Fraserburgh teen riding high after surfing success in Cornwall

Lola Mitchell will represent Scotland at the World Junior Surfing Championship in Brazil later this year.

By Chris Cromar

August 19 2023, 6:00 am

A Fraserburgh teenager is celebrating after finishing in third place at a prestigious surfing championship in Cornwall.

Lola Mitchell, who is going into fourth year at Fraserburgh Academy, only started surfing three years ago during lockdown.

Now the 14-year-old is getting ready to represent Scotland at the International Surfing Association’s (ISA) World Junior Surfing Championship later this year in Rio de Janeiro.

Last week, she showed off her talents at the Broadmasters Open in Newquay, the country’s biggest surfing competition.

Teenagers (two girls/two boys) stand on a podium. Both the boys are holding surfboards. — Lola Mitchell had a successful Boardmasters tournament. Image: Katherine Mitchell.

Competing in the Mystic Junior Open, Lola had the second highest wave score of all of the girls her category.

Most of the competitors in the junior section of the championships were a few years older than Lola, mainly aged 17 and 18.

Girl surfing in sea. — Lola surfing. Image: Katherine Mitchell.

Proud mum Katherine said: “Most of them have probably been surfing since they were five or six, so she’s definitely picked it up very quickly.”

She has been “hooked” on surfing since she tried it with her dad “randomly” when the waves were too strong for swimming.

Lola is the first in her family to surf, but “absolutely loves it”.

And the chilly North Sea has helped the Fraserburgh teen hone her skills and toughen her up.

Girl standing on beach holding surfboard. — Lola with her surfboard at the competition. Image: Katherine Mitchell.

Lola is hoping for a full-time career in surfing, with hopes of joining the WSL World Qualifying Series (QS), which would give her the opportunity to take part in the World Surf League (WSL).

Winners of the WSL get a prize of $100,000 (£78,424), and the tournament will take place in Hawaii, Portugal, Western Australia, El Salvador, Brazil, South Africa, French Polynesia and California.

Getting to the finals ‘unexpected’

Discussing her daughter’s recent success in Cornwall, Katherine said: “We actually thought if she got through her first heat it would be an achievement, so the fact that she got to the finals was unexpected.

“The Scottish Junior coach said it wasn’t a surprise to him. People have said she has a lot of talent from the start, but you when you’re against the best of the English girls, you don’t really expect to get very far, but she has done very well.”