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The event will feature four main categories: Men’s Open, Pro-Juniors, Women’s Open and the Groms Tour. The Groms Tour includes 3 categories of its own; an Under-12s Open, an Under-16 Boys and Under-16 Girls.

Matt Capel

This event will be the first of a nine event tour which spans the UK and Northern Ireland.

Entries have been flooding in, and as well as some of the top UK surfers competing, the there is a strong international field of competitors.

Last year surf conditions varied from two to four feet and the eventual winner of the Open was Newquay's Mark Harris who narrowly defeated Matt Capel on a count-back.

In the Women’s division it was Ireland's Nicole Morgan who set the standard for the rest of the year, by taking out this event and then going on to win the tour title, only losing one heat in the process.

Nicole Morgan

UK Pro Surf Tour Director Dave Reed said: "This is the 8th annual event we have staged in North Devon, each year it becomes bigger and better.

"With the support of Saltrock this year’s event will be no exception. We are eagerly looking forward to the start of the event and getting the UK Pro Surf Tour underway for 2009".

Their will also be a prize of Β£250 for the best Aerial of the contest and prizes for the highest scoring wave for the men and the women.