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O’Neill Highland Open incomplete despite some great surfing
The O’Neill Highland Open took place this weekend at Brimms Ness Bowl as the rest of the country went flat! Although the final was not completed there was some seriously good surfing including some sick barrels in very shallow and hollow conditions.

The crème of British Surfing made the 700 mile trip up to the town of Thurso for what has been for the past few years the best event on the tour. Although they were not greeted with the ideal conditions Thurso can offer, the event highlighted the class and talent present in the UK.

The Bowl is a fast, hollow, shallow barrelling right that breaks out of deep water onto a slate shelf and picks up any swell, in fact it can be up to 4ft when the other breaks are flat. There were difficult decisions to make and only certain tide times brought a contestable and extremely hardcore wave due to the shallow reef. To get results at the bowl takes committed and gutsy surfing in the critical and hollow sections of the wave. Brimms Bowl certainly witnessed that this weekend.

The standouts of the weekend were the following surfers who made it to the semis before having to call off the event. Reubyn Ash, one of the youngest competitors surfed well all weekend picking off some nice barrels and was in the running for the Freerange Best Barrel. Scott Eastwood, from Jersey, stepped up for his best performance of the tour so far. Oli Adams, another junior, performed well as did Isle of White surfer Johnny Friar, whose tactical surfing in his quarter final pushed him though to the final eight. Shock results included Mark Harris and Alan Stokes falling in the quarters but apart from that the regular semi finalists all made it through including current two year champion Llewellyn Whittaker, who ripped all weekend, meaning that he has not lost a heat in Scotland for three years! Mike Morgan, who has been super consistent all year, surfed cleverly and won all of his heats. Micah Lester, was definitely a standout and got the highest heat score with two barrels including one that eventually won him the Freerange Best Barrel and £250. Lastly Reubin Pearce, the man of the moment, surfed extremely well all weekend and stays at the top of the BPSA leader board. With four events left, the title is still tight but it will take a lot to catch Pearce in his current form.

Elsewhere, Foster’s rocked up with the Barbie and Beer to feed and water the contestants and staff. A big thanks to Foster’s for really putting something into the British scene, it really does help! Of course however, no beer for those still in the contest! Foster’s also put on an awesome party at Thurso’s legendary Skinandi’s Nightclub as well as the following night at The Central Pub.

Although there was no final result the surfers showed how much class there is on this tour so a big thanks to them for their patience as well as to the Title sponsors O’Neill and tour sponsors Foster’s Beer, Freerange Sports Optics and Cadbury’s Boost. Without you guys the tour would not be where it is today.

Surf Up Thurso 2003
BPSA Competition Thurso September 2004