You are standing by the seaside staring into the golden sunlight. You turn up the song Misirlou by Dick Dale, and you ask yourself, where will surfing be one year from now? Surfing was first described in 1769 by Captain James Cook. According to The History of Surfing, he said he “saw a surfer that he described as someone who had the most supreme pleasure while he was driven so fast and smoothly by the seas.
In ancient Hawaii, surfing was called wave sliding. Surfing was their bridge to a spiritual link to the Ocean. The video below is a video of surfers in Oahu, Hawaii circa 1920. Through the generations, there were Duke Kahanamoku, Eddie Aikau, and modern-day legend Kelly Slater. Surfing is a lifestyle and a passage into the endless summer. In the future, how and where will the sport of surfing evolve?
THE OLYMPIC GAMES
As you may know, Tokyo in 2020 will host the Olympics and surfing is going to be one of the featured sporting events. You will see a colorful palate of participants from Asian, African, Latin, Korean and American-European regions. It’s official and long-awaited. This is totally unprecedented and a piece of history! Due to concerns around inconsistent surf areas in the beaches of Tokyo, the sport will most likely be retained in a wave pool.
KELLY’S WAVE
Surf Sensation Kelly Slaters’ “Kellys Wave” is the future of surfing, as implied by the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Wave Consistency and safety are things to take into consideration as the man-made wonder alleviates those distractions, allowing the surfer to coast the waves. National Geographic claimed, “a wave like this will change the future of surfing.” The waves are solar-powered and fully functional. The video below is some footage of Slater in action.
EVENTS
The Western Surfing Association (WSA) is hosting a string of exciting events heading toward the San Diego area:Jan 14 & 15, 2017. WSA Championship @ South Harbor Jetty
Jan 28 & 29, 2017. WSA Championship @ Salt Creek Beach Park, Dana Point
Feb 11 & 12, 2017. WSA Championship @ Seaside Reefs, Encinitas
Feb 18 & 19, 2017. WSA Championship @ Huntington Beach Pier Southside
March 11 & 12, 2017. WSA Championship @ South Harbor Jetty
March 25 & 26, 2017. WSA Championship @ Oceanside Harbor
April 8th & 9th, 2017. WSA Championship @ Salt Creek Beach Park, Dana Point.
The future of surfing is transparent and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. It’s not just a wave, it’s a way of life!