(Aug. 26, 2022) So, what is surfing? Is it an art? Is it sport? Maybe it’s more like a combination of the two.

When legitimate competition events got started many surfers felt that surfing should not be put on a competitive basis.

They thought that surfing was more of an artistic expression as opposed to an activity that could be judged and scored.

In the realm of mainstream sports there is always competition. In a fashion, more or less, that is how the game is played.

Baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer are all more mainstream.

When a game is held or played it can also be construed as a contest. The score will be kept. There will be a winner and a loser.

If surfing can be thought of as having two philosophies, competitive and non-competitive, then the mainstream sports will most probably have only one, and that will be the contest, completely competitive through and through, with no other cause or consideration.

Surfing is at the other end of the spectrum from mainstream sports. It’s singular, individualistic, not a team sport as are the mainstream variety.

One of the major aspects is that surfing is done in the water. This goes a long way in determining surfing’s uniqueness.

I’ve participated in and played a lot of different sports; both team and individually oriented, but have found a large degree of uniqueness in surfing.

At the highest level of sport there are leagues and associations. Examples are the National Football League, Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association.

Much of this has mainly to do with business and large sums of money, big stadiums and arenas, ticket and parking prices that could feed a family for many weeks.

Minor leagues are also in concert with these highest level teams. They provide a jumping board and training ground for those players who aspire to display their talents and try to reach for the highest levels in their sport.

Surfing too has entered this foray.

In 1976, a world circuit was developed and various contests were held around the globe.

It started as the International Professional Surfing (IPS), morphed into the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), and today is known as the World Surfing League (WSL).

The WSL features a highest level world circuit of events known as the World Contest Tour (WCT) and the World Qualifying Series (WQS).

The WQS will have regional events and will serve as, once again, a jumping board for the WCT and as a venue for those surfers trying to test their skills.

These leagues and associations serve purpose for the qualities of sport in general and also provide entertainment value for the public.

Sport can teach many life lessons, helping younger people find their way, usually to the point of knowing that only a very small percentage of the population can reach the point of talent and ability to perform at these highest levels.

Hopefully this brings us back to the original question of “what is surfing?”

I’d say it’s part sport and part art. To some, it can be a spiritual experience.

Undoubtedly, it’s good exercise and refreshing for the mind and body. It can also be frustrating due to a steep learning curve for beginners and the fact that conditions are always changing.

For the more experienced surfer an edge can be lost if one is not spending enough time in the water.

In truth, only about 2 percent of the surfing population competes on any level. No doubt it’s a fun worthwhile activity, but still more of a fringe one, especially compared to mainstream sport.

— Dave Dalkiewicz is the owner of Ocean Atlantic Surf Shop in Ocean City.

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Partly cloudy. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 79F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.

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