A PENARTH schoolboy will wave goodbye to the town this week to ride the waves in one of the hottest surfing contests in Europe.

Year 11 Stanwell school pupil, Logan Nicol will jet off to the Azores to compete in the European Junior Surfing Championships 2014.

The 15-year-old has been chosen to represent Wales at the event staged at Ribeira Grande on São Miguel’s north shore, the largest of nine islands that compose the Azores archipelago, Portugal.

And he will be joined by fellow Vale teenagers Arran Bright, 17, of Llantwit Major, Owen Alexander, 16, of Ogmore-by-Sea, who will represent Wales in the under-18 category, while Cieran Hughes, 14, of Southerndown, will step up alongside Logan in the under-16 surf category.

The competition will test their ability to surf on some of the best waves in Europe and will be judged on areas including wave selection, style and complexity of manoeuvres.

All four of the boys have been surfing from a young age, and got hooked on the sport since catching their first waves.

Training has taken place in Wales’ coastal surf spots - from Llantwit Major to Porthcawl and the Gower to Fresh Water West, but the boys have travelled together on a variety of surf trips across the UK and further afield.

They visited Newquay, Cornwall for this year's Boardmasters festival, stayed at the Quiksilver House in Hossegor, France in 2012 and Logan, Owen and Arran took part in a coaching trip to Hawaii's famous North Shore earlier this year to experience some world class waves in the hot spot of the surf world.

The boys met through their first surf coach, Nathan Phillips, who trained them at Arran's local break in Llantwit Major.

From there, the boys have been part of Channel Coast Surf Club - who took the Wilkinson Sword title this year – and have entered a variety of competitions at an individual level including the Welsh Nationals where Arran became the under-18 longboard champion in 2013 and took 3rd place in this year's under-18 shortboard category.

The boys were all selected to train with the Welsh Surfing Federation and attended a variety of training and selection sessions throughout the year.

They will now compete against Europe’s best.

Logan's father, Craig Nicol, 34, said "This is a fantastic opportunity for the boys. All of their families and friends are amazingly proud of their achievements so far. Just getting selected for the team is a great accomplishment and regardless of the result of their individual heats, we are really excited as their - and the whole team’s - biggest supporters. It is great to see their hard work, ability and dedication to the sport paying off! Logan is a typical, laid back surfer dude, who isn't phased by much, but this opportunity has really thrilled him and he can't wait to compete against some of the best surfers in Europe. I am so pleased that the boys get to enjoy this experience together as they have shared so many previous adventures chasing waves across Wales and the world! I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Welsh Surfing Federation and the parents accompanying the 'groms' who have made this trip possible, in particular the team manager, Stu Bentley."

Owen said said: "I am delighted to have been selected to represent my country and have worked hard to reach where I am today, never giving up on my dreams to follow the sport I love around the world. I can't wait to experience the waves the Azores has to offer me and my team mates, and I am even more stoked to be travelling with Logan and Arran as part of the squad!"

All the boys have secured sponsorship from a wide range of surf companies including Oshea Surf, Puravida Boardriders, Vale Coast Surf Craft, Entirety clothing, Urban Beach, Osprey Wetsuits, Oggy Wax, Nectar Sunglasses, Slabi Clothing, BOS Surfboards, Quiksilver, FCS, Holysport & JP surfboards, who have all helped the boys to progress in their sport, providing them with support as well as top of the range kit and equipment which is paramount to their success.

Dan Brook-Sutton, of Oshea Surf, said: "It’s great that Logan has been chosen to represent Wales - well deserved. As a Welsh company, we are proud to support him and wish all his team mates in the Welsh Squad the best of luck."