This isn't the first time an incident between locals and competitors has occurred in Thurso; what happened during the British Championships involving competitors and locals?
Last Sunday, the British Championship semi-finals were interrupted by a group of locals from Thurso, Scotland, who were allegedly unhappy with the event's location and decided to take to the water.
While there are varying versions of the incident, one source told Stab that the incident was premeditated by these locals; some say three, others say five.
There is agreement that they got into the girls' waves and that some of them were aggressive and insulted them or told them in a less than pleasant way that they were going to do what they wanted.
“The competitors told us that the men verbally attacked them and that the intention was clearly to intimidate them,” reports local magazine Carvemag.
One of them, whose name is unknown, fell on one of the girls who appears to be Lila Skinner, the daughter of renowned longboarder Ben and sister of medalist Lukas, who had a bad time and almost drowned.
The championship was suspended, local police intervened, and an investigation is underway.
One of those in the water surfing was the well-known free surfer Ian Battrick, who was also one of the few who spoke out about the incident:
“During the recent surf competition, I made a mistake. The event was still underway, and I decided to enter the water when I shouldn't have. It was selfish and thoughtless. I didn't consider how it might affect the competitors or those who had worked hard to make the event happen. I take full responsibility for that decision. It was wrong, and I apologize to anyone who felt disrespected or upset by it. I can't take it back, but I want to make it clear that it was due to an error in judgment, not malice. As had been agreed several days in advance with the North Shore Surf Club, we were allowed to surf freely after 15:00 PM. Although the commentator was also clearly explaining the free surfing rules at that time (see VIDEO 1). And these kinds of things happen on beaches during competitions all over the world.”
What happened next was devastating. In the days that followed, rumors began circulating online: stories that I had assaulted or insulted people in the water. None of this is true. There were live streams and people everywhere, but these stories kept growing, changing shape with each post. Watching your name and your person distorted until you became unrecognizable is a pain that's hard to describe.
I can accept being called out for any mistakes I've made. I deserve it. But what came next—the hatred, the insults, the lies—has gone far beyond what I should be responsible for. I've received hundreds of messages and comments from people I don't know, many of them cruel and deeply personal.
She later added to her post:
“To everyone who has reached out to me with kindness and empathy: thank you. Your kindness has reminded me that, even in the most difficult times, there is still so much good in the world.
In the last 48 hours, several serious accusations have circulated regarding my conduct. To clarify:
While in the water, I stayed clear of the others and let the competitors ride the waves. On a closing wave, I was pulled underwater and surfaced with my board briefly tangled with another competitor's, who, unbeknownst to me, had fallen in. Another wave came immediately, and we both rode it. I had no intention of interfering with the event or any competitor. You can see the video here.
- I definitely didn't corner any girls against the reef.
- The competitor I supposedly held underwater has confirmed that this did not happen.
- I didn't shout, insult, or attack anyone. I never raised my voice.
There are two live streams from the period in question that show my behavior. There were 200 people watching the competition. Given the amount of abuse I receive online, this would surely be available if it were true.
I didn't jump on anyone's bandwagon.
I caught four waves in two hours, and that was when there were no people around or they were well out.
When I got out of the water because a friend had paddled out to tell me he'd just seen four people vandalizing my van, I was confronted by a crowd. During the fight, someone from Jersey shoved me and raised his fist.
The series will be re-surfed soon and the investigation will continue.
Thurso has hosted several events in the past, including several QS events.
Not everyone has been free of trouble: In 2011, Guadeloupe surfer Charles Martin was attacked by a gang of 10 to 15 people, so he armed himself with a knife and was later intercepted by local police and arrested.
The arrest cost him his sponsor, which at the time was Nike.
It is unknown whether the incident had anything to do with something that happened in the water, locals angered by it, or not.
The former professional and former editor of Surfer and Surfing, raises his doubts about the real reason for the death of the five surfers in the waters of the North Sea
