This Might Become California's Official Sport

Surfing, of course
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 22, 2018 2:00 PM CST
California May Soon Have an Official State Sport
A surfer tries to remain balanced on his board during an overcast day at Main Beach in Laguna Beach, Calif., on Tuesday, June 6, 2017.   (Nick Agro/The Orange County Register via AP)

California has an official state tree in the redwood. Now two lawmakers think that something else is so Californian in its nature that it deserves similar stature: surfing. Yes, State assembly members Al Muratsuchi and Ian Calderon have introduced Assembly Bill 1782 to make surfing the official state sport, reports the Fresno Bee. “Nothing represents the California Dream better than surfing—riding the waves and living in harmony with the beautiful beaches and ocean of our Golden State," writes Muratsuchi.

It may sound, well, Californian, but Quartz notes that surfing is actually a $6 billion industry, with participants from all walks of life. In fact, both assembly members who introduced the bill are avid surfers. Plus, California is home to world-class surfing destinations such as Mavericks. Not every state has an official sport, but California would join the ranks of Alaska (dog mushing), North Carolina (NASCAR), and Texas (rodeo) if the bill passes. (More surfing stories.)

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