Here as promised is the second sports article and this time it was about the Northcore East Coast Drift surfing competition in Scarborough’s South Bay.

It was my first time photographing surfers in action from the beach but it was quite easy as they got nearer to where I was stood.

Of course, with it being the North Sea rather than the Pacific Ocean, you could not guarantee bright blue waters as a more pleasing backdrop.

HIGH tides made conditions less than ideal for this year’s Northcore East Coast Drift in Scarborough’s South Bay.

But it did not stop Barrowcliff surfer, 33-year-old Mark ‘Grom’ Dickinson, from scooping both the short and longboard with a graceful display of control – deftly walking backwards and forwards along both his long and short boards while controlling it on speeding breakers.

He said there was a lot of backwash caused by waves being deflected off the sea walls at the Spa Complex during the two finals, and it had led to a lack of decent waves.

“It was small, gravely surf,” he said. “It’s hard to do with the swell decreasing all the time. But everyone gets together and has a good time.”

He said that Scarborough was a good location when the conditions were right.

“I’ve surfed all over the world for the past 22 years and people from all over the world will surf here.”

Three clubs, from Scarborough, Tynemouth and Lincolnshire, competed for a total of four categories, including juniors and veterans.

In each round they had 20 minutes to catch the best waves and were scored for the manoeuvres they managed.

Towards the end of the competition the waves were crashing against the sea walls with such a force that spectators felt the ground shake and parked cars were showered with spray.

Organiser Matt Strathern, from sponsors Northcore, said there had been 35 entrants with the youngest only aged 10.

He added that members of the Scarborough Malibu Surf Club had been a great help in organisingthe day.

“It’s a shame that the surf was right up against the wall but people were still having fun and that’s the main thing,” he said.

Ryan Hammond, 18, from Hunmanby, said he had enjoyed taking part. “It’s not been bad but the waves were a bit smaller than I thought they would be,” he explained.

And 17-year-old Joss Wescombe, also from Hunmanby, said the back wash had been a problem during his shortboard final. He said: “It’s like lots of little bumps and you can’t predict what it’s going to do.”

Results

Veterans: 1 Ian Kirk, 2 Phil Thacker, 3 Mark Loft, 4 Nick Padden, 5 Ady Ross.

Junior: 1 James Kirk, 2 Sandy Kerr, 3 James Pearson, 4 Katie Quick.

Shortboard: 1 Mark Dickinson (SMSC) 2 Sandy Kerr (Tyne), 3 Rich Kitching (SMSC), 4 Joss Wescombe (SMSC).

Longboard: 1 Mark Dickinson (SMSC), 2 Carl McKirdy (SMSC), 3 Ryan Hammond (SMSC), 4 Rohan Edwards (SMSC).

From the Scarborough Evening News on Saturday, March 29, 2008.