The cream of British surfing talent is set to do battle at The Saltrock Open this Easter weekend. Stop number 1 of 9 on the 2008 UK Pro Surf Tour, the Saltrock Open will be hitting Croyde Beach in North Devon from the 22nd-24th March.

Top surfing names are all signed up and ready for a fierce battle to take the first title of the year, and set themselves up in pole position for the rest of the tour. In addition, the early Easter weekend this year should give the best chance of some good swell. The last time Easter was this early, Llewellyn Whittaker stunned the crowds with an epic 10 point tube ride and the swell was the best on the tour.

Strong competition will no doubt come from Russell Winter, the only British surfer to ever break into the elite WCT, and Alan Stokes, winner of the final event of the 2007 Tour and the 2004 Tour Champion. With current UK Tour Champion Sam Lamiroy and former title holders Mark Harris and Reubin Pearce all in the form of their life, the fight for the crown will be real clash of the titans this year.

The Women’s Open is set to be a similarly intense battle, with Irish surfer Nicole Morgan returning from a year in Australia to make her mark back in colder waters. She will be taking on the likes of Easkey Britton, last year’s winner Karma Worthington and current British Champion Beth Mason.

The event will kick off early on Saturday 22nd March at Downend Point in Croyde, and the party will be at The Manor from 7.30pm.

For more info, click on to the event website.