Retro Board Challenge is a day of sun, fun and partying
Photos:Carole Gengler/Chilled Turtle

Last weekend saw yet another hugely successful charity Retro Board Challenge take place in East Wittering, with 50 fancy dressed surfers competing and hundreds of spectators watching on the beach.

The A1Surf.com Retro Board Challenge in association with Wittering Surf Shop was held in small waves and sunshine, with a record turn-out of competitors. Despite the small conditions, the surfers literally threw themselves into the spirit of the event, taking to the water on 9ft swell boards which allowed some new school moves you won’t even see on the ASP Dream Tour, including the ‘Ninja Chop’ , ‘the Cartwheel’ and the ‘Gun Show’.

A weird and wonderful collection of fancy dress costumes were on display during the day, including Bart Simpson, a scarecrow, Pamela Anderson, James Bond and even Laird Hamilton.

The final was hotly competed on the rising tide, with some of the best waves of the day being ridden right to the beach in front of the huge crowd of spectators. The finalists were the Silver Surfer (Olly Smith), the Ninja (Cliff Cox), Elton John (Peter Engelfield) and a Soldier (Matt Reed).

In the end it was the Silver Surfer who was triumphant, with the Ninja in second place, Elton John in third and the Soldier taking the fourth spot.

A groms comp was also run, with local groms from the Witterings and Brighton competing in fancy dress also, which was won by Kieran Munroe.

The event raised hundreds of pounds which is donated to the RNLI Selsey Lifeboat Station and Surfers Against Sewage.

And this year saw the day rounded off with a ‘retro party’, held at the nearby Shore Inn in a huge marquee. Brighton band Cover Note played an awesome three hour set and a Hawaiian Buffet kept everyone in the party mood.

David Somerville from A1Surf.com said: “We were so pleased with this year’s event and stoked to have raised this money for the charities.

“Although the surf was small, the guys proved that surf competitions can be a lot of fun.

“I would like to thanks everyone who made it such a special day, in particular our sponsors – Lightning Bolt, Xcel Wetsuits, Ocean & Earth, Chilled Turtle, Santa Cruz – and also Shore Surf Club for their fantastic judges, beach marshals and tabulators.”

Nick Cheshire from Wittering Surf Shop said: “Each year people are starting to realise that this event isn’t about the waves, but about getting the surfing community together, having fun and having a party.

“This year a lot of the original Witterings surf crew entered the comp and it was the first time they had surfed together since the 70’s.”