| Surfing Padstow chef hungry for success | |
|  | | New English champion Eugene Tollemache getting slotted. Photo courtesy ASP |
| | BBC Devon Online Surfing Correspondent, Simon Alexander, talks exclusively to the new English surfing champion Eugene Tollemache.The newly-crowned English champion is setting his sights on the British title later this year. |
| | | Talking exclusively to BBC Devon Online, Eugene Tollemarche, the Padstow chef who last won a major event four years ago, says he's hungry for more success.
Winning the English was a dream come true for the 26-year-old and with a busy contest season ahead the prospects looks rosy.
Tollemache juggles his time between working at Rick Stein's Restaurant in the fishing town and getting barrelled in the low tide waves at Constantine Bay.
But preparations for his return to the competition stage have taken him all over the world. "I'm stoked at winning the English, I couldn't believe it at first.
"The conditions at Watergate were shocking and in every heat I had three lucky waves which were enough to get through. The toughest heat was, without doubt, the semi's. I was really nervous against Mike Raven, Josh Knowles and my old friend Gary Wells.
| Full English National results |  |
"My strategy was not to go too hard and fall off. Just relax and it it all flow and it paid off," said Tollemache.
"When I picked up the award it was an amazing feeling, I'm stoked. I've been off the contest scene for a while and I'm now looking for financial backing so I can compete in more contests. It means I can improve my technique by surfing better waves around world.
"I spent a year in the Hebrides surfing great waves and the last two months in the Philippines where I really got fit and I feel really good about competing in the top flight again.
"I'm going to be doing a a few selective contests such as the British Professional Surfing Association Tour at Croyde, Lusty Glaze and Challaborough and I'm definitely going all out for the British title later this season. I'm really going to go after that," he added.
Tollemache's fearless attitude to big waves has earned him special respect. Add to that his prowess in smaller surf and he is a formidable opponent.
"Before this success, my last good result was in South America in a pro-am contest. It's been four years but I've been surfing as much as I can. As far as working for Rick Stein in Padstow. He lets me go surfing when the works done."
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