Boosted, Phuket surfing culture today. It was marked by the opening of a major retailer “surfing center’ at Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong.

Quicksilver Retail (Thailand) Ltd General Manager Surached Mungthong said that the opening of Quicksilver Surf House was to promote the upcoming Quicksilver Thailand Surf Competition 2011 and to grow Phuket’s surfing culture,

“I would like to help expand the surfing community in Phuket and enable more tourists to experience surfing here. Surf House staff will suggest places and times to surf, as well as help beginners join a surf school in Patong,” Mr Surached said.

Staff will also give out information about the 3rd Quicksilver Thailand Surf Competition 2011 to be held in Patong from September 21-24 in front of Phuket Graceland resort. This year, the event will become one of six ranked competitions in the ASEAN Surfing Championship held in Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia. This also include “surfing festival” with fashion, music and sport activities.

Mr. Surached says that the competition held in Patong because he would like to send a message that surf can be done at any beach in Phuket, not only Kata. He wants more and more people take part in that fun activity. There will be a surf show by a famous international surfer, surf clinic and games on the beach, finally close by a live concert on the beach.

There are already more than 100 surfers registered for the competition, he said. Overall, about 300 surfers are expected to compete in the games, which include four classes: long board, short board, women and master (for surfers over 35 years old), he said.

“Surfers will come from many countries: USA, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philipines, Singapore and so on. These people will help boost the local economy during the low season,” he added.

Quicksilver will also co-operate with the Phuket Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Center to organize a sea grass-planting event for the surfers near Pa Khlok.

News by Phuket Gazette