Breaking the Barrier surf lesson : photo courtesy Barefoot Media
White Stuff Surf Relief Festival
Family events announced for White Stuff Surf Relief Fest
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 25 June, 2008 : - - Organisers of the country’s only surfing and music festival taking place on a beach have announced a packed timetable of activities for children and families. A surf lifesaving tournament and pro surfing competition will combine with giant crabs, skydivers, games and activities to make the White Stuff Surf Relief Festival (Saturday 26th July 2008) one of the best days out in the country this summer.
The action starts at 9.00am as some of the country’s leading pro surfers take to the waves of Cornwall’s Watergate Bay for the first heats of the UK Pro Surf Tour. Then at 11.00am Project ‘Surfable’ 2008 - the reason for the event itself - is launched. Instructors from a national network of surf schools will be running demonstration surfing lessons for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people.
“Now in its second year, Project ‘Surfable’ has already made a massive difference to the lives of many children who face some huge challenges in everyday life,” said Dave Manley, Chairman of charity Surf Relief UK who coordinate the project.
“All the money raised at the White Stuff Surf Relief Festival will be used to fund the ‘Surfable’ project’s programme of subsidised surfing lessons, so it will be fantastic to have all the participating surf schools from across the country together to launch the project at the event which is making it all possible.”
With the surfing events in full swing, the White Stuff Surf Relief Festival officially begins at 12.00pm, with a host of activities for children and families taking place on the sand. Children will have the chance to get up close to some of the creatures from the Cornish shoreline as aquarists from the Blue Reef Aquarium bring the Rockpool Roadshow to Watergate Bay.
Lobsters, starfish and crabs native to our waters will be starring during the two 30-minute displays, which will also give parents some tips on how to make rockpooling safe and enjoyable for both their children, and the sealife they find.
In the White Stuff arena, a feast of children’s activities will be led by Julia Tooley of Busy Bodies. In addition to running their unique children’s parties at intervals throughout the day, Busy Bodies have enlisted experts in other fields to ensure that children have a fantastic time.
Newquay’s Heron Centre will be running beach tennis which will be staffed by their county and national level coaches. Mime artists will offer the mysterious and there will be a hip hop dance workshop for those who are more energetic. There will also be face painters, a bouncy castle and the chance to learn circus skills, plus a beach volleyball demonstration and workshop.
The surf lifesavers of the future will be showing what they’re made of in a special event designed for children. Junior Beach Flags tests an individual’s speed, agility and reactions - three important skills required for any successful lifeguard.
The Surf Life Saving Association’s Shelley Gudgeon explains: “Beach Flags is a great game. From a prone starting position on the beach, competitors rise, turn and race to find a beach flag buried upright in the sand approximately 20 metres away. Since there are always fewer flags than competitors, those who fail to obtain a flag are eliminated. It’s a fast and furious contest that will keep spectators of all ages guessing who will become champion.”
Spectators will also be able to watch some of the South West’s fittest men and women compete in what many consider the ultimate physical challenge: the Surf Life Saving Ironman and Diamond Lady Challenge 2008. Led by ex-European Ironman champion Nick Thorn, 20 competitors will swim, ski paddle, board paddle and run a series of 1200 metre courses, with the two slowest eliminated after each heat until only one champion remains.
Meanwhile, members of the public can see what they’re made of in the Taplin Challenge. This event allows people of all ages and abilities to join in and try their hand at a single leg of the Ironman Challenge. Teams of four will be drawn and individuals will compete in either a swim, ski, board or run leg depending on their ability and competence.
With surfing and Ironman champions crowned, a team of four skydivers from the Cornish Parachute Club at Perranporth cornishparchuteclub.co.uk will jump from the skies to launch the start of the Sunset Sessions, an evening of live music headlined by the Stereo MC’s.
With over 15,000 jumps between them, the experienced team includes father and son Dave and Ben Wood (both ex RAF), and Paul Yeoman who has won over 20 national competitions and a bronze medal for Great Britain at the 2004 World Cup. “We will be jumping from 4,000 feet, which is low enough for everyone on the beach to be able to see us from the moment we leave the plane until landing on the sand,” said Paul, a tandem skydiving instructor.
“We will all be jumping with flags, which are attached to the waist, and we will be aiming to land in an area roughly 100 metres square, so it’s critically important that we have a very experienced team to make the jump.” Food and drink will also be in plentiful supply, with some of the best Cornish produce on offer throughout the day and evening. Food will come from the Soup Fairies, the Cornish Curry Company, and the Cornish Pig Company.
The Magners Bar will be open serving chilled Magners cider and Tuborg lager, and Cornwall’s Origin Coffee will be pouring their top-quality espresso coffee to keep the beach buzzing.
As well as entry to the Sunset Sessions music arena, all ticket holders for the White Stuff Surf Relief Festival will receive a goody bag worth over £20 containing a White Stuff t-shirt, fan, cereal bar and other treats. Tickets are available from the Hall For Cornwall box office priced £10 (£5 for under 16s) at hallforcornwall.co.uk or 01872 262466.
Schedule for Saturday 26th July
9.00am Surfing competition: UK Pro Surf Tour. First heats in the water.
11am-3pm Surfing sessions for disabled/disadvantaged young people.
12.00pm OFFICIAL START.
12.00pm Beach events start - children’s activities, beach volleyball.
1.30-2.30pm Iron Man & Diamond Lady heats and finals.
1.30pm Blue Reef Aquarium Rockpool Roadshow.
2.30pm Children’s beach flags event (in the event arena).
2.30pm Surf lifesaving relay events (surf lifesaving area).
3.00pm Surfing: Junior U16 Final.
3.20pm Surfing: Women’s final.
3.30pm Blue Reef Aquarium Rockpool Roadshow.
3.40pm Surfing: Open final.
4.00pm Live music warm-up act: Hold Fire.
4.30pm Skydivers parachute onto beach (Cornish Parachute Club).
4.40pm Presentations – surfing/other events.
5.10pm Sunset Sessions start: The Wonderfuls.
5.55pm Sunset Sessions: Glass Shark
6.50pm Sunset Sessions: Ash Grunwald
7.55pm Sunset Sessions: The Rumble Strips
8.55pm Sunset Sessions: Sterio MCs
10.00pm Live music finishes.
Volunteer and attend the White Stuff Surf Relief Festival for free!
Organisers of the White Stuff Surf Relief Festival are seeking volunteers to be part of country’s only surfing and live music festival on a beach. Help is needed to manage the site on Saturday 26th July and ensure the smooth running of the event, including marshalling the large volumes of traffic and pedestrians on site at Watergate Bay and in the car parking areas in the vicinity.
Volunteers should expect to spend six hours on duty throughout the day (in either a.m. or p.m. shifts), with regular breaks to enjoy their free entry to the beach events and live music on the beach. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Phil Williams by emailing: phil@christiansurfers.co.uk
www.whitestuff.com
www.whitestuff.com/surfrelief
Survey: Map Surfing’s future
New! B2B News ASBE-Surf | Receive News-Alerts
Updated & Revised European Surforecasts
More European surfing news available here
Jim Michell
Contests - Surfersvillage
