Every April since 2002 we’ve run the Back Rock Surf Kayak Festival.
On Saturday, we’ll run the Shoreline Handicapped Surf Kayak Classic. You answer a few questions to establish your surf kayaking handicap and then compete in a fair way against everyone else. There’s no knockout, so paddlers of all abilities will compete throughout the day. This system also allows competitors to gain ranking points in the Short Boat Open category. Most types of craft can be used, but please have a look at the details below to be sure.
On Sunday, we’ll run another full day of surfing events, this time focusing on all the separate categories of surfing. This will include various categories of Long Boat, Short Boat, and Waveski surfing.
We’ll announce details on Saturday as to any evening event or meal that we have organised.
Entries must be received in advance.
The Festival is run from Black Rock Beach on the south side of Widemouth Bay. To get to us drive down the A39 past Bude and take the Widemouth Bay turn off just before Poundstock. Follow the road to the coast and down a steep hill arriving at Black Rock Car Park and Cafe - pay on entry to the car park and drive down and right to our competition area. If you have driven from Bude along the coast road then this car park is half a mile the other side of widemouth main car park.
Both days start with an early check-in at 8.30 am. Once you have registered you’ll be able to see the order of heats during the day, if you are in an early heat you’ll need to get changed and ready to get on the water. Heats will run continuously throughout the day so keep an eye on the heats boards and don’t be late.
If you are new to this type of competition then please ask for any help or advice from the organisers or fellow competitors. Our aim is to run a friendly and welcoming surf event for everyone.
Safety cover and Judging will be provided by the event organisers.
All paddlers are welcome at this event. Both days are run in a friendly “come and have a go” atmosphere where you will be able to find out all you need to know about surf contests.
Kayaks should have full buoyancy, including air bags and a means of grabbing the boat at either end. If additional internal strapping systems are being used then these must be explained to the safety team and fellow competitors before you enter the water for each of your heats.
Wavskis and Sit-on-tops should be fitted with easily releasable strapping systems.
All paddlers are requested to wear helmets.
All kayakers are also requested to wear buoyancy aids.
This event is a great way for paddlers of all abilities to fairly compete against each other. It also includes a way for anyone competing in the Short Boat Open to gain ranking points and so the craft that you can paddle in this event include any Short Surf Kayak, any Freestyle kayak or any plastic river-running, general purpose or sit-on-top kayak. But you can’t use either a Long Surf Kayak or a Performance Waveski as there will be categories for these craft on Sunday.
Paddlers will compete in a series of heats lasting between 13 and 20 minutes. At the end of each round of heats competitors will be re-shuffled according to their prior result and will compete again. Paddlers will compete throughout the day scoring in each heat as they do so. At the end of the day overall placings will be established by the paddlers total point score added to their handicap, the lowest score will win (note: for ranking points the handicap system will not apply). A paddlers handicap will be set according to the following details :
Handicapping Questionnaire; 2 points added for each question answered ‘yes’.
During the day separate contests for Long Boat, Short Boat and Waveski will take place for different age groups and separated into Open and Women’s only classes.
