THE PRESIDENT of the Barbados Surfing Association (BSA) has called for greater unity among those involved in the sport.
Simon Coles issued the call on Sunday as the BSA saluted its top surfers at an awards ceremony at Lobster Alive, Bay Street.
The president said that 2011 was the year when all surfers needed to think of themselves as Team Barbados.
Competition, he said, was healthy, but there was also “a fine line where sometimes we can go too far”.
“Together we can achieve more,” he told those gathered. “We need to become team players and support our fellow surfers and really become Team Barbados. And together we can achieve so much more if we take the time to stop, help and compliment each other.”
He also urged every one in the sport to encourage each other and to spare an “encouraging word” for the younger surfers.
“They need to be told that was a great wave or that was a great barrel,” he said.
The president also said this was the year surfing and the organisation were set to “explode” with an expanded local calendar and a more visible presence on the international scene.
He noted that apart from the Surfer of the Year series, which was now split into junior and open events, the BSA was sending a team to the ISA World Junior Games in Peru and possibly to the World Games in Panama.
“We are also looking at the prospects of another international event that could partner or come into Barbados,” he said.
“This is the year of the surfers. Let us make the sport of surfing a sport to watch. Let’s make 2011 everything we want it to be.
During the ceremony, the top surfers from 2010 were toasted, praised and given trophies for ripping, shredding and carving their way into the top four.
Special awards were also presented to Brian Allen for his contribution to judging; photographers Adrian Howard, Mark Harris and Jennifer Allen who ensured the sport and its surfers have a face on the social networking sites. Facebook, and Simon Coles for his volunteerism.
In addition, Under-16 surfer Caelum Blandford was adjudged the most improved surfer, winning a custom-shaped board from Rapo.
The full list of awardees are (from first to fourth):
Bodyboard – Toby Armstrong; Kwami Griffith; Silos Adams; Theo Payne.
Longboard – Wayne Roett; Andre Clarke; Alan Burke; Brandon Frazier.
Masters – Wayne Roett; Gregory Rose; Louis Venezia; Simon Coles & Zed Layson.
Senior Men – Chris Clarke; Simon Coles; Wayne Roett; Zed Layson.
Under-12 Boys – Che Allen; Zander Venezia; Evan Moll; Andrew Rose.
Girls Under-18 – Chelsea Roett; Chelsea Tuach; Isabella Venezia; Ametza Nicholls.
Under-16 Boys – Danny Edghill; Dane Mackie; Che Allen, Caelum Blandford.
Under-21 Boys – Stefan Corbin; Danny Edghill; Jordan Heaselgrave; Jonathon Reece.
Open Women – Chelsea Roett; Chelsea Tuach; Isabella Venezia; Ametza Nicholls.
Open Men – Chris Clarke; Stefan Corbin; Barry Banfield; Simon Coles.
