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The aim of this investigation was to examine regional skin temperatures in recreational female surfers’ wearing a 2 mm thick neoprene wetsuit while surfing and to compare these results to previously published data collected in males participating in an identical study. Female surfers (n = 27) engaged in surfing for at least 40 min while wearing a commercially available 2 mm full wetsuit. Skin temperature of eight different anatomical locations were measured with wireless iButton thermal sensors. Regional skin temperatures significantly differed (p < 0.001) across almost all anatomical regions. Furthermore, regional skin temperatures significantly decreased across time at all skin regions throughout an average surfing session (p < 0.001). The greatest reduction in skin temperature was observed in the lower leg (−5.4 °C). Females in the current study exhibited a significantly greater skin temperature decrease in the lower back (−15.2% vs. −10.8%, p = 0.022) and lower arm (−13.6% vs. −10.8%, p < 0.001) when compared to previous data published in males. Overall, results of the current study are consistent with data previously published on male recreational surfers. However, the current study provides preliminary evidence that the magnitude of change in skin temperature may differ between male and female recreational surfers at some anatomical locations.

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There are currently no published data describing the kinetics of the heart rate (HR) response during frontside and backside wave riding on a surfboard, or for wave riding bouts longer than 15 seconds. The purpose of this study was to characterize the HR response of surfers performing frontside and backside wave riding in an artificial wave pool that allowed surfers to ride waves for up to 60 seconds. It was hypothesized that HR response would differ between the two surfing orientations, because their levels of complexity are perceived to be different by surfers. Twenty male (n=17) and female (n=3) junior professional athletes (14.7 ± 1.2 years old) participated in this study. Following parental consent, participants completed a questionnaire and were instrumented with a HR monitor (Polar RCX5 Sports Watch), which recorded HR at 1-second intervals. Researchers initiated HR sampling prior to surfer participation in a one-hour surf session in an artificial wave pool (Kelly Slater Wave Co) and synchronized HR with video recordings of wave riding. Seven subjects that did not ride at least one frontside and backside wave were excluded from the analysis. The average duration of the wave ride was 33.2 ± 8.4 seconds. Average and peak HR while wave riding was 174.1 ± 12.6 and 184.9 ±13.0 bpm, respectively. There were no significant differences in HR response or wave riding duration between frontside and backside directions. These results provide insight into the cardiovascular requirements of wave riding in an artificial wave pool.