Surfing Statistics: How Popular is Surfing?

There are several different types of statistics used in surfing. Knowing these statistics can help you to be a better, more competitive surfer, as well as know where you place in the competitive surfing world.

Surfing statistics aren’t just for those who enjoy the surf, however, as they can also help a marketing professional get to know the market they will be serving better.

Keep reading to learn all about surfing and the statistics behind this incredible sport!

Surfing Marketing Demographics

Looking to sell a surfing product? It would be helpful if you knew what the market looked like that you were selling to! Knowing the gender and ages of people who enjoy surfing can help you to tailor a product directly to your marketplace.

Here’s a quick look at some of the surfing statistics in the USA:

• In the US, 2.68 million people surfed in 2017.
• The average surfer is male
• The average surfing age is 34 years old
• Most surfers are well educated, with at least a bachelor's degree.
• Most surfers work full time
• The average income of a surfer is $75,000 annually.
• Most surfers surf for 2.5 hours per session
• Surfing adds approximately $50 billion to the global economy annually.
• The initial costs for becoming a surfer are about $640
• Every year there are 0.26 injuries per active surfer, and 45% of these injuries are from contact with a surfboard or another surfer.
• The average American surfer owns 4 different surfboards.
• The average surfer has 16 years of experience in surfing.
• Many surfers report also enjoying other outside activities like fishing, boating, or wildlife viewing.
• Hawaiian surfers surf an average of 144 days per year.

As you can see, similar to sailing, surfing is a sport that most people take up when they have a little extra money to spend. This is because surfing isn’t a cheap sport. While it doesn’t take the time and commitment of sailing, it does take several hundred dollars to get started.

But unlike sailing, surfing is also physically challenging, meaning you will find much fewer pensioners in the surfing world than you will find manning a sailboat on the high seas. It is also considerably easier to keep surfing as a hobby while having a job than it is to sail around the world.

Therefore if you are looking to market to surfers, find something that someone who is employed full-time in the surfing world will need. While they don’t have as much money as the average sailor, they do have more money than some other professions.

Surfing Popularity Around the World

America isn’t the only place where people enjoy the pastime of surfing, so take a look at some of the surfing statistics for 2022 from around the world.

• Australia came in second behind the USA for the number of surfers at 1.7 million.
• The third most popular country for surfing is the UK with 500,000 surfers.
• The only other countries with a significant amount of surfers are France, Spain, Portugal, and New Zealand.
• The most experienced surfers in the world come from Hawaii
• Bali is the most popular surfing destination
• Pe’ahi, Maui has the largest waves in the world.
• The most dangerous surfing spot in the world, Banzai Pipeline is also in Hawaii (Oahu). And this surfing spot has killed 14 surfers since 1960.
• The largest collection of surfboards includes 647 boards.
• Out of 195 countries in the world, 48 are landlocked with no ocean/surfing access.
• 23 million people surf around the world annually.

Because so many countries are landlocked, it’s easy to see why countries with so much coastline, like the US, UK, and Australia are at the top of the charts when it comes to the number of surfers.

But surfers also like to travel, and surfing trips are becoming increasingly more popular to places like Bali and Portugal, so even those American surfers have a chance to try something new!

Surfing as a Sport Statistics

Surfing is a popular sport, and in 2020 (well 2021 due to COVID) it was officially added as an Olympic sport. Even though this is the first time for surfing to join the big leagues, it has been a sport for many years, as you can see from the statistics below.

• The world record for the highest wave ever surfed was 80 feet high and it was done in Nazare, Portugal by Rodrigo Koxa.
• The world record for the longest wave ridden belongs to James Cotton, and it was 10.6 miles long and 8 feet high.
• Kelly Slater is considered to be the best surfer in the world as he won the world championship 11 times.
• The longest wave ridden by a dog was 351 feet.
• The first international championship for surfing was held in Makaha, Hawaii in 1953.
• Surfing is scored by a panel of judges, on a scale of 1 to 10 and during a competition, a surfer is only locked into their two highest scores.
• A perfect score in surfing is 20 points for the heat.
• Surfers around the world are constantly scored on the WSL website throughout the course of the season.

Surfing is a highly competitive sport, and it is highly unlikely you will be able to just jump into the world of competitive surfing, as most surfers tend to start at a young age. The best surfer in the world Kelly Slater is said to have started surfing at just 6 years old.

That being said, you can still enjoy yourself surfing just for fun, after all, it is exhilarating!

Best Places to Surf in the World

If you are just surfing for your own enjoyment, then might as well head somewhere nice! Below is a list of some of the best places to surf in the world, based on wave height, sea temperature, and overall experience.

• Supertubes, Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa–better save this destination for when you have a little more practice as these waves move fast. There are several options for varying levels of difficulty though, so be sure to ask a local guide where you should surf in the bay based on your experience.
• Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia–the waves here are some of the most feared in the world because of the way they break over the reef–causing frequent lacerations in surfers. But if you can ride one of these 10ft waves it will be an experience you won’t forget.
• P-Pass, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia–despite its easy-to-ride tube waves, many surfers skip this amazing spot due to the cost to get there. If you can afford the pricey plane ticket this destination will be well worth it!
• Maverick’s, California–famous in the surfing world, the mavericks are known for their sheer size, some reaching 25 meters. Beginners leave this area for the experienced as it has killed more than one surfer over the years.
• Hossegor, France–If you want to surf in Europe, this is the place to do it.
• Puerto Escondido, Southern Oaxaca, Mexico–Mexico has long drawn its share of surfers for its more forgiving sandy breaks that won’t cause quite as many lacerations.
• Lance’s Right, Sipora, Mentawais Islands, Sumatera Barat, Indonesia–This surfing spot is difficult to find but those who take the time to do so will be rewarded handsomely as these waves are often called “perfect” by surfers.
• Sultans, North Male, Maldives–What part of the Maldives isn't perfect? Be cautious if you do decide to surfer here, however, as there are reefs galore.

Of course, these aren’t the only places you can go in the world to sail, but this should give you a good idea of where to get started! Just remember to always ask a local about the size and difficulty of the waves so that you don’t find yourself in over your head!

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