If you think surfing competitions are something you only see in Cornwall, Devon or overseas, think again. Yorkshire and the North East have a long and growing surf competition scene, with contests ranging from local junior events and club competitions to major East Coast contests that attract some of the best surfers in the region.
For surfers, spectators and photographers, competition days can be some of the most exciting days on the coast. You get a beach full of surfers, plenty of energy in the water and, when the North Sea delivers, some seriously good waves.
This guide looks at the surf competitions and competition scene around Yorkshire and the North East, from Scarborough and Cayton Bay through Saltburn and up towards Tynemouth.
Where Are the Main Surf Competition Areas?
The East Coast competition scene stretches along a surprisingly large section of coastline.
Some of the best-known areas include:
- Scarborough and Cayton Bay
- Whitby
- Saltburn-by-the-Sea
- Tynemouth
- Other beaches around the Yorkshire and North East coast when conditions are suitable
Scarborough has become one of the main centres of organised surfing on the Yorkshire coast. The local surf community has hosted major contests as well as junior and grassroots competitions.
Scarborough Surf School currently lists the East Coast Classic Surf Contest for September 2026, with dates still to be confirmed, alongside other events including Champ Fest and the Scarborough Extreme Festival.
Scarborough and Cayton Bay
Scarborough is one of the most important places to know if you are interested in Yorkshire surfing competitions.
The surrounding coastline has a strong surf community, surf schools, clubs and shops, making it a natural base for competitions.
Cayton Bay Surf Shop and Scarborough Surf School is particularly closely connected with the local competition scene, with Cayton Bay providing an important location for surfing and surf events.
Scarborough Surf School says it hosts major East Coast competitions including the Secretspot East Coast Classic, Secretspot King of the Point and junior contests associated with Scarborough Extreme Festival and Scarborough Surf Festival.
The East Coast Classic
The East Coast Classic is one of the events to watch if you want to see competitive surfing on the Yorkshire coast.
The 2026 event is currently listed for September 2026, although the exact dates are still to be confirmed.
Competition dates can depend heavily on the surf forecast, so it is worth checking the organisers’ information before travelling.
King of the Point
One of the best-known names in East Coast surfing is the Secretspot King of the Point.
This isn’t your typical beginner beach contest.
The event has historically been an invitation-style competition designed to showcase some of the best surfing the East Coast can produce.
Previous editions have brought together surfers from places including Scarborough, Whitby, Saltburn and Tynemouth, with experienced local surfers competing alongside younger generations coming through the regional scene.
The contest is particularly interesting because it demonstrates just how powerful the Yorkshire and North East surf scene can become when the right swell arrives.
Junior Surf Competitions
Competitive surfing isn’t just for experienced adult surfers.
Junior contests are an important part of the East Coast scene and give younger surfers the opportunity to experience competing in a supportive local environment.
Scarborough’s competition programme has included junior events, including contests connected with the Scarborough Extreme Festival and Scarborough Surf Festival.
For young surfers, these events can be a great stepping stone between surf lessons, free surfing and eventually entering larger competitions.
They also give parents the chance to see their children experience the excitement of surfing in a proper competition environment.
Scarborough Extreme Festival
Scarborough Extreme is another event worth keeping an eye on.
The festival combines surfing with other action sports and activities and has included demonstrations, participation sessions and competitions.
Previous editions have included surf-related activities alongside skateboarding and other action sports.
The festival is particularly useful for people who are new to the local action-sports scene because it is about more than simply watching a competition.
Saltburn Surf Competitions
Travel north from Yorkshire and Saltburn-by-the-Sea becomes another major part of the East Coast surfing story.
Saltburn Surf School is based at the Lower Prom and is part of the established surfing community around the town.
Saltburn has hosted significant competitions over the years, including events from the UK professional surfing circuit.
The UK Pro Surfing Championships visited Saltburn in October 2013, bringing more than 100 of the UK’s top surfers to compete across several categories.
While the competition calendar changes from year to year, Saltburn remains an important place to watch for local contests, surf events and visiting competitions.
Tynemouth and the North East
Continue north and the competition scene reaches Tynemouth.
Tynemouth is particularly important for longboarding as well as shortboarding.
A 2026 East Coast regional report from Carve Magazine highlighted a British Longboard Union competition at Tynemouth, where multiple national champion Beth Leighfield won the Open Women’s category. Local surfer Evan Rogers also took the men’s win.
This shows that competitive surfing in the North East isn’t limited to one type of board.
There is a strong longboarding culture alongside shortboarding and grassroots competitions.
What Types of Surf Competitions Can You Expect?
Competition formats can vary considerably.
You may come across:
Shortboard competitions
These are the traditional high-performance contests, with surfers judged on manoeuvres, wave selection and overall performance.
Longboard competitions
Longboard contests are very different from shortboard competitions.
Judges may reward traditional noseriding and style alongside modern longboard manoeuvres.
Junior competitions
Designed to give younger surfers competition experience and help develop the next generation of local surfers.
Club contests
These tend to have a much more relaxed atmosphere and are a fantastic way for local surfers to try competitive surfing.
Expression sessions
Expression sessions can be more relaxed than conventional heats, allowing surfers to demonstrate their surfing without the same traditional competition structure.
Specialty competitions
East Coast surfing also has a reputation for unusual and entertaining contests.
For example, the 2026 Champ Fest included a competition where surfers’ boards were selected by a spinning wheel, with unusual choices including old single fins, tow boards and even an inflatable flamingo.
That pretty much sums up the character of the East Coast surf community!
How Do Surf Competitions Work?
If you have never watched a surf competition before, the basic idea is quite simple.
Surfers are divided into heats.
A small number of surfers enter the water together and have a set amount of time to catch waves.
Judges then score their best waves based on things such as:
- Wave selection
- Difficulty
- Speed
- Control
- Turns and manoeuvres
- Commitment
- Overall performance
The surfers with the highest scores progress through the competition.
Eventually, the remaining surfers reach the later rounds and the final.
Why Surf Competitions Are Different on the East Coast
Surfing competitions in Yorkshire and the North East have one major challenge that contests in more consistent surfing locations don’t have:
the North Sea controls the schedule.
A competition may be planned for a particular weekend, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there will be suitable waves.
Organisers need to watch:
- Swell direction
- Wave height
- Wave period
- Wind direction
- Tide
- Weather
- Safety conditions
This can mean competitions have waiting periods or backup dates.
Scarborough Surf School, for example, lists backup dates for some events, demonstrating how organisers have to work around the conditions.
Why Competition Days Are Great for Surf Photographers
As a surf photographer, competition days can be some of the best opportunities to photograph local surfing.
You have:
- More surfers in the water
- Better concentration of action
- Surfers pushing themselves harder
- Different styles and abilities
- Spectators on the beach
- Judges and officials
- Team and club atmosphere
- Presentation ceremonies
- Behind-the-scenes moments
For photographers, it also provides a chance to capture more than just individual waves.
The atmosphere around a competition can tell just as much of a story as the surfing itself.
Tips for Photographing a Surf Competition
If you’re photographing a competition, arrive early.
Look at the beach before the first heat starts and work out:
Where is the best angle?
The best position isn’t necessarily where everyone else is standing.
Look for a location where you can get:
- Clean backgrounds
- Good light
- A clear view of the breaking waves
- Surfers travelling towards your camera
- Interesting sections of wave
- Safe access to the beach
A long telephoto lens can be particularly useful from the beach.
For example, a 200–600mm lens on a crop-sensor Sony camera gives you plenty of reach for photographing surfers from land.
Just remember that competition photography isn’t only about getting the biggest spray.
Try to capture:
- The take-off
- The bottom turn
- The main manoeuvre
- Spray
- Fin release
- Tube riding
- Reactions
- Falls
- Paddling back out
- Friends and family watching
- The final horn
- Celebrations
Those images together can tell the complete story of the competition.
Don’t Forget the People on the Beach
One mistake photographers can make is concentrating entirely on the surfers.
Look behind you occasionally.
Competition days can produce some fantastic documentary photographs.
Photograph:
- Families watching
- Coaches
- Judges
- Other photographers
- Surf clubs
- Surf school staff
- Competitors preparing for their heat
- Boards lined up on the beach
- Waxing boards
- Wetsuit changes
- Prize presentations
These photographs can be particularly valuable to clubs and organisers because they capture the community surrounding the event.
Where to Find Competition Information
Competition dates can change, especially when the surf forecast isn’t suitable.
Rather than relying on an old social media post, check the organisers and local surf schools for the latest information.
Scarborough Surf School currently has an events page listing upcoming competitions and surf-related events.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on local surf clubs, surf schools and surf shops around Scarborough, Saltburn and Tynemouth.
The East Coast Competition Scene Is Growing
The Yorkshire and North East surfing scene has come a long way.
There is now a mixture of:
- Grassroots contests
- Junior competitions
- Longboard competitions
- Club contests
- Major East Coast events
- Festival competitions
- Invitational contests
- Surf school events
And importantly, there is a pathway for surfers of different ages and abilities.
You don’t have to be a professional surfer to get involved.
Want to Enter a Surf Competition?
If you’ve never competed before, don’t be put off by the idea.
Start with a local club or junior event rather than immediately entering a high-level competition.
Competition surfing is a skill in itself.
You need to learn how to:
- Paddle into the correct position.
- Choose waves quickly.
- Manage your heat time.
- Avoid interference.
- Score waves.
- Stay calm under pressure.
- Make the most of limited opportunities.
You may discover that you surf differently in a competition compared with a normal free surf.
And that’s part of the fun.
Yorkshire and North East Surfing Has a Competitive Future
From Cayton Bay and Scarborough to Saltburn and Tynemouth, the East Coast has a genuine surfing competition culture.
Some contests are highly competitive.
Others are about having fun.
Some are aimed at juniors.
Others bring together experienced surfers who have been riding East Coast waves for decades.
But they all have something in common: they bring surfers and the wider surfing community together.
And when a proper North Sea swell arrives, there is nothing quite like watching local surfers battle it out in powerful East Coast waves.
For anyone interested in Yorkshire and North East surfing, competition days are well worth watching — and if you have a camera, they can be some of the best days of the year to shoot.
Keep an Eye on the Local Surf Scene
Competition dates can change from season to season, so always check the organiser’s latest announcements before travelling.
For current events, Scarborough Surf School’s event information is a useful starting point, while local surf clubs and shops are another good way of finding out what is happening on the coast.
If you’re a surfer, why not enter a local competition?
And if you’re a photographer, get your camera ready.
You never know when the North Sea is going to produce the perfect competition day.
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