Watergate Bay, located on Cornwall’s North Shore with its dramatic towering coastline and natural amphitheater shape is the perfect location for a championships of this nature.

Now in its fourth year, this grass roots event has now grown into a national championship and for this year, titles gained, will go towards GB Team selection for next year’s ISA Worlds to be held in Peru.

Over the course of the two days of competition, men, women and juniors will compete in both stand up surf and open water racing. In addition to the main competition the men will do battle for the additional title of Watergate Bay Waterman, awarded for the male competitor with the highest combined score from the weekend’s competitions.

What is SUP? In simple terms it is a cross between canoeing and surfing. The rider, stands-up on a large style of surfboard, and use a single bladed paddle, to propel himself or herself down the wave or through the water. The paddle can be also used to turn or steer. As the sport evolves so has the equipment. Boards can now range from around 8ft in length for serious SUP Surfers up to 17ft in length for open water, distance racing.

Find out more about competition visit iPaddleBoard.co.uk

October 15th/16th 2011. Cornwall at it’s finest.

Extreme Academy 2011 BSUPA National Championships,Watergate Bay, Cornwall from BSUPA on Vimeo.

Enjoy the highlights from a great weekend of competition and standup paddle boarding.

2011 BSUPA Mens National Wave Champion
1st Gareth Grant
2nd Scott Gardener
3rd Adam Zervas
4th Neal Gent

2011 BSUPA Womens National Wave Champion
1st Maria Buchanan
2nd Abby Ekingood
3rd Mi Richardson
4th Laura Williams

Click here for the rest of the results

2011 BSUPA Under 16 Boys National Wave Champion
1st Aaran Rowe
2nd Robert Williams
3rd Max Wilson
4th Louie Harrow

2011 BSUPA Under 16 Girls National Wave Champion
1st Holly Bassett

2011 BSUPA Mens National Distance 12’6″ Class Champion
1st Mark Slater
2nd John Hibard
3rd Jim Richardson
4th Gareth Grant

2011 BSUPA Mens National Distance 14ft Class Champion
1st Ryan James
2nd John Harvey
3rd Dan Harlott
4th Tim Rowe

2011 BSUPA Womens National Distance 12’6″ Class Champion
1st Maria Baucannan

Westcountry Watersports Wave Expression
1st Jim Richardson
2nd Finn mullan
3rd Gareth Grant
4th Matt Argyle

2011 Watergate Bay Waterman
Gareth Grant

Britain’s stand-up paddlesurf (SUP) champions will be decided in a winner-takes-all national championship event at Watergate Bay in October.
The Extreme Academy will host the British Stand Up Paddle Association (BSUPA) championships on the weekend of 15th and 16th October 2011 in an event which will attract the UK’s best exponents of this emerging form of surfing.

Competitors will take part in two different disciplines, with divisions for men and women. A long-distance ocean paddle race will see competitors cover up to five miles, requiring skill, technique and stamina; while wave-riding skills will be tested in a performance surfing competition.

Competition organiser Richard Marsh said: “Watergate Bay is one of the UK’s premier watersports venues; from its consistent surf conditions to the natural amphitheatre, it gives competitors the opportunity to showcase their skills, and spectators the chance to see the action.”

The surfing competition in which competitors will show off their tricks on the waves will take place on Saturday, with the distance race from Watergate Bay to Porth and back taking place on Sunday.

Also taking place on the Sunday is the Westcountry Watersports Wave Expression competition, followed at 3pm by a prize giving ceremony.

As well as competing for the championship, the surfers will also battle it out for the coveted title of ‘Watergate Bay Waterman’ sponsored by The Beach Hut. This fiercely coveted title will be awarded to the competitor with the highest combined score from both the men’s wave and distance competitions, who will win a meal for two at The Beach Hut restaurant.

For more information on the event go to ipaddle board – for entries please contact the event organiser, by emailing Richard Marsh.

Here is what Rich has to say on the BSUPA event

“With an ever increasing participation both socially and competitive in paddleboarding, I am pleased to continue our association with Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay to stage the U.K’s premier competition featuring both wave and distance racing. Over the weekend of 15th and 16th October 2011, BUSPA will be staging Men and Women’s Open Wave Competition along with Men and Women’s Unlimited and Stock 12’6” Distance Race.

Saturday night will see our very own Phoenix Night, offering a chance to hang out, socialize and talk about the wave that got away! On the beach there will be a selection of stands featuring goodies and toys from our event sponsors and suppliers.

If the above provides too much for you, escape into the comfort of Beach Hut and loss yourself in one of their legendary Extreme Hot Chocolates.

Look forward to seeing you all on the water.
Aloha
Rich M”

For those of you who have not attended a BSUPA event at this premier surfing venue the Airhead team recommend you put it in you diary. Check out iPaddleBoard

Richard Marsh & the Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay are pleased to announce the dates of this years SUP competition which will be held on Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th October 2011

Watergate Bay located on Cornwall’s north shore once again offers a fantastic backdrop to what is becoming the country’s premier standup paddleboard competition.

The format for this years competition (subject to weather conditions will be Mens & Women’s Wave Competition on the Saturday and Combined Distance Race on the Sunday

Dont miss out on a great weekend, put it in your diary today!

Contact Richard Marsh for more information

More details to follow

English Nationals
The surf on the day was a stormy 4ft plus during the finals with 25mph onshore winds, Adam was riding the Basic BK 10 ft. Squash C4 Waterman which of course did the job for him.

Photo: Splashography.com

1st ADAM ZERVAS
2ND ALEX MURRAY
3RD NICK HEALEY
4TH TIM MELLORRS
Other finalists: Jon Elman-Brown and Bill FitzHugh.

Photo: Esterpix

Adam also past on news of a charity event he is involved with… where does this guy find the time…

It’s all for charity mate

Adam Zervas and Nick Wylie pictured in the Western Morning News taking a cup of tea together… Both riders are from the Watergate Bay Extreme Academy and no they are not in such a rush to hit the surf they take their breakfast with them, they are both raising funds for Elizabeth Finn Care The Big Tea Cosy which helps people living in poverty… Nice one guys keep up the good work… by the way who fell off first

Watergate Bay is a stunning location even by Cornwall’s standards which offers as you would expect in Cornwall a surf school but not any old surf school.. this is the “Extreme Academy” and as you would expect from the name it offers a wide range of extreme sports to keep most happy…. Surf, Kitesurf, WaveSki, Traction Kiting, PaddleSurf, Kite Buggy / Land board and lastly Mounain board… yep that deserves the title “Extreme Academy”…

After you have had that hard day with all the adrenaline pumping through your body the next step is to relax in the Hotel… well to be honest even if you have just been sitting on the beach watching all the “dudes” rushing around the hotel is the perfect place to get a cocktail or a cold beer and watch the sunset from the balcony and just enjoy the surroundings.. the beach, the sea, the hotel… just perfect…

Watergate Bay Hotel hosts some really fantastic events through out the year including some that you may not even have heard of, or thought possible for such a beautiful beach location… check out these unmissable dates at Watergate Bay in 2009

Zapcats – 13th/14th June& 25th/26th September.

Engineered for speed through the surf, Zapcats were made for Watergate Bay. These inflatable catamaran powerboats are the Rottweilers of the ocean, and the crews love racing here so much they stage four rounds of their Grand Prix series over two separate weekends, including the champion-deciding final rounds in September.

The Extreme Academy BLU Midsummer Classic, 20th/21st June

Easy-going, stylish, mellow . . . damn, these guys still think it’s 1977. What with the beach barbeques sizzling, ubiquitous sunshine and laid-back vibe, it’s a wonder they manage to run this top-level longboard surf contest at all. Nothing less than 9ft boards are permissible; other than that, anything goes.

UK Surf Rowers League Summer Series, 11th July
Under the banner of authentic Aussie beach culture, burly men (and women) don speedos and singlets to pitch themselves against the ocean. Teams of four, guided by their sweep (helmsperson),race their surfboats out through the breaking surf and, all being well, catch a wave back in again. Not as easy as it looks.

Surf Relief Festival, 18th July

A one day family-friendly beach festival to benefit the charity Surf Relief UK. This event really has it all: a pro surfing competition, surf lifesaving tournament, beach games, family activities, all rounded off with the Sunset Sessions, a live music festival taking place right on the sand.

Polo on the Beach, 14th September

Sometimes compared to the secret lovechild of Princess Anne and the Beach Boys, there’s nothing quite like Polo on the Beach. Good bloodstock, great harmonies and some impressive sets of teeth can all be found on the beach in this exhibition match of top-level polo in a truly unique setting.

Watergate Bay is a destination worth going to, for the beach, for the adrenaline or just for relaxation.. you owe it to yourself to make the time to go there this year for a day or to stay that bit longer… the simple trueth is you will go back again and again.

We enjoy bringing you great news of events and locations to enjoy your sports and places to stay… the Airhead will bring you more news and info on what you can do and where to go this summer… so keep checking back.