Surf was up for hundreds of people in Tynemouth yesterday who turned out to watch the sport's finest battle it out in a national contest.
The seafront was lined with onlookers - there to cheer on last year's British surfing champion Sam Lamiroy as he returned to his home town to defend his title.
Sadly, 28-year-old Sam went out in the quarter finals, but that did not dampen his - or the crowd's - enthusiasm.
"It's galling for me not to have got through to the finals," said Sam, who rode his first wave at the age of 11 at Tynemouth, yesterday.
"It would have been the most amazing feeling to win the competition on my home turf.
"But, it wasn't to be. I missed out by one point. I got some OK waves, but it just didn't work out for me.
"It's still been fantastic for me just to be here," added former Tynemouth College student Sam, who is now based in Cornwall with his girlfriend Hannah, when not travelling the world on the professional surfing circuit. "I feel immense pride to see my home town hosting this event. There is such a buzz here. It feels like we've stepped back in time to the 1920s when British seaside resorts were the place to go for holidays."
It is the first time event sponsors O'Neill have brought the British National Surfing Championships away from their traditional South-West home to Tynemouth.
Paul Wilkinson of O'Neill said "We have been astounded at the response the event has had in the North-East. Bringing such a big national event up here was a risk we ventured, and thanks to the North-East public, North Tyneside Council and the British Surfing Association preliminary discussions are underway to make Tynemouth the home of the event annually."
An event spokeswoman added: "The turn-out has been fantastic. Even on Saturday, for the heats, when it was pouring with rain, there were still loads of people here. In Cornwall, surfing contests are two-a-penny. Here I think people really appreciate the event."
The event is thought to have given a huge boost to the local economy.
Angela Hudson from the Tynemouth Surf Shop said: "We've been absolutely packed today. There's a wonderful buzz in town."
Maureen Bracken, owner of Tynemouth's Toy Museum, said: "We've certainly been busier. Anything like this which brings people into Tynemouth can only be a good thing."
Firefighter Alison McMullon, 30, of Holywell, was watching the contest with friend Billy Royal, 36, and his two children Jessica, 9, and seven-year-old Emma. "It would be wonderful to have more of this sort of competition up here in Tynemouth," she said.
