiasm with its roar of appreciation. Her highest wave score was 9.33.
The fight was definitely for second place and it was United States surfer Tia Blanco, who had dogged Tuach matching her wave for wave and eventually took that spot.
However, if her competition was left in her wake in the event, Chelsea Roett made sure Tuach would have to fight for her win in the Women’s Open Final.
As the pipeline threw up some of its largest waves of the day, the Chelseas revelled in the conditions and Roett, who is no stranger to the international surf scene, came within less than two points of denying Tuach her second title on the day.
In the competitive men’s competition, the excitement lasted right to the buzzer of the final event with Costa Rican surfer Noe Mar McGonagle tucking himself into a brilliant barrel on the final wave of the heat to not only catapult himself from the bottom to second place, but to end with the highest wave score of the entire event – 9.77.
Moments before, McGonagle brought the crowd to its feet after he had tucked himself into one barrel, shot out to carve the open face of the wave, then pulling into a second for a 9-point wave score.
However, it was still not enough to wrest the first place from American surfer Jonah Carter, who had been consistent all weekend.
Earlier in the day Josh Burke, another local surfer who has been making waves on the international scene, took the Under-16 title in a final that, but for one name, was reminiscent of a local final.
Wave conditions on the day started out small, but as the north swell moved in, the waves steadily increased to the point that even the judges took a break to watch the pipeline.
Speaking to NationSport after the event, Barbados Surfing Association treasurer Louis Venezia said he was amazed by the talent of the local surfers who held their own against their international competitors.
“I was extremely surprised at the level of competition that was here and how our boys stepped up and rose to the occasion. And that was exactly what I wanted to accomplish,” he said.
He promised that the event will become an annual affair and the BSA would be looking to get a higher star ranking on the ASP North American tour.
The day’s events were capped by the Malibu Miss Bikini contest, while the competition was watched by 2 000 viewers via the Barbados Surfing Association live webcast of the action.
FINAL RESULTS
Under 16: Josh Burke (BDS); Che Allan (BDS); Dane Mackie (BDS); Nolan Rapoza.
ASP Junior Women’s Pro: Chelsea Tuach (BDS); Tia Blanco (USA); Leilani McGonagle (CR); Malia Osterkamp (USA).
ASP Junior Men’s Pro: Parker Coffin (USA); Jake Marshall (USA); Noah Schweiser (USA); Jonah Carter (USA).
Women’s final: Chelsea Tuach (BDS); Chelsea Roett (BDS); Tia Blanco (USA); Malia Osterkamp (USA).
Under 12: Zander Venezia (BDS); Kyle Tester (USA); Titouan Veschamber (Guadeloupe) Darian Pitcher (BDS).
Independence Pro Open Men’s Final: Jonah Carter (USA); Noe Mar McGonagle (Costa Rica); Griffin Culapinto, Jake Marshall (USA).
