In 2024, surfing will be an Olympic sport for the first time. To mark the occasion, a two-part documentary by ZDF is shedding light on the roots and milestones of surfing history. Starting with the Olympic spot Teahupoo and Sebastian Steudtner's record waves in Nazaré, the film looks back at the wave-riding Polynesians who once impressed James Cook.
Episode 1: How humans got on the monster waves - from the beginnings to the 1960s
Of course, Duke Kahanamoku also plays a central role, but marginal figures such as Peter Blake, who became obsessed with surfing through Kahanamoku and is considered the inventor of the fin, are also featured. Exciting from a windsurfer's point of view is Tom "Pohaku" Stone, the father of Josh Stonewho builds boards in the traditional way and keeps the origins of the sport alive.
Episode 2: Surfing between cult and commerce - from the 1960s to today
The second part begins in the 1950s, when surfing received a boost from modern, short boards, spread across the world and went from subculture to trend. Mass fun on the beaches of California, mainstream kitsch such as "Gidget" and cult films such as "Endless Summer" characterise the image of surfers.
This also means big business and leads to commercialisation. Big events with lots of media hype and dazzling stars such as Lisa Andersen and Kelly Slater turn surfing into a business. At the same time, the indigenous people of Hawaii are trying to ensure that their roots are not forgotten and that they are not lost to the influx of tourists and surfers from all over the world.
The two 45-minute parts of the documentary are entertaining and appealing to all water sports enthusiasts. Although many of the historical episodes are familiar from Stacy Peralta's 2006 big wave film "Riding Giants", the filmmakers managed to unearth some new aspects.
