Tiree Wave Classic stuck in a cash flow backwater

This week, the longest standing windsurfing event in the British calendar marks its silver anniversary and will again showcase the location and conditions that make it a favourite among the sport’s elite.

But not since 2007 has the event, on the most westerly of the Inner Hebrides, featured on the world tour, and while it draws sailors from across Britain, as well as some from abroad, it has been unable to attract the high level of sponsorship needed to take it back to the top level.

The Classic is funded by EventScotland and Argyll and Bute Council and, while organisers are grateful for the support, they realise further backing is needed to get back on the world map.

The unique setting already helps to make the Classic a prestigious event, the third leg of the British Wavesailing Association (BWA) Wave Tour and helps promote the island and Scotland across the world.

But the winner of the Scottish broadsword trophy in the event, from 8-15 October will take home prize money of just £1,000. In Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) World Cup events this year in places like Turkey, Korea, Spain and Austria, the winners are pocketing up to ¤55,000.

Andy Groom, who founded the Classic in 1986 and is a former World Tour judge, said: “That’s the problem in a nutshell. We have amazing conditions and logistics, but the one thing that’s missing is dosh.

“Our sponsors have been fantastic but there is a gap. Its very difficult to get the high levels of money – it’s a minority sport, it’s not football or even darts.

John Skye, who has won the Tiree title three times, said he would love to see the island on the world tour calendar again.

“It would be as good as any of the other spots on the tour, if not better. When the weather comes together on Tiree it’s one of the best spots in the world for wave sailing.

“But it all comes down to money. In the UK, there are so many different sports for sponsors to spend their cash on, it’s not easy to find the levels of funding needed.”

The classic already generates between £300,000-£1 million for the Tiree economy and a return to world level would increase that figure.

Event organiser Jim Brooks-Dowsett said: “Tiree is a unique destination with world class conditions year round.

“There has been talk of getting involved in the World Tour again and we would certainly be interested in being involved.”

Dick Walsh, the leader of Argyll and Bute Council, is also keen: “The council is committed to supporting events which bring significant economic benefit to the area, and the Tiree Wave Classic is certainly one of them.

“We would welcome any development which would further raise the event’s profile and have a knock on effect in terms of economic and other benefits – to the community of Tiree in particular and to Argyll and Bute as a whole.”