South Hams wave rider Ben Howey is preparing to break new ground later this month when he takes on the best of the best in the International Surfing Association’s World Longboard Surfing Championships writes Tim Leigh.
The competition, which takes place at Riyue Bay on Hainan Island, in the Wanning area of Hainan province in China, runs from January 19 to 25.
It sees the best four longboarders from each country pitted against each other in team and individual events, with Great Britain’s team hoping for podium finishes in both categories.
This will be Ben’s first world tour level event, but he is a seasoned operator on the European tour and believes the level of competition there will have prepared him well for the tournament. He said: “This is the biggest event of my life to date. I have competed a lot on the European tour, but this is my first world championships!
“I finished seventh on the WSL European tour this year, which I was a little disappointed with as a few big decisions didn’t go my way, but the level of European and also British Longboarding is world class so I know exactly what to expect out in China.
“My main goal for the event is to get out there and surf my best and to enjoy surfing a world-class wave with only a few of us in the water!
“I will get to surf against my childhood heroes, which has been a dream for a very long time! I really hope to do well in the contest and can’t wait to surf the wave.
“Usually at the events I compete in the waves are not the best, where as this is a perfect point break which will really give me a chance to show what I can do!
“I love visiting and exploring new countries and finding new waves. This will be my first time to China so I am really excited to experience the culture and more than anything surf in some warm water! I have travelled a lot around Asia before and found waves in places most people never even think to look, including Thailand and Malaysia!”
As is often the case with surfing, however, the team have to pay their own way, and are reaching out to local businesses to help with sponsorship. If you or anyone you know can help Ben to raise the cash to conquer the world, get in touch with team manager Phil Williams on [email protected].
Ben himself has been taking his training seriously and is hoping his last competition, where he won the Jesus Longboard Classic in Polzeath in October, will stand him in good stead. He said: “I have been training hard for the event surfing some left hand point breaks in North Devon and around my local beaches. I have also been running, swimming and trying to avoid too many mince pies over the Christmas period.
“I would like to thank my sponsors Xcel Wetsuits, Skindog Surfboard, Plymouth University and Dry Robe for all their support in getting me to the games, as well as my girlfriend for putting up with me constantly surfing!
“The last event I did was the Jesus Longboard Classic in Polzeath which I won with some really good heat scores so I am coming off this win with some confidence leading into China.”
This year’s contest is only the second time the event has been held and represents a second chance for Ben, who qualified for the event in 2014, only for it to be cancelled.
When he’s not in the water, Ben is finishing his PhD in mechanical engineering, suitably wave energy conversion from interconnected arrays, at Plymouth University.
Anybody who wishes to catch Ben and compatriots Ben Skinner, Emily Currie and Jen Pendlebury in action live can do so online via the International Surfing Association website www.
isasurf.org/events/isa-world-longboard-championship.Ben is also offering readers the chance to win an Xcel wetsuit by entering a draw to raise funds for his trip, so go to https://www.gofundme.com/isa-world-longboard-games to find out more.
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