Wakesurfing rides wave of popularity in southern Chinese coastal city

The surfing-inspired offshoot of wakeboarding called "wakesurfing" is becoming a popular tourist activity for visitors in Sanya City on the southern Chinese resort island of Hainan.

In Sanya Bay, wakesurfers balance on small surfboards to ride the waves created by the boat's wake.

Different from wakeboarding, during which participants hold a rope that is attached to the boat, wakesurfers gain their balance with a rope, but then let go of it for a more freestyle experience where they can perform skateboarding style tricks like ollies, shuvs, and 720-degree spins.

"On the sea, I felt like I was flying and was extremely delighted when I stood on the surfboard," said a tourist from Shanghai.

Participants also say it is getting more and more affordable to enjoy this pastime. For instance, a party of six can rent a boat to surf waves for about 600 yuan per person (92 U.S. dollars).

The activity is also creating a buzz with sports enthusiasts who are posting photos of themselves on social media.

"When you're surfing, not only do you get exercise, but you can also share the experience with everyone by taking photos or videos," said the head of a wakesurfing club.

The sport is reaching a fever pitch with tourists from across the country flocking to the region. During the peak holiday seasons, boats need to be reserved at least two weeks in advance.

Besides training young adults, wakesurfing clubs are turning their eyesight to teenagers.

"We plan to expand programs for winter and summer camps to let more children and teenagers participate in this safe and interesting sport," said Xiao Hui, operator of a local wakesurfing club.