The Barbados Surfing Association held its fourth Surfer of the Year contest at Brandons Surf Break, Drill Hall Beach, over the last weekend in highly contestable four to five-foot waves. Barbados’ top junior surfers continued to display progressive surfing, as 13-year-old Daniel Banfield won both the Under-16 and Under-14 Boys’ divisions, while Trent Corbin was second in both divisions. In the Under-14 Boys’ division, Banfield ended with a heat total of 13.50, while Corbin scored a 13.44, with Kian Brits taking third. In the Boys’ Under-16 division, Christin Stoute was third. Meanwhile, Tommaso Layson remains undefeated in the Under-18 Boys for the 2025 Surfer of the Year series, taking his fourth win, while Corbin continued to display his talent against the older boys with another second-place finish. Christian Stoute, who had the highest wave score of the event, a 9.17, took third place. Bruce Mackie, winner of the Barbados Independence Surf Pro at Soup Bowl last November, took the win in the Open Men’s division; with Lewis St. John battling hard to place a close second. Third was Barbados’ top international male surfer Joshua Burke. Among the females, Barbados’ top-ranked international surfer, Chelsea Tuach, remains undefeated as she took her fourth straight win this year, continuing to dominate the Open Women’s division. Chelsea Roett was second, while her ever-improving twin sisters, Hayley and Amy Godson, were third and fourth, respectively. Hayley additionally went on to be crowned both the Under-18 and Under-16 Girls’ champion, while Amy was second in both divisions. In the Longboard division, Noah Campbell, who will be representing Barbados early next month at the PASA Games in Guatemala, took the win. Second was the up-and-coming longboarder, Tristan Britts. The Grandmasters division, open to surfers 40 years and older, again featured several past champions with coach Zed Layson coming out on top, Nicky Marshall second and Barry Banfield in third. The Novice division was won by British surfer, Jude Cummins. The island’s top open surfers are preparing to represent Barbados at the Pan American Surf Association Games taking place from July 3rd–13th in Playa Rosario, Guatemala. Leading the charge will be Chelsea Tuach, who will be accompanied by top junior Tommaso Layson, the stand-out Rafe Gooding, and the current number one longboarder, Noah Campbell. About The Author