The Gold Rush-UK Big wave event

The Gold Rush

British Surfing Association
Fistral Beach, Newquay Cornwall
Date to be determined 2007/2008

SURFERS GET READY TO GO FOR GOLD!

With huge winter swells now on the cards, The British Surfing Association’s surf experts are currently scanning the weather charts for the ‘perfect storm’ that will allow them to run The Gold Rush, a speciality big wave event sponsored by Skinners Brewery, to be held at Fistral Beach.

Last year’s inaugural event was a huge success. Spectators were treated to some of the best contest surfing the UK had ever seen as clean 8ft waves (created by the tail end of Hurricane Gordon) pounded the Cornish coastline. In a dramatic final, Jersey’s Scott Eastwood took the £1000 winners cheque with a last minute barrel that earned him a perfect 10 from the judges and some serious respect from his peers!

Dropping everything and heading for big waves has always been the quest of keen surfers. But all too often contest dates coincide with small and or messy surf, resulting in lackluster performances. So the BSA came up with the innovative idea of a contest that would only happen when the surf is epic. With support from Restormel Borough Council and the RNLI, not to mention the enthusiastic surfers, the Gold Rush vision became a reality.

The event is called ‘on’ at 2-3 day’s notice, allowing near certainty of big, clean waves. For safety reasons, and to ensure a high standard of surfing, the event is invite only, with a field small enough to allow the BSA to run the event in one day, which can be any day of the week.

Karen Walton, National Director of the BSA says, “Last year was the first ever Gold Rush and it was just immense! With the opportunity for us to call the contest at 24 hours notice to co-incide with superb conditions, we can ensure that we’re providing the very best canvas that the ocean can provide and therefore continually raising the bar of competitive surfing in this country.”

The contest date will be announced on the BSA website as soon as it has been decided.

Photo: Tony Plant