The top young surfers from the UK and Ireland are heading to Fistral beach on Saturday to take part in the King of the Groms qualifying event.

A top-five finish in Newquay will earn the under-16 surfers a place in the next phase of the competition in Spain.

The European King of the Groms takes place in Zarautz in August.

Organiser Spence Hargreaves is expecting tough competition at Fistral, with youngsters from right across the UK attending the event.

Hargreaves told BBC Radio Cornwall: "We've done a series of three KOTGS in the UK, so this is the final at Fistral Beach. It's basically the best under-16's in the UK and Ireland.

"This series is being run all over Europe, and the European Champion will get a spot in the World King of the Groms."

The World KOTGS takes place from 23 September to 4 October for the second year in a row along the beaches of Hossegor, Seignosse, Capbreton and Saint Jean de Luz in the south of France.

Hargreaves said getting selected and subsequently impressing has massive benefits.

"The competition is a stepping-stone for young surfers," he said.

"If they do well in this event they might go into the junior series and then they can compete in the Boardmasters as they get older."

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