The gloves are off in the war over surfing in the US between USA Ski and USA Surfing. The SURFER Magazine called it “A scandal of Olympic Proportion”.
US Ski Needs To Keep Their Kooky Hands Off USA Surfing!
It is pretty clear that the representatives of the surfsport are not having it with the skiers. Neither the ISA nor Pro Surfer are on board with such a national take over.
What is happening?
A growing controversy is sending shockwaves through the U.S. surf community as US Ski & Snowboard attempts to become the official National Governing Body (NGB) for surfing in the United States, a move that critics are calling a “money grab” that threatens the sport’s integrity and future.
In an in-depth editorial published on Surfer Magazine and originally penned by journalist Chris Dodds, US Ski’s intentions are described as a blatant attempt to “deprive USA Surfing of its top assets” while providing “nothing back to the program.” According to the report, the ski federation is pushing to control Olympic surf representation, despite having no foundational connection to the surf community, and with no clear plan in place for athlete development or sport stewardship.
“It is of the utmost importance for surfers to be represented by an organization that knows us and our sport,” said Caroline Marks and Carissa Moore in a joint statement supporting USA Surfing’s NGB application. “We also believe it is imperative to preserve the close connection and mentorship between developing talents and the pros on tour who will compete at the next Olympic Games.”
Despite US Ski’s claim that surfers are on board, no athletes have come forward in support. In contrast, the surf world has united behind USA Surfing, with endorsements from Olympic surfers, the World Surf League, ISA, U.S. Boardriders, and more. In just two Olympic cycles, USA Surfing has already delivered two gold medals, thanks to Moore in Tokyo and Marks in Tahiti.
Meanwhile, the report highlights a concerning track record at US Ski, noting that youth development teams under their purview are poorly supported, with some athletes forced to pay up to $100,000 annually if they don’t make the elite “A” team. Critics say this proves US Ski lacks the capacity—or interest—in supporting grassroots athletes in non-core disciplines like surfing or skateboarding.
Also at stake is the cultural DNA of the sport. As Dodds puts it, “Skiing has always been a privileged sport and has never gone through the shared underground status that was core to the formative identity of surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding.” The backlash intensified after US Ski released a promotional graphic that featured a backwards surfer, a move mocked online as a symbol of their disconnect from the culture they hope to govern.
“Tell me you’re a kook, without telling me you’re a kook,” Dodds wrote, summing up the sentiment in the community.
The situation stems from USA Surfing’s temporary decertification after financial audit issues—a move intended to be a short-term measure while rebuilding governance. However, US Ski has seized the opportunity to lobby the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) for control, also pursuing the same path for USA Skateboarding.
Both ISA Executive Director Robert Fasulo and World Skate’s Doris Gentile have pushed back firmly, demanding the USOPC delay the process until a “sole-sport NGB” can be recognized. “We will not recognize someone who does not have our sport’s best interests at heart,” Fasulo said, emphasizing that representation must come from within.
“That organization is USA Surfing,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre, calling for independent, surf-led governance.
As this battle for governance continues, the surf community warns against repeating the mistakes of the past: allowing those with no ties to the sport to make decisions from the top down. The surf world has spoken clearly—it wants authentic leadership, not bureaucratic oversight from the ski lodge.
What the SUP do we do?
We can draw many parallels between this current drama in surfing and the long-standing conflict in our own sport of SUP. Stand Up Paddling has its roots in surf culture and a deep heritage as an ocean sport. For years, the ISA and the ICF have battled for control over SUP, even taking their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Just like in the current surfing controversy, we witnessed a wealthier organization attempting to take over a sport that was already culturally established and governed. Although the CAS ruling favored the ISA, the ICF has continued to invest in SUP by sanctioning events and organizing World Championships. What outside organizations often fail to grasp is that surfing—and by extension, board sports—is more than just sport. It’s a lifestyle and a culture. That’s why so many in the board sports communities resist being governed by outsiders who don’t understand this deeper identity.
Again, we see a similar pattern with the ICF. The longer they are involved in SUP, the more evident it becomes that they view SUP merely as another canoe discipline. Initially, some hoped that the ICF was seeking to incorporate elements of the Aloha spirit and surf culture into their federation. However, that optimism has faded. Much like US Ski’s infamous “backwards surfer” diagram, the ICF continues to operate under the misguided belief that SUP is done in boats.
A recreational paddler with an iSUP and a “What Ever Paddle” is heading out to sea. This is how the ICF is advertising their next SUP RACE World Championships. This looks more like an advertising for a leisure resort or a SUP Tour business.
A visual example of people being in charge that do not have a sense for the SUP Race sport, neither would they bother to consult with people who actually do.
Both cases reveal a fundamental lack of understanding of the cultures these organizations are trying to govern.
The difference with SUP, however, is that the sport is so underfunded that many were willing to overlook these cultural missteps—if the governing body could offer meaningful financial support to athletes and build lasting infrastructure. Unfortunately, neither organization has fulfilled this promise.
The ISA has never contributed financially to SUP athletes and remains unreliable in its event planning (it’s already May, and we still have no confirmation of an ISA World Championship for 2025). In contrast, the ICF entered the scene with great fanfare and price money. Their early World Championships were professionally run, and athletes were treated like stars. But over time, even that enthusiasm has faded, and we’re now forced to confront the reality that the ICF’s motivation to invest in SUP is limited as well.
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