Summer Series

The Summer Series is a five event competition for Mens and Womens crews
scheduled over the summer months. Crews compete in three "round robin" races

Crews please note: the Summer Series pointscore system has been reviewed to keep the pointscore relevant for all 5 rounds - Please read this document to familiarise yourselves with the new UKSRL Summer Series - "League Points" score system.

click on this - Summer Series Pointscore Review 2012

Please see the Summer Series 2013 dates and venues below

The winning Men and Women crews are those with the highest scoring "league points" at the end of the five Round Series.

There will also be a Sub100 crew league pointscore for crews whose total age adds up to 100 years or less (Sweep not included). Nick Healey (stroke Porthtowan Blue Bali) has kindly offered to provide the Trophies for the Sub100 winning Means and Womens crews.

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Results Round 5 Bournemouth - 29th September

Flat conditions and sunshine greeted the crews at Bournemouth. Whilst not known for large surf, the venue has proved to be one of the friendliest for the final event of the Summer Series. With no surf the crews have no where to hide and therefore all technical skills have to be perfect, from the jump start through to the sprint up to the finish flag. Porthtowan Blue Bali mens crew completed a clean sweep of the rounds and the golden point final and confirmed their dominance as the mens crew to beat in the UK and Europe.

The womens Summer Series has been an altogether tighter affair with the Porthtowan Black & Blues hotly contesting each event with their near neighbours The Perranporth Sirens. Both crews have gained recognition for all their hard work. The Black & Blues are UK Open Champions 2012 and The Sirens are Champions of Europe 2012. Team GB Olympian Louisa Reeve rowed as a guest for the Porthtowan Blue Belles. But the Blue Belles and the other womens crews have tried all summer to keep with the pace set by the leaders.

All spectators where watching in anticipation as to which crew would win the golden point final in Bournemouth. In the end it came down to a video replay to give the Black & Blues line honours at the finish flag by 1/10th sec from The Sirens. Two very good women surfboat crews who have kept the Series alight all summer.

The final awards took place at The Kiwi Hotel with Porthtowan Blue Bali and Porthtowan Black & Blues winners of the mens and womens Summer Series 2012. James Basher of Perranporth received the Novice Sweep trophy.

Winners of the Surfboat Oscars for the more amusing and unrepeatable incidents of the summer went to - Ed Hartgill, Phil Martin and Gary Walters

Results Round 4 Westward Ho! - 15th September

Another tense week as crews watched hurricane Isaac move up over Iceland. The surf prediction was all over the place size wise. However the swell pulse was predicted to arrive on the 15th September with a period of 15secs. A warm sunny autumnal September day with a groundswell.........

No, an onshore grey day with 3 - 5ft swell greeted crews at Westward Ho. It seems to be the norm for this disappointing summer. Crews fought their way out through lines of white water to the turining cans and then it was anyones guess as to who could hold the boats straight all the way home. Several crews broached at some point in the racing and this led to a few collisions and rollovers. Which in turn made it all the more exciting as you never knew who would be the next crew to be DQd.

An Interesting first time venue for surfboat racing, definitely need to schedule for a very neap tide next time to avoid the rush to escape on to the slip before vehicles and trailers were cut off by the tide. Plenty of images on the UKSRL Facebook page and headcam footage to follow.

Results Round 3 Watergate Bay - 14th July

The surf prediction throughout the week leading up to Round 3 kept everyone on their toes and typing their texts trying to workout what it would be like on the day. Watergate Bay by tradition means surf, the question is "how big". The boat panel left it until 8am on the morning, before confirming that the event would take place at Watergate Bay as planned. Boats convoyed on to the beach at 2pm and racing began at 3:30pm with the womens Heat 1. I love the way we test the conditions by sending the women out first! All returned safely in a pretty easy 3 - 5ft surf. The wave of the day has to be won by the Llantwit Major Crocodiles, Sweep - Mike Lord took off on a beauty just after the turn and guided his crew all the way back to beach. The Mens golden point final drew a few gasps as the Perranporth Tridents broached in front of the following wave with the Perranporth Krakens bearing down on them. The Krakens just got past, only to have the Crocodiles rollercoaster towards them with the Crocodiles bow glancing off the Krakens gunwhale by the stern. The Krakens made it to the beach still in one piece. In the Womens category Porthtowan Black & Blue remain dominant, although the Perranporth Sirens just snuck a league point from the Blues in the golden point final. A bit of rest for now while crews change focus for The UK Open Surfboat Championships on the 28th July followed by The European Surfboat Championships on the 1st September. Round 4 of the Series resumes at Westward Ho, Devon on the 15th September.

Results Round 2 Portreath - 23rd June

It was good to see more of the local crews from St Agnes and Portreath attending this event. There were nine mens and eight womens crews entered for Round 2 of the Summer Series, including a visit by The Amsterdam Mongrols. In the small surf conditions the racing was tight and as the tide dropped to the lowtide bank the dumping waves caught out some crews. It made for some excellent images from Andy Cox posted on the UKSRL Facebook site. The new "league pointscore" is keeping crews close together and may throw up some interesting results at Round 3 - Watergate Bay on the 14th July.

Results Round 1 Poppit Sands - 19th May 2012

Crews made the long drive to West Wales and to Poppit Sands. This is the first time Surfboats had competed on this coastline. The familiar rowing craft used in this area is The Celtic Long Boat. A four oared rowing boat using an outrigger and gate system for the oars. Three long boat crews entered the Summer Series,. Mumbles, Newport and Aberystwyth. Nine mens crews and six womens crews entered the event. Surf was onshore 2ft waves giving crews an easy ride from the turning bouys and keeping the intake of very cold water to a minimum. Crews were made made most welcome at The Newport Boat Club. A very beautiful area of Wales.

UKSRL Summer Series 2013
Date	Venue
Saturday 1st June	Whitesands Bay , West Wales Rd 1	Event info
Saturday 22nd June	Putsborough Beach, N Devon Rd 2	Event info
Saturday 13th July	Porthtowan Beach , Cornwall Rd 3	Event info
Saturday 14th September	Westward Ho, N Devon Rd 4	Event info
Saturday 28th September	Bournemouth Rd 5	Event info