Soochow University
Global Business Program, School of Business Thesis
The Opportunities and Challenges for Professional Surfing in Taiwan
Student: Arie Johannes Boom Advisor: Jei-Zheng Wu, Ph.D.
Date: July 2016
The Opportunities and Challenges for Professional Surfing in Taiwan
A Thesis Submitted to Soochow University
in partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Business Administration
In
Global Business Program
By Arjan Boom
Global Business Program, School of business, Soochow University
July 2016
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Abstract
Surfing is an act of riding a surf using a surfboard, floating on the crest of a wave that accelerates towards the shore. Wave riding (surfing) has been one of the oldest sports across the Southern Pacific nations for over centuries, yet the game still lag behind when compared to other games that came after it. This research was thereby designed to conduct a survey, specifically in Taiwan, in order to analyse the concepts behind surfing, both as leisure and as a professional and competitive sporting activity. The study goes further to scrutinize the history of surfing, theoretical framework, surfing sports management, safety and takes a deeper overview of the literature review. The research scope, organization, importance and objectives are clearly delineated. On research methodologies, the study used 76 questionnaires distributed to different surfers across the Fulong surfing spot. This number included both competitive and non-competitive surfers. The data obtained were then analysed and findings outlined. Owing to the existing challenges on the current Taiwanese surfing sports, this study provides recommendations in order to overcome challenges and promote the surfing culture within Taiwan.
Keywords: Surfing, Competitive, Professional, Surfing spot, Surfing sport, Surfing culture, Leisure, Surfing sports management.
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Acknowledgement
I would like to take this opportunity to show my gratitude to Dr. Jei-Zheng Wu for sharing his pearls of wisdom with me during this research. I also want to thank Su-Hua Ou and Dr. Chia-Chi Sun for their insights on this thesis.
I am immensely grateful for Dr. Roan, Serena, and everyone in the GBP programme for their support. Further, I want to thank the Soochow University and the International Office to have made this programme possible for me.
I also want to make a special thank you to all the people I have met in Taiwan while surfing and out of the water for their time and their help with filling in the questionnaire.
At last, I want to express a warm thank you to Pauline Klieber for controlling the spelling and supporting me throughout this thesis.
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Contents
Abstract ... i
Acknowledgement ... ii
Contents ... iii
Table Content ... v
Figure Content ... vi
Chapter One: Introduction ... 1
1.1 Background and Motivation ... 1
1.2 Research Question, Objectives and Importance ... 2
1.3 Research Scope and Theoretical Framework ... 4
1.4 Organization ... 5
Chapter Two: Literature Review ... 6
2.1 Surfing ... 6
2.2 History of Surfing ... 10
2.3 Surfing as serious Leisure ... 13
2.4 Sports Management in Surfing ... 15
2.5 Safety in surfing ... 16
2.6 Framework for competitions ... 19
Chapter Three: Research Method ... 22
3.1 Framework ... 22
3.2 Theoretical Background of the Questionnaire ... 25
Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Research Findings ... 33
4.1 Questionnaire Analysis ... 33
4.1.1 Competitive Surfing ... 33
4.1.2 Surfing Facilities ... 34
4.1.3 Surfing Culture ... 35
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4.1.4 Support for the Surfing Activities ... 36
4.1.4.1 Extra Question ... 37
4.2 Discussions of questionnaire ... 37
4.3 SWOT ... 38
4.4 Research Short-comings and Challenges ... 40
4.5 Recommendations ... 40
Chapter 5: Conclusion ... 42
References ... 43
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Table Content
Table 1 Water temperatures ... 9
Table 2 Surf breaks ... 10
Table 3 sport management in surfing ... 16
Table 4 safety in surfing ... 18
Table 5 General Information of the Interviewees ... 26
Table 6 Questions on competitions for Competitors and Findings ... 27
Table 7 Questions on competitions for Non-competitors and Findings... 28
Table 8 Surfing Habits and Facility Satisfaction ... 29
Table 9 Cultural influence on surfing and findings ... 30
Table 10 Support for surfing and findings ... 31
Table 11 Results of the Open Questions ... 32
Table 12 Follow up Question and Responses from Three Professional Surfers ... 37
Table 13 SWOT ... 38
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Figure Content
Figure 1 Breaking waves ... 7 Figure 2 Surf Etiquette ... 17 Figure 3 Research model ... 23
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Chapter One: Introduction
1.1 Background and Motivation
As a whole, surfing is a relatively large industry with an annual revenue of over $6.3 billion in 2010 and more than 2.6 million surfers practicing their sport at least once a year within the United States alone (Kvinta, 2013). Besides, the Southern Cross University in Australia offers a bachelor study dedicated to prepare students for their future career within the surfing industry.
This program focuses on several topics specific to the surfing industry including sport management, sport marketing, the manufacturing of surf accessories and clothing, wholesale and retail sales of surfing products, surf tourism, surf journalism and event planning.
However, the academic papers on surfing are scarce and previous studies have mainly been written about two specific aspects. First, technical characteristics of natural elements involved in surfing activities and surfing techniques (Waitt and Warren, 2008; Yang and Greenstreet, 2006). Second, surfing viewed as a recreational activity and a particular behavior involving specific values and culture (Diehm and Armatas, 2004; Farmer, 1992).
In addition, research conducted about surfing in Taiwan as a sport and as an industry are limited to two main studies both exploring the relationship between serious leisure and recreation involvement (Cheng and Tsaur, 2011 and Hung and Lee, 2012). Therefore, no past literature explores the relationship between the development of the competitive world of surfing and its impact on tourism in Taiwan. Furthermore, there are important issues in need of a more extensive research. Taking into account the fact that Taiwan is a small island with a coastline not entirely suitable for surfing adding to a dense population, the extent to which the surfing industry would be able to grow has not been explored yet.
The improvement of surfing as a sport requires the intervention of Taiwanese government. The government management is tasked with planning, developing and operating water sports facilities regarding regulations, budget, facilities, and equipment. The competitiveness in surfing depends mainly on how management researches the possible means of improving market possibilities, the profitability of surfing as a profession. There has been an increasing demand for surfing as a sport but to improve its competitiveness; more water related
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theme parks should be established so that people’s focus shifts from land recreation to water sports. It is the best way to enhance surfing professionalism. The Taiwanese government, despite having exemplary surfing sides, it has not made enough accomplishments to meet the growing demand for water sports. The policies that regulate the marine activities are not enough to guarantee the continuation of surfing as a profession, but a sufficient attention should be given to protect the resources along the Taiwan coastline.
Promotion of surfing as a profession requires the governmental management, that is, holistic planning associated with environment protection. The environment protection encourages the development of surfing and skills development. When the marine environment is managed well, it reduces the dangers associated with surfing thus giving people a chance to practice surfing and develop their skills. The environment for surfing should be of high quality.
At the point when the legislature lifted Martial law all through the nation, the limitation on marine recreational game action was additionally lift. Furthermore, with the lifting of military law, the economy grew quickly. With the development of individual’s normal salary in Taiwan surpassing more than 16,030 USD every year. Moreover, the execution of a five-day-work week arrangement in 2000, individuals can bear the cost of the costs of diversion, as well as are willing to pay for such consumptions. To meet the expanding requests for recreation exercises, more amusement parks have been set up. Individuals seeking after relaxation are not fulfilled by the predetermined number of exercises being offered ashore. Accordingly, they have been requesting more fluctuated marine recreational games. On the other hand, despite the expanding excitement of the overall population and requests for the accessibility of water sports the administration in Taiwan has not achieved much in growing new marine games and offices to fulfil the needs of the general population.
1.2 Research Question, Objectives and Importance
Looking at management of serious leisure among surfers enlarges the showcasing knowledge for proprietors and experts of surf-related business travel administrators, surfing resorts, surf schools) and also offices and associations advancing surf tourism. The data gives the extent of the worldwide surf tourism industry and its monetary noteworthiness particularly to surf destinations in young developing nations. For instance, recognizing the demographics and surfing conduct that are connected with the reality of surfing can be used to make special
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messages focusing on specific surfers. Looking at whether the serious recreational qualities anticipate surf travel conduct and inclinations has imperative management suggestions like this management can help in the improvement or upgrade of surfing destinations and additionally to guide organizations in the procurement of correlative exercises and surfers to improve the fulfilment of their dreams of taking surfing as a career.
Arrangements to enhance marine action offices and districts have been made to increment also, enhance marine games offices, to expand the nature of the marine game, guarantee the advancement of marine games. The administration had thorough arrangements for the waterfront recreation movement districts. Likewise, nearby governments had used the current fishing port offices to create marine games, for example, swimming, plunging, scuba diving, cruising, surfing, water skiing, kayaking, sculling, and so on. Subsequently, it has not just tackled the issue of left fishing ports because of the absence of fishing assets, yet has used the current office of the ports to create marine games. It will build the quantity of individuals taking part in marine games, expand the quantity of vacationers and also, help the moving of the neighbouring businesses. Financing and Budgeting are additionally essential for the advancement of marine games.
Being an island nation, Taiwan is honoured with rich marine assets. In light of the significant fame of marine recreational games. The current recreational inland services are not adequate in quality and amount to address the issues of the people who would like to utilize the facilities in surfing. In this manner, they are turning out to be more dissatisfied with the recreational management, which are in the blink of an eye accessible. The outcomes are that numerous individuals are going to the sea to keep away from the populated urban areas and to make the most of their recreation unwinding. Along the lines, through investigating the members' inspiration and requirements about taking part in marine recreational games, government authorities should note that they need to make significant strides to work intimately with the private segments in detail, and actualize more common sense and positive arrangements in regards to the advancement of marine recreational management.
According to Finney and Houston (1996), surfing competitive surfing is sometimes found to take away the aspect of having a pure fun of riding the board. In this context, many surfers have confirmed that during the times of competitive surfing, they tend to focus so much attention on bettering their performance over other competitors. During such competitive times,
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surfers temporarily forgets the joy and fun of being in the ocean, but only become grateful later after those long surfing trips. They forget their passion and love for the game, and rather focus on their potentials, capabilities and efforts in competing and becoming the best.
1.3 Research Scope and Theoretical Framework
This research focuses on the surf industry in Taiwan as a competitive sport and as a part of the tourism industry. The research will look into the state of the industry at this moment and what are the possibilities for the future. This we will done by questioning the users (the surfers) and the people in the surfing industry for example surf school/hostel owners and contest organizers. In that respect, this paper aims at analyzing and explaining the Taiwan professional surfing brands through the lenses of RBV (Resource-Based View) and related competitive concepts.
Considering the RBV (Resource-Based View) of surfing as a distinguished sport, the research will scrutinize what competitive advantages does surfing have over other sports? First, the Surfing Life Saving department of Taiwan (SLST) expects every individual member involved in the life-saving surfing sports to cooperate in order to uphold a positive public image, and as well, participate with a spirit of sportsmanship and good-will. It is due to this reason, that any behaviour or incident suspected to result into damage or embarrassment to the SLST’s image or reputation is appropriately and swiftly dealt with. To enhance the professionalism in surfing, all competitors and officials or members are expected to display the ultimate behavioural standards.
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1.4 Organization
The research paper is divided in three segments as follow; as first a literary review where in we examine the following; Studies and books about surfing in Taiwan, studies about surfing as a serious leisure and finally the studies on the influence of serious leisure on the popularity of the sport.
This research will thereby be specific to the well-known surfing spots/beaches in Taiwan –Fulong, Ylan, Kenting, Taitung where a number of surfing sports and/or contests in Taiwan are organized. Consequently, the research will use the data obtained in the analysis of competitiveness, professionalism, and challenges of surfing sports in Taiwan.
In the second part, we examine the research methods best suited for this kind of research followed by an anticipation of the results for the research.
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Chapter Two: Literature Review
2.1 Surfing
First approach to surfing
Surfing is “the act or sport of riding the surf, as on a surfboard by to float[ing] on the crest of a wave toward shore” (Dictionary Reference about Surfing). According to the online dictionary (Dictionary Reference about Sport) a sport is an “athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature”. In addition to its competitive nature, a sport such as surfing is also defined as a “diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime” (Dictionary Reference about Sport).
For most surfers, surfing goes beyond the practice of a sport. As described by Jay DiMartino, a surfing expert, surfing is “an outlet for anxiety and stress, an inlet for nature and satisfaction, a connection between [the surfer] and the ocean, [the] board acting as some semi- conductor of magnetic and gravitational forces pulsing from the center the sprawling expanse of nature itself”. However, for the purpose of the research, this thesis focuses on surfing as a sport.
Basics for surfing
The sport of surfing requires a minimum of conditions allowing its practice. Surfing simply requires a rider, a board, and an uneven fluid (DiMartino, 2015).
Surfing is mainly possible in oceans and seas where waves are produced by a swell meeting a shallower surface. Swell is generated by wind blowing over a large surface of open water called the fetch. The strength and duration of wind in addition to the size fetch determines the size of a swell. The larger the open water area and the longer and stronger the wind blows will tend to create better swell for surfers. Therefore, coastlines exposed to large open water areas tends to receive more consistent swell according to the “Meteorology and Oceanography”
section from the book The World Stormrider Guide.
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Local wind, in comparison to wind blowing in the middle of the oceans, has an effect of wave quality. When the wind is blowing “onshore”, from the ocean in the direction of land, it can create choppy or smaller waves condition. However, a local wind blowing in an “offshore”
direction, from land to ocean, tends to generate ideal conditions. “Offshore” wind blows directly into the face of waves creating a barrel wave. According to the glossary of waves terms from the online article “Wave Terms Explained” by surfing-waves.com, “The barrel is the hollow part of a breaking wave where there is a gap between the face of the wave and the lip of the wave as it curls over. One of the highlights for any surfer is catching a tube ride.”
On this illustration, the creation process of waves is explained. It shows that waves are generated by a swell meeting an increasing shallower surface. The swell is then pushed upwards and creates waves suitable for surfing. (Wilson, 2005)
Figure 1 Breaking waves
The shape of waves in the oceans and seas are defined by the surfaces over which they break. There are three main types of surfaces: reef breaks, beach breaks, with waves breaking over sand, and point breaks, with waves breaking on rocks. Besides, waves break starting from left to right, or vice and versa depending on the formation of seabed. Therefore, the main influencer on the shape of waves is the topography of the surface behind and underneath a wave over which they break. Point breaks and reef breaks produce consistent and predictable waves compared to a beach break as sandbanks are evolving from week to week. Therefore, each seabed is unique making each surf location unique.
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In addition to waves, another essential aspect of the sport is the need of a board to ride the waves with. The surfboard used by surfers can be of different shapes, lengths and weights.
Each particular type of board defines a specific sport such as the short board, the longboard, the stand-up paddle, body-boarding and even wave-windsurfing, kayaking or wave-kiteboarding.
Each one of these sports have separate competitions and training methods. Besides, the art of body surfing a wave, “to ride a cresting wave toward the shore by lying face down in the water with the arms stretched forward in the direction of the wave” (Dictionary Reference about Body Surfing) is also considered to be a part of surfing as a sport. However, for the purpose of the research, this paper focuses on the primary definition of surfing which utilizes a surfboard: a short board or a long board.
Top surfing nations
For surfing as for every sports, practice is the key to performance. Nations such as Australia or Hawaii, offering top quality waves and a strong surf culture, have been producing surf champions since the very beginning of official surf competitions. Similarly, the United States can be considered as one of the top surfing nations concerning its West coast. More recently, according to the top world surfer’s ranking from the WSL, Brazil is raising a top surf nation with 7 Brazilian surfers in the top 20. Besides, the excellent seabed quality of Australian, Brazilian and Hawaiian coastlines offering a great variety of waves seems to be a key factor explaining the high level of their surf athletes (Finney and Houston, 1996).
Furthermore, there is link between the top surf nation and sport culture. In Hawaii and Australia, surf champions are seen as celebrities as the sport culture around surfing is very strong. Brazil being a raising surf nation is better known for its beach culture which facilitates the integration of a surf culture as a water sport.
Surfing climate of Taiwan
Great surfing conditions are not only influenced by the weather but also by the typology of the ocean bed. Therefore, it is necessary to have an understanding of the possibilities of Taiwan speaking about the quality of the surf.
Taiwan has a subtropical climate which means that it is all year around warm, in particular in the South. In the North, the temperature can drop down to 15 degrees Celsius
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influenced by north winds from Japan. As North winds do not reach all the way to the South, the temperature is there warmer all year around. In summer, the temperature can rise up to 40 degrees Celsius and with the humidity it can be suffocating.
The water temperature is between 13 and 31 degrees Celsius depending on the season and the location. (See below, the water temperature depending on the month of the year from Magic Seaweed.)
Table 1 Water temperatures
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 13 - 23°C 17 - 27°C 22 - 30°C 23 - 31°C 21 - 30°C 15 - 26°C
The island of Taiwan gets the most swells from the North, East and South. The West of the island hardly gets any good swells as there is no large area of open water. This part of the island only receives good waves when there is a typhoon in the South China sea. Furthermore, waves on the West coast, can also come from the North in winter. However, because of the its northern direction, the swell does not always find good breaks on the West, but is more likely to create good surf spots on the North and East coast of the island. The East and South coast are also exposed to the Pacific Ocean and its swell comes from further away. This is the most consistent swell.
In summer, in the North and East coast, the typhoons generate massive swells which only lasts a couple of days. The typhoons season starts around May and last until October.
However, it is hard to predict the best spots to surf during typhoon season as it depends the path of the typhoon.
The eastern Taiwanese high mountains were created by tectonic movements. These mountains came straight up from the ocean. Therefore, the East coast is mainly made from cliffs and rocky beaches with some rare sand beaches. The North and South of the island are similar
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to the East coast. However, the West coast consists of plains mainly used for agriculture. There the beaches are made from black sand and a lot of coastal protection structures can be found.
The following table gives an overview of the main Taiwanese surf spots. Most of these surf sports are beach breaks are they are easily accessible for beginners. However, with more than 1000 km of coast line, there are many unknown spots which are hardly surfed. By discovering new surf spots, the surfing Industry in Taiwan might grow and increase the surfing tourism of the island.
Table 2 Surf breaks
Spot name Location Break type
Baishawan North Beach break
Jinshan North Beach break
Fulong North Beach break
Dashi East Rocky beach break
Wushi East Beach break
Hualien East Beach and reef breaks
Jici beach East Beach break
Cheng Gong East Reef break
Donge East Rocky beach break
Taitung East Reef breaks
Jialeshui East Sandy beach and reef breaks
Nanwan South Sandy beach breaks and a reef break
2.2 History of Surfing
The beginning of surfing
Humans have been riding waves for centuries. Born in the warm waters of the South Pacific Ocean, surfing has been for more than a thousand years ago a central part of the Polynesian culture. The migration of surfing to Hawaii in the North Pacific Ocean is said to have been the testament of the ancient mariners of that time. In 1866, Mark Twain a famous American author visited the Hawaiian Islands and wrote his first impression of surfing “In one
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place we came upon a large company of naked natives, of both sexes and all ages, amusing themselves with the national pastime of surf-bathing.” (Twain, 1866)
In 1885, three young Hawaiian princes traveled to the Coast of California and surfed for the first time the cold water waves of Santa Cruz with boards made from local redwood (Surf historians Geoff Dunn and Kim Stoner in Riders of the Sea Spray).
In early 1900’s, Duke Kahanamoku and a friend, two other young Hawaiians, started to spread the joy of surfing even further in Southern California and Australia. A new surf lifestyle was born inspired by the one from the islands of its origins.
The new era of surfing really started with George Freeth considered to be the “Father of Modern surfing”. Using heavy and huge 16-foot wooden boards, he faced difficulty in promoting the sport. By cutting the surfboard in two, George then created the first more manageable “Longboards” as we know them today. A few years later, in 1975, the first professional surfing competitions started in California.
History of surfing in Taiwan
In the early 1960’s surfing began to develop in the Jinshan area of Ilan region in Taiwan.
However, at the same time, the Taiwanese government started squarely a Martial Law with a requirement to strictly supervise the coastlines. Therefore, slowing down drastically the growth of any coastal sport, surfing was mainly limited to American soldiers in Ilan region.
Nevertheless, surfing started to develop slowly with the help of Taiwanese surfing pioneers in particular with the brothers Mao Guh, Yao Dong and Sun Yao. Still popular today, Mao Guh opened the first surf shop in Taiwan called “Jeff’s Surf Shop” in Dashi, Ilan. Besides, the spokesperson of surfing in Taiwan is Jung Wen Chen, the founder of the ROC Surfing Association.
Finally, with the suspension of the Martial Law, surf clubs started to blossom all around the country increasing the popularity and growth of the sport within the Taiwanese community.
Today, according to the ROC Surfing Association, around 30 000 Taiwanese are riding the waves of the Taiwanese coast lines and local and international competitions are organized (Tealit.com, 2015).
12 Competitive surfing
The competitive aspect of surfing is supported by the worldwide association called the World Surfing League, WSL. Organizing and coordinating all annual major competitions such as the Championship Tours, the Qualifying Series or the Junior Championships of surfing among others, are the essential tasks of the WSL. The most prestigious surfing competition in the world are the Championship tours as only the top 10 best surfers selected through the Qualifying Series of the previous years are allowed to compete.
Besides, the competition world of surfing is about to change and exponentially expand within the next 5 years as surfing has been announced to be featured as an official sport for the first time in the Olympics in Japan for 2020.
Furthermore, Taiwan is hosting a stop from the Qualifying Series in Taitung called the Taiwan Open of Surfing at Jinzun Harbor. According to the WSL, in 2015 the best Taiwanese surfer on the world Tour is Pan Hai Hsin ranked 766.
Surfing is an undeniably prominent recreational interest. It is assessed that more than 10 million individuals around the globe appreciate surfing in its different structures. As far as amusement and tourism, surfing is a captivating subject for geographers (Stebbins, 2000). It is one approach to staying fit; it can show individuals about the maritime and shoreline environment while surfers create income for some financially denied territories through surf tourism and the marketing of surf-related hardware, garments, and music. It is assessed that the surfing business is worth $2.6 billion a year (Farmer, 2008). Encompassed via ocean on three sides and with extraordinary water conditions consistently, surfing is an undeniably huge brandishing, social, and financial movement in Taiwan. The investment in surfing is rising each year. Surfing is a developing game in Taiwan and is turning out to be progressively critical as far as well-being, occupation, and wage era (Hawk and Sean, 2000). The game of surfing can pull in visitors who wish to have a great time on the waves, additionally requires perfect and safe shorelines and a sure level of offices.
Surfing straightforwardly produces 10m per annum income for the nearby and the national economy, and in a roundabout way contributes through related tourism, an expected 100,000 individuals come to Taiwan consistently to surf. As the proprietor of one surf school
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states that surfing pulls individuals to the territory, individuals come particularly for the surf, they burn through cash in the zone, utilize the neighborhood and in this way add to the nearby economy. Surfing is especially vital in more remote ranges of Taiwan, as the accompanying respondent expresses that surfing advantages the nearby economy significantly because we are situated in West Wales where there is not a ton of salary. There's a little retail advertise in the territory, however, it is entirely low in businesses. Surf Tourism is one of the greatest businesses, particularly where people are close to the shoreline.
2.3 Surfing as serious Leisure
The idea of serious leisure is characterized as a precise quest for a beginner, specialist, or volunteer action, and people are serious about recreation interest more often than not commit their time and endeavors to their picked movement. They consider their recreation progress as vocation advancement, and increase extraordinary aptitudes, information, and experience through their devotion. Serious leisure has been seen as a significant, predictable, invariable engagement in light of considerable information and abilities, obliging persistence to overcome difficulties and complex undertakings. Taking after are depictions of the six attributes or characteristics of serious leisure (Siegenthaler, 2006).
Steadiness in surfing as a serious leisure permits relaxation members to overcome mental and physical troubles amid their encounters. The challenges that may be overcome incorporate tension, shame, and physical threats. Harm connected with the game and physical movement is inescapable at both at expert and novice levels, despite the fact that wounds in novice games have a tendency to be less genuine than those in an expert. Novice competitors are liable to perceive physical perils as a feature of the experience and may change the physical and passionate obstructions into the action.
Career advancement in serious leisure is thought to be a long haul improvement with exceptional defining moments or phases of contribution and individual duty. People who are not kidding with their recreation interest may not just have a more prominent probability of building up their vocation in their relaxation, however they might likewise be willing to overcome troubles along the way, thus subdividing the profession nature of serious leisure into two measurements: vocation advance and vocation possibilities. Profession advancement
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concentrates on the cognizant changing of recreational interest amid the people's engagement.
Vocation possibilities stress the defining moments or exceptional occasions of that recreation association.
The precise quest for relaxation is a procedure of having critical individual endeavors, which depends on strength abilities, information, preparing, and aptitudes, all of which require learning opportunities outside of formal instruction, or through a self-coordinated learning procedure. Relaxation interest demonstrated a positive relationship between members' self- determination and ability level. Further, wear aptitude advancement was identified with members increasing social prizes and physical enhancements, and improving their self- determination to seek after serious leisure (Siegenthaler, 2006). Serious sports members had a tendency to contribute individual endeavors and steadiness through the preparation handle and committed their opportunity to go for different competitions outside of their group. Members of serious leisure have a tendency to have solid distinguishing proof with their picked action.
They are frequently energized, intrigued, and excited to impart encounters and to learn related to their relaxation interests. Individuals who are not kidding with their relaxation interest are excited in discussing their diversion while members who are not serious, do not distinguish themselves given their recreational interests. The character is likewise identified with recreational games members or beginner competitors, on the other hand, it was observed to be an advancing. That is, people overcame difficulties and kept on enhancing their insight and abilities of the movement in a way that set up, kept up, and fortified their recreation character.
This sort of character helps people to recognize themselves from others and improves their appearance through their relaxation interest (Stebbins, 2000). Beginner competitors who are serious about their game interests create a feeling of identifying so as to have a place to differentiate themselves with particular qualities and convictions. Members obtain tough advantages through their precise relaxation interest, including self-realization, self- improvement, self-expression, diversion or restoration of self, sentiment achievement, and upgrade of mental self-view, and gathering results in social connection and belongingness, and enduring physical results of the movement. The physical advantages from game interest are frequently alluded to as a crucial prize. The expansion that serious leisure bears members the chance to have a place, to speak to their self-expression, and to feel a feeling of achievement through their relaxation interest instead of only as an investment in a physical movement.
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At last, members make their extraordinary ethos, characterized by exceptional standards, values, convictions, styles, inclination guidelines, and comparable imparted representations to other individuals having the same intrigues, building up a social world or subculture. For instance, the subjective study observed that individuals' interpersonal connections added to serious leisure shag artists' long haul duty and contribution. Members who are not kidding about this kind of recreational interest build up a feeling of be-yearning through different individuals or they distinguish themselves inside of a specific gathering having unmistakable qualities, convictions, and sub-society.
2.4 Sports Management in Surfing
As expressed by Daniel (2010), sports authority can in a general sense influence the execution of a group. In this way, the anticipated change of positive mental, social, and behavioral results for players has been described as an essential piece of feasible instructing in surfing. It reflected in mentor's slants for sharpening direction, where topics, for instance, correspondence, motivation, and character headway are extremely desired subjects in surfing as a sport. In any case, given the varying characteristics of speculative foundations, a wide display of evidence-based results for surfers, and deficiently associated preparing exercises perceiving the most proper game plan of teaching practices. Sports management is a standout amongst the most considered regions in sports. Different models of instructing activities have been proposed, and countless others have been balanced from distinctive fields, most strikingly business and progressive change (Lestrom, 2008). Taking a past examination and verbal meeting about sports management, alone perfect model of drilling administration stays inconspicuous. As per Don et al. (2009), there are basic initiative styles be that as it may, most pioneers apply the styles in an unexpected way, and their organization styles have every one of the reserves of being as distinctive as their characters. In the domain of games where execution is open and energetic results are typical, possibly the best organization technique can be depicted as realistic. Productive groups have excellent leaders, and the centrality of this part is clear in all arrangements of games. This can be summarised in the table below which describes the roles of surfer and coaches in surfing.
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Table 3 sport management in surfing
Roles Coach Surfer
Mental Helping the surfer to find his concentration and motivation
Has to keep is motivation Physical Helping and facilitating the
physical shape of the surfer
Keeping physically in shape
Social Creating support for surfing and the athlete
Promoting personal brand, sponsor Behaviour
Keeping the surfer’s behaviour appropriate and
representable
Acting professional towards the sport Game plan Working to gather on a game plan for the contest
2.5 Safety in surfing
Management of the surfing as a sport also entails knowing the impending dangers that may affect surfers or trainers (Farmer, 2008). Drowning is the first danger that must be addressed when creating a high-quality surfing environment. Surfing, similar to all water games, conveys the natural peril of drowning. Anybody at any age can figure out how to surf, however, ought to have swimming abilities. Despite the fact that the board helps a surfer in staying light, it can get to be isolated from the user. The surfers should also be aware of collisions. Under the wrong arrangement of conditions, anything that a surfer's body can interact with is conceivably a threat, including rocks, reefs, a little ice, surfboards, sandbars and other surfers. Collisions with these items can now and again cause wounds, for example, cuts and rub and in uncommon occasions, demise. Blades can bring about profound cuts and cuts, and additionally wounding. While these wounds can be minor, they can open the skin to disease from the ocean. It may hinder the advancement of surfing skills.
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Figure 2 Surf Etiquette
Surfing management also means the creation of an environment where marine creatures do not interfere with the sport. Ocean life can here and there cause wounds and even fatalities.
Creatures, for example, stingrays, seals, weaver fish and jellyfish and sharks can at times show a danger. Warmer-water surfers regularly do the stingray mix as they exit through the shallows, rearranging their feet in the sand to frighten off stingrays that may be laying on the bottom. Rip currents are rivulets of water channels that stream far from the shore. Under the wrong circumstances, these streams can imperil both experienced and unpractised surfers. Since a tear ebb and flow has all the earmarks of being a zone of level water, drained or unpractised swimmers or surfers may enter one and maybe past the breaking waves. The seabed can posture perils for surfers. If a surfer falls while riding a wave, the wave hurls and tumbles the surfer around, frequently in a downward course. At reef breaks and shoreline breaks, surfers have been genuinely harmed and even killed given a vicious crash with the ocean bed, the water above which can in some cases be extremely shallow, particularly at shoreline breaks or reef breaks amid low tide (Siegenthaler, 2006). These dangers are summarised in table 4, where the possible dangers are explained as well as the possible solutions to prevent each one. Also, this table gives light on the chance of likelihood for a danger to happen and its level of danger. For example, the consequences of a shark attack or a jelly fish sting are incomparable.
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Table 4 safety in surfing
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2.6 Framework for competitions
For a successful product diversification and comprehensive brand image development in Taiwan, there should be endorsement of top surfers, and particular factors behind their regional and global success. In these regards, for a fair play and fair competitiveness, the surf lifesaving of Western Australia implements a number of strategies to both competitors and managers/officials, as well as spectators/supporters (Borden, 2001). These strategies in turn, work towards enhancing or boosting the professionalism in surfing sports across the Western Australia. In effect, the managers and/or officials are expected to:
i. Be professional in their language, action and appearance, ii. Be considerate and respectful of others,
iii. Be positive and serve as role models, iv. Maintain safe environment for everyone, v. Uphold strict impartiality,
vi. Be fair, honest, and ethical both in dealing with issues and other people, vii. Abode by the spirit and rules of competition, and
viii. Fairly and promptly solve conflicts through the most relevant or established procedures.
Spectators and Supporters must also:
i) Respect the authorities and sport regulations,
ii) Respect and accept the decisions made by referees, authorities or judges, iii) Always exercise reasonable self-control,
iv) Abide by the spirits of competition, and
v) Be considerate and respectful when interacting with others.
Above all, the competitors (surfers), who are the core stakeholders of the surfing sport must exercise the following in order to uphold the competitiveness and professionalism in the game:
i. Access both success and failure, defeat and victory, and well as magnanimity and grace as fair outcomes of the competition,
20 ii. Always exercise self-control at all levels,
iii. Abide by the spirits and rules of the competition,
iv. Respect and accept the decisions made by referees, authorities or judges, v. Practice honesty and faithfulness in the game, and finally,
vi. Treat fellow competitors or team members with ultimate respect, both outside and inside the competition arena.
All these strategies, conditions, and rules serve as the foundation and central platform upon which the success of surfing professionalism relies. However, for further information on the opportunities and challenges on professional surfing, this research will extend a mile further to scrutinize the possible challenges confronting the surfing sport in Taiwan. In a related context, in their endeavors to exploit the opportunities in professional surfing, SLSWA (surfing lifesaving of Western Australia) is confronted with the following challenges in managing a fair surfing sport: (i) Competition without entry or clearance; (ii) Competitors’ impersonation; (iii) Competition by some competitors without membership, proficiency, or award; and (iv) Competing twice during a similar event.
In relations to the theoretical framework and origins, surfing can easily be compared to skateboarding, owing their relatively similar environments, sporting conditions and locations.
Indeed, a number of researches on the historical backgrounds and the association between surfing and skateboarding reveal that later has its roots of origin from the former (Borden, 2001).
For instance, some time back in history, during the periods of 1950s, when waves went flat, surfers began to attach roller skates or skate-wheels to wooden planks, which they could finally use in street surfing. By late 1970s when skate boarders were already launching into the air across swimming pools, surfers also tried their first aerials but terribly failed (Brooke, 1999).
In that respect, today, skateboarding is done more frequently, by many people, and at more prominent and well paid competitions, which are relatively at larger scales as opposed to surfing competitions (Krueger, 2016). Amazingly, despite the rapid growth and popularity of the skateboarding, surfing is also currently growing to emerge as one of the world’s most popular sports, done at professional levels.
Today, surfing embodies a diversified culture on the basis of wave-riding. While a number of people exercise surfing as a recreational activity, a large number of people currently practice it as the central focus of their daily lives, hence the professionalism in it. For instance,
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in the United States, the states of California and Hawaii offer the best and most conducive surfing conditions, making the surfing culture to be most dominant in those regions (Finney and Houston, 1996). Even though waves can only be experienced along coastlines and tight- knits, other far-reaching surfing subcultures have emerged across the entire American continent.
This proves the growing professionalism in surfing as a sport (Krueger, 2016). Currently, worldwide surfing sport represents a multibillion-dollar industry. This is also specific to the fashion, designers, and clothing markets. For example, the WSL (world surf league) organizes championship tours, which aims at hosting some of the world’s best and top surfers within the best surfing spots globally. This includes Taiwan and its surfing spots/beaches, as well as its surfers (competitors) across the nation.
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Chapter Three: Research Method
3.1 Framework
It is from the above theoretical background that this research aims to analyse the professionalism, competitiveness, surfing spots/locations, contest organization, and challenges of surfing within Taiwan. It is thereby particular to surfing spots witch hosts contests, alongside other spots, which may be treated by the research and subsidiary surf spots. The data obtained from this qualitative research will then be analysed qualitatively for the prospective outcome.
For a better and more comprehensive qualitative research and subsequent qualitative analysis, this research will centrally focus on questionnaires, with both open-end and close-end questions for the respondents, which will allow the respondents to explain the answers they provide. This will also allow for maximum data/information gathering, which could otherwise not be possible through live interviews. This will allow for more information collection on the resources utilizes, such as costumes, clothing or design, type and level of competitiveness, professionalism and experience, as well as challenges faced by the competitors (surfers) and controllers/managers.
This research looks at different aspects of surfing in Taiwan and how these aspects are related, with the aim to understand the possibilities and opportunities for the development of the sport.
To start with, earlier research states that there are several small enterprises focuses at surfing in Taiwan, but the facilities on surfing locations fall behind. However these facilities make the sport more accessible. Therefore, it is important to examine the status of these facilities around the coast.
Second, this research examines the influence of competition on the sport. Competitions seem to have a positive influence on the sport. We want to discover if there are enough competitions in Taiwan and if there are enough surfing training facilities.
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At last, this research examines the relationship between competitive surfing and the surfing tourism business.
Based on these three points, some hypotheses have been created as a basis for the research questionnaire.
The following graphic shows the research model and the expected relations between the variables. This model is based on the finding of the literature review and developed in order to find answers to the questions of this research.
Figure 3 Research model
This model is created with as a centre point, the competition aspect of surfing. This centre point has influences on five other major aspects which are all connected. These other major aspects influencing competitions are the competitive surfer, the location and organisations on the one hand. On the other hand, there is an analysis of the influence of competitions on the amount of surfers and beginner surfers as well as the publicity around surfing.
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The first factors influencing competitions are the competitive surfer, the location of the surf and the organisation around the competitions have their own influencers. To start with, the first influence on competitions is the amount of competitive surfers which is influenced by the age, level and interest in surfing of this competitive surfer. Therefore, this contributes as well to increasing the general amount of surfers. Furthermore, the level of a surfer can be improved by coaching and practice. However, to enable a surfer to focus fully on competitions and practice as much as he needs to, a surfer needs support both financially and socially.
The second influence is the location. This factor is mostly influenced by the surfing conditions which are dependent on the topographies and the weather. Both these aspects are hard to control as it involves natural events. However, other influences on the quality of a location can be controlled by local governments and local enterprises: facilities can be maintained and safety solutions such as installing lifeguards. These two aspects, facilities and safety are not only necessary for the good development of a competition but are also required and major contributors to the quality of a location and the increase in the total amount of surfer including beginners.
The third and last influence on competitions, according to this model, are the organizations which are highly dependent of financial and social support. This support may come from different sources. In earlier research, the following organisations were found to give support to competitions: local volunteers, local and national governments, local surf organizations and international such as the WSL. Through this research the support given to surfing competitions in Taiwan is established.
This research not only focuses on the aspects which influences on good development of competitions themselves but also determines the influences competitions may have on the broader surfing scene in Taiwan. Competitions may have a positive influence on the amount of people interested in the sport of surfing as they come to watch a competitions. As a result, the total amount of surfers would increase. Furthermore, an increased total amount of surfers, have the potential to lead to a higher amount of good surfers who could become competitive surfers.
Besides, more surfers may lead to more publicity around the sport of surfing which would influence positively the support given to these surfers and the amount of organisations involved.
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In addition, as the amount of surfers grow, the surfing market grows, This will have a positive impact on the budget allocated to surfing related activities and facilities. Further, this generates a bigger awareness for the surfing sport.
Surfing competitions also attract surfers that sometimes come from other cities or other countries. Increased amount of competitions and the growth of the surfing industry may lead in a higher surf tourism market and tourism market in general. Because tourists may be interested in trying sports activities like surfing when this activity is well known in the area.
All in all, this model shows the links between the different factors influencing the growth of competitions and competitive surfing and the influences of these factors on each other. These links are at the moment hypotheses and will be investigated further in this research. In order to validate or not these links and find the right information, competitive surfers in Taiwan as well as organisations involved in the Taiwanese surfing scene have been interviewed through an online questionnaire.
If it wants to be an accurate representation of the surfing community, the following conditions need to be met. It has to be conducted at several known surf spots in Taiwan and it has to be held in both English and Chinese to get a wide range of support.
After collecting the data from the questionnaire, the outcome will be organized for interpretation. When the results of the questionnaire are analysed a comparison can be made with the expected outcome.
3.2 Theoretical Background of the Questionnaire
In this chapter, the questions of the online questionnaire are explainedand the results are shown. The questionnaire is divided in five parts: general information, focus on competitions, focus on facilities, focus on cultural and focus on support. Each part has multiple choice questions as well as open questions where people could provide additional comments and more in-depth information.
26 Part 1: General information
The first part is focused on general information. The questions are developed to find out the level and background of the surfer in order to provide a context to each answer. Following the result of the multiple choice questions of each parts, all open questions are summarised in a table at the end of this chapter.
Table 5 General Information of the Interviewees
Questions Item Result
Nationality Taiwan 87.2%
Other 12.8%
Gender
Male 76.9%
Female 23.1%
Other 0%
Surfing Discipline
Shortboard 29.5%
Longboard 52.6%
Bodyboard 1.2%
Other 16.7%
Years of Surfing
None 0%
Less than 1 (included) 10.3%
Between 1-2(not included) 19.2%
Between 2-5 (not included) 17.9%
Between 5-10 (not included) 21.8%
10 and more 11.5%
Option -
How often do you surf?
Once per month 24.4%
Once a week 21.8%
Twice a week 10.3%
More than twice a week 15.4%
Other 28.2%
Do you earn money with surfing?
If yes, how?
No 85.9%
Sponsor 2.6%
Teaching 7.7%
Video’s 0%
Other 3.8%
Do you participate in competitions?
Yes 24.4%
No 75.6%
27 Part 2 : Competitions
The questions in this chapter are divided in 2 parts: questions for people participating in competitions and questions for people not participating in competitions. The questions are created to discover their knowledge of the surfing competition possibilities, the status of current surfing competitions and the improvements needed for excising competitions.
Table 6 Questions on competitions for Competitors and Findings
Questions Item Result
How many competitions do you know are existing in Taiwan?
1 or 2 per year 25%
3 to 4 per year 58.3%
5 or more per year 16.7%
What level would you say you are?
Beginner 41.7%
Intermediate 20.8%
Good 29.2%
Expert 8.3%
How many competitions did you do?
1 or 2 33.3%
3 or 4 37.5%
5 or more 12.5%
Option 4 16.7%
Do you train for competitions differently than when you go free surfing? If yes, then how often?
No 25%
once a month 4.2%
once a week 4.2%
twice a week 20.8%
more than twice a
week 45.8%
What is your view on the price of the Entree fee?
It is too high 4.2%
It is good 95.8%
It is too low, I am willing to pay a bit more for it
0%
What is your best result?
1st position 16.7%
2nd position 8.3%
3rd/4rd position 16.7%
In the top 10 8.3%
It's about surfing together not about winning
41.7%
other 16.7%
In a year, how many competitions do you compete in?
1 or 2 79.2%
3 or 4 16.7%
5 or more 4.2%
According to you, are there enough surf competitions in Taiwan?
yes 29.2%
no 66.7%
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Questions Item Result
other 4.2%
According to you, can all surfers find a competition fitting their level?
yes 83.3%
no 16.7%
Are there any training programs for competitive surfing in Taiwan?
yes 25.0%
no 70.8%
other 4.2%
Would you like Taiwan to organize a National surfing tour to officialize surfing competitions in Taiwan?
yes 87.5%
no 8.3%
other 4.2%
Would you compete in other countries if given the opportunity?
yes 79.2%
no 20.8%
Table 7 Questions on competitions for Non-competitors and Findings
Questions Item Result
What would make you compete?
if is was better 40.7%
do not see me as
competitive surfer 53.7%
it the prizes where
higher 1.9%
if it was on my home
spot 0.0%
if the entry fee was
lower 1.9%
other 1.9%
Do you visit the competitions to look? yes 83.3%
no 16.7%
How many competitions do you know are existing in Taiwan?
1 or 2 per year 50.0%
3 or 4 per year 35.2%
5 or more per year 14.8%
Would you participate in a competitions if there was a competition fitting your level (e.g. competition for beginners, for intermediates, for pros) ?
yes 48.1%
no 51.9%
Part 3: Surfing facilities
This part of the research is aiming to find out the opinion of Taiwanese surfers concerning the facilities in and around the surfing spots. The open questions at the end of this part are focus on finding possible improvements of these facilities. To do so, the knowledge of the surfing spots is investigated followed several finding on the different aspects influencing facilities.
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Table 8 Surfing Habits and Facility Satisfaction
Questions Item Result
Where do you mostly surf?
Taipei area 9.0%
Fulong 6.4%
Ylan 50.0%
Hualian 1.3%
Taitung 6.4%
Kenting 19.2%
other 7.7%
How would you say the waves are?
(1-very dissatisfied, 2-dissatisfied, 3- neutral, 5 -very satisfied)
1 2.6%
2 15.4%
3 61.5%
4 16.7%
5 3.8%
How consistent would you say your spot is?
(1-very dissatisfied, 2-dissatisfied, 3- neutral, 5 -very satisfied)
1 2.5%
2 32.1%
3 44.9%
4 16.7%
5 3.8%
How are the overall facilities?
(1-very dissatisfied, 2-dissatisfied, 3- neutral, 5 -very satisfied)
1 7.7%
2 17.9%
3 55.1%
4 15.4%
5 3.8%
Are there showers/Toilet?
yes 69.2%
no 23.1%
other 7.7%
Is there a place to get food and drinks?
yes 66.7%
no 28.2%
other 5.1%
Is there a life guard station?
yes 30.8%
No 50.0%
Yes, but not al the time 12.8%
Yes but does not make me feel safer 2.6%
other 3.8%
Are there other training facilities (like a gym)?
yes 89.7%
no 7.7%
other 2.6%
Do you ever go to different spots to practice? If yes, which spots?
yes 44.9%
no 38.5%
other 16.7%
How are the facilities there?
(1-very dissatisfied, 2-dissatisfied, 3- neutral, 5 -very satisfied)
1 3.8%
2 20.5%
3 55.1%
4 16.7%
5 3.8%
30 Part 4 : Cultural
Earlier research showed that Taiwan does not have a major surfing culture. Therefore in this part, this issue is analysed to understand its influence on Taiwanese surfers and the Taiwanese surfer scene and industry.
Table 9 Cultural influence on Surfing
Question Item Result
Can you swim? yes 89.7%
no 10.3%
Do your parents see surfing as a "real sport"?
yes 64.1%
Yes but not as a
competitiver 29.5%
no 6.4%
Do your friends see surfing as a "real sport"?
yes 79.5%
Yes but not as a
competitiver 16.7%
no 2.6%
other 1.3%
Do you practice other sports? If yes, which ones?
skateboarding 42.1%
skimboarding 6.5%
swimming 48.7%
basketball 23.7%
baseball 10.5%
dancing 11.8%
football 3.9%
do not practice any
other sport 9.2%
31 Part 5 : Support
Support as much financial as social, is an important aspect for competitions, organisation as well as surfers. Therefore these questions are investigating the current status of this support in Taiwan and the way it can be improved.
Table 10 Support for surfing and findings
Question Item Result
Do you surf Typhoon swells?
yes 33.3%
no because it is to big 25.6%
no because it is not
allowed 30.8%
other 10.3%
Do you follow National surf competitions?
yes 56.4%
no 39.7%
other 3.8%
Do you follow International surf competitions?
yes 59.0%
no 35.9%
other 5.1%
Do you think there is enough media attention around surfing in Taiwan?
too much 6.4%
enough 6.4%
barely 57.7%
not at all 17.9%
other 11.5%
Do you think the prizes of competitions are high enough?
yes 14.1%
no 33.3%
I do not know 51.3%
other 1.3%
Do you think there are enough sponsors to support surfing in Taiwan?
yes 6.4%
no 50.0%
I do not know 42.3%
other 1.3%
Can you get a special schedule in school for the practice of a sport at a high level? (Does not have to be surfing)
yes 23.1%
no 52.6%
I do not know 23.1%
other 1.3%
In the following page, a table containing the open questions and the answers can be found.
