WITH support from GB Surfing, the Channel Islands hosted a packed weekend of technical inputs and priority heat training for 20 of the top junior girls from Wales, Jersey and Guernsey.
The weekend followed themes of working on three key skills of the performance fundamentals – forehand snaps, carves and roundhouse cutbacks. In addition classroom and practical sessions were dedicated to priority contest training with on-beach heats run through liveheats.
Joel Gray, GB Surfing performance pathway manager, said: “Following the last technical training Grom Camp we ran at The Wave in October, CISF coach Jake Powell fed back how well all of the girls had responded to the WSF coach Emily Williams.
“The seed was planted to get Emily over to Jersey to work a weekend dedicated to junior girls. The basic strategy plan was for Emily and Jake to deliver and input on some of the performance markers framework we have been working on behind the scenes as well as some of the takeaways from the last junior camp in Portugal and last year’s ISA World Junior Surf Championships.”
Meanwhile, for Williams, the weekend was something she would have loved to have the opportunity to do growing up.
She said: “I am so pleased how the camp went. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Jake and all of the Welsh girls were so welcomed by the Jersey and Guernsey crew so a big thank you to them.
“This is something I dreamed of being able to do at their age.
“I’m looking forward to this being the start of something great for girl surfers in GB.”
Fun waves and conditions greeted the girls all weekend at the breaks of Le Braye and the iconic “Splash” with the Watersplash being used as the classroom and analysis centre.
“I was stoked with how it all went and it was a privilege getting to work with Welsh coach Emily, who was a massive inspiration to our young local girls,” said Jake Powell, the CISF Junior head coach.
Thoughts from Jersey’s surfers
Shea Cummins
“It was fun but tiring at the same time. It’s good because you get to meet new people and realise how much passion people have for this sport. It helped me develop skills that I know I can achieve if I put work into it.”
Erin Ridgard
“It was so much fun having so many girls in the water. Thanks for giving us good feedback and creating such a fun weekend.”
Hollie Smith
“It was really fun and great to get to know other surfers. I feel like I learnt loads.”
Seija Boletta
“It was a really fun weekend. I learnt a lot about priority in comps and how to get my snaps better. I made a load of new friends too.”
Daisy Heddercott
“I had such a brilliant weekend getting amazing group and individual training, feedback and video analysis and making new friends. It was such a great opportunity.”
