- River surfing
River surfing is the sport of
surfing eitherstanding waves ortidal bore s inrivers . Claims for its origins include a 1955 ride of 1.5 miles along the tidal bore of theRiver Severn . [http://www.thelongwave.com/]River surfing on standing waves has been documented as far back as the mid 1970s in
Munich, Germany andJackson Hole, Wyoming .tanding waves
In this type of river surfing, the wave is stationary on the river, caused by a high volume of water constricted by flowing over a rock and creating a wave behind. A river surfer can face up-stream and catch this wave and have the feeling of traveling fast over water but not actually be moving.
Locations
Europe
An annual surfing competition is held on standings wave in the
Eisbach in Munich, Germany [http://juicemagazine.com/MUNICHSURFOPENRIVERSURF.html] Munich has been the center of surfboard riding on a stationary wave since the mid 1980s. Fact|date=May 2008 Munich has produced the best surfers and was the first location that created a true surfing community around an inland river wave. Fact|date=May 2008
On Austria's river Mur river surfing is a regular sight as well.North America
Jackson Hole, Wyoming is known as the most famous river surfing community in the USA. The wave known as Lunch Counter has been surfed every summer by a small core group for over 20 years. [ [http://www.jacksonhole.net/news/2006_july12.htm Jackson Hole News - July 12, 2006 ] ]In the past five years, Montreal has sprung up as a hot bed of river surfing, with warm water and great waves right in the city. [ [http://www.montrealmirror.com/2005/060905/hsg2.html Montreal Mirror : Hot Summer Guide 2005 : Surfing ] ] [http://surfmontreal.com (In French)]
The city of
Pueblo, Colorado had the foresight to build a beautiful whitewaterkayak park right through the downtown area a few years back.when The 8-feature park has also become a surfing center. Depending on the water volume the third, fourth and seventh features can all be surfed. The activity has become so popular that Pueblo is now advertised as a surf destination in Colorado.Fact|date=May 2008Tidal bores
Tidal bores, waves created by incoming tides, are being surfed along coastal rivers such as the
pororoca on theAmazon River or England'sRiver Severn . [http://www.severn-bore.co.uk/default.htm] [http://www.thelongwave.com/buzz/boreriderscom.html]evern Bore
Surfing the Severn Bore has become a competitive sport with dozens of surfers vying to record the longest ride. The tidal surge also attracts canoeists and windsurfers. The present champion surfer is Dave Lawson from Hempsted, Gloucestershire, who has covered 5.7 miles on a surfboard. His record-breaking surf took more than 35 minutes and was logged by an official adjudicator from the British Surfing Association. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/4899262.stm BBC NEWS | England | Gloucestershire | Severn Bore surfer breaks record ] ]
Pororoca
The pororoca is a
tidal bore , with waves up to 4 meters high that travel as much as 13 kilometers inland upstream theAmazon River .See also
*
Riverboarding
*Lake surfing References
External links
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=IU-qI3H_-GM&fmt=18 Surfing the Grand River on You Tube]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFq-j7SFHIw&fmt=18 Red Cedar River Surfing on You Tube]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=WaJ4CnPWZeU Surfing At Michigan State University]
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