ATU partner with Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival for 2023 Surf Open

Wednesday, May 24, 2023 Press Office
Press Releases
Sea Sessions Press Release Image.jpg

With only weeks to go, Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival have just announced they are building on their partnership with Atlantic Technological University with plans for a massive Surf Open at Tullan Strand, otherwise known as Surfers Paradise, in Bundoran Co Donegal. 

New for 2023, The ATU Surf Open will be hosted by surfing’s National Governing Body Irish Surfing and will see the best male and female surfers on the island compete against top international surfers from the likes of the UK, France, and Australia. Alongside the ATU Surf Open, the ATU Surf Expression Session will see surfers truly express themselves in a 'best move' contest.

Last year’s ATU Surf Expression Session winners Vittoria Farmer (Australia) and Luke Dillion (UK) are coming back to try and win the ATU Surf Open. There will be a lot of local interest in Gearoid McDaid (Strandhill), who is currently aiming to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, having narrowly missed out on winning last year’s competition. With the explosion of surfing in Ireland, a host of young up and coming surfers have also been added to proceedings.

Festival Director Ray O’Donoghue says, “The ATU Surf Open is very much an integral part of Sea Sessions and along with the beach sports, skating, and BMXing it’s the thing that sets us apart from all the other festivals. Not only have we a great music lineup with the likes of Kasabian, Becky Hill, and Groove Armada, but we also have a really talented bunch of Irish and international surfers lined up. We are delighted to be in partnership with ATU once again.”

Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU added, “We are excited for this partnership as Sea Sessions attracts up to 10,000 young people annually and promoting culture, sport and the arts scene in our region is important to our university. The ATU Surf Open is a chance to experience the Atlantic and all its power, naturally fitting with the vision for Atlantic TU.”

This will be the 14th festival for Sea Sessions, having started way back in 2008. The festival has hosted some of the biggest international acts on the circuit including Bastille, Dermot Kennedy, Paul Weller, Clean Bandit and Picture This, to name but a few.

For more information on the Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival visit www.seasessions.com.