It has been an on – off start to the summer season for the Kids Club as the tides have caused a few blank Saturdays in the calendar so far. Then when we did get a favourable morning, the waves were offering only a little help when we got in the water. However, there were over 80 eager beavers jumping in and making the best of the conditions. Here’s how.
Here’s hoping for bigger waves at the next session!
Week two and coaches and the surfers are getting to know one another better. The surf again offered all abilities something to work with – and became quite challenging for our newbies in the Nemos as the tide dropped and it became quite dumpy on the inside! The banner pick this week has one of our Nemos showing some stoke as he brings a successful ride to the beach.
Overall then, a stiff workout and a chance to see where we are at the beginning of the season. Now we can set our goals for the summer and get down to the nitty gritty! There’s a gallery of some of the action below.
It was a great thrill to have the Kids Club sign-up in the new clubhouse a couple of weeks ago, and our first session of the 2019 season kicked off on June 1st with over 130 eager surfers getting into action over the two sessions. There were new faces among the coaches as well as the juniors – here’s how we got on!
Meanwhile, our more advanced surfers were out back dealing with some chunky waist-high waves which offered a challenging paddle out to earn a thrilling ride back in. And in between, there was a group of improvers who were working toward their first shortboard experience. So, something for everyone on our first day back – and it feels great!
The story of our clubhouse, which was last featured here in May 2018, now continues. Construction was placed on hold for summer 2018 and only resumed once the tourist season abated and we had unfettered access to the car park and the site. The story continues now in pictures;
And first, our hall of fame. Five characters who are crucial to the story. These are the lynchpins of the job.
And here’s how the story continued…
This story can’t end without me once again thanking our major partners and benefactors in the project:
Here they are, celebrated on a plaque on the building for their contributions to the project. Many, many thanks to one and all!
As the club grows stronger, so does the Christmas Day novelty surf gathering also grow more popular. We met at 10.30 to find friendly conditions and a willing crew, so here it is! As usual, my apologies to those I didn’t catch on camera – I should make it a New Years Resolution to improve my photography skills, or encourage someone more clued-up to bring a camera. Happy New Year to all our members , sponsors and supporters. May it bring you health, wealth and happiness!
We’re always keen to dig in the wardrobe and get the gear out in saints boardriders, just give us a reason – the Swellboard Shootout, the Surf Instructors staff day out, or in this particular case, the Surfers Ball 2018. So it was off to Tregenna Castle in our finest rags for our principal fundraiser and big night out of the year. The blueprint was pretty much set last year with a very successful evening, and so it flowed again from a welcome in the lobby by Tom Quirke’s jazz piano, Andre Otto’s red carpet photographs and a quick flutter in the casino, to a formal welcome to members and our guests as we took our seats for a three-course feast. Some of our red carpet pics below ; many more can be found on our Facebook page!
Steve Hewlett introduced a short film by Greg Dennis which highlighted the club’s work in teaching our young members in the Saturday Club, and he brought us up to date on the clubhouse construction.
We were then honoured to be presented with a cheque by Sherry from Bid St. Ives in support of the construction of new public toilets incorporated in the clubhouse project. Whew!! ( See our headline photo )
As the coffee was served at the end of dinner, auctioneer Paul Le Bas got down to the nitty gritty of wringing some loose change from our assembly. On offer were some magnificent artworks from artists Iona Sanders, Dan Fox, Norm Hewlett , photographer Nick Pumphrey and ceramicist Jo Downs. We had vacations with Primrose Hotel, Sandy Acres Lodge and Tregenna Castle. There was a surfboard from Diplock, a medley of water sports activities for eight people from St. Ives Surf School, a bespoke private surf lesson and lunch at the Brewhouse with Harry De Roth, a VIP night at the Eden Session of your choice next summer with dinner and wine included from Hubbox, who also offered a valuable Christmas hamper of organic meats for auction as well. England rugby star, Jack Nowell sent a signed ball and there were also signed shirts from premiership rugby clubs in the package. And, a novelty item of Giacomo Tilli, the Italian Stallion – yours for the day – which was one of two lots which inspired some telephone bids! Business was brisk, and we offer our heartfelt gratitude to both the donors of those prizes and the winning bidders for their generosity in supporting saints boardriders.
And then it was faites vos jeux, or hoist up your skirt and boogie as we took to the casino or the dance floor and let it all hang out. The music was again brought to us by the incomparable Sandy Acres Seven, and when they had got everyone good and greasy DJ Chewy took over and saw us into the early hours with some more banging tunes! What a Night! Some of our gamblers can be seen in the gallery below – my apologies for the absence of the dance floor action!
I conclude by offering saints boardriders thanks to Tregenna Castle, Sandy Acres Seven, DJ Chewy, Tom Quirke, Paul Le Bas, Andre Otto, Greg Dennis and to all our generous benefactors who donated those auction items. Many thanks also to everyone who bought tickets and came out on the night to share in the fun. Before we do this again we should have a clubhouse home to be proud of, and you will all have helped us realise that dream!
Friday 19th October saw a new addition to the local surfing calendar, courtesy of St. Ives Surf School. An open competition for St. Ives surfers was held at Porthmeor Beach in front of a sizeable crowd of surfers and surf fans. It was heartening to see how many good surfers we have in the town – and there are quite a few more who were unable to make this comp at such short notice! Held under international judging rules, but with each surfer having been awarded a handicap according to their ability – the event was designed to give everyone an opportunity to advance through their heat, and thus encourage everyone to push his surfing to the limit.
It was a rapid-fire event as the 4pm start left little time to complete proceedings before dark. Six-man heats and not a moment lost between heats led us to a four man final as the light faded. The judges re-located to the waters edge to get a close-up on a thrillingly tight climax to the day.
Here are some of the faces on show- my apologies to those competitors my lens missed!
There was a nerve-wracking interlude as the judges checked and re-checked their scores from the final. The result was clearly a close-run affair!
And then we were ready. First trophy to be decided was Kook of the Day. Giacomo took the honours on this one for running over a grom during his heat. Here he is receiving his award from Teddy.
Next up was, perhaps a little more coveted – Move of the Day! Jayce took this for the most outrageous of the several airs that were landed during the contest. Here he is receiving his trophy from Caz!
And so to the winner and first holders of the St. Ives Cup. Harry De Roth claimed the prize, from Adam Bayfield in second, Jayce third and the evergreen veteran Tim Whitefield fourth.
Well done Harry!
Senara and Millie give the prize to Harry
Below are our finalists taking a bow. And before we go, we must thank Harris and St. Ives Surf School for another great occasion. This will, I’m sure, be the start of a new tradition in the town. The St. Ives Cup is here to stay. YAY!
Adam, Tim, Jayce and Harry. Our finalists.
Whew! So another summer season draws to a close. It’s the last Saturday of September and time to assess what we have achieved in Kids Club this year. For the junior groups it’s a case of one last coaching session, practising those hard-won skills. First there was an end of term photo, and then we were underway.
Our advanced surfers, meanwhile, were competing further along the beach. The waves were small but contestable as the event began, though they diminished in size through the morning necessitating the use of swellboards rather than their own shortboards for some of the bigger competitors.
The heats and the semis were hard-fought affairs with the small conditions meaning that all the competitors took plenty of waves, keeping the judges very busy back on the beach. Eventually, the places in the respective finals were earned – with a special mention to Millie Rose who abandoned her semis part way through after suffering a weeverfish sting, but had registered two good enough scores to make the final. She was treated at the RNLI station and returned to contest the final undeterred!
And so, we gathered back at the gazebo to admire the table full of glittering cups and learn who would get to take one home this afternoon. Group awards were made in three categories as always; Most committed surfer, Surfer of the summer and Most improved surfer. Here’s a gallery of those who impressed their coaches this summer:
And only then did we learn the results of the finals as the competitors were called in reverse order to gather for a celebratory picture. Lucas Vima collected the Boys trophy, and Elizabeth Hewlett took out the Girls comp. Well done to all our finalists and a particular well done to both our champions!
There was one last award to be made on the day. Lifeguard supervisor, Lloyd Davies, had found good cause to honour one of our members for his outstanding contribution in helping Porthmeor lifeguards this summer. It’s a special accolade which is not offered lightly – indeed it hasn’t been awarded for several years – acknowledging the help Caz made to the lifeguard team in carrying, fetching, moving equipment, bringing lunches and generally easing the burden on those hectic summer days at the beach. He’s already been earmarked as future lifeguard material! Well done that boy.
In conclusion, may I offer on behalf of saints boardriders our gratitude to the parents and helpers of our junior members for their contribution to the smooth running of the Saturday sessions this year. Thanks to our judges for their officiating today, and to Porthmeor Beach management for their unstinting support for the club and for feeding our members on this celebration of our season. Thanks to the RNLI, and Porthmeor lifeguards who patrol the beach, in particular to those lifeguards who give their coaching to our kids prior to their work shift on Saturday mornings. And our final thanks goes to Harris and his team of surf coaches at St. Ives Surf School without whose enthusiasm and drive we would cease to function. You guys are the best!
But before I go, let me remind you that the Surfers’ Ball is fast approaching. Last year’s sell out was widely acclaimed as the best night of the year in the town. St. Ives best-dressed event is on the 26th October at Tregenna Castle. Music from Sandy Acres Seven, Tom Quirke and Ross Williams, and a late night dj . A three course dinner, auction and casino plus those glamorous red carpet photos! All for £30. Tickets are going fast so get yours now. They’re available through both Tregenna Castle and St. Ives Surf School, I hope to see you there!
Our penultimate session of Kids Club for 2018 was a rain-drenched affair. Whether in or out of the water, we all had a good soaking! I may have said the same thing with regard to another recent Saturday. Nevertheless, the waves were inviting, if a little challenging for our youngest surfers. And it was great to see our more experienced kids out back with the instructors, hunting for position as the sets rolled in and paddling into some meaty waves. My sodden camera had all but given up the ghost during this second session, so you’ll have to take my word for it! Anyway, there’s a gallery below of some of the shots I did manage to get in the downpour – and now we await the grand finale next week. See you there!
As we move into September and the Kids Club season edges toward the grand finale, it’s time to gauge how we are progressing. Our Nemos and Dorys, under-8’s and needing adult help and a push to get into the wave, are demonstrating high levels of skill in popping-up and then riding the board with control. There promises to be a rich crop of junior talent to be seen at Porthmeor in the near future. Our older members have shown where the next level of performance is, with good wave selection and an ability to execute more advanced manoeuvres like bottom turns and re-entries to get the best out of a wave. In between these two groups is a cadre of surfers who are making strides from novice to accomplished surfers, moving from swellboard to shortboard and tackling that difficult transition with determination.Here’s some of the action from Saturday!
