Canada’s first-ever professional surfing competition hits the waters off Vancouver Island next month.
The Cold Water Classic Canada, which runs Oct. 25 to 31, will bring more than 100 professional surfers to Tofino, as well as spectators and about 50 media.
“It solidifies our tagline of being the Surfing Capital of Canada,” said Lynda Kaye, a spokeswoman for Tourism Tofino.
“If (the water) is anything like I’m looking at right now — pro surfers are going to be happy,” said Kaye, whose Tofino office overlooks the ocean.
“(The surf) is not steamer-lane, Santa Cruz big, it’s not huge, rip-curl, Hawaii big, but there are surfers in our water every day of the year.”
Temperatures, she added, are consistent with other surfing places in the Pacific Northwest at about 10 C.
The contest is the first professional surfing competition sponsored by the Association of Surfing Professionals to be held in Canadian waters.
It is the fourth in a series of five events held in balmy locales like the coasts of Scotland and Tasmania, and it is part of a World Qualifying Series that carries a total purse of $145,000.
“We expect the town to be a hubbub of activity,” said Kaye, adding the Olympic torch relay visits Tofino on Nov. 1, the day after the competition ends.
“For a town that basically takes a break after the summer, we’re going to be on fire into the first part of fall.”
