Roughly 2,000 people took part in the major tournament last weekend, where athletes swim in the sea at Roker Beach, which was given a prestigious award for its cleanliness just two years ago.
County Durham beach pollution warning issued by Surfers Against Sewage after heavy rain chroniclelive.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chroniclelive.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
With the nation having had weeks of downpours, there are many beaches up and down the UK that now have sewage warning alerts from the marine conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage
The hikes, branded a slap in the face to families, come after it was revealed firms had pumped raw sewage into rivers and seas across England for a staggering 1.75 million hours last year.
EXCLUSIVE: Locals in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk, have hit out against recent safety warnings by Surfers Against Sewage branding the water unsafe to swim in.