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[Russell Winter winning the Highland Open in 2006]
Three Cornish surfers take on world's top professionals
by George Mojo
07/04/2008:// Newquay trio Russell Winter - a past winner two years ago, current English champion Oli Adams and Alan Stokes are all in the draw at the 6star World Qualifying Series event based at Thurso.
Adams will use the contest as a warm-up for the defence of his national title, while Winter and Stokes will have an eye on vital world ranking points available at Scotland richest surfing competition of 2008.
All three are no strangers to the quality waves available at the mobile tournament which will staged where the surf is breaking at its best on any one day. The long right-hand barrells at Thurso East will suit both Winter and Stokes, while the short hollow tubes of Brimms Nest will be relished by Adams.
In 2007, Winter bowed out in round three when two low-scoring rides early on in his round three heat left the British number one with too much to do against eventual Highland Open champion Australian Nathan Hedge.
Two wildcard places remain and its unclear if Perranporth's Sam Lamiroy will take up the slot. He rides for the O'Neill UK team and is a past master of the surf breaking in the Thurso region.
The Open has attracted an impressive international line up including recent Mark Richards Pro champion Adriano de Souza, fellow WCT compatriots Leonardo Neves, Aritz Aranburu, Tiago Pires, and Jay Thompson along with some of the best European waveriders on the WQS.
Last year's defending champion Hedgeand the runner-up Jarrad House are also in the draw having been seeded into the later stages.
Howse says the event stands out from everything else on the gruelling WQS circuit. “I think it’s the history of the place and the fact that it’s so different from everywhere else on the tour. Usually we’re in and around big cities and festivals but it’s so special that it’s in this little town of Thurso. It’s just so down to earth and so far removed from everything.”
It’s not just the location – at 59 degrees north – that makes the Highland Open so special. The winner of the event walks away with a unique prize in contemporary surfing – The Chieftain, a double-handed, limited edition Medieval Scottish war sword. The sword is a replica of an early Claymore, a sword depicted on ancient grave slabs in the Scottish Highlands.
The O’Neill Highland Open takes place from April 23-30 and has been integral to changing the face of surfing in Europe, putting the icy barrels of Scotland on the world surfing map.
Run by surfers, for surfers, the event ignores the cold and instead focuses on the world-class breaks that lie along Scotland’s north shore.
Top seeds took control of the ASP World Qualfying Series 6-Star Buondi Billabong Pro Portugal posting big scores and impressive performances in the good three to four foot waves on offer at Ribeira d’Ilhas
Briton Russell Winter's run in the Buondi Billabong Pro in Portugal came to an abrupt end when the Cornishman finished last in his second round heat
The upcoming Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley may be the closest thing eight-time ASP World Champion and ratings leader Kelly Slater (USA) has to a home court advantage on the ASP World Tour
Home advantage saw Lee Ann Curren claim top spot in Rip Curl Pro Junior Mademoiselle at Les Bourdaines in Seignosse
The August Bank Holiday weekend saw a hive of activity at the inaugural Quiksilver Skins invitation competition, one of the most innovative contest formats to grace the circuit
Champions tell the story of their success step by step
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