This article is from page 65 of the 2011-06-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 65 JPG
TWO Clare surfers have been selected for the Irish Surf team to represent the country when the European Surfing Championships “Eurosurf”, supported by Fáilte Ireland, happen in Bundoran, County Donegal, from September 23 until October 3 this year.
Oliver O’Flaherty, 24, and Stephen Kelleher, 24, both from Lahinch competed in a series of selection events in early 2011 in order to secure a place on the Irish national surf team.
O’Flaherty is a member of the West Coast Surf Club and will be competing in the open surfing division of Eurosurf. Kelleher has recently been elected vice-chairman of West Coast Surf Club and is no stranger to international competition and was ranked 17th whilst representing Ireland at Eurosurf 09 in Jersey. He is also WCSC Longboard Champion 2008, the even he will compete in at Eurosurf.
The European Surfing Championships alternate each year between the senior event “Eurosurf” (odd years) and the Junior event “Eurojunior” (even years). The separation into a junior event and senior event happened in 1992.
The Euros were first held in 1970 in Jersey. 2011 will be Irelands fourth time to host Eurosurf, and third time in Bundoran. The previous Eurosurf events held in Ireland were 1972 in Spanish Point, which was won by England, 1985 in Bundoran, won by France, 1997 in Bundoran, won by Portugal.
The other team members are Ronan Oertzen, Shauna Ward, Darragh McCarter & Richie Fitzgerald from Bundoran, Stephen Kilfeather & Ashleigh Smith from Sligo, Shane Meehan from Strandhill and Cain Kilcullen from Enniscrone.
One position remains to be filled on the team and the contest is between John Britton (JB) from Rossnowlagh and Keith O’Brien from Tramore. A “surf-off” will take place at the Sea Sessions surf and music festival in Bundoran at the end of June to decide the final member of the Irish Surf team to compete at Eurosurf 2011.
The team will be coached by Pascal Devine, a native of Newtownstewart in County Tyrone and managed by Stevie Burns from Portrush. With over 40 years of surfing between them, they are well qualified to bring the team through their paces to compete against the best of Europe in September.