Source: Portuguese Surfing Federation – www.surfingportugal.com 

Portugal is currently competing in the first Portuguese Big Wave event.  The Portuguese Surfing Federation presents a competition that will award the best wave surfed in continental Portugal and its islands during the 2009/2010 winter season, in the Surfing and Bodyboarding divisions.

The total amount to be distributed will be €5000 to be divided between the two categories as well as the athletes and photographers (€2000/athlete and €500/photographer).

The only requirement to participate is that the athlete must be duly federated at the time he surfs and he must collect images, witnesses, complete the registration form and send all of the above to the Federation’s headquarters.  Each athlete can compete in any number of waves, but can have only one photographer per wave.

The objective is to reward the biggest wave surfed (take-off and drop).  The minimum size is three meters.  The National Technical Board will be responsible for accepting the admission of competitors according to the criteria.  All surfing techniques are accepted (tow-in, paddling, etc.).

Photographers may or may not be professionals.  The submission is preferred in video or sequence form.  The inherent royalties will be ceded to the Portuguese Surfing Federation.

The admitted images will be greatly distributed to the media at PSF’s discretion, and will reference the athlete and corresponding photographer.

To define the winners, a commission will be named to choose the five biggest waves, in the two categories.  The public will vote for the appointees and choose the biggest wave and athlete of 2009/2010 season.

The specific and complete regulation rules are available at www.surfingportugal.com

The period of the event will be from November 10, 2009 to March 31, 2010.

The PSF Board hopes that with this initiative they will motivate the Portuguese “Big Wave Riders” to exceed their capacities and to record all the great moments.  Another aim is to make the quality of our athletes known to the general public, as well as the sizeable waves that Portugal can offer.

Portugal played full force during the New Zealand edition of the 2010 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.  With 10 athletes in competition, during almost two weeks, the National Junior Team gave a show and their best efforts, with two athletes reaching the semifinal heats in two categories: Frederico Morais (Under 18 Boys) and Vasco Ribeiro (Under 16 Boys).  They ended behind in their final heats, both in the fourth position, which did not allow them to progress to the coveted finals. The Australian team won for the fifth consecutive year of this event with some of the best Juniors in the world.

After the Parade of Nations (January 20 in the streets of Auckland, capital of New Zealand), more than 200 surfers representing 21 countries started to surf in the waves of Piha Beach, a privileged surfing spot located 30km west of Auckland. This was also chosen by the Portuguese delegation as their headquarters.  Well situated and with the possibility of training continuously in the stage of the competition, the Junior National Team kept a consistent presence throughout the entire competition, thus resulting in an 8th place in the general classification. The National Team walked away with 3346 points obtained at the 2010 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.

Guilherme Bastos, President of the Portuguese Surfing Federation, said: “Everyone’s determination bore results and must continue in order for us to show the unquestionable worth of our young national athletes in competition among the best in the world. We are among the best and deserve to stay there, as a result of all the work we have developed.”

We are now waiting for the International Surfing Association announcement as to which country will receive the 2011 edition of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.

Under-18

Frederico Morais

José Ferreira

Francisco Alves

Under-16

Rui Henriques

Vasco Ribeiro

Miguel Blanco

João Kopke

Under-18 Girls

Maria Abecasis

Ana Sarmento

Carina Duarte