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ISA History

The roots of surfing reach back to the early Pacific islands when the ancestors of Polynesians and others started exploring the ocean and islands around them. While there is no specific date as to when the first wave was ever surfed, it is generally known that by the 1700�s Hawaiians had begun to amaze foreign sailors and explorers with their wave-riding skills. Surfing continued to develop in Hawaii and gained international importance in the 1900s when the famous Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku won the gold medal for swimming in the 1912 Olympic Games. Within the context of public relations, an exhibition tour was organized throughout the world, which enabled many countries to be exposed to surfing. As a result, surfing grew in popularity, and in 1964 during the first World Surfing Championships near Sydney, Australia, the ISF (International Surfing Federation) was created. This association gathered all the surfing nations together and began organizing world championships every other year. In November 1976, in Hawaii, the ISF gave way to the ISA (International Surfing Association).

The ISA is the world governing authority for surfing and bodyboarding. The ISA governs the sports and works for their development in its member nations and the establishment of the sports in new places. Every other year, the ISA holds the World Surfing Games (Former World Championships). It also organizes the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship and sanctions a large number of competitions worldwide.

Since 1982, the ISA has been recognized as the world�s governing body of surfing by the GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations). The ISA is also a full member of the IWGA (International World Games Association), ARISF (Association of IOC Recognized International Sport Federations) and GAISF.

In March of 1995 the IOC (International Olympic Committee) granted the ISA a two-year provisional recognition as the worldwide authority for surfing. In September of 1997, after being observed and approved by the IOC for two years, the ISA was granted full recognition by the Olympic Committee, thus welcoming the sports to the Olympic movement.