Surfer Charlie Pugh heading to Portugal for European event

Competitors from across Europe will take to the waves at Santa Cruz, north of Lisbon, from today (Thursday).

Among them is North Berwick’s Charlie Pugh, who was crowned Scottish Junior National Under-16 champion last month.

Proud dad Iain was delighted with the result in Tiree.

He said: “Sam Christopherson from Coast to Coast highlights the incredible roadmap. He has gone from absolute beginner to shooting up through the ranks and now to national champion.

“It is a lot of dedication from Charlie himself but from parents being up and down at beaches and a taxi service to various competitions and things.

“Charlie had a couple of friends at school that dabbled with surfing in the summer months. He did a four-day Easter camp at Coast to Coast three years ago and that was his first time surfing.

“At the end of the course, Sam asked him to be in the development squad. Ever since, he has been addicted to surfing. It is odd – about six months before that he was scared of the sea; it has been an impressive turnaround.”

Charlie Pugh is heading to Portugal after success on the waves off Tiree

Charlie, 16, who is in S5 at North Berwick High School, will be joined on the plane by fellow Coast to Coast Surf School members Ansel and Ebon Parkin, from Dunbar, and Portobello’s Rosie Moore.

The quartet were part of the six-strong Belhaven Surf Club squad who made the trip to the Inner Hebridean island.

They returned with nine finalist places in both the male and female categories.

Alfie Pugh, Charlie’s younger brother, came fourth in the under-14 boys’ category while Freya Pilarska, of Dunbar, and Moore took second and third in the under-14 girls’ event.

Ansel Parkin narrowly missed out on a podium place in the under-16 boys’ event where Charlie was crowned champion, while Moore took fourth in the girls’ equivalent.

Finally, Ansel Parkin, Ebon Parkin and Charlie Pugh finished second, third and fourth in the under-18 boys’ event.

Sam Christopherson, from Coast to Coast Surf School, was proud of the youngsters’ efforts.

Charlie Pugh is heading to Portugal after success on the waves off Tiree

He said: “The standard of Scottish junior surfing is the highest we have ever seen and we are seeing younger and younger kids do performances that are technically excellent.

“Some of our current Scottish juniors are getting to finals of British events. For me, the fact that six of our juniors from Belhaven Surf Club made nine national finals this year and four are now going to Portugal to represent Scotland is awesome and shows the talent and coaching structure is working.

“I am also very proud of young Charlie Pugh from North Berwick, who turned up three years ago to have his first lesson with Coast to Coast Surf School and three years later he’s won the Scottish under-16s’ title.

“I also need to mention a big shout out to Ansel Parkin, who won the Senior Men’s Scottish Longboarding title – an amazing achievement – at Pease Bay in April.

“Another of our club juniors, Joel Christopherson, was also selected for a Surf GB camp this April too and Joel has just turned 13.

“Our girls Rosie, Sylvie and Freya have all made finals this year too in national events.

“Although not in the Belhaven club, Finn Clark, who’s a local at Pease Bay, also won the U18 boys’ and surfs so well, and Annie Herd [North Berwick] also is heading out in the Scotland team to longboard. This all shows the strength in depth South East Scotland has in junior surfing.”

The championships off Portugal’s west coast will pit the teenagers against the best from throughout Europe. Sam picked out Spain, France and the host nation as being favourites for the medals at the competition.

He said: “Obviously, July in Portugal is a lot warmer than Tiree in June, so sun protection and water bottles are a must. I think the biggest transition facing the juniors that travel from Scotland is the standard at the Euros or Worlds – everyone is so good and this adjustment is a big one.

“There are some really good surfers in our national team but it’s still a young team and we are still at a stage where, if any of our juniors make a few rounds in the Europeans, then it is a success.

“However, we are building something special and the future is bright!”