Board Meeting : Weather, Cost, Technology and Just Plain Fun Spark a Rebirth in Surfing Popularity

Jason Atherton jumped to his feet as the wave lifted his surfboard. He veered his board, a tri-fin thruster, forward and sliced through the unfurling breaker.

Once in position, Atherton tensed his knees in a crouch and whipped the nose of the 6-foot, 1-inch fiberglass foam board into the top of the wave, then down--completing a tricky “off-the-lip” maneuver.

If he had been in a contest, Atherton’s dynamic stunt might have attracted a judge’s attention. But Atherton usually doesn’t surf for spectators, aside from the sea gulls that cruise the shoreline. He hones his skills in the early morning hours, when the ocean is calm and the beach empty.

With his sun-lightened blond hair and bronzed features, Atherton, 21, looks at home on the beach. Through his deft handling of a surfboard and sure-footed control, it is equally apparent that Atherton is content surfing any kind of wave.

In fact, surfing has been Atherton’s passion for nine years. When Atherton was too young to drive from his Thousand Oaks home to the beach, he would go surfing with friends. Yet no matter the difficulties involved, surfing never lost its appeal for Atherton.

“It seemed like it was real hard to get to the beach, which made it seem like you were doing something special by surfing,” Atherton said.

Atherton’s devotion to surfing evolved into a successful stint in the competitive amateur ranks. He rose to the top 20 of the National Scholastic Surfing Assn. and filled his room with trophies.

He turned professional last year and now surfs for prize money and recognition as well as the thrill.

“You don’t have to be in a competition to like surfing,” Atherton said. “When it comes down to it, surfing is just pure fun.”

Indeed, Atherton’s most memorable outings consisted of just a few big waves and some friends to share the ride.

“You hit a swell in the morning and nobody is there except you and your friends,” Atherton said. “It’s perfect surf. Those are the moments you don’t forget.”

Competitive surfing also has had its memorable moments, however. When Atherton heard his named announced over the public-address system at his first pro event, the distraction proved to be a costly one.

“When I heard my name I fell off and just wanted to stay under the water,” Atherton said. “I had never been in a contest like that before. There were so many people and you could just feel everybody looking at you.”

Atherton does not expect to get rich competing in the Pro Surfing Assn. of America, but he enjoys the competition.

“There is just something inside of me that wanted to compete,” Atherton said. “In the amateurs, the surfers are either good or really good. In the pros, they’re really good or insane.”

Atherton started surfing in an era when improvements in wet-suit technology made surfing a popular year-round sport. If the swell is rising and the waves are big, surfers pack the beaches of Southern California summer and winter.

“It could be raining and there will still be surfers out there,” L. A. County lifeguard Mark Valance said. “Because of the better technology of wet suits, a surfer can go out in any condition and stay warm.”

Bill Sharp of San Clemente-based Surfing Magazine agrees but adds that water temperatures in Northern California has limited the sport’s appeal there.

“There are a lot of surfers in Northern California, but the conditions just are not as hospitable,” he said. “The water temperature has a lot to do with it. In the summer, it’s quite comfortable to surf without any kind of a wet suit in Southern California.

“You can surf comfortably now in water in the low 50s. In just the last 10 years, the technology has really made it possible to surf just about anywhere at anytime.”

Valance said the popularity of surfing has steadily increased during the nine years he has been a lifeguard. He added that it’s the ideal sport in the fitness-conscious ‘80s.

“It seems that everybody is real close to the beach in Southern California and surfing is a very healthy sport,” Valance said. “Everybody wants to get out in the water and sun, and surfing is perfect for that.”

For the estimated 1.2 million surfers who live in California, the beaches from Santa Monica to Santa Barbara are the most popular surfing areas, although Malibu is still considered the sport’s “spiritual center,” according to Sharp.

Another factor in surfing’s steady growth, Sharp says, is its affordability. For the cost-conscious surfer, an initial outlay of $150 to $300 for a surfboard is all that is necessary.

Of course, accessories such as an O’Neill wet suit or designer surfing apparel can drive up the cost. But accessories are not required to get started.

“Surfing is relatively inexpensive compared to a sport like skiing,” Sharp said. “You can take it as far as you want with the accessories, but the sport itself doesn’t have a lot of expense.”

Surfing also is growing as a spectator sport, popular with those who just like to sit on the beach and watch without getting their feet wet.

“There’s been an explosive growth in the interest in the sport by the non-surfing public,” Sharp said. “Everybody now wants to dress like surfers and talk like surfers.

“There are a lot of people who know about surfing, but they are staying on the beach.”

But for the avid surfer, such as Atherton, there is nothing better than being amid the breakers when the swell is rising and the search is on for the perfect wave.

“It’s great to go to the beach when it’s pitch black outside and paddle out while it’s still dark,” Atherton said. “You get a real rush when you see the sun come up while you’re surfing. There’s nothing like it.”