Huge congratulations go to Team England after a clean sweep at the GB Cup at Fistral over the weekend.

England's Stanley Norman and Lauren Sandland were crowned British champions in the Men's and Women's categories respectively. England also topped the podium in the Team division, while Wales took silver in the Men's and Teams.

Due to the plus-size forecast, the decision was taken to postpone the juniors element of the comp, leaving the seniors to tackle the solid swell and winds hitting Newquay.

Waves were pretty wild through day one, and competitors had to put in a shift just to reach the line-up. But judges and spectators enjoyed amazing displays of surfing from the first hooter, with athletes consistently going rail-to-rail on the heavy green walls out back, while the Cribbar went off.

Conditions deteriorated towards Saturday evening for the last of the Women’s heats, and athletes had to strategise to build scores on a stormy high-tide Fistral.

The surf settled on the morning of day two, with groomed head-high lines setting the stage for the GB Cup finals 2023.

The Women’s final was an all-England affair that boasted the best of British wave-riding. Charging hard, Charlotte Mulley welded together a combined score of 10.07, but it wasn’t quite enough to beat Lauren Sandland, whose 12.36 forged gold, capping off an outstanding campaign for the new British champ. Georgia May Hicks took bronze with 8.3, and Ellie Turner’s 2.1 earned fourth.

On song throughout the tournament, Patrick Langdon-Dark was Wales’ sole representative going into the Men’s finals. The QS shredder put on a power clinic, executing deep carves and striking 12 time and again with characteristically ferocious backhand hacks. The Welshman looked to have done enough, but for an epic last-gasp full rotation aerial by Stanley Norman that drew huge cheers from the beach – the perfect curtain closer to a superb weekend’s work by the 20-year-old.

Arran Strong’s stylish manoeuvres notched up a bronze-medal-winning 10.27, while Luke Dillon’s 8.6 saw the veteran finish fourth. A clotted cream tea to Channel Islands’ Max Bennet who placed fifth after taming chaotic conditions with aggression, style and flow.

A big round of applause for Team England, then, whose sustained prowess saw them take top honours in the Teams category. We’re massively proud of Team Wales’ efforts – Y Ddraig Goch standing proudly in second. A big cheer also for Scotland and the Channel Islands, who came third and fourth respectively.

The Welsh Surfing Federation (WSF) would like to send out congratulations to all competitors for giving absolutely everything and treating us all to a masterclass in the challenging waves.

Lastly, a big diolch yn fawr to the judges, organisers and all at GB Surfing for staging a fantastic event. Also a big thank you to sponsors: Castore; Dryrobe; O'Neill Eyewear; UK Sport; The National Lottery; Inspecsgroup.

RESULTS

Men’s Final

1)    Stanley Norman (ENG) British Champion 15.5 

2)    Patrick Langdon-Dark (WAL) 13.67

3)    Arran Strong (ENG) 10.27

4)    Luke Dillon (ENG) 8.6

Women’s Final

1)    Lauren Sandland (ENG) British Champion 12.36

2)    Charlotte Mulley (ENG) 10.07

3)    Georgia May Hicks (ENG) 8.3

4)    Ellie Turner (ENG) 2.1

Teams

1)    England (8770)

2)    Wales (8090)

3)    Scotland (5590)

4)    Channel Islands (4530)