A surfer uses a board to ride on the forward portion, or face, of a moving wave of water. The wave often brings the surfer towards the coast. Surfing is a surface water sport.
Surfable waves are generally found on ocean coasts, but they can also be found in lakes, rivers, wave pools, and the open ocean as standing waves or tidal bores.
Regardless of position, surfing describes the act of riding a wave with a board. A variety of board types exist. While the native peoples of the Pacific region used alaia, paipo, and other similar watercraft to surf waves, the Moche people of Peru would often surf in reed boats.
Origins and History
Ancient Peruvian societies fished in kayak-like vessels called mochicas, which were built of reeds that the fisherman surfed back to shore. These boats date back three to five thousand years. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Moche culture utilized the caballito de totora, or miniature horse of totora, circa 200 CE.
Jose de Acosta, a Jesuit missionary, wrote an early account of the Inca surfing at Callao in his 1590 book Historia Natural y Moral de las Indias.
Surfing held great cultural significance in Polynesia. Hawaiian surfers have been linked with creating modern surfing as we know it today. Surfing began in Polynesia around the year 400 AD when travellers from Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands started travelling to the Hawaiian Islands.
Equipment of Surfing
Surf mats, Macca's trays, wave skis, kneeboards, surfboards, longboards, stand-up paddle boards (SUPs), and bodyboards are some of the equipment used for surfing. Originally made of solid wood, surfboards were big and heavy, typically reaching lengths of 370 cm (12 ft) and weighing 70 kg (150 lb).
First produced in the late 1940s and early 1950s, lighter balsa wood surfboards were a major improvement in terms of portability and increased agility.
The majority of surfboards in use today are composed of fiberglass foam (PU), polyester resin (PE), fiberglass cloth, and one or more wooden strips called "stringers". Expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) and epoxy resin are two new materials for boards that are tougher and lighter than PU/PE construction.
Facts about Surfing
A surfboard is used to ride the crest and face of a wave in the surface water sport of surfing. Although most of us only give it a shot once during the summer, an important amount of athletes are now turning this fantastic, physically demanding sport into a career; in fact, it will be making its Olympic debut in Tokyo.
Here are some interesting facts about surfing's history.
Fact 1:
In 1928, Corona Del Mar, California hosted the first-ever official surf contest.
Fact 2:
The individual who introduced surfing to California is George Freeth.
Fact 3:
Captain Cook initially learned how to surf in 1778, and the oceanic culture island of Polynesia is credited with creating the sport.
Fact 4:
Surfing comes in two flavors: long boarding and short boarding.
Fact 5:
Because it takes more work, short boarding is thought to be more difficult than long boarding.
Fact 6:
The highest-paid surfer is Kelly Slater. In 2009, he became the ninth world champion surfer, earning $3 million.