Surfing Hainan 2009 Open

Surf's up in Hainan! For those of you surfing aficionados still wondering where to escape to from the cold winter, look no further and sign up for the Surfing Hainan 2009 Open now. The inaugural annual competition is set to take place January 10-11 next year on Hainan's east coast, which according to Brendan Sheridan, owner of Surfing Hainan, the Chinese surf company that is organising the competition, is "one of the last easily accessed tropical destinations in the world that still has virtually empty surf".

We're told the competition will contain three surfing disciplines — short board stand-up, longboard stand-up and bodyboarding, so you can perform in your discipline of preference. And, if you're not a surf pro, a *free* coaching day has been planned for one of the two competition days to help raise awareness of the sport in China.

Entrance fee of 300 RMB includes 2 nights twin share room at the Riyuewan Watersports Hotel (or equivalent), land transportation, contest entry, and prize-giving dinner, so it doesn't look like the organisers are looking to earn any real money from this all. If you're not competing, you can still join in all the fun for 250 RMB. And for what it's worth, the cheapest way to get to Hainan is by Chinese budget airline Spring Airlines, and one way flights from Shanghai to Sanya go for about 399 RMB.

Entry forms are downloadable here and for more information, please contact Surfing Hainan's Shanghai contact Cameron Hirst at 13564864530 or e-mail at hand_drag(@)hotmail.com.

"Looking East", a Shanghai TV program from Shanghai, on Dahai, a Chinese employee of Surfing Hainan.