Surfing (French abbreviation of the English surf-riding, where riding means “to ride” and surf “waves, breaking waves, surf” is an individual physical practice of sliding on thewaves, by the ocean.

Integral part of cultureHawaiian traditional, surfing was popularized around the world by the double Olympic champion (1912 And1920) 100m freestyleDuke Kahanamoku in the first decades of the 20th century, before becoming, at the end of the same century, asport codified, practiced standing on a short board, as opposed to other wave riding disciplines such aslongboard, THEbodyboard, THEbodysurfing, THEskimboard, THEstand up paddle.

Surfing is practiced onsurf sites, called “spots”, beaches which are bathed by waves of varying size and are suitable for gliding. The practitioners are “surfers” or “surfers”, or even “aquasurfers”, without distinction of level or type of practice. Other more specific terms exist, such as shortboarder, bodyboarder, longboarder, bodysurfer, etc.