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Ché started surfing at around 6 ½ years old at Surfers Point in Barbados. His mother, Debbie, enrolled him in lessons with one of Barbados’s surf icons, Alan Burke. Ché’s father, Brian, thought it was way too young to start, but Ché enjoyed it and soon proved to have some talent. Ché graduated to bigger breaks as he got older, including the famous Freights Bay, a break named after his grandfather, David ‘Freight’ Allan, who was very involved with surfing in the early years of the sport in Barbados.

Ché, now 11 years old, is comfortable at all the breaks in Barbados from Soup Bowl at a solid 6 foot to his home break, which is actually in front of his house on the West coast of Barbados. He can be found surfing there often, sometimes even at night with the help of spotlights from his house. With this sort of dedication it was not surprising that he was soon dominating his age groups in contests.

Ché was encouraged by Alan Burke to travel to the 2010 Ron Jon Easter Festival in Cocoa Beach, Florida, where he finished 3^rd in his first overseas contest. This year he also finished 5^th in the Rip Curl Grom Search 12 & Under at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (Ché has 2 more years in this age group) and he finished 2^nd in the Caribbean Junior Summer Surf Festival. In local competition he won the Under 10 title in 2009, winning all of the 4 events that year. Last year he won the Barbados Surfing Association 2010 Under 12 Surfer of the Year title, and came third in the Under 16.  He is currently points leader again this year in the Barbados Junior Surfing Club events having won all three competitions in his age group.  With this record he is clearly the leader in his age group in Barbados.

Ché can sometimes appear shy and quiet, but he never misses a word of advice from his fellow surfers, who are all very fond of Ché Ché. He might just be quiet because he sees a swell on the horizon and is lining up for it while you were talking. He has a reputation for seeing the waves early and moving. When you are the smallest in the lineup that can sometimes be the only way you get waves.

At only eleven years of age, Ché is already a seasoned competitor, surfing in fifteen competitions last year. He now has a full repertoire of maneuvers, completing 360’s, tail slides and airs. His father can still lift him, all 65 lbs., with one hand. Ché loves the sea, a fact easily seen on every wave he surfs.

 Full Name: Ché Slate Allan                                                                                 

Nickname: Ché Ché

Date & Place of Birth: 3^rd April 1999 in Barbados

Hometown: Fitts Village, St. James

Height/weight: 4’ 8”/65 lbs.

Stance:  Goofy

 Sponsors: Burkie Boards, Wave Lengths Surf Club

 

Ranking: (local & international) 

#1 Under 10 (Barbados Junior Surfing Club events)

#1 Under 12 (Barbados Surfing Association, Surfer of the Year Series)

#3 Under 16 (BSA)

Quiver: (number of boards) 3

Surf Crew: Danny & the boys

 School/College: St. Winifred’s School

 

Grade/Year: Form 1

 Occupation: Student

Company: NA

 I started surfing in: 2005 at: Surfers Point, Barbados

Local surf spot: Soup Bowl, Bathsheba, Barbados

Favorite wave: Local: Brandons

International: Cocoa Beach Pier FL. USA

 First board: Natural Art

Hot Dog Stick- every day board: Burkie (Rich Price) 4’9”

Magic Stick- favorite board ever: Burkie (Rich Price) 4’9”

Big Wave Gun: Burkie (Rich Price) 5’0”

 

 Best Session: Local: South Point / International: Cocoa Beach

Best Contest result:

International – 2^nd in Caribbean Summer Surf Fest 2010

Local  – 1st in BJSC (Under 10) 2009 and 1st in BSA (Under 12) 2010

 Favorite Maneuver: Tailslide Reverse

Secret Weapon: Fins out off the lip

Workin’ on: Airs

Dream maneuver: Corrupt flip

 Favorite Surfer: Local: Sam Taylor / International: Owen Wright

Favorite Shaper: Rich Price

Top 5 Surfers:

Local: Sam Taylor, Niki Marshall, Stephan Corbin, Alan Burke

International: Owen Wright, Dane Reynolds

 Top 5 Surf dvd’s: Fair Baits, Young Guns, Julian Wilson – Scratching the surface, You tube – Trick tips  

Top 5 Music bands:  I don’t really listen to music.

 Best Post-surf Munchies: Granola Bar, Banana

Favorite Food:  Steak, Oistin’s Fish

 Tail Slide or Rail Carve? Tail Slide

Get Barreled or Get Air? Get Air

Contest Machine or Soul Surfer? Contest Machine

Paddle or Tow? Paddle

Log or Fish? Log

Epoxy or Polyester? Polyester

 My favorite thing about surfin’ is: the feeling you get when you come down from a vertical lip.

 In ten years I see myself: winning a few international contests.

 If I’m not in the water, I’m probably: playing table tennis.

 You’d never guess I’m also pretty good at: table tennis and football.

 If I couldn’t surf I’d definitely be: a football player.

 Most of what I’ve accomplished in this sport I owe to: my parents.

 I have a recurrent dream about:  I don’t remember my dreams.

 One thing I’d like people to know about me is: that I like my own space.

 Open Mic – Last Words: Surfing is my life and I love it!!