UK Pro Surf Tour Returns to Surf Snowdonia October 22nd 2017

UK Pro Surf Tour // Surf Snowdonia Pro Surf Challenge

The inclusion of the world-first inland surf lagoon on the UK Pro Surf schedule is a major development for the tour, which showcases the best surfing locations – as well as the best surfers – in the UK.

The UK Pro Surf Tour, which kicked off in April at Watergate Bay, sees the UK’s best surfers traveling the length and breadth of the country – as far north as Thurso in Scotland – in search of the best waves. The UK Pro Surf Tour takes in six stops in all, with the final one back in Newquay, Cornwall in November.

It will arrive at Surf Snowdonia on October 22, 2017, when the UK’s top male, and female surfers will compete in a knock-out competition format for the first ever Surf Snowdonia Pro Surf Challenge. Competitors, who qualify on merit, will also include Welsh ‘wildcard’ surfers. There will be a substantial cash prize in each category.

The Surf Snowdonia Pro Surf Challenge will be an all-day event which will take place on the first Sunday of the UK half term school holiday. It is set to draw a large family crowd, and will be a day of friendly but hugely exciting and intense competition. Entry to watch the event, which has been sponsored by Conwy Council, will be free of charge.
There will be indoor as well as outdoor seated and standing viewing areas, and free parking on site. Refreshments and snacks will be available all day at the Surf Snowdonia restaurant, deli and bar.

Andy Ainscough, managing director at Surf Snowdonia said: “As a world-first and world-class facility we are stoked to be – once again – breaking new ground for the sport of surfing. Being asked to feature on the UK Pro Surf Tour is a fantastic privilege and a great milestone for the sport. The Surf Snowdonia Pro Surf Challenge competition day will be an enormously exciting opportunity for our crowd to witness some of the best surfing and surfers this country has to offer.”

Dave Reed, director of UK Pro Surf Tour said: “This event will be a major step forward in competitive surfing. Surf Snowdonia will provide a unique platform: with each wave guaranteed and identical the luck factor is eliminated from the competition. The result will be purely based on a surfer’s ability. With predictable, consistent conditions this venue could be a fast-track for any surfer who wishes to rapidly improve their skills.”

Dave added: “I would like to thank Surf Snowdonia for hosting the event giving the best UK surfers the opportunity to compete for this inaugural title and thanks too to Conwy Council for supporting surfing.”

Councillor Graham Rees, Cabinet Member for Tourism, Marketing and Leisure said: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming the UK Pro Surf Tour to Conwy County. Events are key to Conwy’s economy as laid out in our Event Strategy 2014-2020. This one-day challenge featuring the best surfers from around the UK further strengthens our areas event offer keeping North Wales firmly on the map. I’d strongly urge people to come out and see the event and show their support for what could potentially be the UKs first Olympic surf squad.”

Surf Snowdonia launched its world-first inland surf lagoon in August 2015. Unhindered by variations in wind conditions, swell and tide, the 300-metre by 113 metre the facility offers guaranteed, consistent waves and ideal conditions for the UK’s best surfers to showcase their talents.

Surf Snowdonia drew a crowd of thousands when it played host to a ground-breaking international Red Bull Unleashed surf competition in September 2015, and its revolutionary technology has been named by the International Surf Association (ISA) as having been instrumental in surfing’s successful bid to be recognized as an Olympic sport. Surfing will make its Olympic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Games.

The UK Pro Surf Tour // Surf Snowdonia Pro Surf Challenge 2016 Champions:

Men’s Open: Jobe Harriss (Bude)
Women’s Open: Joe Dennison (Snowdonia)
Fistral Beach Under 18 Boys: Kit Innes (Bude)