Technology News

J-Bay speed trials to change how we look at surfing

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 29 June, 2010 : - - In May, around the time of the Xcel Pro Showdown at Supertubes, the Jeffreys Bay Underground (JBU) announced that they would be awarding the fastest surfer recorded at Supers with R5000 (About $650 US).

Many people were curious as to how exactly this was going to be worked out. The JBU hinted that ‘new technology’ using a wearable pinpoint satellite-tracking device pioneered by Windsurfers and Kiteboarders was being incorporated to ‘ping’ surfers as they sped down the freighting right point.

Zigzag Surfing Magazine has been privy to the whole process and while the concept and the actual testing in different swell directions and size is still being perfected, Koffie Jacobs from the JBU (the man behind the concept and testing) is excited about the results so far. Speaking exclusively to Zag, Koffie explained what was going on. 
 
“We are just in a testing stage right now,” said Koffie. “On the best wave tested I travelled a distance of just over 306m. The highest speed recorded has been off a bottom turn, reaching 83kph,” said Koffie. But the technology involved with the speed trials is more than tracking how fast a surfer goes: it could change the very way in which we look at and analyze performance surfing.
 
Read out the full article  at Zigzag Surfing Magazine

www.zigzag.co.za

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Brandon Bradley / Koffie Jacobs

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