is surfing still popular?

Additionally, it is certain to profit from the forthcoming Olympics. Popularity for surfing has been on a steady rise for three decades, but it’s withstood ebbs and flows in the past. The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo will attract new interest just as it does with every other participating sport. Even if it doesn’t give surfing a lasting bump in popularity, it will net at least a handful of unsponsored standout names lucrative deals that are, in turn, good for the sport’s exposure. Orlanda Britt, Banjarmasin (Indonesia) edited this article 58 days ago. [2]

Experts from slate.com, while it’s hard to say what’s caused the new influx of surfers, it likely has at least something to do with the endless feedback loop of surfing coverage in mainstream media (which encourages more people to surf, prompting yet more coverage). Once relegated to the pages of niche magazines and surf blog discussion threads, “surf culture” is now touted in trendy outlets such as GQ, Vice, and Huffington Post; surf-themed fashion spreads recently appeared in Men’s Journal, Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar; and even chichi retail outfits such as Serena & Lily, which sells high-thread-count linens to the 1 percent, recently began hawking limited-edition surfboards. It is even more popular on social media. social media platforms, where the number of Instagram “surfer babes” and uploaded amateur GoPro surfing clips seems to multiply every week. [3]

Sportsdestinations.com also explains how one local resident who spent most of his summer river surfing told BBC.com that visitors from out of state travel to Dayton simply to surf — giving the city’s economy a much-needed boost. Dayton is home to many specialty shops. Bernie Farley is the co-owner and chief executive of Whitewater Warehouse. He says river surfing boards sales (which can be wider than standard boards, mimicking standup paddleboards), are up more than 50% over 2019. “They are one of our bigger sellers,” he had said. “They’re going out faster than we can get them in. There’s a waiting list.” (we say thank you to Tobi McCord from Vellore, India for pointing this out to us). [4]