Surfing in the United States

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Surfing in the United States
Surfer at the Cayucos Pier, Cayucos, CA.jpg
A surfer at the Cayucos Pier, Cayucos, California
CountryUnited States
Governing bodyUSA Surfing
National team(s) United States Olympics team
National competitions
International competitions
George Freeth, 1883-1919 George Freeth.jpg
George Freeth, 1883-1919

Surfing in the United States is a popular hobby in coastal areas, and more recently due to the invention of wave pools, inland regions of the country. [1] [2] [3] It contributes to a lifestyle and culture in which millions participate and which millions more have an interest. [4] USA surfing is the governing body for the sport of surfing in the United States, with surf leagues such as the World Surf League available in the country. [5] Surfing can be traced back to 17th Century Hawaii and has evolved over time into the professional sport it is today, with surfing being included for the first time in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. [2] [6] [7]

Contents

History

Surfing was first documented by Captain James Cook in 1767 during his expeditions across the Pacific Ocean in Tahiti and Hawaii, however research suggests that surfing dates back to ancient Polynesian cultures up to a thousand years ago. [2] [8] Throughout the Pacific, wave-riding existed in various forms, however only in Hawaii did it embed itself within the social, political and religious fabric of society. [8] At the time of the European's arrival surfing was deeply embedded in Hawaiian society. [8] Hawaiian petroglyphs dated to AD 1000 depict surfing and surfboard making. [8] The boards in Hawaii were longer and heavier than other Polynesian colonies, and only there were references to sitting, kneeling and standing on specialised surfboards recorded dating back to AD 500. [8] By 1778 ancient Hawaiians were using three types of timber to make surfboards – Acacia koa, Artocarpus altilis, and Erythrina sandwicensis. [8] Hawaiian balsa was the post popular material to craft surfboards with due to its light weight and superior buoyancy. [8] Surfing in ancient Hawaii transcended class divisions, with men, women and children all riding waves for pleasure. [8] Most Hawaiian families owned a surfboard, and were decorated and named. For ancient Hawaiians surfing was seen as a social, communal and even sexual activity. [8] [ page needed ]

Surfing was brought to the United States in July 1885 when three teenage Hawaiian princes, David Kawananakoa, Edward Keliʻiahonui and Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole, surfed the mouth of the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz on custom-shaped redwood boards. [9] In 1907 George Freeth demonstrated surfing as a publicity stunt at the Huntington beach pier to promote the opening of the Los Angeles-Redondo-Huntington railroad. [10]

Surfing on the East Coast of the United States was pioneered in 1909 by Burke Haywood Bridgers in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. [11] After finding little success with lightweight, juniper boards, Bridgers wrote to Alexander Hume Ford and the Hawaiian newspapers for advice about board shapes and design, and surfing styles. Bridgers continued to craft his own surfboards and promote surfing in North Carolina. [11] Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing, introduced the sport to New Yorkers in 1912 while en route from Honolulu to the Stockholm Olympic Games at Rockaway Beach.

In the early 1900s, surfing began to be recognised by international sporting agencies as a legitimate sport. [12] Alexander Hume Ford created the Hands-Around-the-Pacific Club in 1911, which was later renamed the Pan Pacific Union in 1917. [6] [10] The organisation focused on the outgrowth of Pacific-area tourism promotion activities, and sponsored the Mid-Pacific Carnival in 1913 at Waikiki, Honolulu. [10] The Duke Kahanamoku made his first visit to Huntington Beach in the early 1920s, following his Olympic gold medal win at the 1912 Olympics. [6] [10] He is credited with popularising surfing in Southern California from 1913 to 1929. [10] By mid-to late 1930s tens of thousands of Americans were travelling to Hawaii every year and experiencing surfing. [6] [10]

Surfing's popularity began to increase in the United States post-WWII and peaked in the 1960s. [13] Now called the U.S. Open of Surfing, the West Coast Surfing Championship was the first surfing tournament in the United States and was held in 1959 at Huntington Beach, California. [14]

The International Professional Surfers (IPS) was founded by Hawaiian surfers Fred Hemmings and Randy Rarick in 1976. [15] The Association of Surfing Professionals was founded in 1983 before officially becoming the World Surf League (WSL) in 2015. [15] 11 U.S. men and women now compete in the WSL. [15]

In 2016, The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted unanimously for the inclusion of surfing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. [16]

Surfing culture in the United States

Surfing's popularity began to grow post-World War II. [10] With the expansion of the middle class in the 1950s, the number of American consumers who sought leisure at the beach grew dramatically. [10] As surfing became more popular, especially amongst young people, it became more than a recreational hobby and affected music, fashion, literature, film and art and jargon. [13] For many beachgoers, especially after the release of Hollywood surf film “Gidget” in 1959, surfing became a subcultural pastime. [10] Some other aspects of surf culture in the 1960s include the Woodie, bikinis, boardshorts and surf music such as ‘The Beach Boys’’ “Surfin’ Safari” released in 1962. [17] [18] John Severson founded “The Surfer”, the world's first surfing magazine, in 1959. [18]

Some popular U.S. surf ware and apparel brands include “O’Neill” founded by Jack O’Neill in California in 1952, “Vans” founded in 1966, “Channel Islands Surfboards” founded in 1969, and “Dakine” founded in 1979. [19]

Territorialism has arisen in surf breaks with large amounts of surfers located close to a large population centre. [20] Territorialism involves regular surfers becoming confrontational and territorial about their local surf breaks, especially at surf breaks that attract many seasonal vacationers. [20] This has led to the creation of loose surf gangs who protect their surf break from tourists. [21] Some prominent Southern Californian gangs include Malibu Locals Only and Lunada Bay Boys, with the main surf gang in Hawaii known as the ‘da huis’. [21] These gangs have been known to use verbal and physical confrontation to deter tourists from their surf breaks. [21] Territorialism often occurs due to socioeconomic factors. [20] Many surfers originally came from a lower economic class and resented well-off vacationers who visited their towns to surf recreationally. [20]

Surfing is growing amongst the African American community, despite being seen as a "white sport". [22] [23] [24] [25]

Demographics

There are over 3.5 million surfers in the US, with youth accounting for approximately 32% of that demographic. [4] The average surfer in the United States is 34 years old and will drive approximately 10 miles to surf, spending approximately $40 per session. [4] The United States has the largest share of the surfing industry, accounting for 49% of total sales on average each year. [4] The average surfer in the United States earns $75,000. [4] Locations with exceptional waves bring in large levels of activity form surfers, with Trestles surf break in San Diego, CA having an estimated economic value of $24 million. [4] The average surfer in the United States is 34 years old and owns 4 different surfboards. [4] Surfing contributes greatly to the U.S. economy with US- based surfers spending over $3 billion each year on their domestic surfing trips. [4] The average surfer in the US will surf 108 times each year on average. [4] Over 6 million people in the United States watch professional surfing on TV each year. [4] There are 9 official surf schools in the United States. [26] The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA), reported that the United States Surf industry had grown from US$6.52 billion in 2004 to US$7.48 billion in 2006. [27]

Major competitions in the United States [28]

Kelly Slater competing at the 2011 US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California Kelly Slater (6020584199).jpg
Kelly Slater competing at the 2011 US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California

Big wave surfing

Big wave surfing involves riding a wave that is at least 6.2 meters (20 ft) high, on surfboards known as “guns” or “towboards” that are typically 1.82 to 3.65 meters (6 to 12 ft long). [30] [31] [32] These boards are thicker than regular surfboards enabling a rider to paddle fast enough to catch a wave. [31] [33] The boards have a round-pin tail allowing surfers to dig into large waves in order to carry out high-speed turns. [33]

Big wave surfing in the United States dates back to the 1940s and 1950s, when surfers Woody Brown and Dickie Cross surfed a large swell at Sunset Beach in 1943. [34] Dickie Cross did not survive. Greg Noll is widely renowned as being surfing's first big wave surfers, migrating to Hawaii in 1953 where he regularly surfed at Makaha, the largest wave surfed at the time. Greg Noll became one of the first people to surf Waimea bay in 1957. [34] Greg Noll was credited with surfing the largest wave to date on December 4, 1969, at Makaha, estimated to be 9.14 meters (30 ft) high. [32] [34] Hawaiian Eddie Aikau transformed the boundaries of big wave surfing in the 1970s, winning the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. [35] A memorial big wave contest in his name was held 1984 and has continued yearly until 2020. [34] Jeff Clark was credited with surfing Mavericks for the first time in 1975, surfing the break alone for 15 years. [34] He introduced the break to other surfers from Santa Cruz in 1992 and the break was on the cover of Surfer Magazine by 1992. [34] In 1992 surfers Buzzy Kerbox and Laird Hamilton became pioneers in using a personal watercraft (jet ski) to pull other surfers into waves that were too big and fast moving to paddle into. [36] The invention of tow-in surfing transformed big wave surfing, allowing surfers to ride waves bigger than ever previously ridden. [36] The new discipline revolutionised big wave board size, allowing big wave surfers to use 2.13 meters (7 ft) boards that were easier to manoeuvre. [36]

In 2005, the World Surf League introduced the Big Wave Awards across seven categories including: [37]

In 2009, surfboard shaper Gary Linden launched the Big Wave World Tour, which was taken over by the Association of Surfing Professionals in 2014. [34]

U.S. Big Wave World Tour Title Holders:

Notable US Big Wave Surfing Spots:

Big wave surfers conduct immense amounts of preparation in order to stay safe and perform at their best when riding large waves. [33] Underwater rock running assists surfer to better their lung capacity and prepare for being held underwater for long periods of time. [33] Some of the world's best big wave surfers can hold their breath for up to 5 minutes. [33] Yoga assists big wave surfers to stay flexible, and to use air more efficiently. [33]

U.S. World Title holders [38]

Men

Women

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke Kahanamoku</span> Hawaiian swimmer, surfer and actor

Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku was a Hawaiian competition swimmer who popularized the sport of surfing. A Native Hawaiian, he was born to a minor noble family less than three years before the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. He lived to see the territory's admission as a state, and became a United States citizen. He was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming, winning medals in 1912, 1920 and 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surfing</span> Sport of riding waves

Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer, uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitable for surfing are primarily found on ocean shores, but can also be found in standing waves in the open ocean, in lakes, in rivers in the form of a tidal bore, or in wave pools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Slater</span> American surfer (born 1972)

Robert Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer, best known for being crowned World Surf League champion a record 11 times. Slater is widely regarded as the greatest professional surfer of all time, and holds 56 Championship Tour victories. Slater is also the oldest surfer still active on the World Surf League, winning his 8th Billabong Pipeline Masters title at age 49.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laird Hamilton</span> American big-wave surfer

Laird John Hamilton, né Zerfas, is an American big-wave surfer, co-inventor of tow-in surfing, and an occasional fashion and action-sports model and actor. He is married to Gabrielle Reece, a former professional volleyball player, television personality, and model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big wave surfing</span> Surfing waves at least 20 ft high

Big wave surfing is a discipline within surfing in which experienced surfers paddle into, or are towed into, waves which are at least 20 feet high, on surf boards known as "guns" or towboards. Sizes of the board needed to successfully surf these waves vary by the size of the wave as well as the technique the surfer uses to reach the wave. A larger, longer board allows a rider to paddle fast enough to catch the wave and has the advantage of being more stable, but it also limits maneuverability and surfing speed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunny Garcia</span> American surfer (born 1970)

Vincent Sennen "Sunny" Garcia is an American professional surfer from Waianae, Hawaii. After leaving school he debuted on the 1986 Gotcha Pro at Sandy Beach, Oahu, beating the 1984 champ Tom Carroll.

Greg Noll was an American pioneer of big wave surfing and a prominent longboard shaper. Nicknamed "Da Bull" by Phil Edwards in reference to his physique and way of charging down the face of a wave, he was on the U.S. lifeguard team that introduced Malibu boards to Australia around the time of the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. He produced a "legendary" series of five Search for Surf films.

Patrick Shane Dorian, or "Shane", is an American surfer from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He spent 11 years touring on the World Championship Tour as a professional surfer. Dorian quit competition surfing in 2003 to focus on big waves. He is currently a big wave surfer and one of the best in the world at big wave riding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surf culture</span> Culture associated with the sport surfing

Surf culture includes the people, language, fashion, and lifestyle surrounding the sport of surfing. The history of surfing began with the ancient Polynesians. That initial culture directly influenced modern surfing, which began to flourish and evolve in the early 20th century, with its popularity peaking during the 1950s and 1960s. It has affected music, fashion, literature, film, art, and youth jargon in popular culture. The number of surfers throughout the world continues to increase as the culture spreads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of surfing</span> Aspect of history

The riding of waves has likely existed since humans began swimming in the ocean. In this sense, bodysurfing is the oldest type of wave-catching. Undoubtedly ancient sailors learned how to ride wave energy on many styles of early boats. Archaeological evidence even suggests that ancient cultures of Peru surfed on reed watercraft for fishing and recreation up to five thousand years ago. However, standing up on what is now called a surfboard is a relatively recent innovation developed by the Polynesians. The influences for modern surfing can be directly traced to the surfers of pre-contact Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paddleboarding</span> Water sport

Paddleboarding is a water sport in which participants are propelled by a swimming motion using their arms while lying or kneeling on a paddleboard or surfboard in the ocean or other body of water. Paddleboarding is usually performed in the open ocean, with the participant paddling and surfing unbroken swells to cross between islands or journey from one coastal area to another.

The U.S. Open of Surfing is a week-long surfing competition held annually during the summer in Huntington Beach, California. Generally held on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier, the U.S. Open is part of the qualification process for the World Surf League and is a WSL QS 10,000 event. It is the largest surfing competition in the world. It has been owned by IMG since 2000.

David Earl Weber, known as Dewey Weber, was an American surfer, a popular surfing film subject, and a successful surfboard manufacturing businessman. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he distinguished himself with a surfing style unique at the outset of that era. Out of the water, he had already become a national yo-yo champion and a CIF champion in wrestling, then appeared in several feature films, and eventually established a successful surfboard manufacturing company. On November 14, 2015, the city of Hermosa Beach unveiled at its Community Center a sculpture inspired by a photo of Dewey Weber taken by surf photographer Leroy Grannis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carissa Moore</span> American surfer and gold medalist in the 2021 Olympics

Carissa Kainani Moore is a Hawaiian American Olympian, world champion surfer and activist. She was the first-ever winner of the Olympic Gold Medal in women's short board surfing in 2020. She was also the 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019 and 2021 World Surf League WSL Women's World Tour Champion. Moore is the first surfer in history to win a WSL world title and the Olympic title in the same year.

Gary Elkerton, known as Kong is an Australian surfer, three time world masters champion, three time world professional runner-up, twice Hawaiian Triple Crown champion and Australian amateur champion (1984). He is regarded as an iconic big-wave rider and is highly respected by his peers for his unique, powerful surfing style. In 2009, Gary was inducted into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame.

Sean Mattison is an American former professional surfer and current professional surf coach, known mostly for designing "The Nubster", a fifth surfboard fin. Mattison is also the designer of his own alternative high performance surfboards and surfboard fins named Von-Sol.

Donald Moke Takayama was an American professional surfer and surfboard shaper. Originally a longboard surfer, Takayama won the Master's division of the United States Surfing Champions in 1971, 1972 and 1973. Hawaiian born, Takayama learned to surf at Waikiki Beach and moved to California in the mid-1950s. Takayama died of complications from heart surgery; he is survived by his wife and four daughters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dog surfing</span> Surfing technique involving highly trained dogs

Dog surfing is a type of surfing maneuver involving dogs that are trained to surf on surfboards, bodyboards, skimboards, windsurf boards or to bodysurf. Historically, surfing dogs have been documented as occurring as early as the 1920s in the United States. Competitions and exhibitions that feature surfing dogs have occurred in various coastal areas of the United States, such as Del Mar, California, Imperial Beach, California and Jupiter, Florida.

Chris Christenson is an American surfboard shaper, craftsman, and outdoor enthusiast.

References

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  21. 1 2 3 Weiss, Kenneth (1996-12-24). "Territorial Surfer Wipes Out". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
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  23. ↑ "Black Surfers Collective aims to promote diversity in surf lineup - GrindTV.com". 5 August 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  24. ↑ Company, Johnson Publishing (6 December 2016). "Ebony". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved 6 December 2016– via Google Books.
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  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Big Wave Surfing 101 – What to do, what to ride and where to find them | LUEX". www.luex.com. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "A Big Wave Surfing History". X Games. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
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  38. ↑ "WSL Champions - Past Winners". World Surf League. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
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