Surfers compete for top title this weekend in Wrightsville Beach

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) —  Surf’s up! Heats are underway for the 11th annual O’neill Sweetwater Pro-Am surfing competition.

Hundreds packed the surf and shore Friday for the kickoff of the event.

You can watch all kinds of talent from a variety of age brackets and experience from all over the US.

We caught up with a professional surfer Cam Richards and asked him what he loves the most about the event.

“I get to see all my old friends and old people I used to compete against that are now doing other things,” Richards said. “I also get to see the younger kids that I grew up helping out surfing so it’s cool to see everyone in one place again.”

The event runs through Sunday and is the 2nd largest surf contest on the east coast.

Saturday there is a music festival as well. It’s at the Wrightsville Beach Park at 4 pm.