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

Birthday Fix...

Yours truly. Not this evening but making the best of litte'un few weeks back.

Try to get a surf on my Birthday every year and managed to sneak a quick one before dark. Wasn't the best conditions but waves are waves and its my first time in the water for nearly 3/4 weeks!

Also have the internet at home again after 18 months without, so you'll hopefully find a few more posts here too!

Caught on Camera...

Wednesday Very small but very clean and surprisingly alot of fun. Carl from Troggs Surf School snapped this shot of yours truly angry stepping!

Thursday Those rocks? That poo stance? Hooded and booted? Yes indeed it is me. Snapped by Gary McCall and gleaned from MSW. I thoroughly recommend looking at some of his shots without me spoiling them here!

Part Deux.

Part II as promised. Steve took over the camera whilst I went back in to enjoy the mornings remainders.

Walking to the temple.

Getting there. Just need to learn to it with style!

Autumn textures.

Big thanks to Steve for the shots. You took some beauties!

Smoke on the water.

Stoked and speculating!

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!

Rossnowlagh Longboard Contest ...

Arrived down Friday night and conditions were far from great. Headed out for a quick dip all the same in the onshore crumble, though getting to wear the old legless winter suit again felt great...

Yours truly getting down to some late night sliding...

O-bag and Steve made the trip down too. Owen stoked with his Desmond... (Owen affectionately nicknamed his 2:2 Desmond, after Desmond 'Tutu')

Round 1, Heat 4. Unfortunately my competitive streak in the comp didn't last too long when I got knocked out in heat 2 of the first round.

Bosco

Causeway representing. John in front, Bosco behind...

Conditions for the semi's deteriorated further and proved seriously hard going

Everyone did their best to make the most of it though. Craig Butler sticking it out.

Things started to relatively better on the push for the juniors and ladies final. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Hang-Five...

Butler taking the Juniors with a bit of style...

Your Judges for the finals...

Thankfully by the time of the mens final a few contestable waves came through. Emmet going right...

John Junior on the nose...

Nice finish

Emmett going broadside for John

Powerful surfing for tiny conditions...

Your Inaugural Rossnowlagh Longboard Contest winner - John McCurry Junior

Thanks to all who organised such a great comp. The waves may have been less than ideal but the craic and spirit of the thing was 1st class. Here's to many happy returns!

Full results

U 18
1st Craig Butler
2nd Christian McLeod
3rd Owen O’Malley-Daly
4th Bosco McAuley
5th Dan Britton

Ladies
1st Ione Byrne
2nd Naomi Britton
3rd Amy-May Garvey
4th Sophie Scott

Seniors

1st John McCurry
2nd Stephen Conwell
3rd Patrick Cassidy
4th Emmet O’Doherty