SANTOS, Brazil – Three hundred surfers over the age of 50 gathered at the weekend in Santos, Sao Paulo to attempt a world record for the most people riding the same wave.
Participants, many of whom took up surfing later in life, arrived early, eager to hit the water.
“I had a crazy desire to learn (to surf) and when I started, I couldn’t stop,” said Christiane Melin. “It’s an addiction, but an addiction that’s really good. It’s a really great sensation to ride the waves.”
The event, organised by a local surf school specialising in teaching older adults, emphasised community and well-being.
“This is a great example to show the world the importance that, after the pandemic and beyond politics, we can all be together on the same wave,” said organiser Cisco Arana.
Though the group fell short of breaking the record — 98 surfers managed to ride a wave together, shy of the 110 achieved in South Africa in 2009 — the event highlighted the transformative power of the sport.
“There were some people who were retired and were a bit idle, there were people with depression, there were people with problems, and then they started to get into surfing,” said Marco Horta, a retiree.
“While surfing in nature, people talked, made friends and started to be happy.”
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
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