Hey Zuz, I’m confused. Is surfing a competitive sport?

Surf buddies. You love them, you loathe them, you can’t live without them. So what do you do when you constantly feel like they’re trying to show you up? When suddenly you’re questioning: is surfing a competitive sport?

😵‍💫 hey zuz, i am confused

Is surfing a competitive sport? I rarely surf alone. Okay—I never surf alone, because I find it a bit scary and uncomfortable. I’ve got a good surf buddy, or so I thought, who comes out with me. If I go out, they go out. If they go out, I mostly go out. Basically, we spend most of our sessions together.

We took our first few lessons at the same time and went from there. It was fine for a while. It’s just that now I constantly feel like my buddy is trying to show that they’re better than me. They don’t say it, but the feeling is there, you know? I hate it. Do I ditch the buddy?

🥰 dear reader

First things first—objectively, is your buddy actually better at surfing than you? No? Okay, I had to ask. Because you mentioned they may be spending more time in the water than you.

In principle, surfing is not a competitive sport. It’s actually not a sport at all, if you ask me. Pro surfing and competitive surfing are a relatively new invention, and I won’t be giving them any thought until 2028. You should never feel like you’re competing with another surfer when you’re out in the ocean. That’s a slippery slope and leads to ginormous frustration—and you don’t want to surf with that kind of surf baggage.

I’m talking specifically about competing against someone else’s surf progress here. There’s already plenty of competition in the lineup for waves. That part is unavoidable.

I have a very competitive surf buddy. My problem is, I live with said surf buddy. Honestly, I learned to let it go and pay zero attention to it. The only competition I’m willing to accept while surfing is for a better parking spot.

In your case, it depends on how much it bothers you. If it starts impacting your joy from surfing, you know what to do. But if I were you, I’d try to adopt a bit of a zen mentality to start with. You may even end up finding it funny how hard your surf buddy tries to top you. And laughter is healthy.

Author: The Wipeout Weekly team