live scores are working fine but no webcast - we'll post video & photos from the organizers and our regular contributors, just as fast as they come in
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you will be able to follow Twitter updates after every single heat. Twitter account is ONeillCWC.
Quarter Finals, Heat # 2 1st Peter Devries CAN [7.17 + 6.OO] 13.17p, Win by 2.47
Semi Final Heat # 1 1st Peter Devries CAN 10.23 , Win by 3.73
Final Heat # 1 1st Peter Devries CAN 16.43p, Win by 6.96
First Canadian to win a WQS event does it at the first Canadian WQS event
Congratulations Pete Devries
» got a message for Pete?email us and we'll post it - cbccrew@gmail.com
» You can't stop Devries from blowing in! Congrats to you from Nanaimo Pete and thanks for all your vids and tips you put on coastalbc.com their really appreciated. Although I only got to see a bit of the comp on the 25th looks like surfed your ASS off all bloody week! Cheers and keep rippin'! - Ryan Smith
» That is hands down the biggest thing ever to happen to Canadian surfing, and it couldnt have happened to a nicer or more humble person. You rip, and now the whole world knows! See you in the water. - Robbie Elliott
» Go Pete!! A shout out from Canada's East Coast surfers to congratulate you on your amazing feat. You earned it and Canada is proud for you from coast to coast! Represent bro! - Ajacks
» Congrats Pete. nice work brah. from Da Hui
» Pete, you are a great athlete: skill, strength, grit and focus. Humble and graceful under pressure on land, but a total shark in baby seal’s clothing on the water. Watching your final heat 9.0 ride was one of the best moments on a beach EVER! - Donna Jay
» YA PETE you LEGEND! who cares about the olympics??? - this is awesome!
» Excuse my Canadian but...F%$K YEAH PETE!!! WOHOOOO. Is this not the best sport story of the year in BC? - Phil
LOCAL CANADIAN WILDCARD PETER DEVRIES WINS THE INAUGURAL O’NEILL COLD WATER CLASSIC CANADA
THE MOST NORTHERN, THE MOST SOUTHERN, THE WILDEST, THE COLDEST &
THE MOST CLASSIC SURF CONTEST ON THE PLANET
Local Canadian wildcard Peter Devries won the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Canada in an energy fuelled final – both in the water and out – against World Tour surfer Jay Thompson in what was a fairytale ending to a week on the wild edges of Canada in Tofino on Vancouver Island.
"I cannot believe this. It feels incredible. It’s crazy," said Peter. "Just to have all these guys here and to come out on top it’s been such an incredible experience this week."
It was a story that could almost have been a Hollywood script. Local Tofino surfer, Peter Devries started the week as one of the Canadian wildcards in this 6 Star ASP WQS competition.
He ended not only a hometown hero, but also now somewhat of a national hero. "It’s been an amazing week," said Peter. "But tomorrow morning I will be up again early walking the dog with my girlfriend – it will be like any other day."
Thousands of people lined the beach to support Peter – as well as the rest of the surfers – for the final day of this competition – the first professional surf contest in Canada.
Finalist Jay Thompson could hear the cheers from the car park as he was getting ready for his semi final heat. "You can hear the shouting from everywhere," he said. "It’s so great that everyone is behind him."
"It’s been such a good week," said Jay. "It’s so wild and raw out here. It’s been great to be part of it and to have the support from all the locals. I hope to come back next year for sure," he said.
"To hear all the guys on the beach when I am surfing a wave or getting a score feels great," said Peter. "I felt no pressure. I just wanted to surf well. That’s my main thing when I paddle out to go surfing every day and I guess that’s what happened!"
After being carried up the beach to the award ceremony by hoards of friends and supporters, Peter Devries now walks away with US$20,000 and the trophy of a hand-carved paddle.
"It’s such a beautiful trophy. I can’t wait to display it," said Peter. "This is a piece of history not just for surfing but also for the culture here."
His route to the final was no easy road. Peter was up against the on-form Glenn Hall in his quarterfinal heat and then his semi-final saw him in the water with former World Tour surfer and another favourite for this competition – Cory Lopez.
The other semifinalist Brandon Jackson – another warm water fan from Durban, but surfing in a mere 2mm of rubber - was also happy with his result out here in the colds of Canada. "I am so happy to have got this far, but the cold definitely gets a bit tiring by the end!"
The whole of Tofino lined the beach on this Saturday Halloween producing the biggest crowd ever seen at an O’Neill Cold Water Classic event.
"I went into our shop this morning and realized that everyone just wanted to be on the beach watching the competition," said local resident Kati Martini from Remote Passages Whale Watching company.
"So I put a sign up on the door which said ‘Gone to watch the surf comp. Back at 12’ and closed up."
VISIT www.oneill.com/cwc/canada for more information.
Follow the competition on www.twitter.com/oneillcwc or www.facebook.com/oneill
