One of the most anticipated stops on the 2024 Barbados Surfing Association calendar wrapped up over the weekend at Drill Hall Beach, where Joshua Burke reversed an early season setback to claim the Open Men’s title and Chelsea Tuach delivered a masterclass to take the Open Women’s crown at the third installment of the organization’s annual Surfer of the Year Series. The day of competition delivered some of the most electric, high-stakes surfing of the entire season so far, drawing crowds of enthusiastic onlookers to the popular Barbados beach to watch the island’s top talent go head-to-head.
For Joshua Burke, the victory marked a well-earned redemption after he finished just behind his older brother Jacob to take second place at the series’ opening event. He brought consistent, high-power surfing to every heat of the competition, and saved his best performance for the final. By the end of the final heat, Joshua posted a combined two-wave score of 17.66, anchored by a show-stopping single ride that earned a 9.33 from judges — a score that sent the watching crowd into excitement and solidified his place at the top of the podium.
Jacob Burke, the opening event winner, still turned in an impressive performance to finish second overall with a total score of 14.17, proving that the Burke family is a dominant force in Barbados surfing. Veteran surfer Bruce Mackie rounded out the podium in third place, while 14-year-old rising prospect Trent Corbin put in a strong showing to take fourth place in the Open Men’s final.
In the Open Women’s division, Tuach controlled the final from the opening horn, bringing a sharp, strategic approach and clean, powerful turns that set her apart from the rest of the field. She finished with a total combined score of 12.56, a result that served as a clear statement of her status as one of the region’s top female surfers. Amy Godson put in a determined effort to finish second, just a few points ahead of her identical twin sister Hayley Godson, who took third, while Chelsea Roett finished fourth in the final.
The competition also featured a full slate of results across additional divisions, with Jacob Burke adding a second trophy to the Burke family’s collection by taking a dominant win in the Open Longboard Division. He posted a 13.00 total to claim the top spot, with Noah Campbell finishing second, Tristan Brits third, and John Mulligan fourth. In the youth divisions, Tommaso Layson took top honors in the Under-18 Boys category, while Amy Godson picked up her second award of the day by winning the Under-18 Girls division. Christian Stoute claimed victory in the Under-16 Boys draw, and Kian Brits topped the field in the Under-14 age group. Rounding out the day’s results, Avery-Jai Watson won the novice division, and Simon Coles took the title in the Grand Masters Over-40s division.