The final line-up has been confirmed for Ireland's team at the European Surfing Championships in Bundoran later this week.

Rossnowlagh's John Britton joins his cousin Easkey Britton in the strong squad aiming for Eurosurf gold.

The rest of the team includes two-time Irish national champ Shane Meehan; former Irish Open Champion Stephen Kilfeather; and multiple-time women's body board champion Ashleigh Smith.

Also in the squad are Cain Kilcullen from Enniscrone; open surfer Oliver O’Flaherty; 2008 WSCS Longboard Champion Stephen Kelleher; Irish Student Champion Ronan Oertzen; Bundoran's Shauna Ward; body boarder Darragh McCarter; and Irish team veterans John McCurry and Richie Fitzgerald.

The action kicks off in Bundoran on 23 September with the competition running till 2 October.

Stephen Kilfeather retained his Irish Open Surfing Championship title at last weekend's County Sligo Open.

The 24-year-old Sligo native squeaked past fellow Team Ireland members Cain Kilcullen and Ronan Oertzen to clinch the title for the second year in a row at the final event of the 2011 Irish surfing tour.

“I’m stoked to win it again," said Kilfeather, who also came first at the weekend. "Back to back for two years running is a great achievement.” 

He said the competition was “a great warm-up for the European Surfing Championships in Bundoran" next month. 

Team Ireland members did well in the overall rankings in Sligo, with John Britton taking the senior title, Ashleigh Smith the women’s body board title, Shane Meehan the Bodyboard title, Easkey Britton the women’s title and John McCurry regaining the longboard title. Team Ireland manager Stevie Burns was also successful, winning the Masters title.

Donegal will be represented by five surfers on the Irish team selected for the Eurosurf European Surfing Championships in Bundoran later this year.

Donegal Daily reports that Bundoran residents Ronan Oertzen (20), Shauna Ward (24), Darragh McCarter (25) and Richie Fitzgerald (36) will join 25-year-old Easkey Britton from Rossnowlagh on the team, after qualifying in a series of selection events.

One position on the team remains to be filled, and will be decided in a 'surf-off' between Rossnowlagh's John Britton and Keith O'Brien from Tramore at the Sea Sessions festival in Bundoran from 24-26 June.

The Irish Surf team will be coachedby Pascal Devine and managed by Stevie Burns, who have 40 years of surfing experience between them.

Donegal Daily has more on the story HERE.

The 2011 Portrush Open Surfing Championships take place this weekend from 9-10 April.

Ireland's best surfers are expected to take part in the two days of competition, which will also be the decicing contest for selecting surfers to represent Ireland at the European Championships in Bundoran later this year.

Causeway Coast Surf Club chairman Gerard McAuley told the Coleraine Times: “The Portrush Open is now Ireland’s best surf contest. As surfing becomes more and more popular, we are expecting large numbers of competitors and spectators to attend."

Top internationals Cain Killcullen, Aaron Reid and Ronan Oertzen are set to clash with the likes of local prospect 'Long' John McCurry in the men's open, while Easkey Britton is setting her sights on the women's open title.

The weekend will also feature events such as art exhibitions and a packed entertainment programme for competitors and spectators alike.

For more details visit www.northcoastni.com or www.causewaycoastsurfclub.co.uk.

The Coleraine Times has more on the story HERE.

Sligo IT fought off tough competition to take the top spot at the 2011 Irish Student National Surf Championships in Portrush last weekend.

Poor conditions on the Saturday morning forced a postponed start in the afternoon but Sligo raced to the front from the get go, winning the first ever stand up paddle.

UUC's Rory McNeary narrowly defeated Sligo's Christian McLeod in the men's longboard final, but the lead was regained by Ryan McEnroe and Nicole Schiffer in the men's and women's bodyboard finals.

And Ronan Oertzen – who also won the prize for the highest two-wave total - capped things off with a strong performance in the men's open to seal the title.

Meanwhile in the women's open, Easkey Britton of UUC took her third title at the championships, topping Queens University's Clare Stephens and Niamh Marie Smyth.