Watergate Bay, 3 - 5 May 2008

Headworx English Nationals hits the waves next weekend at the Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 April, 2008 : - - England’s top surfers are making final preparations for the first big national competition of the year as the Headworx English Nationals returns to the Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay next weekend.

Starting on Saturday 3rd May, the three day event is one of the biggest surfing competitions in Europe, with over 300 surfers taking part to decide national champions in 24 divisions. There is plenty at stake. As well as the prestige of being crowned a national champion, the winning junior surfers will also enhance their chances of representing England at the European Junior Surfing Championships later this year.

“The huge range of divisions and large number of surfers competing makes the Headworx English Nationals a really special event,” said Ben Byfield from Headworx, who are based at nearby Tolcarne Beach in Newquay.

“At Headworx we have been sponsoring core surf events since the company was founded in 1976, and the English Nationals is a great event to be involved with because it’s all about the grass roots of surfing. This event decides national titles and the selection of surfers to represent their country at the European Championships, so there is real pride at stake.”

Two surfers currently in great form are Headworx team riders Matt Capel and Johnny Fryer, both of whom finished on the podium at the season’s first UK Pro Surf Tour contest at Croyde last month.

“Making the final of the Croyde event was a good start to the year for me,” said Fryer. “Usually for the first contest you’re a bit rusty so it was nice to make the final. It would have been even nicer to win. Matt (Capel) just missed out on winning that event by half a point, so it was a good little warm up for the Headworx riders ahead of the English Nationals.

“A lot of the surfers will be coming back from a winter away surfing in warm water in Australia or Indonesia, which isn’t the best preparation to come back and go straight into competing in cold water. I went to Hawaii for a month in January with Headworx, and I’ve been at home since then, surfing a lot, so I’ve got the feel for English waves. I feel good at the moment; I’ve got a good board, and I’m looking forward to the Headworx English Nationals.”

Now in its 36th year, the Headworx English Nationals has expanded again to include a total of 24 divisions. Competing surfers range in age from 8 to over 60, and as well as the coveted Open title there are divisions for bodyboard, longboard, kneeboard and, for the first time, stand-up paddle surf.

The discipline, which combines elements of longboarding with traditional Polynesian outrigger canoes, sees surfers standing up on their boards using a single canoe paddle to power them into the waves.

The Extreme Academy has been home to the English Nationals since 2002. With quality peaks at all stages of the tide, Watergate Bay’s two mile stretch of beach gives organisers the option to run four sets of heats simultaneously throughout the three days of competition.

“Watergate Bay first held top level surfing competitions back in the ‘60s, and it’s fantastic to still have the latest generation of surfers competing at the beach today,” said Will Ashworth, Managing Director of The Hotel & Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay.

“I’m always impressed by the level of surfing we see at the Headworx English Nationals, particularly from the young surfers competing in the junior divisions. Extreme Academy team rider Harry Timson has been incredibly successful over the past couple of years, and we will be watching keenly to see how he has come on over the winter months.”

In the Junior division, 18 year old Aiden Wright from Newquay is the defending champion. Aiden, who has won the title for the past two years, is keen to continue his momentum in 2008: “It’s my last year as a junior and I hope to make it the dream three titles in a row before I move up into the Open ranks next year. I’m excited and can’t wait for the event to start.”

Oli Adams, the defending Open division champion, is equally excited about pulling on the contest rash vest again.

“I have been looking forward to coming back to defend my title as it felt so good to win last year,” said Oli. “Some of the best surfers in the country will be there so it’s never easy. It’s an opportunity to put all that winter training into practice. After last year’s win I had so much confidence going into the competitive season.”

Those unable to make it to the beach can watch the action unfold on the Headworx website: headworx.com. Results will be updated regularly throughout the event, and there will be daily video highlights and photos uploaded after each day’s heats are concluded.

The Headworx English Nationals are run by the English Surfing Federation (ESF), a non-profit-making organisation dedicated to the support and development of English surfers.