Scotland sets the tone for the first run of Regional Reporters dispatches.
This is exactly what the project is built for - real insight from within the scene. What follows is a snapshot of the past six weeks on the north and east coasts: the run of swell that lit up the reefs, the travelling talent passing through, the next generation stepping up, and a national championships that underlined just how competitive and close-knit the Scottish scene has become. Phoebe Strachan reports from the ground.
March was kind to the north coast — delivering a good run of swell and some lovely weather. All-round shredder and top human Finn Macdonald spent most of his time in the barrel, avoiding household chores. Mason Ho and his pal Sheldon dropped by for some dry reef action and to spread the aloha vibe. Scottish big wave surfer and all-round nice guy Ben Larg also made an appearance, with Clement Roseyro in tow — there was no shortage of talent this month.
The standout performance had to go to Sandy Kerr, threading a tricky, unruly beast of a barrel, as wide as it was tall — cold water Pipe comes to mind. Stay tuned for footage of that… unbelievable.
The small groms have been ripping it up at Sh*tpipe, and Thurso east, pushing themselves in some bigger conditions. Meri Clarke, who just turned 11, has spent most of her Easter holidays out at Thurso East following in her father Chris’s footsteps. Taking off on a few solid ones and enjoying a few beatings - one to watch for sure.
The east coast hasn’t been as fortunate with waves, but the groms have been taking full advantage of anything that does come through, as well as making good use of the superb facility that is Lost Shore in Edinburgh. If you haven’t been, do — it’s great fun!
As the clocks sprang forward, the Scottish National Surf Championships were just around the corner. The level of surfing improves every year, and the titles are always hotly contested—the old guard battling to keep the hungry youngsters at bay. It was a mixed weekend for weather and waves: a less-than-glamorous first day, followed by a pumping finals day under blue skies. Craig McLachlan took the win in the men fresh off a couple months in Australia. Boydie who was on crutches just a couple days before came 2nd putting on a good show. In the masters Scratch took the win home for the Broch with sharp, critical surfing. In the grand masters it was a back to back win for Ali Matheson in a crowd pleasing showdown with other legends. I was really pleased to take home my 7th title in the women’s. It was no mean feat as Callie Cruickshank was hot on my heels throughout the contest. The craic was all time, and the event remains a great reminder of just how special the Scottish surf scene is. A massive thanks to all the volunteers that put their time and effort into running the event.
That’s the first dispatch from Scotland. The Collective will continue to build a clearer picture of each region through the people who know it best — more coasts, more voices, next time.
Image credit: Duncan Mclachlann, Connor Hughes, Mal Anderson
