Liberian fishing town gets global surfing acclaim

STORY: Surfers flocked to the beaches of a Liberian fishing town at the weekend.

This is Robertsport - the epicenter of the West African country's increasingly popular surf culture.

It's also garnering global attention for its high quality waves.

At the weekend the town's annual surf competition was held.

Among attendees, South African surfer and entrepreneur Andy Davies.

"The waves are incredible, the waves are world-class".

He traveled to Liberia with Swiss NGO "Provide the Slide" to distribute surf boards collected in Europe.

"What you have in Robertsport is up there with the top in the world and I hope this place gets to grow and develop through surfing."

Liberia has struggled through years of conflict and health crises.

Indeed, surfing was first introduced to Robertsport by aid workers.

They would catch waves while local kids watched from the beach, and later gave lessons.

Musa Shannon, a businessman and former soccer player who had fled the country with his family, returned 14 years ago to open the Nana Lodge on the beach.

"Surf has been good to us, it’s given us a lot of notoriety, it’s brought a lot of attention, it’s brought a lot of international recognition, most importantly it’s given the young people are Robertsport an opportunity to express themselves in a sport they never knew before."

Sixty two competitors entered the competition.

Some, like Robertsport resident Morris, worked early in the morning sorting fish before taking part.

He went on to win - claiming a $100 prize, while the victor in the junior competition took home $25.