The Cornish and Open 2009, sponsored by the Blue Bar and Tris Surfboards was  held at Porthtowan in blazing sunshine and in 1-2 ft contestable waves.
About time we had some sunshine at a surf competition this year.
The morning surf was clean with light off shores switching to a cross shore wind from the North for the afternoon.
A good entry of upwards of 85 competitors for the five divisions of Open Longboard, Open Shortboard, Ladies Shortboard, U18’S and U16’s shortboard ensured that the competition was run off in one day due to the promise of no surf the next day. Some of the County’s top names took part showing what they can do in small surf. It’s a good job the shortboarders are all built like jockeys !!

Longboard
The Open Longboard was highly competitive with the likes of Ben Skinner, James Parry, Nico Keruzec and Will Eastham taking part.
James Parry was undone by an interference which lost him first place and Nico collared an 8 pointer on one of his waves for the smallest barrel ever seen which raised a roar from the appreciative crowd.

      
Shortboard
In the Open Shortboard, entries included a selection from the Longboarders including James Parry who made the final.
This division was fiercely competitive, in one heat the pack paddled for the one set wave and hassled themselves out of any of them catching it! An unridden 2-3 footer, shame as it worked as a left and a right hander.
The Jimmy Mavor Trophy, awarded to the highest placed Porthtowan local was presented to Conner Barker-Warne by the owner of Tris Surf shop, Johnny Manetta.

A special Ladies Longboard final was put together for the BBC.
Helen Skelton of Blue Peter came down with a TV crew to film the event and film Helen taking  part in the event. With one of the guy’s shoving her into waves and offering advice, it went quite well and she went away with a 4th place trophy.
So, sometime in the future look out for the event on Blue Peter !

Nicola Bunt  1
Leah Green    2
Teah Munroe    3
Helen Skelton    4