The O’Neill Highland Open presented by Swatch is the biggest surf event ever to be held in the UK, rated as an ASP 6-Star WQS Mens Event. Organisers are preparing for kick off in Thurso East, Scotland from 24 April – 1 May 2007.
For the first time a World Qualifying Series (WQS) surfing event of the highest rank will be coming to the UK. Honoured to be hosting an event of this calibre, the UK will see the world’s best talent competing on British surf – for many competitors it will be the coldest climate in which they have ever surfed. The O’Neill Highland Open will be held in Thurso on the North Coast of Scotland from the 24th April – 1st May 2007.
Thurso is on the very Northern tip of Scotland, projecting into the Atlantic Ocean. The wind and swell from the Atlantic provide some of the world’s best surfing conditions, and waves to compete on an International level.
WQS surf events typically have a setting of blue sky and white sand. To see surfers from all over the world on the Scottish Highlands, the contrast of tanned Brazilian, Hawaiian and Australian surfers against the back-drop of fields of sheep and traditional Scottish castles will provide an interesting and unique event with outstanding imagery.
An event was held last year as a trial run at the Scottish location, credited only as a 5 Star WQS event. As the most northerly and coldest event on the WQS tour it was an original event, with outstanding surf conditions and ‘huge’ waves.
O’Neill originated from Northern California when they invented the wet suit in 1952, allowing surfers to continue their sport in cold water. Going back to their roots, O’Neill are showing the true side of surfing through this unique core surfing event.
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