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BPSA is back in Thurso for the O�Neill Scottish Open
The 4th leg of the BPSA tour resumes next week with the O�Neill Scottish Open at the legendary Thurso East. The O�Neill Scottish Open is a two-day event running from 3-4th September and has a 1 star rating with �2000 prize purse. Having suffered a long flat summer all the guys on tour will be frothing to get in the trademark stand-up barrels that Thurso and surrounding breaks have to offer.

The main contest break is Thurso East, where the peaty brown water breaks right over kelp covered slate reef offering 50 � 100 metre rides. Even when Thurso is not working there is always surf to be found. Brimms Ness Bowl, just around the corner, picks up any swell available and can be 4ft even when Thurso is flat. Other quality breaks in the region, that can be used for competition include Castletown, Murkle and last years finals destination, Sandside Bay.

In terms of waves The O�Neill Open was the highlight of last years tour and was won by Brit Llewellyn Whittaker. Lew combined his trademark backhand wave attack with stylish tuberiding to win the final against current BPSA Tour Champ Alan Stokes, Ben Baird and 2004 champion of champion�s winner Spencer Hargraves at the aforementioned Sandside Bay. Stokesy also took the Freerange Move of the day with the best barrel of the weekend in his quarterfinal heat.

The BPSA Tour leader board is looking tight this year after 3 events with the current Champion of Champions and Jersey winner Reubin Pearce taking top spot, closely followed by, Mr. Consistent, Mark �Egor� Harris, Lew Whittaker, Oli Adams, Alan Stokes and Micah Lester. With 5 events still left the title is wide open but Pearce in his current form, with back-to-back wins, will be hard to stop.

Dave Reed BPSA Chairman said, � This is great news for British surfing, with the support of O�Neill the event will be one of the best we have held in Scotland if not the UK and can only get bigger in the future�. Adding, �The contest will be a showcase for surfing and will allow Local and Scottish surfers a chance to compete at the highest level in the sport�.

Elsewhere at the event, Foster�s will be bringing their mobile bar unit and Barbie to feed and �water� the competitors and event staff as well as putting on a killer party at Thurso�s legendary Skinandi�s Nightclub!  Freerange will be around as always and will be putting up �250 for the Move of the day. This event�s move will be best barrel. Stokes got it last year, who will take home the extra cash this time?

As always a massive thanks goes out to all the sponsors, especially O�Neill as title sponsors and tour sponsors Foster�s, Freerange and Cadbury�s Boost, who also follow the tour boosting energy with their tasty little treats.

If anyone wants any information locally about the event contact Thurso Surf  on 01847 831866 or email [email protected]  for more information. Also on http://www.bpsauktour.com/  for more info too.

Surf Up Thurso 2003
BPSA Competition Thurso September 2004