PORTHTOWAN SURF BOAT CREW WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP  

On Friday afternoon the men’s crew from Porthtowan Surf Life Saving club won the Surf life Saving Association’s annual surf boat competition at Meanporth beach, Falmouth.

The event was originally scheduled to take place at Fristral Beach, Newquay but due to dangerous conditions moved to the sheltered conditions of Meanporth early Friday morning.  However, the lack of surf did not detract from an exciting afternoon of racing with the strongest rowing of the season being demonstrated by Perranporth, Portreath, Saunton Sands, Llwantwit Major and St Agnes surf rowing teams.  A ‘round robin’ series of races led to a five boat final with Perranporth and Porthtowan the leading contenders.  In a dramatic finish Porthtowan men managed to claw back an early lead from the Perranporth crew and finished with a clean sprint to the flags by Porthtowan’s captain, Adam Richards. Perranporth were 2^nd  and St.Agnes 3^rd.

As national champions Porthtowan have now been invited to represent Great Britain at the International Surf Challenge comprising of six surf nations:- Australia, New Zealand, USA, Great Britain and Japan in Australia during March 2007.

In the ladies race Porthtowan managed a close second to a strong Perranporth crew with Portreath ladies finishing third.

The final of the U.K. Surf Rowers League takes place at Portreath, this Saturday at 2pm.  This will be the last surfboat race of the season and with Porthtowan and Perranporth at the moment tied in first place, more dramatic surfboat action is guaranteed!  

From Left :~ Adam Richards, Kim Marie Clothier, Andrew Smith, Helen Murno-Berry, Mary Bane, Russell Tucker, Colette Hartgill, Ed Hartgill, Nick Healey, Gary Walters, John Richards.