SURFING: Annissa Flynn had reason to celebrate on home turf yesterday (June 25) as she won the Women’s Shortboard and finished in second place in the Women’s Longboard competitions at the Phuket Surf Contest 2023.
Annissa in action yesterday (June 25). Photo: Thailand Surfing Federation
The three-day competition, held at Kata Beach under the auspice of the Thailand Surfing Federation (TSF), was part of the Amazing Ultimate Festival, an array of sports and recreational tourism events organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and Tourism Authority of Thailand.
The festival is taking place across four coastal provinces: Khao Lak in Phang Nga, Chalatat Beach in Songkhla, Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Kata Beach in Phuket.
The Phuket competition last weekend attracted 160 surfers from 14 countries who competed in men’s and women’s long and shortboard contests with an overall prize pot of B220,000 up for grabs. Winners received B20,000, runners-up B15,000 with third and fourth-placed contestants receiving B10,000 each.
Local favourite Annissa triumphed in the Women’s Shortboard with a score of 10.35, ahead of fellow Thais Phrao Panutatnapha, Lalana Sinsorak and Mathilda Ashley Holmberg who recorded scores of 8.00, 7.20 and 3.75 respectively from the judges.
Annissa followed up her win by finishing in second place in the Women’s Longboard competition, registering a score of 7.65. Soogi Kim from South Korea took top spot with an impressive 11.50, with Thailand’s Chanikan Phaitakasri in third on 7.50 and Flora Christin from Indonesia fourth with 5.80.
Indonesian competitors dominated in the Men’s Shortboard category with Jori Putra winning with a score of 12.50, Febriansyah Biawak in second on 12.25 and Pito Wardana in third on 11.20. Wasan Sarasai from Thailand finished fourth with a score 9.75.
In the Men’s Longboard category Tedi Kurniadi from Indonesia emerged victorious with a score of 10.95, followed by Nathan Sadoun from France with a score of 10.10, Patthana Kerkhuntod from Thailand with 9.40, with Malaysia’s Muhamad Nor Afiq Haikal fourth on 7.40.
Once competition was concluded the trophies and cash prizes were distributed by Paiboon Thumsen, Director of Creative Activity Development at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and Channin Aiyarak, TSF President.
Running alongside the surfing competition on each of the three days were a number of other activities such as craft and food stalls, fashion displays and live musical entertainment from well known artists and DJs.
