10 Board Challenge

22 . 06 . 13

This weekend just gone saw the 2nd edition of the Girls 10 Board challenge go down at Godrevy, hosted by the National Trust. The idea of the contest is both simple and brilliant; there are 10 surfboards available, each different from the next in length, shape, design and, often, construction and before each heat the competitors have their name drawn out of a hat to match them up with a numbered surfboard. Each surfboard has a handicap which the surfer’s wave score is calibrated against so that each ride is judged on it’s individual merits, considering surfer and equipment.

Contest organisers Alexa Poppe and Sarah Bentley wanted to organise a coming together of female surfers and to hold an event which encouraged surfers to try different things. At the end of the day the most versatile surfer would emerge the winner, but all competitors would have had a fun day and have surfed a variety of boards, some of which may be totally new to them.

Last Sunday competitors woke to a solid swell filling in at Godrevy, which was forecast to drop off throughout the afternoon offering contestable waves all day. We had a 9’5″ Seasaw which we’d picked up from the laminators just the day before available for the girls to take for a spin, and whilst perhaps a little longer than the surfboards that some competitors would be used to, it seemed to go really well. The added weight meant that it defied the offshore winds and allowed many of the surfers to get into waves that their competitors were getting blown off the backs of. The Seasaw saw action all the way through to the semi-finals but sadly wasn’t one of the numbers drawn out of the hat for the final. When the final hooter sounded Charlotte Bayliss walked away holding the trophy, whilst Jess Knight took out the Juniors division. Congratulations to the two of them and to all of the surfers who signed up and took part, and most of all a very big thank you has to go out to Alexa and Sarah for organising such a fun event and for inviting us to be a part of it. Here’s to next year!