Surfing activity characterisation using an equipment-mounted inertial sensor: a pilot study

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

In many sports, activity monitoring during field events is essential in determining an accurate performance assessment. Field activity analysis often involves optical and sensor-based data collection, where athletes’ actions are categorised into specific events associated with the measurable data. As surfing is an aesthetic activity, monitoring is critical to introduce objective data to the highly subjective sport. This pilot study aims to use an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system to identify the yaw, pitch, and roll behaviour of the surfboard during basic functional, transitional and expressive surfing maneuvers.