What: Headworx English Nationals
Where: Watergate Bay Newquay UK
When: 3 – 5 May 2008
Newquay surfers dominated the final day of the Headworx English Nationals at Watergate Bay, with surfers from the town claiming over 10 of the 23 titles on offer.
Winning the prestigious Open division was 19-year-old Tom Butler from Newquay, with defending champion Oli Adams second, and Headworx team riders Matt Capel and Reubin Pearce third and fourth respectively.
Another Newquay resident who had a good day on the beach was Lee Bartlett, who showed his competitive pedigree by winning two divisions. The former English and British champion took victories in the Senior (over 28) and Masters (over 35) divisions, taking his total number of English national titles to six.
16-year-old Holly Donnelly, also from Newquay, was another surfer relishing the 3ft surf. Donnelly made up for losing in the girls division (won by Croyde’s Kathleen Spears) by winning the womens title ahead of Jersey’s Sophie Hellyer.
Other notable performances came from Darren Halse who won the bodyboard division; Saunton’s Ben Haworth who won the longboard; and Lewis Clinton, whose win in the juniors (under 18) also earned him the Dave Gent Memorial Trophy for the best-placed junior surfer from Newquay.
With 23 divisions and close to 300 entrants, the Headworx English Nationals is one of the biggest surfing competitions in Europe. This year it was also one of the busiest, with Saturday alone seeing 40 hours of heats contested simultaneously on four peaks.
