Porthtowan Blue Belles win the Grand Slam

October 22, 2009

Womens Surfboat Championships

For the first time a womens crew has won all three major titles in the same year. The crew of Louise Gapp, Phil Plester, Claire White and Kim Marie Clothier with sweep Gary Walters confirmed their standing as the no. 1 Womens surfboat crew in the UK and Europe for 2009.

The Blue Belles won all three rounds in Saturday’s final of the UKSRL VB Summer Series at Bournemouth and also won the UK Open Womens Surfboat Championship 2009 final (which had been postponed from August 1st).

Earlier this month the Porthtowan Blue Belles won The Womens European Surf Rowing Championship at Tolcarne Beach, Newquay. Despite a strong challenge from the Perranporth Rebel Angels in the Summer Series, the five point advantage held by the Blue Belles could not be overtaken. "We had to win all three rounds to beat the Blue Belles in the Series" said Shelley Hardwick stroke of the Rebel Angels, "after the defeat in the first race we had to aim for the UK Championship title".

The Porthtowan Blue Belles mounted a strong campaign from round one held at Porthcawl in May. "We nearly blew it in the surf at Watergate Bay and Perranporth, but managed not to roll the boat and loose any points" said Louise Gapp stroke of the Blue Belles.

In the Womens UK Championship final three crews turned together at the bouys and despite a strong challenge from the Bude Runners and the Perranporth Rebel Angels the Porthtowan Blue Belles refused to relinquish their lead.

Womens Open

Porthtowan Blue Belles 167pts
Perranporth Rebel Angels 157pts
Bude Runners 135pts
Bude Flyers 110pts
Porthtowan Blue Blaize 110pts
Perranporth Fallen Angels 94pts
TwRC Twix Chicks 25pts
Bournemouth Hogs Nose 24pts
Portreath Piranhas 20pts

Mens Surfboat Summer Series

Porthtowan Blue Bali comfortably won the Mens Summer Series for 2009. They are a class crew and their starts are equal to anything you would see from Australian crews. We will all have to go away this winter and ponder once more, on how to beat them next year.

The UKSRL are delighted to see some new crews trying out surfboat rowing, Cambridge Xpress RC attended with the Cambridge All Four One crew, Bournemouth fronted up with two mens crews Westover ETU and Bournemouth Reef. In the womens event The Twickenham RC Twix Chicks made thier first reappearance since Biarritz last year and a scratch womens crew with all novice rowers made up the Bournemouth Hogs Nose.

We now have in place a UK Summer Series, a UK Surfboat Championships and a European Surf Rowing Championships – all the ingredients required to grow a sport, to attract sponsors and TV is beginning to take an interest.

In all 14 Mens and 9 Womens surfboat crews contested the UKSRL VB Summer Series 2009, in what has to be classed as one of the toughest surf rowing seasons. Rain, wind, cold and surf followed the crews to every event of the Summer Series and the UK Championships except Round 5 at Bournemouth which had sunshine and warmth.

Congratulations to all the crews that took part and thank you to the RNLI lifeguards and recognised safety crews.

Mens Open