Bernick and Seven Islands (Brittany) v Jersey 18th/19th April at the Watersplash
As predicted the surf did not materialise to anything significant but the 1st round of the shortboard divisions were completed and both Ladies and Open Longboard categories reached the final stages.
A 20 strong party from the two Brittany surf clubs participated along with a joint force of 30 surfers from the Jersey Longboard Riders Association and the Jersey Surfboard Club. All surfers in the Longboard division surfed extremely well in the less than perfect conditions executing style and manoeuvres with control and ease throughout the event. The conditions were unfortunately too small on the second day of the contest for the shortboarders to continue and their event had to be postponed.
As the competition became more longboard focused, Alexy Deniel and Lucien Leray both from the Perros Gueric region of Brittany demonstrated some extremely polished professional surfing. Deniel the 2007 French Champion reached the final but was pushed into 2nd place in his semi final by local Brad Jones who was surfing in his first ever competition. Jones and Deniel were joined in the final by JSC junior Will Glenn and former European Tour surfer Gordon Blake. Both Blake and Glenn put the pressure on straight away in the 20 minute final with some stylish traditional nose rides and drop knee turns. Deniel and Jones feeling the heat soon stepped up their game and combined more manoeuvres to take control of the final in the dying stages. Deniel showing every skill of longboarding eventually took 1st place, Jones 2nd, Blake 3rd and Glen 4th.
The ladies also competed well in the small conditions and fought tooth and nail to get the heat winning waves in the final. Helene Bonutto from the Bernick Club came under tough opposition from local girls Grace Davies, Esther Lempriere and Chantele Coote. Bonutto the Ladies Brittany champion tried all the tricks in the trade to gain an advantage. Switch footing and forcing turns could not stop the stylish surfing of the Jersey Girls with Lempriere picking off the set waves and Davies lining up the inside lefts. Lempriere took 1st,Davies 2nd, Bonutto 3rd and Coote 4th
The next Jersey v Brittany contest will be held in Perros Gueric. Date TBC. The 2nd round of the AIB Euro-Qualifier for Masters, Senior Man, Open and Ladies will be set for 2/3rd of May.Points will be awarded for those that entered the Longboard event this weekend.
Thanks to AIB Jersey,Cloud 9,AC Le Galais and all the helpers and judges. Big thanks to Bill Davies for driving down on the Sunday to fire up the BBQ
DF JSC
