The wearable technology — which was developed in concert with Apple — will debut during Sunday’s opening event of the 2023 Championship Tour, the Billabong Pro Pipeline in Oahu. Surfers will be handed either an Apple Watch Series 8 or an Apple Watch Ultra that has been uploaded with the World Surf League app, making it the first time an Apple Watch has been incorporated officially into a pro sport competition.
“A common note we’ve heard in the story of our sport is ‘I can’t hear what’s going on in the water,’’’ World Surf League CEO Erik Logan told SBJ Tech. “We think this is going to be a transformative moment in terms of our sport, specifically being able to communicate critical data to the surfers. Imagine what they had to do before they put radios, for example, in NASCAR. This is the equivalent.’’
The Apple Watch is now considered official surfing equipment by the World Surf League, and there is a new app for athletes during competitions. https://t.co/UJNaIoXLxT pic.twitter.com/tQzqaI9aei
— AppleInsider (@appleinsider) January 27, 2023