The world of professional surfing is about to get an upgrade with the World Surf League (WSL) designating the Apple Watch as official equipment for competitors. This marks the first time the wearable will be used in a professional sports setting.
As part of the new initiative, every surfer on the Championship Tour will be provided with an Apple Watch, preloaded with the WSL Surfer app. The app allows surfers to keep track of scores, wave priority and times, syncing in real-time with the WSL’s scoring system. The Apple Watch was chosen for its durability, cellular data connectivity, and large, bright screen.
For surfers like 2019 WSL champion and Olympic gold medalist, Ítalo Ferreira, the new app could make a huge difference. In the past, the noise of the wind and waves often made it difficult to hear the announcements during a heat, potentially leading to missed information. The WSL Surfer app eliminates the need to rely on hearing the announcers and prevents any guesswork.
While the WSL hasn’t specified which Apple Watch model will be used, the Apple Watch Ultra seems like the best fit. With the largest screen of any Apple Watch to date and being the most rugged version yet, the Ultra boasts accurate GPS and increased water resistance, making it the ideal choice for surfers.
