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Surfing
UK Governing Body
International Governing Body
Surfing Overview
The origins of surfing can be found in Tahiti were crew members of the Dolphin witnessed the art as a part of local culture when they found the island in the late 18th century.
Surfing almost died out as a pastime in the 19th century; it was even banned by missionaries on some islands. But a few still kept the culture alive and in the 20th century participation started to increase.
As surfing became more popular it grew three cultural homes; Hawaii, California and Australia. It was with this expansion that more people became involved in the sport and that businesses became interested in the commercial side of surfing.
This inevitably led to competitive surfing which involves comparing surfers who ride in pairs or a small group. Competitors are set a period of time to show off there skills and ability to catch waves. The most famous pro surfer is Kelly Slater who rose to competitive and commercial fame.