Surfing

Surfing is thought to have originated on islands in the Pacific Ocean. In the Hawaiian Islands surfing has historically been an integral part of the culture as well as a popular sport. The first European to see surfing in Hawaii and report on it was British explorer Captain James Cook, who sailed into the islands in 1778. Surfing in the Hawaiian Islands was suppressed as a frivolous activity by Christian missionaries through much of the 19th century and did not reappear there until the early part of the 20th century.

One of the most influential surfers from the early 20th century was Duke Kahanamoku, who broke the world record in the 100-meter freestyle swimming event at the 1912 Olympic Games. Kahanamoku’s background as an accomplished surfer enabled him to introduce surfing to many parts of the world as he traveled and swam in meets and exhibitions. In the 1990s notable professional surfers included Americans Kelly Slater and Lisa Andersen, both from Florida, and Australian Mark Richards, who popularized a twin fin design for surfboards in the early 1980s.