Worldly waves: major surf competitions rely on science to find the perfect waves.

From March through December this year, 44 pro suffers will vie for the top spot in the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Men's World Championship Tour. In this annual series of 12 contests, the world's premier wave riders paddle out to famous surf spots around the globe to show off their skills to the judges. But it takes more than star surfers to make the tour a splash hit. It requires a vital but hard-to-predict ingredient: waves.

Unlike other sports, where the playing field is always the same, surfing takes place on a temperamental ocean. Subtle characteristics, such as the geography of the ocean bottom, give certain coastal regions better surfing waves than others. However, even these prime locations can be a letdown at times. Some days, the water surface can be tranquil and disappointingly flat--with no place for contestants to catch rides.

In 2003, the ASP began using high-tech tools to forecast when and where the best surf would occur. That way, touring pro surfers would catch plenty of wave rides. "The ASP has been working toward creating a 'Dream Tom"--going to the world's best [surf spots] at the optimum time of year," says Wayne Bartholomew, ASP's president. The achievement was apparent during last year's tour, when contest days were rarely disappointing. Read on to fund out the secret to planning a successful pro-surfing tour.

SWELL SCHEDULE

One key to the ASP's "Dream Tour" is the timing of events. Years ago, the organization scheduled each surfing contest on an exact date--crossing their fingers that big waves would roll onto shore on contest day. Often, surfers had to compete in unfavorable conditions. Now, the ASP schedules tour dates with a two-week window. "Waiting periods provide the best chance of capturing a [good] swell," says Bartholomew. For added insurance, the ASP works with ocean experts to make an educated guess as to when a specific location will have prime surfing waves.

These expels use high-tech tools to scan for rolling waves, called swell, that form way out in the middle of the ocean. That's because as the distant swell moves toward the coast, it will eventually turn into big surfing waves.

To determine where the swell will form, contest planners track weather patterns--particularly the wind. Most swells form when whooshing winds push against the seawater, creating ripples on the ocean surface. "The wind is simply transferring energy to the water," explains Sean Collins, an oceanographer and surf forecaster. Over time, as the winds continue to blow, these waves organize into swell--a group of waves of similar height and wave period, or the distance between one wave peak and the next. The gustier the winds, and the longer the winds blow, the more energy they transfer to the ocean water; and the larger the swell becomes.

GLOBE-TROTTERS

That swell often must travel long distances before it hits the shore-where contestants can catch rides on it. For instance, waves that hit Trestles Beach in California--the eighth stop in last year's world tour--formed from some of the world's longest-traveling swells. "The primary swells are generated in the Southern Hemisphere and travel more than 5,000 miles to reach [Trestles]," says Collins. As the waves travel across the ocean, they lose some of their energy and get smaller.

Days before the contest at Trestles Beach begins, oceanographers turn their attention to wave buoys that float in the ocean far from shore. As waves pass the buoys, these floating spheres bob up and down, recording each passing wave's height and wave period. From this basic information, the event-planners can figure out when the swell will arrive at Trestles. Waves with a longer wave period have more energy and will plow faster toward the beach.

HIT THE BEACH

With all data pointing to good surfing conditions, ASP planners immediately contact the contestants--telling them to grab their boards and head to the beach. "If a surfer is scheduled for an early round, he is on call every morning [during the two-week window]," says Bartholomew.

As the forecasted waves reach the coastline, where the water gets shallower, they change in size and shape (see Nuts & Bolts, right). The bottom part of the wave slows down due to friction with the ocean floor, while the crest keeps racing forward.

By now, surfers are ready, floating on their boards. Just before an incoming wave crashes, it gets steeper and forms a rideable C-shape. That's when contestants like seven-time world champ Kelly Slater get into position and start paddling on their surfboards. "I paddle out [to the breaking waves]. Then, I use my experience to get in the right place to catch those waves," says Slater. When the wave picks up the tail end of his board--sending the board's "nose" downward--Slater pushes up into a standing, crouched position. Once standing, Slater maneuvers his board sideways across the wave.

NO TWO ARE ALIKE

For Slater, preparing for the world tour means flying out to a range of surf spots to practice. Why? "Every surf spot has its own personality," explains Collins. The topographical features along the ocean bottom affect the size and shape of breaking waves. Stops on the world tour include a variety of ocean floors, including sloping, sandy stretches and sharp, jutting reefs.

Waves cruising over a sandy bottom are called beach breaks. With a gradual incline over a sandy bottom, waves slowly lose their energy to produce a soft--and often long--ride. On these waves, Slater shows off skateboard-like tricks such as midair flips and spins.

One of Slater's favorite spots is the "Pipeline" reef in Oahu, Hawaii. This tour spot is famous for surfers catching barreling waves. Like an underwater mountain, the Pipeline reef juts up from the ocean floor, surrounded by deep water. When a wave tears toward shore, it abruptly slams into the reef and crashes with all of its deep-water energy. Packed with so much energy, Pipeline's waves can reach jaw-dropping heights of 6 meters (20 feet), providing a challenge for even the most seasoned surfer. It's the one place in the world that is close to the beach and has such big and intense waves, says Slater. "So it's a great place for spectators, and it has exciting, challenging waves for surfers," he says.

Nuts & Bolts

In deep water, a wave's water particles move in circular orbital paths. As the swell rolls into shallow water, the waves slow down and grow taller. Eventually, a wave's crest topples over, forming a steep ride for surfers. The steepest surfing waves crash over underwater reefs, which cause the water to become shallow over a short distance.

2005 MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR EVENTS

1 Gold coast, Australia

2 Bells Beach, Australia

3 Taiarapu, Tahiti

4 Tavarua, Fji

5 St. Leu, Reunion island

6 Jeffreys Bay, South Africa 

7 Chiba, Japan

8 Trestles, california

9 Southwest Coast, France

10 Mundaka, Spain

11 Santa Catarina, Barzil

12 Ouhu, Hawaii

It's your Choice:

1 Which of the following would NOT Create big waves?

(A) calm winds

(B) gusty winds

(C) near-shore reef

(D) stormy weather

2 Where would you find Pipeline?

(A) Fiji

(B) Brazil

(C) California

(D) Hawaii

3 Wave buoys measure

(A) the amount of boat traffic,

(B) distance between wave peaks'

(C) pollution in the ocean.

(D) distance to the beach.

1. a 2. d 3. b

DID YOU KNOW?

* Historians believe that surfing began in Polynesia before the 15th century. At that time, the surfers called the sport he'e nalu, or "wave sliding" in Hawaiian.

* Before the 1950s, all surfboards were made out of heavy wood, making them difficult to maneuver. In 1958, Hobie Alter built the first modern surfboard, which is made out of foam with a fiberglass coating. Today, "Hobie" surfboards are still top sellers.

CRITICAL THINKING:

* Surfing competitions draw large crowds to beaches around the globe. How might these crowded events be positive or negative to the beach communities? (Hint: Consider the state of the local environment and economy.)

CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS:

LANGUAGE ARTS: Surf schools are sprouting up all over the world. Do research to find a location where you night set up a surf school. Then, design a flyer to advertise your school. Be sure to include a map of the location and a description of the types of waves found there.

RESOURCES

* This Web site offers descriptions of the physics of waves: www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/waves/wavestoc.html

* Students can learn some surf lingo and take a surf IQ quiz at: www.kidzworld.com/site/p3347.htm

DIRECTIONS: Circle the letters of the correct answers.

1. Swells are--that form way out in the middle of the ocean.

a. patches of warm water

b. watery bulges

c. rolling waves

d. storms

2. To determine where a surf-making swell will form, scientists use high-tech tools to track

a. weather patterns.

b. tide levels.

c. seismic plate activity.

d. ocean temperatures.

3. As waves travel long distances, they

a. continue to gain momentum but remain the same size.

b. lose energy and become smaller.

c. gain energy and become larger.

d. lose energy but gain height.

4.The wave--is the distance between one wave peak and the next.

a. period

b. height

c. frequency

d. longitude 

5.Ocean waves with a longer wave--have more energy and will plow faster toward the beach.

a. period

b. height

c. frequency

d.longitude

1. c 2. a 3. b 4. a 5. a