In brief
Introduction
Les sports de glisse font rêver par leurs vagues titanesques, leurs jeunes champions, leurs records hors normes et leurs innovations techniques comme les combinaisons en néoprène écoresponsable. Mais au-delà des images spectaculaires, connaissez-vous vraiment les dernières performances et les véritables records ? Ce quiz actualisé est là pour tester vos connaissances, balayer quelques idées reçues et révéler les faits officiels.
Interactive Quiz
Quiz: Are You Unstoppable on Board Sports?
Want to learn more about the world of watersports or Wildsuits?
Sign up for our newsletter to receive our latest news
behind-the-scenes updates, exclusive offers, and projects directly by email.
The Questions
1. What is the biggest officially surfed wave to date?
a) 20 m
b) 24,4 m
c) 26,21 m
d) 30,9 m
✅ Answer: c) 26.21 meters, by Sebastian Steudtner in Nazaré (Portugal) in 2020. ℹ️ A wave estimated at 28.57 m was surfed in 2024, but it has not yet been officially ratified.
2. Where does modern surfing come from?
a) Hawaï
b) Californie
c) Australie
d) Tahiti
✅ Answer: a) Hawaï.
ℹ️ Duke Kahanamoku popularized the sport in the early 20th century.
3. What wetsuit thickness is ideal for 15°C water?
a) 2/2 mm
b) 3/2 mm
c) 4/3 mm
d) 5/4 mm
✅ Answer: c) 4/3 mm.
ℹ️ The perfect balance between warmth and flexibility.
4. Which sport uses an inflatable wing and a board with a foil?
Windsurfing
Kitesurfing
c) Wingfoiling
Wakeboarding
✅ Answer: c) Wingfoiling.
ℹ️ Born around 2018, this discipline is booming.
5.Who is considered the father of modern surfing?
a) Laird Hamilton
b) Kelly Slater
c) Duke Kahanamoku
d) Tom Curren
✅ Answer: c) Duke Kahanamoku.
ℹ️ He introduced surfing in California and Australia.
6. How many world titles has Kelly Slater won?
a) 7
b) 9
c) 11
d) 13
✅ Answer: c) 11.
ℹ️ Between 1992 and 2011, an unmatched record.
7. In Indonesia, what protection is best?
a) 2/2 mm shorty
b) UV-protection rashguard
c) 3/2 mm Fullsuit
No wetsuit
✅ Answer: b) UV-protection rashguard.
ℹ️ The water is warm but the sun is very strong.
8. Which sport is practiced with a short board and fins?
Surfing
b) Bodyboarding
Bodysurfing
Wakeboarding
✅ Answer: b) Bodyboarding.
ℹ️ More accessible than surfing, it has its own competitive scene.
9. Which innovation made wetsuits more eco-friendly?
a) Flatlock stitching
b) Front zip
c) c) Limestone neoprene
d) Zipless design
✅ Answer: c) Limestone neoprene.
ℹ️ An alternative to petroleum-based neoprene.
10. Which city is nicknamed the European surf capital?
a) Biarritz, France
b) Lisbonne
c) San Sebastián
d) Bundoran
✅ Answer: a) Biarritz.
ℹ️ Surfing arrived there in 1957.
11. Which discipline uses a sail attached to a board?
a) Windsurfing
Kitesurfing
Wingfoiling
Wakeboarding
✅ Answer: a) Windsurfing.
ℹ️ The ancestor of kitesurfing and wingfoiling.
12. Which spot is considered the Mecca of surfing in French Polynesia?
a) Pipeline
b) Teahupo’o
c) Uluwatu
d) J-Bay
✅ Answer: b) Teahupo’o.
ℹ️ Known as one of the most dangerous waves in the world.
13. Quelle combinaison porter pour une eau à 8-10°C ?
a) 3/2 mm
b) 4/3 mm
c) c) 5/4 mm with hood
2mm Shorty
✅ Answer: c) c) 5/4 mm with hood.
ℹ️ Cold water requires a hood, gloves, and booties.
14. Which rider popularized tow-in surfing?
a) Laird Hamilton
b) Kelly Slater
c) Duke Kahanamoku
d) Tom Curren
✅ Réponse : a) Laird Hamilton.
ℹ️ A technique allowing surfers to ride waves too big for paddle take-offs.
15. In what year was the first surfing wetsuit invented?
a) 1948
b) 1952
c) 1960
d) 1965
✅ Answer: b) 1952, by Jack O’Neill.
ℹ️ His invention revolutionized water sports.
16.Which wetsuit to choose for summer in Portugal (water 18–20°C)?
a) 3/2 mm fullsuit or shorty
b) 5/4 mm
c) 2/2 mm shorty
No wetsuit
✅ Answer: a) 3/2 mm.
ℹ️ Perfect for the Atlantic in summer.
17. Which country invented modern kitesurfing?
a) Brésil
b) États-Unis
c) France
d) Australie
✅ Answer: c) France, by the Legaignoux brothers.
18. What is the world speed record in kitesurfing?
a) 90 km/h
b) 107 km/h
c) 120 km/h
d) 135 km/h
✅ Answer: b) 107 km/h, by Antoine Albeau (France).
19.Who is the youngest WSL world champion surfer?
a) Carissa Moore
b) Caroline Marks
c) Malia Manuel
d) Caitlin Simmers
✅ Answer: d) Caitlin Simmers, 18 years old in 2024.
20. Which country has the most world-class surf spots?
a) France
b) Australia
United States
d) Portugal
✅ Answer: b) Australia.
ℹ️ More than 11,000 beaches recorded!
21. What is the 24-hour kitesurfing distance world record?
a) 552 km
b) 624 km
c) 748 km
d) 769 km
✅ Answer: c) 748 km. ℹ️ Frenchman Florentin Le Provost covered 748 km in 24 hours in Gruissan, France.
22. Which surfer was the first to land a backflip in competition?
a) Dane Reynolds
b) Mick Fanning
c) Rob Machado
d) Filipe Toledo
✅ Answer: d) Filipe Toledo.
Which surfer crossed the Atlantic on a stand-up paddleboard?
a) Laird Hamilton
b) Chris Bertish
c) Kai Lenny
d) Robby Naish
✅ Answer: b) Chris Bertish in 2017.
24. What is the women’s record for the biggest wave surfed?
a) 18 m
b) 22,4 m
c) 24,5 m
d) 26,2 m
✅ Answer: b) 22.4 m, by Maya Gabeira in Nazaré (2020).
25. What is the windsurfing world speed record?
a) 85,24 km/h
b) 90,69 km/h
c) 95,76 km/h
d) 96,34 km/h
✅ Answer: d) 96.34 km/h, by Antoine Albeau.
26. Which surfer holds the record for the most Pipe Masters victories?
a) Andy Irons
b) Gabriel Medina
c) Kelly Slater
d) John John Florence
✅ Answer: c) Kelly Slater, with 7 wins.
27. What is the main cause of ocean tides?
Wind
b) Earth’s rotation
c) The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun
d) Ocean currents
✅ ✅ Answer: c) The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun, which causes the regular rise and fall of sea levels.
28. What is the world’s longest artificial wave?
a) Wavegarden (Espagne)
b) Surf Snowdonia (Pays de Galles)
c) Alaïa Bay (Suisse)
d) Surf Ranch (USA)
✅ Answer: d) Surf Ranch in California, with an artificial wave over 700 m long.
29. Who is nicknamed “the man with two lives” after surviving a surf accident at Nazaré?
a) Kai Lenny
b) Garrett McNamara
c) Andrew Cotton
d) Hugo Vau
✅ Answer: c) Andrew Cotton, after a terrible wipe-out in 2017.
30. Which board sport was officially added to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games?
a) Surfing
b) Kitesurfing
c) Wakeboarding
d) Skimboarding
✅ Answer: a) Surfing (shortboard discipline).
Conclusion
This quiz shows how board sports are constantly evolving: records are broken, young talents emerge, and even so-called “established” facts can change.
If some answers surprised you, or if you’d like to dig deeper into a specific record, don’t hesitate to check reliable sources such as the WSL or Guinness World Records. And of course, a good wetsuit can help you enjoy the waves safely… Now it’s your turn to surf with style and precision!
