RENOWNED surfer Mark Richards may have competed worldwide, but he first learnt his trade on the gentle waves of Blacksmiths Beach.
He remembers the early days well. It was the start of the 1970s and there was no prize money in surfing - just a shared love for the sport and the ocean.
"I first started surfing in the under 14s Newcastle schoolboy championships," he said. "I think I was about 14 years old then. From there, you progressed to the state schoolboys championships.
