Although it is difficult to know exactly how many people in Switzerland are into surfing, the craze is becoming increasingly visible. Whether on a river or artificial waves, with an elastic cord or using the current, the passion is always there.

On February 13, 2014, Storm Tini hit the shores of Lake Geneva with gusts of over 62 mph. Strong winds swept across the water, creating powerful waves. The peaceful lake turned into a rough sea. Greg Williams and Ludo Jaccard were thrilled. In such conditions, surfing on Lake Geneva becomes possible. Equipped with full neoprene wetsuits and surfboards loaded into their van, the two friends rush to different locations around Lausanne: Bellerive, Lutry beach, Cully, and finally Villette to catch the best waves of the day. Studying the topography of the area before jumping into the water is essential. Villette has a deep seabed with a sudden rise in the terrain, which causes powerful waves of around 1.5 meters to form.

Why on earth would anyone jump into water that's around 10 degrees in winter? To experience that unique feeling of gliding, of course! Surfing is an experience that goes beyond words. You have to master the environment: know where the waves rise, their frequency, their speed. Before you can surf successfully, you have to paddle, paddle, and paddle some more. Cross the wave barrier, the place where they break, so you can anticipate their arrival. And suddenly, deliverance.

ISOLATED ECCENTRICS?

Far from the sea, are Greg Williams and Ludo Jaccard, graphic designer and director respectively for the RTS program 120 Minutes, isolated eccentrics in Switzerland? While surfing on Lake Geneva during a storm is nothing new, successfully catching waves is rare. The same goes for getting together with other surfers in French-speaking Switzerland. At the end of 2013, after participating in the Swiss surfing championship, they decided to launch an appeal on Facebook to create a community close to home. Within two weeks, 250 people had signed up. On April 6, 2014, the Association romande de surf (French-speaking Switzerland Surfing Association) was officially launched. Since then, they have organized surfing trips to different countries and several of them have participated in the Swiss Surfing Championships. The event takes place in October in... Spain. Surfing retains its prestige on the sea. The competition is organized by the Swiss Surfing Association, which has been in existence since 1992.

Benedek Sarkany, its president in 2019, explains that it is difficult to know the exact number of surfers. The latest official study conducted by the Federal Office of Sport in 2014 indicates that 0.6% of the population practices surfing, kitesurfing (a board pulled through the air by a sail), or windsurfing. However, the study reveals that this category has the highest growth potential in relation to the number of people who practice it. The Federal Office of Sport explains this by the “recent success of kitesurfing, but also by the enduring popularity of windsurfing and surfing, which continue to fascinate the crowds.” The next assessment, due to take place in 2020, may well confirm this trend.

800,000 LITERS OF WATER

Switzerland is one of 44 countries in the world without direct access to the sea. With no ocean to surf, could artificial waves be the answer? In September 2018, the Mall of Switzerland, a large shopping center in Ebikon in the canton of Lucerne, inaugurated Oana, the country's first indoor artificial wave. The dimensions of the pool are similar to those of a swimming pool. Eight pumps allow 800,000 liters of water to form a wave that can reach 1.4 meters. Six months after its inauguration, more than 13,750 people have tried it, even if the sensations are difficult to compare with those experienced when surfing traditionally.

This artificial wave has inspired similar projects, which are expected to be completed around 2020. One will be located near Zurich, in Regensdorf, while the other will be in Valais, on the Iles estate in Sion. “A dream come true” for Adam Bonvin, Marc-Antoine Burgener, and Romain Magnin, the three French-speaking co-founders of this project called Alaïa. The pool was financed by a crowdfunding campaign on the internet. The wave will be adjustable according to the time of day and water levels, with a length of 90 meters and a maximum height of approximately 1.8 meters.

THE POWER OF RIVERS

In terms of thrills, artificial waves are fun. Pleasure comes first. They are suitable for beginners and experienced surfers alike. "Even though I enjoy every extra wave, it has to be said that artificial waves are not very economical or environmentally friendly. We should instead support wave projects in rivers,“ explains Sandro Santschi, surfer and president of River Surf Jam in Thun. He adds: ”The first edition of our competition took place in September 2018. The difference is that on rivers, the waves change character depending on the flow and weather conditions. While artificial waves can be turned on at the push of a button, natural waves depend on nature. This is more in keeping with the spirit of surfing.“ Benedek Sarkany, president of the Swiss Surfing Association, agrees: ”It is possible to surf on the Reuss, Aare, Birse, Thur, and Limmat rivers."

When the river flow is low, alternatives such as bungee surfing, or river surfing with the aid of an elastic cord, are available. From Bern's oldest bridge, the Untertorbrücke, passersby can see surfers on the Aare practicing their passion legally thanks to a cord attached to the Nydegg bridge directly opposite. David Fonjallaz, a producer from Lausanne, is one of these surfers: “In the early 2010s, a bungee surfing championship was even organized. It brought together 300 to 400 enthusiasts. There is also an association working to develop a space on the river and create a natural wave in a town near Bern.”

OLYMPIC DISCIPLINE

Is it possible to imagine a Swiss champion at the next Olympic Games? It's hard to believe, given how high the professional level seems to be. Because yes, in 2020 surfing will make its debut in the pantheon of Olympic disciplines in Tokyo, then in 2024 in Paris. In Tokyo, the competition will take place on Tsurigasaki Beach, about 60 miles from the capital. France, meanwhile, has not yet decided whether it prefers the uncertainty of the natural waves of the Basque coast to the perfect artificial waves in the suburbs of Paris.

Visiting Geneva for the Histoire et Cité festival in March 2019, French author Jérémy Lemarié has just published Surf: une histoire de la glisse, de la première vague aux beach boys (Surf: a history of surfing, from the first wave to the beach boys) with Editions Arkhê. While he admits to enjoying discovering surfing in Switzerland, he recounts the origins of surfing while standing on a board: “Confined to the Hawaiian archipelago 200 years ago, Americans reappropriated this culture, blending different traditions. Considered a deviant leisure activity in the 1950s, surfing experienced its golden age a decade later before going global. Today, there are more than 20 million surfers worldwide.”

The image of surfing is growing with the creation of a new festival: the Swiss Surf Film Festival in Lucerne. The first edition took place from April 26 to 28. Alena Ehrenbold, its founder, has made several documentaries in addition to being one of the best surfers in the country. In 2014, she produced I Wanna Surf, considered the “first 100% Swiss surfing documentary.”

SÉBASTIEN ROUX

Cover photo caption: Since its creation in 2014, the Association romande de surf has organized surfing trips to various countries, such as here in the Maldives in August 2016. © Association romande de surf