Cult Industries North-east Open Championships 2005

Saturday 10th September saw the first Cult industries sponsored North-East Open Surf competition held in association with 360 Surf Shop. The event, held at Saltburn by the Sea in Cleveland, began in windswept and blustery conditions with confused three to four foot waves rolling through, conditions were tricky with many surfers struggling to make it through the rolling white water to get outback, things were not helped with a strong rip which at lower stages of the tide was pulling strongly towards the pier which made keeping position in the line up difficult.

The event was, as to be expected in this part of the world, very well supported, with many familiar faces from the Saltburn crew in attendance. The motor homes and campervans of the Scarborough based surfers arrived in the wee small hours and made a welcome appearance and boosted the numbers and the level of surfing. A nod of recognition must also go to the guys who travelled up from London through the night and made the registration in the nick of time and still managed to put in a sound performance and to the familiar faces from the Solly area who, now living and working there, made the long trip from Kernow especially for the event.

With a familiar array of categories being contested, Beginners, Junior's, Rooky, Women's, Longboard and finally the Open, which promised a cheeky £500 in prize money to the victor, the event kicked off with the first heat of the day in the Open which saw Team Rider Chris Erie and Cult sponsored Alex Wilkinson put in a fine display, taking full advantage of the conditions and showing everyone just what is possible on less that perfect waves and helping take them through to the semi-final.

From there the rest of the heats followed and the judges, under the enthusiastic and knowledgeable guidance of Graham Ford were working hard to identify the surfers from their vantage point on the end of the pier as the tide dropped to its lowest point but undeterred they braved the biting wind to score the Beginners, Rookies and Junior heats which were hotly contested, especially the Beginners, which promises well for the future if the enthusiastic and promising manner in which the younger groms took on their event continues, but it was the older South African, now local surfer, Byron Botha who claimed victory in the Beginners, and with Evan Rogers putting in a fine performance to take both the Junior and Rooky events with a fine display of surfing he is definitely one to watch as his career develops and the scene was now set for the finals in the Longboard and Open.

The increase in popularity of women's surfing in the region was on display for all to see with the women's event bringing out the best from the lasses as they made the best of far from perfect conditions and it was local girl Emma Twoddle who came out on top to take the win.

As the tide turned and began to push, the wind dropped slightly and conditions began to improve and there was a buzz in the air as the promise of better waves to come for the Open and Longboard final were expected, and there was even a rumour at one stage that there was blue sky visible through the dark grey clouds over the cliffs at Huntcliff but this was unconfirmed and as we awaited the finals to begin there was a fine display of free surfing from up and coming talent Joss Wescombe.

The Longboard final was hotly contested but of the finalists it was the distinct style of Mark Howard and Paul Ross who edged ahead with the stylish cross-stepping of Paul against the powerful sweeping backhand turns of Mark and on the day it was Mark Howard who impressed the judges to claim victory in front of the enthusiastic spectators gathered on the pier.

And so the scene was set for the Open final with an impressive line-up of quality surfers awaiting the chance to claim the prize! With the tide nearly full it was Andy Mawson, Jesse Davies, Dan Nichol and Chris Erie who paddled out for the thirty minute final. A final with the calibre of surfers such as this cannot fail to impress and it lived up to expectations as we were all treated to an inspirational display of powerful and stylish surfing in greatly improved conditions. The distinctive style of Andy Mawson getting in near impossible positions in the wave impressed as did the cutbacks of Jesse Davies but as the final wore on it was Chris and Dan who looked to be edging ahead and getting the better of it. With a seemingly endless repertoire of moves Dan Nichol wowed the judges with critical off the tops and amazing cut backs but eyes didn't leave Chris as you could tell he had a few ideas up his sleeve, and so it was that he took off on a clean peak and edged straight into a small but cheeky barrel for the first cover up of the day and as the woops of the spectators died he followed almost immediately on his next wave with a cranking turn to take him back to the lip before pulling off a 360 which he completed almost effortlessly. As he appeared to creep slowly ahead, the remainder fought bravely to score well, but in the closing minutes it was again Erie who managed to get a second brief cover up and looked likely to clinch victory.

The results were kept a closely guarded secret, well almost, until the following evening when the prize giving ceremony was held in a local drinking establishment and the suspicions were confirmed that it was indeed Mr Erie who, deservedly, took the £500 prize money following his awesome display. This brought to a successful end this first Cult sponsored event in what hopefully will be the start of a regular competition.