2006
West Coast Surf Shop
North Wales Open Surfing Contest

Phil Wood Wins The 2006 Contest

Woods makes best use of the tiny waves to take the title! Photo: John Wormald

The annual West Coast North Wales Open Surf Contest took place on Saturday 21st October. Several days of clean good waves were replaced by onshore small and choppy conditions for the contest. The early torrential rain stopped and heats for a large entry got under way at 9.30. It looked extremely difficult to get a good wave but the better surfers showed through. As the tide dropped back the waves didn't improve and remained small and weak. We were down to the best 12 surfers and the standard was good. Surfers used to better waves struggled. Occasionally, when one of the waist high waves stood up and connected through to the inside, it was ripped to pieces and allowed a decent score. Nathan Derbyshire, 13, got through to the quarter finals and so received the 'Best under 15' trophy. Jacqui Eales, one of the six girls who entered the open, won the 'Best Placed Female' award. The final was a close contest but a last minute wave from Phil Woods clinched his win. Second place was very close but Steffan Harkon just beat Leigh Hookes who got third.

The evening party was a sell out at Five Degrees West and the bands 'The Lazy Boys' and 'The Jack Rabbit Slims' along with DJ's Jonty & Seb, accompanied the spirited atmosphere with proceeds going to local schools and charities.

Many thanks to all who attended.