JERSEY could soon play host to professional bodyboarding events.
And if, as expected, the club gets the go ahead, the Island could host a leg of the professional European, and even World tour in the future.
The man behind this effort to form a Jersey Bodyboarding Club is Colin Crowther.
‘We first talked about establishing a club back in 1992 but it didn’t get off the ground and many of us got involved in the Jersey Surfboard Club,’ he said.
‘There are now about 50 core bodyboarders and thousands of others who board so I think now is the time to step out in our own right.’ One of the main reasons Crowther wants to form a club is to allow bodyboarders to hold their own competitions.
‘At the moment events are staged by the Surfboard Club and tend to be held at the Watersplash, which is a rolling beach break and not ideal for bodyboarders.
‘We need more chunky waves - like at Petit Port and Grève de Lecq - which break on a steep shelving beach or a reef.
Also, this type of wave is better suited to bodyboarding competitions, which last for a couple of hours rather than the couple of days more common in surfing.
‘You can ride Grève, for instance, just three hours either side of low tide so the short format is perfect for our spots in Jersey.’ With Jersey’s breaks suitable for competitive bodyboarding, Mr Crowther is confident that he can lure some big names to Jersey.
‘Bodyboarding did fragment a few years ago when a lot of pros set up their own independent companies but it is now coming back together again and there’s a new world tour.
The European tour also attracts a high standard and I’m hopeful we could bring a leg to Jersey.’ The Island also has its fair share of bodyboarding talent.
Mr Crowther himself was runner up in the British championships in 1992, runner up in the British senior division last year and a top ten finalist in the European Championships.
Another local boarder, Clint Loake, is also a former runner up in the British champs.
‘Local bodyboarders probably have more recognition outside of the Island than within,’ said Crowther.
‘But it is growing over here.
We have an enthusiastic underground crew of bodyboarders but it’s now time to show Jersey - and potentially the world - what we do.’ The meeting tonight will be held at the Humphrey Club at Fort Regent at 7.15 pm.
Article posted on 28th July, 2004 - 12.00am
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