Roger Cox: Wipeout or not, we’re on world map

The population of Thurso is a little under 10,000. Almost 100 surfers descending on this remote Caithness town for a week every year, bringing with them partners, friends, coaches and hangers-on certainly provided a boost to the economy.

Covering the Classic for The Scotsman in 2008, I spoke to Kay Rosie, owner of the Fish Bowl fish shop in the town centre.

She said it was great to see all the hotels and cafes so busy, but she also told me, “it’s nice seeing lots of new faces in the town”.

The annual surfing contest created a bit of a buzz, as bronzed strangers with funny accents sauntered through the streets.

The Scottish surfing community will miss the event, too. It’s also worth noting that the Coldwater Classic has played a key role in Visit Scotland’s attempts to promote Scotland as a destination for adventure tourism.

The good news, I suppose, is that surfing in Scotland is still an exhilarating experience, and whether the Classic returns or not, the point has been made thanks to global media exposure.