A Fine Send-Off

by Nog

We held the postponed end-of-season finale last Saturday in pumping waves under a clear blue sky. We could not ask for better conditions, and a large turn-out was guaranteed to witness the competition to be club champion 2022, the post-season presentations and enjoy the promised ” sausage sizzle” afterwards.

There were regular group sessions for the juniors to enjoy, offering a last chance to impress the coaches and maybe claim ‘surfer of the summer’ in the group.

Over in the competition area some keenly fought heats saw a final four boys emerge to contest their final, after five girls had contested their own final.

And then it was up to the clubhouse to learn who the winners would be, and to honour all our young chargers for their efforts this summer. A packed room cheered the awards as our groups acknowledged winners in three categories: surfer of the summer, most committed surfer and most improved surfer. There were medals for all juniors to commemorate the season, and then the contest surfers received their medals in reverse order, leaving Leila and Teddy as our champions for 2022.

And then it was back out onto the putting green for a “sausage sizzle” in the late-summer sunshine. What a day!

Well that was a most satisfactory way to complete our season. Nature’s elements combined to offer us a perfect day to say farewell to summer 2022.

Many thanks to Tesco St. Ives for their generous support to the BBQ. Thanks to St. Ives Brewery ( again!) for their support on every event day. Thanks also to the contest judges and thank you to the club committee for a fine day, and a fine season. Our gratitude to Porthmeor Beach management and to Porthmeor Beach RNLI lifeguards for their support and encouragement over the season. St. Ives Surf School is the rock on which our Kids Club is built and we owe Harris and his crew a debt we can never hope to repay for their unstinting efforts. And, finally, a word of praise for those Dolphin surfers who gave their Saturday mornings to helping the younger groups into waves: Kaz, Ollie, Marley, Kaitlyn and Bridget are names that readily spring to mind!

To all children and parents who participated over the summer – We have relished your company. ” Thank you ” and we look forward to seeing you all again in 2023!