Today, surfing is not only an interesting option for recreation, but also one of the leading water sports. During its development, many new varieties have appeared. Types of surfing can depend on the boards the surfer is using, as well as locations, waves, and any supporting equipment. Let's look at the main areas of surfing.
In terms of extremeness, this type of surfing takes first place, since its main component is huge waves, and it is impossible to get to them without a jet ski. Today, thanks to modern technology, true professionals can catch up with the world's largest wave of Jose. In order to perform various maneuvers and increase speed, surfers had to modify their own board, namely:
- improve aerodynamic properties;
- attach swivel loops;
- reduce its size.
For this kind of surfing, a small piece of rigid foam is used, due to which gliding along the waves is ensured. The tail of the meter board has the shape of a crescent. Surfers can ride lying, sitting and standing. In the first case, fins are needed, as they facilitate repulsion from the water surface.
It does not require additional devices, only the human body is used to move along the waves. This type of surfing is more like entertainment than a sport, but competitions are held in it, where real professionals participate. From special equipment, half-meter boards are used, which are attached to the hands.
Wake, as surfing behind a boat is called, is one of the many water sports. Of the equipment, a special cable is used, attached to the boat and which the surfer holds on to. When the speed reaches 16 km / h, the athlete releases the rope and continues to move through the waves.
This is riding on a large three-meter board, which is quite stable, which makes it difficult to make any maneuvers. The longboard is more suitable for learning the basics of surfing, so it is ideal for beginners.
Surfing of this variety is practiced on an oval board in shallow water. After the ebb of a big wave, the athlete accelerates, throws the skimboard into the water, then lies down on it and begins to move along the waves.
The surfer uses a wide board. Skating takes place on your knees, and due to air resistance, the athlete can climb higher on the wave. Any maneuvers are carried out thanks to the work of hands and oars.
Tandem allows you to perform various tricks, so this type of surfing can be considered exciting. Partners can stand on each other's shoulders or perform complex elements.
The peculiarity of this type of surfing is the strength of the wind. It is possible to control the board due to the inclination of the mast and the board itself. The difference of such surfing is that it can be practiced in any wind, except for a hurricane. Professionals are able to perform the most difficult tricks and demonstrate mastery of the board.
kite
Spectacular surfing direction. Kitesurfing combines the conquest of water and air space. It is in this sport that truly unique tricks can be shown.
To master any of the types of surfing, it is worth visiting the best spots and studying at a surf school. You can start training in Russia, however, in order to achieve a high level of professionalism, you need to go to a place where surfing is developed at the proper level.
Surfing - riding on the sea waves on a board - is rightfully considered the "father" of almost all extreme sports that involve boards. However, over time, even surfing has evolved and developed into several independent sports ... There are many different ways to surf - this is the most ancient and one of the most spectacular and interesting types of extreme sports.
SurfBy far the most popular and well-known type of wave riding. Surfing has Polynesian roots. For a long time it was the property of the royal families, and noble warriors proved their courage and strength, meeting face to face on the waves. Surfing was first mentioned as a sport in 1917, but became widespread in the 50s and 60s. The surf movement entered America earlier than Europe, and developed at a much faster pace. The essence of this sport is to slide along the waves while standing on the board, performing various complex maneuvers. Learning how to surf well takes a lot of time and effort! This is a very demanding sport, physical fitness and endurance are very important here. The length of the board can vary from 180 cm to 240 cm and depends on the size of the waves. In the late 60s and early 70s, short-boards appeared, short boards (in the opposite of longboards). They are very docile, manageable, short and stable, real intelligent riding aids. They give surfers the ability to freely control the board and handle the waves. In the late 70s and early 80s, several more changes were made to the structure of the boards: they became even more maneuverable, the speed of the board became controllable and generated by yourself. The boards have greatly decreased in volume and slightly in length.
In our time, the popularity of this sport has reached incredible heights. Surf stars can be compared to Hollywood stars. They are known, loved and constantly interested in their lives. Films and cartoons are made about their life and surfing.
Tau-surfing (tow-in surfing)
Tau surfing is called surfing on giant waves, where a jet ski is used as a towing vehicle to overcome the surf.
The idea of towing in big waves is far from a new concept in the world of surfing. The ancient Hawaiians called this type of entertainment LeLe wa "a.
Today, based on the idea of the ancients, only new technological developments have been applied to tau surfing: instead of canoes, as in ancient times, they use a jet ski, thereby opening the way to the largest wave on the planet - the Jows wave (Jaws, "Jaws") .
The Jose wave comes in the winter months, when the ocean is especially turbulent, and the echoes of Kamchatka storms, reaching the shores of the small Hawaiian island of Maui, merge into huge monster waves that are difficult to comprehend by the human mind. It is no coincidence that this place is called Jose, which means "jaws" in English. Giant waves are formed thanks to the barrier reef, located at a distance of just under one kilometer from the northern coast of the island of Maui. "Stumbling" on this reef, the waves grow up to 20 m and higher, moving towards the shore at a speed of about 50 km/h. There are several other places in the world where you can catch a giant wave, but Jose is considered the birthplace of this type of surfing.
For the first time, the idea to ride a wave that exceeds ten meters in height on a board without a sail, but with the help of towing, came to Laird Hamilton (Laird Hamilton), Buzzy Kerbox (Buzzy Kerbox) and Darrick Doerner (Darrick Doerner), who usually rode on the north coast of Oahu . Their principle was simple: with the help of an inflatable "Zodiac" and a halyard, they dispersed the surfer on the board to the speed of the wave, after which it was not difficult to be on its crest. There was only one "but" - their classic boards for big waves, narrow and about three meters long, made it possible to ride waves with a height limit of no more than ten meters. Above this level, there was the effect of the formation of waves on top of the wave, which was already almost impossible to resist. The first such springboard threw the surfer into the water as soon as the board broke away from the surface of the wave.
Borrowing the idea from windsurfing, the riders put loops on their classic surfboards. They also halved the boards, and thanks to this, they greatly increased in speed. After all, only speed is the key to success when riding the largest and fastest waves of the globe. Metal plates were mounted in the bow of the board in order to increase weight and achieve proper aerodynamics. From that moment on Maui came the era of a new sport, the name of which is tau surfing.
The idea of towing in tau surfing was and still is fundamental. From now on, surfing, until now a purely individual sport, is becoming a team sport, where the success of the rider largely depends on his partner, thanks to the competent towing of which the surfer finds himself on the right wave, at the right time and in the right place. And it depends on whether this wave will be the last in your life.
Having become a team sport, tau surfing has gained unprecedented popularity. But always the main key to victory over the wave of Jose is the driver of the jet ski.
Everyone knows that riding Jose is playing with death. It is important to be prepared for this not only physically, but also mentally. We must learn to control the fear that paralyzes the body. The whole life of tau surfers is connected with the ocean, and they know its temper like no one else. Their experience gained in various conditions helps them to seriously prepare before going to Jose.
Bodyboard
A bodyboard is a wave-riding projectile, which is a small, rough rectangular piece of hydrodynamically shaped foam. On a bodyboard, they ride mainly lying down (or “prone”). It can also be ridden in a semi-standing position (squatting) or even standing up. For paddling, bodyboarders usually wear fins to make it easier to paddle and take off.
A bodyboard differs from a surfboard in that it is much shorter and made from a lighter material. A typical bodyboard is around 100cm, with a slab nose, angled bars and a tail that is usually crescent shaped (batwing tails have recently become more popular). Boards are usually made of polyethylene, although polypropylene has been more commonly used in recent years.
Bodyboarding is perhaps the earliest form of surfing, with its roots going back to the old Hawaiian "paipo" boards, which were ridden prone. The modern invention of the bodyboard is credited to Tom Moray, who created the simple bodyboards (then known as "boogie boards") in the mid-70s. They were too rough by today's standards, but they were easy to ride.
Bodyboarding is as popular as recreational climbing compared to mountaineering, as bodyboarding is much easier to learn early on than surfing. But to become a professional in this sport, you need to train no less than in surfing.
Bodysurf (bodysurf)
The most fun way to ride the waves. No board is required here - you just slide on the wave on your stomach! Bodysurfing is considered the earliest type of surfing, it all started with it. At first, people simply glided over the waves, and then they decided to adapt a semblance of a board for these purposes. Nowadays, bodysurfing is very popular. It's a lot of fun, no need to buy a board and spend a lot of effort on learning. There are various world and European bodysurfing federations. There are quite a few events and competitions in this sport. Bodysurfing gained particular popularity in France. There are a lot of people involved in this sport here. There are also special devices for hands to facilitate gliding through the waves. These are small analogues of surfboards 30-50 cm long, which are attached to the hands. Bodysurfers wear fins on their feet.
In principle, bodysurfing constitutes the very first stage of learning to ride the waves. And only then you can choose a certain type of board.
Longboard (longboard)
Longboarding is one of the first forms of surfing. These large surfboards, at least 9 feet (274 cm) long, appeared in the early 1950s. These are large, wide, heavy boards with a rounded nose. Much less maneuverable than modern surfboards (shortboards).
The modern longboard is a prime example of the development of the evolution of surfboards - an example of going back while moving forward. As each new generation of surfers and shapers found characteristics in the boards that did not make sense to change, each of them brought to the design a couple of modern ideas that coexisted perfectly with archaic forms.
Modern longboards bear little resemblance to their clumsy progenitors: the lines, rockers, thickness distribution, keels, and fiberglass coating techniques have largely borrowed from later inventions.
Many varieties of this type of board have proven themselves in the waves, so it can be assumed that they will be respected by surfers for many years to come.
Longboards are very popular with beginners, as they are the most suitable boards to start learning. Due to their stability, they facilitate the process of getting up on the board and help to better balance.
Skimboard (skimboard)
Skimboarding is riding on the shallow water that remains after the wave breaks. When the wave begins to recede, the athlete runs at an angle to the water, throws the board into shallow water and slides along the waves. Professionals can also ride bigger waves.
Skimboards are fairly wide oval boards. Skimboarding is very similar to surfing.
Modern skimboarding originated in the 1920s in California on Laguna Beach. The first skimboarders were beach lifeguards. Laguna Beach is still the mecca of the skimboard.
Kneeboard (kneeboard)
A kneeboard is a type of surfboard that you ride on your knees. Distinguish ocean surf kneeboarding and river (there you need to ride behind a boat, like a wakeboard). These are short, light but wide boards. Maneuvers and turns are carried out with the help of hands or special small oars. Kneeboarding is considered an intermediate discipline between surfing (where you ride standing up) and bodyboarding. All maneuvers are very similar to surf. This type of riding has significant advantages - it is less wind resistance, which allows you to ride much higher in the waves and be deeper in the pipe.
Surf tandem (surf tandem)
Tandem (pair) surfing originated in the 1920s on the island of Waikiki. Local beach regulars rode tourists on their boards and staged entire theatrical performances on the waves.
For a long time they staged performances with riding on each other's shoulders. Two legendary surfers, Pete Peterson and Lorien Harrison, visited Hawaii in 1931 and learned about this type of wave riding. They returned to California and began practicing tandem skiing at Malibu and Corona del mar beaches.
Tandem is, first of all, teamwork and it was not easy to learn this at first. By 1963, there were many couples who excelled in the sport. And in the 70s, tandems gained immense popularity among Americans.
It was then that Steve and Barrie Boehne traveled the globe to show tricks in tandem and popularize the sport - they wanted to teach surfers how to ride in tandem. The trip turned out to be very fruitful. Currently, tandem skating is demonstrated at many competitions and festivals. This is perhaps one of the most beloved surf shows by the audience.
And here - http://www.gfhome.ru/articles/1831.html - for each item there is also a video with the fair sex demonstrating their skills in this type of extreme.
In order to surf, the main thing you need is a wave, a board and a desire to get a lot of amazing emotions. Athletes surfers take their board, go with it into the agitated waters of the sea or ocean, swim on the board to the wave, stand on this board and, so to speak, first catch and then saddle the wave. All this looks quite spectacular, even bewitching.
History of surfing
To name the exact date of the appearance of this sport, today, it is not possible. The only thing that can be said with certainty is that surfing originated in Hawaii. This occupation was part of the culture of the Hawaiians and was a tradition of the local population, until the “white man” came to the islands - he captured the minds of the inhabitants of the islands, forced them to live according to the tenets of Christianity, and surfing began to be considered a sin deserving censure and persecution.However, no prohibitions there could eradicate the urge to ride the wave in the souls of people. Although the development of surfing has stopped, this does not mean that boarding has completely disappeared. Surfing continued to surf the time until it reached our days. By the way, it was surfing that became the progenitor of such activities as skateboarding, windsurfing, snowboarding, kitesurfing.
Today, it is a sport, a kind of art of riding the waves. However, the essence of surfing has not changed throughout its history. The process of skiing is quite simple, as it seems from the outside. Of course, everything is unlikely to work out perfectly the first time, but after a little practice, you can start taking small waves.
Due to the fact that surfing is a sport that requires certain water conditions, it is far from being developed everywhere. For example, how to surf in continental countries? No way. Because of this, not everyone understands what kind of sport it is and what is needed in order to practice it?
Speaking of surf gear. Surfing requires a board, wax, leash, and in some cases a wetsuit. A little more about everything:
Surfboard
Modern boards are divided into longboards (more than 2.5 meters) and shortboards (from 1.5 to 2.2 meters). There are also such types of boards as funboards, guns, toboards. Each of these surfboards has individual characteristics. Some boards are easier for beginners to ride, others allow you to make cool maneuvers, others allow you to ride a huge wave, etc. As a rule, surfboards are made of foam treated with shapers and plexiglass. I would like to note that it is only from the side that it seems that the surf is made of steel. In fact, the board has a rather fragile structure and often breaks.Lish
A leash is a plastic cord that is tied to the surfer's tail, as well as to the athlete's leg. This plastic cable prevents the surfer from losing his board when he falls off it. The length of the leash must not be shorter than the length of the board itself.Wax
Wax is needed for rubbing hands and feet. What for? Everything is simple - so as not to slip off the board. Each water temperature has its own type of wax, so you need to know in which waters you have to ride the wave.Wetsuit
A wetsuit is used in cases where the water is very cold or you just don’t want to get wet. The main function of a wetsuit is to keep the athlete warm and prevent their body from getting wet.For many, surfing is something exotic, for others it is an everyday activity. Someone sees a real sport in skating on the board, but someone does not understand this. However, this is not important, surfing was, is and will always be, as long as there is a wave.
This extreme water sport originated many centuries ago, on the islands of Polynesia, from where it spread to, behind which the name of the "homeland of surfing" was assigned.
For the Hawaiians, the conquest of the waves on the board was part of the traditional rituals and initially such an activity was only available to members of the royal families. Like Olympic Games for the Greeks, boarding on the waves for the inhabitants of Hawaii was a harmonious combination of sports and art. The first surfing competitions were also held in Hawaii, and for the king who took part in them, the loss of control over the wave and falling from the board could also be the reason for the deprivation of the throne.
Modern surfboards impress with their lightness and innovation (like, for example), but the first equipment for this water sport and entertainment was massive. The first surfboards often weighed up to 70 kg. The Hawaiians made them by hand, from a single piece of wood.
Passionate about surfing
One of the first stories about the original water entertainment of the Hawaiians in Europe was brought by James King, who was part of the Cook expedition. The well-known writer Mark Twain, who visited the Hawaiian Islands in 1866, also contributed to the spread. In his notes, he talked about meeting with a crowd of naked Hawaiians who had fun with the national pastime - boarding on the waves. At the beginning of the 20th century, another famous writer visited Hawaii - Jack London, who later also devoted a story to this water creature.
But still, the full-fledged conquest of the world by surfing began only in the 1950s, and since then it has only been steadily gaining momentum. Even despite the fact that surfing has become the basis for many other water activities (, ), it still remains in demand and does not lose its attractiveness.
Features of surfing
The surfer uses the energy of the incident wave to glide across the water surface. By changing the position of the legs on the board and the position of the body relative to the surfboard, you can change the speed and direction of movement. The main task when surfing is to catch a wave, and the waves that twist into a kind of pipe, through which the surfer tries to slip, are of the greatest interest.
There are reef and beach waves. Reefs are those that break on reefs. They are the most predictable and therefore ideal for beginners. But there are also risks. First of all, this is the likelihood of injury on the reef bottom when falling into low tide. Another potential danger is the sea snakes that have chosen such places. Beach waves crash on the sandy bottom. They are considered the safest. Gentle waves are soft, smooth, and best for initial training, but sharp waves are more likely to get hurt or ruin your surfboard.
Depending on the length of the surfboard, two types of surfing are distinguished: on a short (shortboard - from 180 cm) and long (longboard - 3 m) board. The first option is designed for professional surfers, and the second one provides a smooth ride and is well suited for beginners. It is in these two categories that surfing competitions are held. Depending on the position of the surfer, bodyboarding (in the prone position on the board) and bodysurfing are distinguished.
Where to surf
In many of these regions, surfing is considered not just entertainment, but also a special lifestyle. For example, in Australia, surfing is even included in the school physical education curriculum, and on the California coast, this water entertainment has long been a kind of protest against routine and a symbol of freedom, the opportunity to live one unforgettable day.
Surfing and safety: what to consider for beginners
Many people think that surfing is pure fun, but 90% of this water sport is a struggle with the sea, a daring challenge to it. This is extreme and serious physical activity. You can do this at any age, but it is worth remembering the importance of excellent physical fitness at the same time.
Before you decide to conquer this or that wave, you need to adequately assess your capabilities and your level of training. Like many extreme water sports, surfing is unforgiving. For beginners, it is best not to buy, but to rent a surfboard, which is offered on most beaches where it is available.
The basic rules of surfer etiquette come down to what you need:
Respect yourself, surrounding surfers and the ocean;
Listen carefully to the instructor;
Comply with established requirements;
Do not steal a “foreign” (occupied by another surfer) wave
It is worth remembering that surfing requires considerable dexterity, good skill and endurance, and every time a surfer risks his life, standing on the board. Of particular danger is the meeting with. There are known cases of shark attacks on surfers even during competitions. Such clashes are especially frequent off the coast of South Africa, Australia, and California.
Surfing is one of the most popular sports, attracting more and more followers from all over the world every year. Every year in many world countries special competitions are held, the main goal of which is to find the most outstanding masters of riding on the crests of waves.
Hawaii is considered the birthplace of surfing - it was the inhabitants of these Pacific islands who first stood on boards in order to conquer the Pacific waves. Another famous navigator James Cook in his books described an amazing entertainment for Europeans - riding on the waves on a wooden board.
At present, surfing has managed to give life to many identical water sports - we are talking about wakesurfing, windsurfing, skysurfing, kitesurfing and many other types, which are based on the use of a board as a tool for gliding through the waves. The SportBus portal will introduce you to the most popular species surfing and tell in detail about their differences between each other.
Windsurfing
Windsurfing is surfing with a sail, a combination of sailing with classic surfing. In this case, the board plays the role of a miniature yacht. One of the differences lies in the increased size of the board used by windsurfers. Windsurfboards can easily reach a length of four or more meters. A mast is installed in the center of the board, to which a sail of various designs is attached. Often, a special hook is attached to the mast - a cross rail, which is a lever used to control.
Wakeboarding
Wakeboarding- this is extreme sport, which combines elements from classic surfing, acrobatics and water skiing slalom. The main difference from classical surfing is that the athlete does not use water currents for movement, but some kind of tractor, often a helicopter or a boat. Sometimes, in order to tow a wakeboarder, a special type of towing installation is used that performs movements in a circle. The surfer holds on to a special device and slides on the board along the waves in accordance with the trajectory given to him by the tug. In the process of moving behind the tugboat, the athlete overcomes different types artificial obstacles placed in its path. This is how tunnel surfing was born. In addition, the athlete in the process of sliding uses the waves left by the hull of the tug for jumps and tricks.
kitesurfing
Another interesting type of surfing is kitesurfing or, the so-called "parachute surfing". In this case, the surfer uses a large kite with a special design as a tugboat that will carry him through the waves.
skimboarding
skimboarding- this is a sport that is skiing in shallow water or even on wet sand on a board specially designed for this - a “skimboard”. The skimboarding technique is based on the principle of gliding (using a water wedge for skiing). The main difference between skim boarding and classic surfing is that instead of swimming into the water with a board and drifting in anticipation of the right wave, the athlete runs up on land, throws the board under his feet and, jumping on it, slides on wet sand or water like glider on the surface of the water surface. Due to the fact that skimboarders often use sand rather than waves to ride, skimboarding is often referred to as artificial surfing.
In the course of its history, it has managed to undergo certain revolutionary formations and classic surfing. Each change led to the selection of a new subspecies of classic surfing, including: shortboarding, longboarding, tau surfing and other varieties.
Video: surfing - pig
