Surfing News  

Surf champ 'Scratch' taking to the hills

In April, 30 year-old Mark 'Scratch' Cameron hit the headlines when he won the Scottish Surfing Championship off Thurso and was rewarded with a wild card entry into the O'Neill Highland Open – the world's most northerly World Qualifying Series event.

Though Scratch was eliminated in the first round of the $135,000 event held off Thurso, the likeable Scot confirmed this week that he hopes to retain his Scottish crown and compete in the World's again next year.
 
"I can basically only get a shot at the World's once a year (in Thurso) and if I can win the Scottish again (he won in 1999, 2006 and 2008) I'll look to compete in the O'Neill (Highland Open) again for sure."
 
The Fraserburgh based surfer also hopes Chris Noble, who won the Scottish title in 2005 and 2007 will be available to contest the 2009 Scottish championship, with Cameron describing Noble as "one of the best surfers in Scotland."
 
Noble was working offshore during the 2008 Scottish Surfing Championships.
 
However, whilst super-fit Cameron hasn't been able to get to Thurso since May, he confirmed unusually good early summer NE swells in recent weeks have allowed him to surf every day of the week off Fraserburgh.
 
And just to ensure he remains in top shape for his surfing, the guitar playing, marathon man (he ran the 2007 London Marathon in 3hrs 27mins) has entered the 17.5 mile Broch to Gamrie (Gardenstown) coastal race that takes place on 26th July. 
 
"It's pretty hard core and goes over the cliffs past Pennan (of Local Hero film fame)," explained Cameron. 
 
"It's definitely not for the faint-hearted," added the surf ace who will swap his trusty surf board for the hills to help raise money for a local cause called FISSH (Fraserburgh Area Initiative for Swimming Sport and Health).