THE best of the best are all set to square off in Thurso, Scotland, as nine of Jersey’s finest surfers will compete in the GB Cup this weekend, commencing tomorrow.
Under team manager Roley McMichael, Max Bennett, Will Masterman, Nathan Elms, Owen Graham, Sam George and Byron Stolte will represent the Channel Islands in the men’s category, while three of the Island’s finest junior surfers, Nava Dowse-Harris, Daisy Heddercott and Rebecca Lynam, will battle it out in the ladies’ competition.
“Everyone is really up for this, we’ve all been here before and we’re ready to help each other wherever necessary, to put our stamp on the British level,” said Stolte.
McMichael echoed those sentiments, adding: “The team are super keen to get out there and compete. With it being in Scotland this year, in the cold and windy conditions, I wasn’t expecting them to be as up for it, but they’ve surprised me a bit and really gone for it, with several already travelling up to get in there and make early preparations.”
The competition returns to Thurso for the first time since 2021 and will see 12-person teams from England, Scotland, Wales, and the Channel Islands’ nine-strong outfit do battle on the waves in pursuit of glory.
Renowned for some of Europe’s best waves on its day, Thurso is no stranger to hosting events of such a high calibre, having a long-standing history of holding British and European Championships dating back to the 1980s.
That level looks set to continue into this weekend, as team captain Sam George detailed the high standard of competition they’ll face: “The GB Cup is a competition of a great standard, we’ll be competing against some of England, Scotland, and Wales’ best, with many pros and semi-pros taking part. England have a lot of talent in their ranks, especially Lukas Skinner, who won big last year. Scotland also have a great team, as well as the home advantage, so that will be tough. Wales and our team are always quite well matched, so that always makes for a good battle in this competition.”
Conditions look difficult come competition time, with forecasts projecting stormy tides.
Although this may bring a bit of concern, the team captain remains confident in his team, saying: “When it’s stormy, of course there’s more luck involved with catching the best waves you can, it’s unpredictable so you have to start your heat early. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t, that’s just the way it is. However, I think that when conditions are stormy, that plays into Jersey surfers’ hands, as you have to deal with such varied conditions in Jersey. I surf anything and everything, as surfing is my way of training and keeping fit. Whatever the conditions are, I’ll be giving it my best out there.”
Whatever they face, the team captain will be taking over a positive approach for his team, as George continued: “For me, competition is all about doing yourself justice. Of course, everyone comes to win, but it’s not all about what scores you get. All I can say is that it’s about surfing the best you can with what you have. If you’ve given your all, then that’s all you can ask for. For those with less experience, I’ll be advising them to watch the ocean way before their heat, so that they can get into the rhythm and visualise their waves, as preparation is everything. You have one shot to get the best two waves you can, so surfers can’t hold back in competition. They have to go for it and bring their best level.”
This comes after Jersey’s incredibly successful 2024 event, which saw local talent shine bright in front of a home crowd. Their valiant performances, which saw three contestants representing the Channel Islands reach their respective finals, show real promise going forward.
Among those are two of this year’s entrants, Bennett and Dowse-Harris, who will be eager to go one step further this time around. Bennett put together a brilliant performance to tally up a phenomenal score of 14.2, placing him third overall in the men’s contest, just 1.47 points off of eventual title winner Lukas Skinner.
This time around, after consistently improving each tournament, the Caesarean is keen to go one step further.
“Last year was crazy, it was great to come third at home and the whole weekend was such a blur. The quarter and semi-final heats contained some of the best waves I’ve put together,” said Bennett.
“After coming fifth in Newquay, then third last year, I’m now determined to keep improving and go one step further. It’s looking like it will be stormy, so that adds another element to it, but my approach stays the same, as you have to go in and make it work to the best of your ability, one heat at a time.
“My preparation is more so about getting in the right headspace and making sure I’m happy, not just surfing all the time. I like to get everything in order in time, so it’s not a big rush at the end, and that’s all on track. Everyone’s up for it, especially since Thurso can be one of Europe’s best, so we’re all keen to go out there and surf as many heats as possible.”
Fellow 2024 finalist Dowse-Harris will also look to continue her upward trajectory, after impressing to reach the U18 Girls’ final and rank as fourth overall. She headlines the extremely talented group of female surfers going over, showing plenty of potential for the future.
Although there are only three women, with teams usually fielding six, it will be an uphill battle for the team event, but there is still the individual competition up for grabs.
“As there’s only three girls competing, I feel that this will be a baptism of fire for them, as they’re entering the open category. But, from seeing them surf, this is definitely the first of many,” George continued.
“From what I’ve seen, and for their age, they have a great ability and carry plenty of potential for the future. It’s just all about sticking to the sport and continuing to compete.”
With the competition drawing ever closer, McMichael is doing all he can to make sure everyone is ready to go, saying: “At this late stage, there’s not much more you can do to prepare them physically, so it’s all about getting into their heads and making sure they’re tip-top mentally.
“To do this, I’m bringing a positive attitude and reminding them that anything can happen. It doesn’t matter that you’re up against very successful surfers, they have to focus on themselves as there’s always the chance that they can catch an exceptional wave, like a barrel, and suddenly score a 10.
“With what the conditions are like at Thurso, these guys have the ability to beat anyone up there, especially if they stay competitive and focused on catching whatever they can, as well as positioning themselves well.”
Competing in such a big tournament can do wonders for the local surfing scene, as the team manager explained: “After last year’s event, where we had three finalists and a weekend full of good waves, Channel Islands surfing definitely went up in people’s viewpoint, so getting the results can definitely expand our profile.”
All the team would like to give a big thank you to The Surfyard for sponsoring this competitive outing and supporting wherever they can. Fellow sponsor Broadlands have also been instrumental to their efforts, as well as Jersey Sport
