Olympic sport

陈小将

In 2020, the International Olympic Committee decided to include surfing as an event for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Due to the pandemic, the Games were staged in August 2021.

Liu said surfing in China is still in its early stages, whether in terms of the number of participants or scale of the industry's development. He also believes that surfing combines the attributes of sports, culture and industry.

As a sport, it has become popular in many Chinese coastal cities, with training institutions established in locations such as Sanya and Wanning, which also host international surfing competitions. As a cultural symbol, the freedom and adventure represented by surfing have quickly attracted the younger generation, Liu said.

As an industry, the surfing consumer market still faces problems such as a lack of brands and channels, and low participation rates. However, there is still significant development potential for the sport in China, Liu added.

For her second surfing lesson, Zhong, from Changsha, brought along a colleague, who spent an hour mastering the way to stand up on the board.

"I usually go running, which is relatively simple, but surfing gives you a greater sense of achievement, as it's a sport that requires balance and relies on the forces of nature," Zhong said.

Hoping to return to Hainan, she has already planned her annual leave for this year.

"I want to stay for two weeks and surf every day," she said.