Hebridean surf festival a winner

The Stornoway waves were no match for the top surfers

BBC surf writer Simon Alexander reviews the Hebridean Surfing Festival for BBC Sport Online.

American Tom Curren, known as the man who rides mountains, is on top of the world after winning the northern hemisphere's most futuristic surfing contest in gigantic waves off Scotland's rugged north-west coast.

The three-time professional world surfing champion overcame the sternest of challenges at a remote reef break on the Isle of Lewis to win the inaugural Hebridean Surfing Festival title.

As 10ft waves crashed around him, the 35-year-old combined power and determination to clinch one of his sweetest and most memorable victories.

Curren won the event with an overall total of 91 points, just one point ahead of his protégé South African Frankie Oberhalser and Hans Hagen.

Scotland's Stevie Clelland was the top placed Briton, just off the pace in 5th place.

Enigmatic character

It was a remarkable achievement for the Stornaway 30-year-old, who has recently returned to the island from Glasgow.

"I can't believe it, it's fantastic," he said. "It proves the handicap system works and it's fair. I'm stoked."

The 21st century format was contested over an experimental seven-round system with maximum points awarded for line, speed, power and style.

Pre-contest favourite Curren is one of the most enigmatic characters in pro surfing, his quiet, unassuming manner out of the water belying his talents in the line-up.

He was hungry to make his mark in the Scottish wilderness after finishing fifth at the Quiksilver World Masters in Ireland earlier this month.

Tom Curren shows his world beating skills

Curren told BBC Sport Online: "I actually came from way back in the final round to win. 

"Stevie (Clelland) actually had the wood on me pretty well up to the end. The closeness of the cumulative rounds showed how all the surfers no matter their age, sex or experience can compete without the drawback.

"To put it into a little perspective, Kassia Meador, who won the women's event, scored a perfect 20 out of 20 in round six and with a bit more luck she could have won the whole event."

In another first for the sport, it was the first time in surfing history that a female posted a perfect score against men.

Contest organiser and former Australian pro surfer Derek Hynd said of the Californian's achievements: "Kassia put in the greatest small wave artistic performance that I've ever seen from a female in 25 years of surfing.

Radical contest

"The success of the test event points to more changes in the near future.  

Britain had plenty to smile about in the longboard division. Welsh wizard Chris "Guts" Griffiths just edging out Cornwall's England international Sam Bleakley during the final stages.

Contest producer Derek Macleod spent months helping to the put the contest together with Hynd.

He said the Isle of Lewis would now be seen as a serious surfing location around the world by all the sports top professionals.

"It's been a radical contest with some of the best surfing the Hebrides has ever seen.

"The manoeuvres being pulled off by the likes of Oberheizer and Curren is of the standard you only ever dream of seeing. They destroyed the waves with pure power surfing."

The unique judging system is just one of many visionary issues being discussed at a special Hebridean forum over the next two weeks attended by some of the sport's most influential players.