Surfs Up

  

     Yesterday someone asked me to write about my surfing obsession and how I got into it.  It all started when I went with a bunch of friends to the Ogden indoor surf center, from that day on I have been hooked! Even though I am not that great at surfing, I would love to someday surf on the real waves.  I also really love watching surf contests online.  Its just like watching any other freestyle sport such as figure skating, skateboarding, etc.  I feel that surfing is more of an art form where the artist gets be creative and athletic at the same time.  Watching surfing is more interesting to me than other freestyle sports because the surfers must deal with slashing unpredictable waves of the oceans surface.  

     So one might ask how the crap do you judge a numerical score in a surfing competition?  Well, it is difficult to judge and I would hate to be the one to do it but the categories that are considered by the judges are speed, style, and power and these elements must be judged in an objective and mathematical process.  Like most other freestyle sports, a judge must follow a basic principle that who ever rides the wave with the most control, most speed, and power will receive the highest score.

     An assigned score is anywhere from .5 to 10.  A surfer would score a .5 by just getting his/her feet on their board but did not manage to make a motion down the line.  However, if the drop is particularly fierce and the conditions are bad, then there is some leverage.  Now when a surfer makes two complete maneuvers on a wave they should receive a score at about a 5 but the conditions or the wave itself can change how high or low the score goes.  An example would be a wave like Pipeline is all about the tube and should be scored much higher than any other maneuvers.  For a maneuver to be scored it MUST be completed no matter how amazing the attempt is.  If the surfer does not emerge with both feet on the board, it does not count and thus no score.

     Now here is the hard part but the easiest way to set up a scale to judge all the waves is by comparing them to the first complete ride.  For example, if the first surfer completes four solid smooth moves and a score is given at a 7 than all the other waves should be scored based on that first ride.  To me this sounds very difficult and that's why I said I would hate to be the one to judge a surfing competition.  But that's the easiest way judges have found to score it.

     Some other rules are that the surfers cannot catch any wave they want to because that would make it a free-for-all which would be lame.  It's all about priority, meaning whoever takes off closest to the peak has priority.  When there is a beach break with more than one peak, the one you would watch is the surfer who gets his/her feet down first.  If a fellow competitor surfer interferes such a bump boards, pushover the lip of the wave, or drop in, then that jerk loses his/her highest scoring wave. 

   That about sums up how to judge a surfing competition but watch out cause you might just get hooked watching like me!!!  If not check out my favorite movie Surf's Up it is ridiculously funny and entertaining.  Surfs up everyone!!!