IRELAND is coming closer to having its first American-based surf boarder. Brendan Gannon finished fifth in last week's US East Coast Surfing Championships, overcoming a long list of American surfers in the process.

The high placing now qualifies Gannon to surf against the West Coast Champions in California next spring for an overall US ranking. Born in Cork, he now lives near Cocoa Beach in Florida and last year helped Ireland take their ranking to 15th in the world.