Irish Intervarsity's 2011 Results

Ione Byrne raises the cup on behalf of the overall winners, Sligo IT

Sligo IT claimed the 2011 the Irish Student National Surf Championships held on the 19^th-20^th of February beating stiff competition from the hosts, University of Ulster Coleraine who came second, Queens University Belfast third and Trinity College Dublin fourth. A total of 8 clubs and 125 entrants from across Ireland contested the two-day event at Portrush’s West Strand in 1-2ft clean waves, groomed by light offshore winds.

Poor conditions did however postpone the start of the contest to Saturday afternoon when it commenced with the 1^st round of the novice competitions and the championship’s first ever stand up paddle event, won by Sligo IT.

After a fantastic night’s entertainment, competitors awoke to a small consistent wave across the beach allowing the remaining heats to take place. The call proved a good one and by the afternoon the pushing tide provided a more than contestable wave for the finals to take place in.

The novice category again proved to be the most contested with over 70 entries between the men and women’s divisions. The very worthy eventual titles went to Moira Donoghue (IT Carlow) in the women’s division and David Lynch (UCC) in the men's.

The men’s longboard final proved a close affair with UUC’s Rory McNeary narrowly defeating Sligo IT’s Christian McCleod whilst the women’s longboard title was taken in style by Sligo’s Ione Byrne. Sligo also collected both the men and women’s bodyboard titles with the honours going to Ryan McEnroe and Nicole Schiffer.

In the Women’s Open Easkey Britton (UUC) took her 3rd open title at the Championships and as the light faded, the waves grew leaving 4 clubs to battle for the coveted Troggs Men’s Open title. As anticipated by his performance in previous heats the improving conditions provided a stage for event standout, Sligo IT's Ronan Oertzen who earned top spot and simultaneously attained the prize for highest two wave total, sponsored by Portrush Surf School.

The University of Ulster Surf Club would like to thank all who took part and the contests sponsors: Troggs.com, SurfDock.ie, Flow Boards Ireland, Bundoran Surf Co., Woodies Surf Shop, Portrush Surf School, WestCoastSurfer.com, Lahinch Surf Shop, Incide and The Playhouse Portrush.

Special thanks go to Causeway Coast Surf Club, the Irish Surf Association and Coleraine Borough Council for their invaluable help and experience.

-Thomas Smyth

Men's Open finalist Owen Murphy making the most of the small conditions on Sunday Morning

Longboards found the going slightly easier. QUB's Brian Cox finding some tip time to progress to the mens longboard final.

Your's truly couldn't match last years form and failed to progress through the first round.

The men and women's novice divisions were again hotly contested with over 70 entrants between them.

Sligo IT's Christian McLeod finding a shapely wave in the mens longboard final.

The swell steadily improved for the finals. Easkey Britton on a West Bay peak.

Ronan, Stephen, Aaron and Owen all battling for position in the Troggs Mens Open Final

The fading light and growing breeze didn't stop a good crowd for gathering to watch the finals.

The winning team

Men's Open finalists with Trogg's Andy Hill

Massive thanks to Adam and Andy for the shots!

Full list of results:

Mens Open

1^st Ronan Oertzen (SIT)

2^nd Owen Murphy (GMIT)

3^rd Aaron Dees (QUB)

4^th Stephen Murray (UUC)

Womens Open

1^st Easkey Britton (UUC)

2^nd Clare Stephens (QUB)

3^rd Niamh Marie Smyth (QUB)

3^rd Alice Jameson (TCD)

Mens Longboard

1^st Rory McNeary (UUC)

2^nd Christian McLeod (SIT)

3^rd Brian Cox (QUB)

4^th Cathal Sheridan (CIT)

Womens Longboard

1^st Ione Byrne (SIT)

2^nd Daniela Eckstein (UUC)

Mens Bodyboard

1^st Ryan McEnroe (SIT)

2^nd Patrick Alan O’Connaire (GMIT)

Womens Bodyboard

1^st N. Schiffer (SIT)

Mens Novice

1^st David Lynch (UCC)

2^nd Luke Storey (UUC)

3^rd Colin Burgess (QUB)

4^th Adam Karakurt (IT Carlow)

Womens Novice

1^st Moira Donoghue (IT Carlow)

2^nd Alice Garcia (IT Carlow)

3^rd Maria Hall (QUB)

4^th Aoibhin Curran (TCD)

Stand Up Paddle

1^st Sligo IT

2^nd Carlow IT

3^rd Queens University Belfast

4^th Trinity College Dublin

Derry Dawnie...

Back in Derry for the weekend visiting the folks and decided to head out for an early sesh with the bro, Aaron and Luke before they went to work. Was empty early but by the time Adam had a surf and grabbed the camera it had filled up...

Yours truly (though a few inches of hair shorter) coming from the the bottom...

and sitting off the top!

Kildare come Inishowen man, making the most of his morning before real life begins...

Pulling out and dropping in...

Luke and Aaron coming back up the beach from an apparently "far bigger, far better wave". The grass is always greener boys, but Lukes rye smile tells me there may have been some truth to the tale...

Aaron and his trusty...

For all you Eagle eyed Tonnta readers out there you may notice I've got three different spellings of my name in the latest issue, Thom Smyth, Thom Smythe and Tom Smyth. Well here I am again, not quite making it...

Luke going left on the bendy Bic. (Just take a closeup at the nose of the board!)

Bump!Another wave, another Westbay

Dropping in...

The crew and the trusty overloaded fiesta. Massive thanks to the bro for cutting short his sesh to run in and grab the camera to give us some pics. Nice one Bruva!

Wobbly rights (pt II) and some afternoon delight....

Afternoon delight

Shared some short frustrating peaks earlier in the week that were very similar to nearly a year ago...

Yours truly. September singlefin loving.

Awog bottom turn

Air Aaron (minus the board)

Another left in context.

Meu amigo peludo

Horse v Adam.

Had a short frustrating session on Monday sharing some super short low tide peaks. Combined with last weeks sketchy session I've been feeling pretty apathetic and lacking a lot of confidence about my surfing. And whilst today my surfing was still far from where I want or where it should be, I began to solely concentrate on what I should be doing when I'm out there. Having Fun. And true enough as I loosened up mentally so too did my surfing. Demonstrating to me once again that most of my frustrations and inabilities are to do with whats going on upstairs rather than underneath my feet.

(Cheers to Ads again for the shots of me and Aaron!)

Getting reacquainted (with fustration...)

Bodyboarder making the most of it early

Aaron finding a wave with a view

I just found frustration for the most part

Face wash and a hand barrel
Picking his spot on a glassy one

Bic and a fish.

Moving up north again next week as I start my PhD so I decided to get reintroduced with the soon to be local. This break has had some magic moments for me but also some highly frustrating ones. Today was unfortunately closer to the latter. Slow to pop, lacking confidence and constantly getting stuck behind the section. Bummed. Aaron however was having a ball on the bic. Early entry into the wave and trying to squeeze his 6'3 frame into 1 ft barrels and coming out grinning. Cheers to Ads too for taking the shots, stoked for ya bro getting along the face for the first time. Now there's no turning back to the land loving life...

Day Tripping...

Yours truly enjoying to be out again...

The Blondie Bro.

Three Amigos

Marty looking for some fish

He was getting there though

But surfing a 6'2 and 6'6 on your first surf is a steep learning curve

Shorty got low...

(Thanks Anne and Ads for the shots!)

Played tourguide on a wee trip up North today with the cousin, her boyfriend Martin, the bro and his lady.Took Marty for his first ever surf en route too. Not easy on sub 7 foot boards but he seemed to enjoy giving it a whack. Despite being tiny t'was fun getting out for the first time in three weeks. Was starting to feel the land locked blues in Africa. Was also my first time having a sesh in the "shorty" I made and was really impressed by the warmth and extra flex. Definitely be giving it a few more sessions before the water temp drops...