Bondi Beach: foil boards are not allowed here | Photo: Lannuzel/Creative Commons

It is not the first beach, and it won't be the last. Australia's Bondi Beach has banned foil boards.

Hydrofoils are taking over surfing, kiteboarding, and windsurfing. There are even bodyboards equipped with sharp blades.

But their days are numbered, at least on the world's most populated beaches.

The Waverley City Council confirmed that the foiling will no longer be allowed on Bondi Beach, the iconic Sydney beach.

The authorities state that "foils are too dangerous" to coexist alongside a large number of swimmers and water sports participants.

"Due to their high speed and the metal-like keel that raises out of the water, and with the interests of beachgoers safety paramount, lifeguards have determined it was too dangerous to allow these boards in crowded beach zones," states a spokesperson for the local council.

Growing Concerns

The decision-makers say that the foil boards began to appear at local beaches last winter, even though they're still quite rare.

In June 2018, France's Anglet banned hydrofoils from its 2.8-mile (4.5 kilometers) stretch of beaches because they "pose a danger to the public."

Bondi Beach, in New South Wales, is 0.6 miles (one kilometer) long and has an area - the south end - specifically reserved for wave riding.

It is one of the most visited sites in Australia, attracting around 2.9 million domestic and international visitors every year.

The new ruling against foiling enthusiasts will likely spread across the world's most crowded beaches.

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