Displaying items by tag: bodyboarding

25th September 2014

Ireland's Most Decorated Surfer In Portugal For World Bodyboard Tour

#Bodyboarding - National Bodyboarding Champion Martin 'TK' Kelly is representing Ireland this week at the Portuguese stop on the APB World Tour for bodyboarding, as the Coleraine Times reports.

Regarded as the most decorated Irish surfer of all time, Kelly is flying the flag for the North Coast's dedicated surfing community among 140 of the world's best at Praia Grande.

And he's joined at the Sintra Pro by Sligo boarder and two-time Irish national champ Shane Meehan.

Though neither as expected to have a shot at the world crown, it will still be, in Kelly's words, "a fantastic experience" before he defends his Irish title in Bundoran at next week's Irish Nationals.

The Coleraine Times has more on the story HERE.

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Irish Headed to Gran Canaria for Bodyboard Worlds

#SURFING - Ireland is set to field a team of Strandhill bodyboarders at the 12th ISA World Bodyboard Championships in Gran Canaria from next week.

http://afloat.ie/watersport/surfing

The event will take place in the heavy slab waves of El Frontón and la Guancha at Galdar City from 30 November to 4 December 2011.

The competition also marks the first time that bodyboard-only teams from around the world will compete in the Open Men (Prone), Open Women (Prone), Under 18 Men (Prone) and Open Drop Knee divisions.

See video of action from El Frontón in 2010 below:

#SURFING - Ireland is set to field a team of Strandhill bodyboarders at the 12th ISA World Bodyboard Championships in Gran Canaria from next week.

The event will take place in the heavy slab waves of El Frontón and la Guancha at Galdar City from 30 November to 4 December 2011.

The competition also marks the first time that bodyboard-only teams from around the world will compete in the Open Men (Prone), Open Women (Prone), Under 18 Men (Prone) and Open Drop Knee divisions.

See video of action from El Frontón in 2010 below:

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Portugal Takes Top Honours at Eurosurf 2011

Team Portugal were crowned European Surfing Champions at the final day of Eurosurf 2011 in Bundoran yesterday.

http://afloat.ie/watersport/surfing/

It's the first time the Portuguese have held the title since 1997, which is also when the event was last hosted in the Co Donegal seaside town.

Portugal won three of the seven different categories, with two second-place finishes, one third place and one fourth.

Their surfers fought tooth and nail in a week of competition that was dominated by France, who made a bold statement of intent on the opening day by scoring eight out of the best 15 waves - and led the pack until the closing sessions.

Meanwhile Team Ireland did not finish too badly, placing a respectable sixth in the final tally.

Ashleigh Smith made the biggest mark, narrowly beaten into second place in the women's bodyboarding division by Portugal's Catarina Sousa.

“We’ve been delighted with how the week has gone for Eurosurf," said Eurosurf press officer Shane Smyth. "If we were to draw up a blueprint for a surf competition considering waves, weather and organisation we would have nailed it."

More details of results are available on the Eurosurf website HERE.

http://eurosurfbundoran.com/988/team-portugal-european-surfing-champions/

Team Portugal were crowned European Surfing Champions at the final day of Eurosurf 2011 in Bundoran yesterday.

It's the first time the Portuguese have held the title since 1997, which is also when the event was last hosted in the Co Donegal seaside town.

Portugal won three of the seven different categories, with two second-place finishes, one third place and one fourth.

Meanwhile Team Ireland did not finish too badly, placing a respectable sixth in the final tally.

Ashleigh Smith made the biggest mark for the Irish, being narrowly beaten into second place in the women's bodyboarding division by Portugal's Catarina Sousa.

More details of results are available on the Eurosurf website HERE.

The BBC News website also has an image gallery of the week's action HERE.

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil