Surfing sports have always been quite prominent in Hawai’i. They were performed by everyone — chiefs, common people, both male, and female, across different generations.
They were practicing this sport as worship to their deity. Traditions about the goddess Hi’iakaikapoliopele, also known as Hiiaka, and her surfing skill back up this theory.
River surfing by Native Hawaiians is mentioned multiple times in the Epic Tale of Hi’iakaikapoliopele.
In 1905 and 1906, the Hawaiian-language newspaper Ka Na’i Aupuni printed this rendition of the story as a regular series. Hiiaka recalls males and …

Ben Nielsen feels that bigger surf waves are the fate of river surfing. That’s why he aspires to develop waves in as many locations as possible.
The truth is that so many towns and cities have issues when it comes to finding the right spot. Rivers usually tend to be too huge or too little. Rivers that are just right are hard to come by.
Although waves have been produced in some very large rivers, they are extremely expensive and more difficult to construct than waves in smaller rivers. As a result, he’s been particularly interested in exploring the possibilities of creating smaller, more consistent waves that are …

Wyoming’s Snake River, 1978
Mike “Fitz” FitzPatrick, Steve Hahn, and Steve Osman were the first who surfed the Lunch Counter wave on the Snake River in 1978. They were considered the founders of North American river surfing. The three men knew how to surf the Snake River’s numerous holes and waves because of their common experiences as whitewater river guides and kayakers. They were able to predict the Lunch Counter’s board-surfing capabilities thanks to different degrees of ocean expertise.
Utah’s Jordan River, 1983
On June 14, 1983, the Jordan River in Utah hosted the very …