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18/01/2006:// It's been announced Scotland will host a leg of the prestigious World Qualifying Series pro surfing tour in the spring.
The O'Neill Highland Open is being staged at the famed left-hand reef at Thurso East.
More than 150 of the world top surfers, including O'Neill team riders Sam Lamiroy, from Perranporth, and St Agnes' Jake Boex, will make WQS history by competing in the most northerly event of the 2006 season.
Lying at 59° degrees north, Thurso has been likened by some to a coldwater Nias in Sumatra. It is alsoone of the most consistent spots on the British Isles, renowned its long, winding right-hand tubes that spin off the flat, kelp covered reef.
But scoring Scotland's prize wave comes at a cost as the peaty brown water in the river mouth barely rises above a bone-chilling 8 - 10°c. This is serious wetsuit territory.
Thurso's backdrop is equally extreme, isolated, rugged and scattered with majestic castles to make the event one of the most unique stops ever on the WQS tour.
If Thurso fails to turn it on for the event, the contest organizers have the option to go mobile and travel the short distance to alternate swell magnets.
Brims Ness, which means 'Surf Point' in Nordic, is just one option that is renowned for providing the goods when the main contest reef is dormant.
The inaugural Highland Open is scheduled to take place from April 25 to May 2nd.
Cornwall's Russell Winter has had a superb start at the Buondi Billabong Pro in Portugal notching up one of the top four heat scores of the competition so far
Cornwall's Ruebyn Ash put in a superb performance to reach his second European Pro Junior final of the season
Skins "King of the Groms" Contest and Spencer Hargraves raise £800
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