Surfing

Surfing is an outdoor water sport that takes place predominantly on the shores of oceans and seas. In this sport, the athlete, generally known as a surfer, starts at a certain distance from the shore and travels towards the shore standing on a surfboard, using the waves as propulsion.

Although surfing dates back a couple of centuries, modern surfing originated in the early 20th century in the Hawaiian Islands, and professional surfing competitions didn’t begin until 1975. Earlier surfboards were made of wood, making them made it heavier and bulkier. But today’s surfboards are made of fiberglass materials that make them lighter and easier to transport.

The sport of surfing is entirely based on the types of maneuvers that surfers do while riding the waves. Some of the common types of maneuvers are cutbacks, carving, floater, tube ride and top-turn.

To successfully ride a wave, surfers need to accurately judge the shape of each wave, the strength and direction of the wind, the height of the tide, the current, and many other variables.

In professional surfing competitions, surfers are judged based on several factors: commitment, degree of difficulty, innovative and progressive maneuvers, combination of main maneuvers, variety of maneuvers, speed, power and fluidity of the ride. Each ride is judged by a panel of judges and awarded points between 5 and 10. The two highest scoring rides for each surfer are added together to determine the winner of the competition.

Various professional surfing competitions are held around the world, for both men and women, throughout the year. The World Surf League, the sport’s highest governing body, conducts men’s and women’s championship tours; which are the most popular competitions of this sport, from February to December of each year.