The Surf sa国际传媒 Nationals, featuring the newest Olympic sport, come crashing in with the breakers May 4-7 at Wickaninnish Beach.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a change of venue as they have mixed it up a bit for us,鈥� said defending national men鈥檚 champion Pete Devries of Tofino, noting that big national and international events have usually been held on Cox Bay in the past.
鈥淪well size and direction are fairly similar, but Wickaninnish is more variable, which could change the outcome of events.鈥�
This year鈥檚 nationals are just two years out from surfing鈥檚 much-anticipated Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.
鈥淲hat the Olympic inclusion has done is put the sport on more people鈥檚 radars,鈥� said Devries.
鈥淧eople who live in the middle of any country are obviously not going to know much about surfing. The Olympics will introduce more people to the sport. Hopefully, the conditions in Tokyo will showcase it well.鈥�
Already a Canadian surfing legend, the chance to become an Olympian comes late in the 34-year-old Devries鈥� career.
鈥淚鈥檒l put my best forward in the qualification process,鈥� he said.
Other men鈥檚 Island greats also competing next month in the Surf sa国际传媒 Nationals, and longer-term vying for Tokyo 2020, include Noah Cohen and Michael Darling.
The women鈥檚 side features 14-year-old Tofino prodigy Mathea Olin, who last year at the Pan American championships in Peru, won sa国际传媒鈥檚 first-ever international surfing gold medal in longboard. Olin, who will no doubt receive considerable attention as she crests toward the Tokyo Olympics, is the No. 9 junior woman in the world and is both the defending Canadian senior women鈥檚 and U-16 champion. Younger sister Sanoa Olin is also upcoming on the Canadian female side, as is Hanna Scott and Leah Oke.
Events at the nationals will include men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 open shortboard and longboard and U-18, U-16 and SUP Surf categories. The national championships will act as the trials to select the Canadian national teams for international competitions in 2018.
