Surf tour frinds the perfect sponsor

May 2, 2007: Skinner's Brewery, of Truro, Cornwall, has been appointed drinks sponsor for the entire 2007 UK Pro Surf Tour, when surfers of all ages and abilities will flock to venues in Cornwall, Wales, Yorkshire and Scotland.

The Cornwall element includes the Fat Face Surf Night at Lusty Glaze, Newquay, on June 22 and 23, the Hot Tuna Surf Challenge at Porthmeor, St Ives, on August 24 and 25, and the Gul Newquay Open, on November 10 and 11 — each with £3,000 prize money.

The Island Style South Coast Challenge takes place at Praa Sands, Cornwall, during the October 22-28 waiting period, with £2,000 prize money.

The tour, a major feature of the UK surfing calendar, is designed to raise the sport’s profile with a unique platform for participants and sponsors and improving the performance level of British surfers.

“The tour has already demonstrated its ability to attract world-class surfers and I am convinced that it will help produce more British surfers of this standard,” said Skinner's managing director Steve Skinner, whose son Ben is the world number two longboarder.

“For our part, we are delighted to be able to support the tour in this way. It’s a great stage for our top British surfers to sustain a high level throughout the year and go on to strengthen their reputation on the international scene.

“We are not just another company happy to use surfing’s great image to help sell its products; we are a genuine surfing family who want to put something back into the sport we love, both for British and especially Cornish surfers.“

Mr Skinner added: “As a company, we are celebrating something of a coup, as it is normally one of the bigger league names in the industry who are appointed drinks sponsors for events of this scale.”

There will be eight to ten events at each tour venue, with up to five surfing disciplines in points-based championships — open, women’s, pro junior, grommets (under-12, under-16) and longboard.

This year’s tour dates also include the Headworx Welsh Open at Freshwater, West Wales, on September 22 and 23, and the North East Open at Cayton, Yorkshire,during the October 14-21 waiting period. A speciality champion of champions event will be staged later, venue and date to be decided.