Embroidery of flax fiber reinforcements suitable for use on (river-)surfboard rails

Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)

Riversurfing, a sub-category of surfing, involves riding standing waves and river rapids instead of traditional ocean waves. With roots going back over half a century, river surfing is currently experiencing a surge in popularity, marked by major milestones such as the introduction of patented Citywaves in 2009, the creation of its own competition series (Rapid Surf League) in 2018 and another big boom in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions. Artificial waves with different technologies are being built all over Europe and recently even in Hawaii. The different conditions in which rapid surfing is practiced mean different demands on the equipment. Not only does the shape of the surfboard have to be adapted to the different flow dynamics, but the surfboard also has to withstand different types of stress. A few surfboard manufacturers have already started to adapt the classic surfboard design to the demands of rapid surfing. Mostly by strengthening the rails of the surfboard with additional layers of reinforcing fibers. Currently, there are no standardized norms for testing river surfing equipment and different brands use different types of reinforcement techniques/fibers (extra layer of glass fiber, polypropylene or basalt on the rails). Therefore, this study aims to analyze the working impacts on the surfboard, to define a standardized test procedure and examining further natural fibers and bio-based resins to identify more durable and sustainable reinforcement materials, which leads to longer service life and less CO2 emissions.