10:00am Monday 22nd March 2010
By Stephen Bailey
Boscombe’S first-ever surfing festival proved a popular success, although the artificial reef only produced good enough waves to be used for a handful of stages.
All four of the surfing events were done on the waves around the pier, while the £3.6m reef was used for the final stages of the body boarding competition.
Despite terrible weather, 70 competitors took part. There were plenty of spectators mingling around the exhibition stands, and around 40 people watching from the pier.
Shaun Taylor, from the organisers Sorted Surf Shop, which overlooks the reef, said: “The event has gone as well as we could have expected and we are fairly pleased with the conditions. The reef has been used for the body boarding on occasions when it was suitable.”
A moderate wind swell from the south-west produced conditions that were not brilliant, but good enough, and all the competitions were crammed into Saturday to take advantage of the waves.
Aaron Strong, 25, a surfer from Southbourne, said: “It’s been a really good event and lucky with the weather – this is the first wave in six weeks.”
He added: “My personal opinion is that the reef never would have worked properly in the first place because of where they put it.”
Boscombe councillor Lisa Northover watched the action and said: “I am really pleased to see it so busy here, but the surfers I have spoken to said the reef is not right for them and it needs fixing.”
Competitor's views:
Csava Winter, 18, from Charminster, a body boarder, said: “The reef is for more advanced surfers but I’ve been out there before and it was good.”
Peter Green, 43, a surfer from Guildford, said: “As far as I am concerned the jury is still out on the reef. It’s brought a lot of money into Boscombe.
“People are saying it’s not performing but the body boarders like it.”
Will Storey, 31, a surfer from Boscombe, said: “It shows potential. Every place you surf has different conditions and today’s just not the day for the reef.”
Daniel Webb, 47, a surfer from Wimborne, said: “Certainly we’d like to have been able to use it today and it needs improving.”
Kevin Richards, 46, a surfer from Boscombe, said: “It’s a bad sign that it can’t be used today. The reef could be salvaged with some improvements. It was showing potential a few months ago but it hasn’t worked since then.”
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