Cold Water Classic: Adam Melling Wins in Scotland

It feels pretty amazing. I just didn’t want to come second again that’s for sure,” said Adam Melling, who was runner up here last year to Adam Robertson.  That sword is the best trophy ever,” he said. “Last year I was so envious of Robbo getting that. It’s going up on the wall for sure.

It is the third time in a row that an Australian has won this competition - following on from Nathan Hedge and Adam Robertson. Continuing tradition, it was also the third year in a row that the competition saw an all-Australian final.

The Gold Coast’s Luke Munro had earlier defeated French surfer Joan Duru in the first semi final of the evening on his last wave in the dying seconds of the heat. In the second final, Adam Melling from Lennox Head had another close heat against yet another Australian Blake Thornton.

It was a long day starting with a 5am call, an 8am start, and a 35 minute final heat kicking off at 8pm, but no one was complaining. As the day progressed and the Cold Water Classic Scotland reached the final rounds - the wind magically died off, and in contrast to the surf reports the swell built.

The Australian-strong crowd of surfers supporting their friends from the reef were having trouble containing their excitement not only at the surfing on display but also at the quality of the sets coming in to this world-class left hand reef break.

“It’s been great to have the finals day in the best waves of the event,” said contest director Matt Wilson “We have achieved the grand final at Thurso East which is exactly what we wanted.”

It was definitely wild – with howling winds and hailstones integrated into the competition. There was no doubt that it was cold as the surfers covered themselves head to toe in the latest wetsuit gear and the spectators braved the winds in ugg boots, and outfits more often seen in the mountains than the sea, to watch all the action. And of course it was the most Northern surf contest on the planet.

As one of five competitions in the Water Classic Series, Adam’s win puts him at the top of the Cold Water Classic Series ranking – the winner walking away with a prize of $50,000. 

With two events now completed in the Series – Tasmania and Scotland – it’s now on to Cape Town from June 20 – 24 before heading to Vancouver Island in Canada and Santa Cruz, California.