According to the UK Surfing and Health 2024 Report, released on International Surfing Day (June 15) by the University of Bristol in partnership with The Wave, there is a positive correlation between surfing and better self-reported physical and mental well-being. Those who reported better physical and mental health were also those who surfed more frequently, based on data collected for the new study.
Nearly 1,350 people took part in the survey, which was launched nationally across the UK on Aug. 8, 2023, and was available for completion until Oct. 31, 2023. Respondents said that they surfed almost four times each month on average. Participants in the sport reported elevated levels of revitalization and tranquillity after surfing, combined with moderate feelings of physical exhaustion and low levels of anxiety.
The survey also found that surfing makes a significant contribution to the UK economy. The average surfer spends more than £2,000 (€2,366) per year and more than 90 percent of surf-related purchases are made within the UK, states the report.
According to data from the International Surfing Association, there are between 20 and 35 million surfers worldwide. In the UK alone, where the survey was conducted, recent statistics estimate 6.27 million people engaged in activities like surfing, kite surfing and body boarding at least once in the past year, of which nearly 500,000 engaged in these activities three or more times a year.
Coinciding with the release of the report, student Ariane Gerami has secured funding for a four-year PhD, supported by The Wave, to carry out further research at the University of Bristol into the link between surfing and mental health. The new PhD project will expand from Gerami’s work and findings for her 2022 Master’s thesis.
Image: Lacie Slezak via Unsplash
