Wednesday 31 October 2012

Surfers ride the big waves from Hurricane Sandy in Florida

Surfers ride the big waves from Hurricane Sandy in Florida

Welsh Surf Federation's concerned over unregulated schools

The Welsh Surfing Federation has said there is evidence of surf schools being set up without proper checks and regulations.

Secretary Stuart Bentley, of Porthcawl, said he has also seen lessons being held in unsafe conditions.
The Surf body Surfing GB would like to toughen the rules across the UK if granted national governing body status next year.

It said since the collapse previous governing body the surfing industry had been "pretty unregulated".
Mr Bentley said the issue of unregulated surf schools needed to be addressed urgently as lessons had become "unbelievably popular" in Wales.

I've travelled down the Gower and seen signs for surf lessons on the side of the road with a mobile number”
"It's very worrying from our point of view as there's very little legislation about who sets up surf schools," he said.

Instructors need to have a surf coaching award from Surfing GB or with the Surfing Australia and a beach lifesaving award is also a requirement.
Surfing is becoming very popular, particularly in Wales and southwest England and where people travel to popular surf spots like Croyde, Newquay, Gower, Pembrokeshire, Porthcawl and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast.