October 2007 saw the World Surf Kayak Championships take place in the Basque region of Northern Spain. Although 17 countries attended this year’s championships only 9 managed to field a full team, which includes short and long boat categories for men, juniors, ladies, masters and grand masters. The event is run with heats of four competitors in a timed surf for 19 minutes with a panel of judges watching from a judging tower. The competitors are scored for a maximum of 10 waves in the 19 minutes and are scored on the take off, the number and success of manoeuvres on the wave and the length of ride.

The team event was run over two rounds and a final. After the first two rounds surfing at Bakio and Mundaka in conditions that varied from short steep beach breaks to the long rides of Mundaka, four teams made it through to the final day. England, the local Basque team, Jersey and Northern Ireland all secured a place and were all determined to win!

The finals were held at Mundaka, at the mouth of the river Gernika, which can be a seriously intimidating, barrelling wave and paddlers and support teams were noticeably quieter on the final day than they previously been as nerves set in. The Basque team quickly took the lead showing their local knowledge of the Mundaka wave. Conditions varied through the day as the tide dropped and rose again around the Mundaka sand bar that caused the wave to throw its lip and barrel at amazing speeds.

After the last heat the Basque team had comfortably won with Jersey and Northern Ireland placed joint second and England fourth just 2 points behind. To break the tie for second place the organisers look back to the number of 1st places that were achieved through the final day heats, but both teams had the same number! Therefore Northern Ireland just pipped Jersey at the post for second as they had just one more 2nd place in the rounds than Jersey. A nail biting time for all as the counting went on! The previous world champions, USA West did not make the final day, although they did well in the individual events. Wales were placed 7th and Scotland were placed 9th although Scotland did win the prize for the best team spirit and partygoing!

The Team Event
1. Basque Country
2. North Ireland
3. Jersey
4. England

OPEN SHORT FINAL
1. Rusty Sage (USA) 67.5
2. Sean Morley (USA) 61.5
3. Chris Harvey (Jersey) 60
4. Edu Etxeberria (Basque Country) 60

MASTERS SHORT FINAL.
1. Sean Morley (USA) 58 pt.
2. Simon Hammond (England) 57.5
3. Txema Carreto (Basque Country) 37.5
4. Erik Miller (USA) 16

WOMEN SHORT FINAL
1. Valerie Bertrand (Canada) 46.5 pt
2. Treesa Rogerson (USA) 34.5
3. Devon Barker (USA) 32.5
4. Ailsa McDougal (Jersey) 22.5

JUNIOR SHORT FINAL
1. David Speller (Jersey) 54 pt
2. Sam Davenport (England) 45
3. Ibon Agirrezabala (Basque Country) 38.5
4. Chris Hobson (N.Ireland) 34.5

GRAND MASTERS SHORT FINAL
1. Kevin Quinn (N.Ireland) 87 pt
2. Phil Carpenter (Wales) 63
3. Steve Davenport (England) 57
4. Andrew Hawker (England) 54
5. Peter Day (England) 33.5

OPEN LONG FINAL
1. Leonard Kelleher (Ireland) 75 pt.
2. Edu Etxeberria (Basque Country) 70.5 pt
3. Darren Bason (England) 62.5
4. Jonny Bingham (N.Ireland) 51

MASTERS LONG FINAL
1. Buck Johnson (USA) 52 pt
2. Dennis Judson (USA) 51
3. Gary Adcock (England) 49.5
4. Richard Hobson (N.Ireland) 48.5

WOMEN LONG FINAL
1. Tracy Sherrington (Scotland) 36 pt
2. Jameson Riser (USA) 36 pt
3. Ailsa McDougal (Jersey) 22
4. Erica Chisholm (N.Ireland) 16.5

JUNIORS LONG FINAL
1. Chris Hobson (N.Ireland) 57.5 pt
2. Corin King (N.Ireland) 46.2
3. Alan Knox (N.Ireland) 42
4. Philip Watson (England) 39.5

GRAND MASTERS LONG FINAL
1. Ross Fulcher (USA) 52.5
2. Buck Johnson (USA) 49
3. Rick Starr (USA) 41
4. Malcolm Pearcey (England)