Read the text. Say what you have learnt about surfing using the text.

Surfing is one of the fastest developing sports in the world today. It used to be practised by the ancient Polynesians, but since the 1960s anyone and everyone can go surfing.

Surfing was a central part of ancient Polynesian culture, and the chief was the most skilled wave rider in the community with the best board made from the best tree. Moreover, the ruling class had the best beaches and the best boards, and commoners were not allowed on the same beaches, but they could gain prestige by their ability to ride the surf on their extremely heavy boards.

According to the same website citation, surfing permeated ancient Polynesian society, including religion and myth, and Polynesian chiefs would demonstrate and confirm their authority by the skills they displayed in the surf.

The art of surfing was first observed by Europeans in 1767, by the crewmembers of the Dolphin at Tahiti. Later, lieutenant James King, wrote about the art when completing the journals of Captain James Cook upon Cook`s death in 1779. When Mark Twain visited Hawaii in 1866 he wrote “In one place we came upon a large company of naked natives, of both sexes and all ages, amusing themselves with the national pastime of surf-bathing”.

Surfing is more of a way of life for some people than simply a sport and many spend their time travelling around the planet in search of the perfect wave. Typically, the average surfer is a laid-back type of person: they say it`s something about the art of catching waves and being out in the elements which makes you feel very relaxed. Surfers greet each other by saying “Howzit?” (a bit like “how`s it going?”) and sometimes call each other “bru” or “brah” from the Hawaiian word for brother, “braddah”. British surfers travel around in VW camper vans and look a bit like hippies.

Anywhere that has a coastline with big waves is home to surfers. Half of Australia`s coastline is surfable so there are lots of Aussie surfers. Hawaii is where the sport was invented and the current champion is Hawaiin Sunny Garcia. A lot of surfers also come from California and New Zealand. There are even surfers in the UK who hang out on the south west coast where the Atlantic waves hit the shore.

If you want to start surfing you must get a board. Most surfers start on short boards. Long boards and guns (big wave boards) are only for experienced surfers catching huge waves. You also have to be a very strong swimmer: being able to swim at least 100 metres, and 25 metres underwater is required.

Beach breaks are waves which fall onto sand. They can be very big, but best if you are a beginner. Waves vary in size during different seasons and even at different times of the day, so watch out! Surfing can be dangerous and you need advice from someone experienced. More experienced surfers catch waves at point and reef breaks. They are away from the coast, and the swell comes deep from the ocean. Point breaks are waves bent because of the shape of the land beneath the ocean, and reef breaks are shaped by corals and rocks.

Surfing is a dangerous sport if you aren`t a strong swimmer or if you try to do too much. The main thing most surfers have to worry about is their own board or other surfers` boards. Great white sharks, stingrays and deadly jellyfish are also not friendly to surfers, but actually running into one of these is quite rare.

Notes:

· laid-back - спокойный

· VW - «Фольксваген» (производ. авто.)

· Aussie — (разг.) австралийский, австралиец

· to hang out — околачиваться, «тусоваться»

· gun — (зд.) толстая большая доска для скольжения на больших волнах

· break - (зд.) волна

· to watch out — быть начеку

· swell - возвышение

· bent - изогнутый

· to run into — сталкиваться

 

2. Find and read sentences which describe:

Ø surfing

Ø personality of a surfer

Ø the first records of surfing

Ø surf boards

Ø the best places for surfing

Ø possible dangers in surfing