Mayo Mayhem, Ireland’s biggest windsurfing competition, took place over the weekend of 27-29 September at Cross Beach Belmullet and Enniscrone, Co. Sligo.
This year’s Mayo Mayhem, sponsored by RWE, was ranked as a three-star event on the PWA / IWT world tour and sported a mix of the best of the Irish competing side-by-side with international competitors from France, Germany, Denmark, Poland, and Scotland.
There were three different categories competing - Professionals, Amateurs and Women.
The decision to hold the event over the weekend was risky, given the unusual forecast of north winds on Friday and east winds on Sunday, but it ultimately paid off!
The wind and swell arrived on Thursday, allowing riders who arrived early a great day to warm up for a session on Cross Beach, Belmullet.
The first day of competition was held on Friday, 27, at Cross Beach, Belmullet, Co Mayo, with the second day on Sunday at Enniscrone Beach in Sligo.
Friday was filled with colour as the competition attracted close to 50 windsurfers throughout the fleets. The conditions were perfect, with strong northerly winds and three-metre waves providing a top-class playground for competitors to demonstrate their jumping.
Throughout the day all fleets took turns showing off their skills with massive jumps and super wave riding. Heats were 12 minutes long. The Pro fleet was up first followed by the Women and then the Amateurs. Riders were scored on their two best jumps and two best wave-rides.
Conditions on the Sunday where perfect for pure wave riding but no jumps were being scored. The Pro fleet final was a head-to-head between new entrant and PWA sailor Lucas Meldrum from England and Irish Pro-windsurfer Julius Byrne from Galway. It was the English raider in the end who came out on top to take the win.
The Women’s final was a Galway showdown between Aoife Cooke and Katie McAnena with Katie looking to improve upon her Friday results where she was just beaten by Aoife. In the end a super final was required to separate them with Katie just coming out on top in challenging conditions.
The Amateur final was between Tom Lotocki and Pawel Jankowski, who had climbed all the way up from 8th place to reach the final. Again, a super final was required, but in the end, Tom just managed to hold onto his first place.
RESULTS
Women's Fleet
- Katie McAnena (Ireland)
- Aoife Cooke (Ireland)
- Amy O'Donnell (Ireland)
- Vicky Guthrie ( Ireland )
Pro Fleet
- Lucas Meldrum (UK)
- Julius Byrne (Ireland)
- Alex Duggan ( Northern Ireland)
- Finn Mellon (Ireland)
Amateur Fleet
- Tom Lotocki (Poland/Ireland)
- Pawel Jankowski (Poland/ Ireland)
- Bob Hagen (Ireland)
- Colin Colville (UK)
