Surfing has been officially named the official sport of the state of California.
On January 8, 2018, California state legislators Al Muratsuchi and Ian Calderon introduced a bill to establish surfing as the official state sport.
Assembly Bill (AB) No. 1782 has been approved, and it is now time to add the surfboard to the list of symbols that already represent the Golden State, like the grizzly bear, denim, avocado, gold, the serpentine, and many others.
"Surfing in California has a rich history and culture. It attracts people from all around the world and generates over $6 billion in annual retail sales for the state," said Muratsuchi.
"Since its arrival in California, surfing has been embraced by the state, and many Californians have made important contributions to the sport as we know it today," the bill states.
The Epicenter of the Surf Industry
The approved bill notes that California is home to the Surfers Hall of Fame, the International Surfing Museum, and the California Surf Museum.
The Golden State is also "the heart of the surfboard building industry, which has innovated surfboard technology and pioneered sustainable manufacturing practices and techniques."
The law, as amended, also refers to the world's first neoprene wetsuit, "a modern staple of surfing, invented in California's San Francisco Bay area."
Last but not least, the document reminds all state citizens that "California pioneered the science of surf forecasting at the University of California's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, allowing surfers around the world to predict when and where to go surfing."
The following sentence was added to the California Government Code: "Surfing is the official state sport."
September 20 has already been declared California Surfing Day. Discover the best surf spots in Northern California and Southern California.