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Channel Island bodyboarders win at Porthtowan
by George Mojo
07/11/2007:// Channel Island bodyboarders Dan Garton and David Speller are the new British champions after winning their respective divisions at the Smith & Williamson Solomon Hare 2007 British Bodyboard Championships held at Porthtowan beach in north Cornwall.
There was also further success for Jersey, with Colin Crowther reaching the final of Senior mans division for over 28's, finishing in third place.
The championships, organised by the British Surfing Association and the British Bodyboard Club, had previously bagan at the beginning of October, when dwindling swell conditions had forced the postponement of the event before the finals could take place. This time round though the waves didn't disappoint, with 3-4ft waves and light winds making for good contestable conditions.
First up was the under 14's final featuring Dan Garton against England's Sam Newby, George Hawken and Ed Hone. It was Hone who led through most of the heat after landing a roll on a good right hand wave. However with about five minutes remaining in the heat, Garton found himself in position for a perfect left hander, boosting a solid roll off the inside section, which scored highly with the panel of judges pushing him up into the lead.
A forward spin on his next wave, consolidated his lead, which he held on til the end of the heat to become Jersey's first ever British bodyboard champion.
The under 18's final saw David Speller up against Jo Hone, Luke Brabyn and Charlie Jay. The final developed into a battle between Hone and Speller, with Hone performing some stylish reverse spins, to open a lead. Speller fought back though with an invert on a right hander, followed by a double roll on a left. Another good left, saw Speller project a powerful roll to edge the heat and become Jersey's second British Champion of the day.
The Senior final was fought out between Colin Crowther, Eldred Hawke and former British champions Rob Barber and Danny Catten. Crowther, surfing the lefts alongside Barber to the south of the bay, put in a good performances pulling two rolls on his opening wave, and a reverse 360 to roll on his second, before backing up his heat score later in the heat with another solid roll on one of the bigger set waves that came through. It was Newquay's Barber though who was to take the title, pulling smooth spins and some big rolls on the peeling lefts.
Full Results
Smith & Williamson Solomon Hare Open division 1 Damien Prisk 2 Mark Griffiths 3 Darren Halse 4 Alex Winkworth Rob Barber’s Bodyboard school U14 division 1 Dan Garton (Jersey) 2 Ed Hone 3 Sam Newby 4 George Hawken
ThreeSixty Magazine U16 division 1 Luke Brabyn 2 Nathan McCabe 3 Charlie Strang 4 Tom Hammett
The Pit U18 division 1 Dave Speller (Jersey) 2 Joe Hone 3 Luke Brabyn 4 Charlie jay
Alder Sportswear Seniors division 1 Rob Barber 2 Danny Catten 3 Colin Crowther (Jersey) 4 Eldred Hawke
BBHQ Drop Knee division 1 Alex Winkworth 2 Laurie McCall 3 Brad Hoult 4 Aiden Salmon
[Carissa Moore (in yellow) receiving the winner's prize]
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