More sports

Surf's up, dude! All the time

Surfers are always in search of the perfect wave.

By BOB PUTNAM
Published July 13, 2007

Surfers are always in search of the perfect wave. The problem is those moving mountains of water are rare in Florida, so much that dedicated surfers scour the state and beyond to find the right conditions. ¶ But imagine a place built to deliver great waves all the time. Would the reliability of waves at this site make it a mecca for surfers? Or would it make surfing boring: a travesty, perhaps, to the notion that searching remote beaches for the best waves is part of the sport?

Soon those questions will be answered.

The Ron Jon Surfpark is under construction in Orlando and will offer real thrills in an artificial world of concrete and chlorine. The park, scheduled to open next summer, will have a steady supply of man-made, saltwater waves that can reach as high as 10 feet. It also uses new technology that can alter the contour of the bottom of the pool to emulate some of the more famous ocean breaks.

The park will include three surf pools to accommodate all levels of wave-riding enthusiasts. And there is no need to worry about sharks or seaweed.

If the park catches on, there is the potential to hold major surfing events.

Skimming along

Double Barrel Surf Shop will hold its third annual skimboarding contest from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Clearwater's Sand Key Park.

Though skimboarding has been recognized as a professional sport since the 1980s, it has remained just below the mainstream radar. Its popularity, however, has been growing the past few years. There are now Web sites skimcity.com and magazines (SKIM) devoted to the sport.

In skimboarding, a rider starts from the sand and sprints toward the water, tossing the board onto the surf. The rider jumps on the board at full speed, gliding over the froth toward an oncoming wave. Whenever the rider hits the wave, he or she can carve it like a surfer, flip over it, slide on top of it or rebound off it with an acrobatic aerial.

X Games results

The USA team, coached by four-time world champion Lisa Andersen, beat the World team 55-52 in the debut of women's surfing at the X Games in Puerto Escondido, Mexico.

Melanie Bartels led the USA team, scoring an 8.5 out of 10 in one of her heats.

The competition was streamed live at expn.com It will air on Ch. 28 at 9:30 p.m. Aug. 5.

[Last modified July 13, 2007, 01:00:41]