Students from Cornwall are carving reputations as well as waves in the world of surf, with the announcement that they have once again been asked to host a major UK pro surf event.
UK Pro Surf Tour (UKPST) is returning to Watergate Bay this spring and students from Cornwall College Newquay, all studying their first year in Surf Science, have been recruited to organise the events.
As one of Europe’s premier surfing events, the students have been praised by the tour operators for successfully staging the competition, Surfaced Pro, for the past three years.
UKPST director, Dave Reed said it was “great to be working with Cornwall College students again to run and organise this ground-breaking event”.
Taking place at Watergate Bay on 12th and 13th May, Surfaced Pro is the first event in the 2018 UK Pro Surf Tour. It will see elite surfers form across Europe start their endless summer fighting for titles in a range of categories, with the winners of the Open Men’s and Women’s each scooping a prize of £1,000.
The event is organised by the students as part of the Surf Science and Technology Foundation Degree programme at Cornwall College Newquay. Working alongside the UK Pro Surf Tour team, the students are involved in every aspect of the event, from planning and logistics to event management, marketing to sponsorship.
Dale Wingell, Surf Science student and team leader, said the course at Cornwall College “is a blend of theoretical and practical work, which prepares us well for a future”.
“Organising the UK Pro Surf Tour with tour organiser Dave Reed is a huge part of that, helping the students to develop new skills in a real-world environment and introducing us to great industry contacts,” he continued.
“On top of that, it is a great event to be involved in and a real boost to the local community and visitors to Newquay, who will share a weekend of excellent competition with some of Europe’s top surfers.”
Focusing on equality, Surfaced Pro will showcase the best male and female surfers in the country, providing equal prize money and points on the UK Pro Surf Tour across the divisions for both genders.
Surf Science Lecturer Brender Willmott from Cornwall College Newquay, said the event “gives the students an unparalleled opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the industry in which they want to work”.
“Working with Dave Reed and his team boosts this by helping out students to start building their own professional networks and providing them with a range of transferable skills, which they can apply to a host of different professional pathways,” she added.
If you are looking to compete in the competition keep an eye out on the new UKPSA website: www.ukprosurf.com or follow ukprosurf social media pages: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
For more information on the range of Zoology, Surf and Marine courses available at Cornwall College Newquay visit www.cornwall.ac.uk or call 0330 123 2523.
