My wife handed me an article from Vogue entitled, “Catch the Wave,” which questions could surfing be the new yoga? The author, Abigail Walch, heads for Costa Rica’s Vista Guapa’s surf camp only to discover that in the process of learning to surf she lost her troublesome “Botticelli Belly.” Carolyn Murphy, the model, actually took time off to move to Costa Rica to surf. Although people thought Carolyn was crazy to give up modeling to surf she claims, “But I’ve never felt so stress-free, so pure, so good.”
What does all this have to do with engineering you ask? I think that technology is ultimately behind surfing becoming in Vogue. I am fascinated with the evolution of say the board itself. Boards that started out as balsa-wood-water-logged-hard-to-manage-barges, morphed into sleek fiberglass models and now can be had in epoxy with carbon fiber fins. Technology offers up durable, lightweight, and great maneuverability to the modern designs. I doubt that Carolyn Murphy would “rip it” on a balsa barge. Technology has allowed for major improvements in wetsuits which are extremely warm yet thin and flexible. I am sure the Maverick’s surfers greatly appreciate the new materials. The list goes on and on. I see this article as a great endorsement for Sports Engineering at SOET.
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