Saturday 28th July 2012. The Surfing Association of Trinidad & Tobago (S.A.T.T.) held its National Surf Championships at Roughside, Balandra.
The event was blessed with brilliant sunshine, a good spectator turnout and nice 2-3 foot (1.5 meter) swells that allowed over 68 competitors in seven (7) divisions compete against each other and the waves for National titles.
The next generation of local surfers participated in the Under 12 division in the punchy 2-3 foot (1.5 meter) peaks at the main event site. Daniel Lewis was the day’s standout in this division who, for his work, was rewarded with a first place in the event.
One of the most exciting things that can happen at a surfing contest is the debut of the new unknown talent whose performance takes spectators by surprise. And this is what the Under 12s did.
The stoked and enthusiastic pre teens were give a platform to have fun, make friends and learn. It was the first time in a National Surf Championships that the “Groms” were introduced to competition formats and, of course, trophies and now entitles them to bragging rights for a year.
This years Under 12 Division winners are:
1 - Daniel 'Chucky' Lewis
2 - Ian Forbes
3 - Lily Stauble
4 - Ryan Abdullah
Longboard Division
Sherrard Spiers won the Longboard division closely followed by Che Lovelace, Bruce Knaggs, and Christopher Dennis. Spiers also triumphed in the Grand Master division. This years Division winners are:
1 - Sherrard Spiers
2 - Che Lovelace
3 - Bruce Knaggs
4 - Chris Dennis
Grand Masters Division
Veteran local surfers also participated in the Grand Masters (Over 45) Division (a.k.a. the “Same Age As My Dad” Division). According to Spiers, “for most of us ‘grey haired surfers’, the thrill of riding a wave is just as sweet today as it was in years past”. This year’s winners are:
1 - Sherrard Spiers
2 - Andrew Cabral
3 - Jonathan Torry
4 - Stuart Abraham
Women’s Division
In the challenging two-to-three foot (1.5 meter) waves, our island’s best female surfers battled head-to-head for the Women’s prize. Pushed by the younger girls, Jordan Van Reeken and Lily Stauble, Kath-Ann Smith snared the best wave of the heat and tore it apart with some impressive turns and won the heat. This years Division winners are:
1 - Kathy-Ann Smith
2 - Jordan Van Reeken
3 - Lily Stauble
4 - Tonya Sun Kow
Masters Division
Che Lovelace defending champion in the Masters Division took home his second consecutive title. Lovelace was pushed hard by second place surfer, Andrew Awai, but held on to win another national title. Third was Kendall Francis (of Balandra) with Sherrard Spiers taking the fourth slot.
U18 Boys
Trinidad & Tobago's next generation of surfing stars also contested for the 2012 National Junior Surfing Titles in the 2-3ft swell. Dario Jordan, 18, won consecutively all of his heats to come out the 2012 Junior Champion. Dario was the most consistent throughout the competition, regularly posting scores in the good range despite the complicated conditions.
This years Division winners are:
1 - Dario Jordan
2 - Jyiell Lewis
3 - Elton John
4 - Terry Lewis
Open Men’s Division
In the Open Men’s Division, the main event of the Surfing Association’s National Championships, the defending National champion, Che Lovelace, was up against Christopher Dennis, Dario Jordan and Jesse Jarvis. The lead changed hands on a number of occasions in the final heat. Then as the heat wound down Christopher Dennis caught a beautiful wave that saw him getting barreled followed by a high scoring top turn that catapulted him into the lead. He then followed it up with another good score to finish on top. Second was Che Lovelace, third Dario Jordan and fourth was Jesse Jarvis. This years Division winners are:
1 - Christopher Dennis
2 - Che Lovelace
3 - Dario Jordan
4 - Jesse Jarvis
A “special thanks” must go to the following: RedBull, Power Up Rental Equipment Limited, Rene Ortiz and team, Shaun Ramberan, Volunteers, Competitors, Spectators, Parents and the SATT Management Team.
