Surfing

Surfing is a surface water sport. The participant is carried along the face of a breaking wave as it approaches shore, usually on a surfboard. In addition to surfboards, surfers make use of kneeboards, body boards (aka boogie boards), kayaks, surf skis, and their own bodies. Surfing-related sports, such as paddleboarding and sea kayaking, do not require waves. Other derivative sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing rely on wind for power. Two major classifications within the sport reflect differences in surfboard design: longboarding and shortboarding. In tow-in surfing (often associated with big wave surfing), the surfer is towed into the wave by a motorized water vehicle, such as a jetski, because standard paddling is often ineffective when trying to match a large wave's higher speed.