What Is The Loop?
The Loop is our ground-breaking multi-level surfing ability measure, meticulously designed to gauge and enhance your individual surfing proficiency. Comprising seven Loops, each distinguished by its unique colour and dedicated subsection, The Loop takes you on a journey through key aspects of surfing ability and expertise.
How does it work?
Each Loop is divided into 4 sections. Each section will require the surfer to understand and complete a particular skill or skills before they can complete the next section. Each section of the loop will increase in difficulty. Once all 4 sections of the Loop are completed then the surfer will move on to the next loop and so on and so forth until they complete all 7 Loops. In addition to the sections within each Loop there are additional skills that the surfer can attempt to do. Likewise, The Loop will indicate water depth and what type of wave they are expected to surf. Finally, there is a "stoke meter" to gauge how much fun the rider can expect to have as the difficulty increases.
Grey - Safety
To complete this Loop, this surfer has participated in a surf lesson with Stoke Surf School and has a base level of surfing ability.
They understand how to keep themselves safe whilst having fun in an ocean environment with qualified surf coaches.
Yellow - Prone
To complete this Loop, this surfer can lie on their surfboard in the prone position.
They can paddle the surfboard and are capable of catching their own waves independently whilst demonstrating basic board control.
Blue - Stand
To complete this Loop, this surfer can get to their feet using either one of the following methods: Knee Method / Step Through / Push Through / Pop Up.
This surfer can regularly stand and ride white water waves in control for a minimum of 3 seconds or longer without assistance.
Orange - Turns
To complete this Loop, this surfer can consistently get to their feet maintaining speed and control whilst being able to turn the surfboard on their: Forehand / Backhand / Forehand and Backhand (S-Turns) on the same wave.
At this level of surfing ability, this surfer will start to gain the confidence needed to paddle out back.
Red - outback
To complete this Loop, this surfer can paddle out past the whitewater waves (outback) in surf ranging from 2 to 3 feet. They must be able to do this twice in succession using either one of a combination of techniques such as: Push Up, Turtle Roll or Duck Dive.
This surfer understands surfing etiquette and can identify how waves form and break, being able to position themselves accordingly.
Green - Waves
To complete this Loop, this surfer can paddle outback and are capable of catching their own green waves.
They can demonstrate that they can drop in and surf green waves ranging from 2 to 3 feet on their forehand and backhand whilst maintaining speed and control.
Purple - Style
This surfer is confident in moderate to big surf. The can paddle out, drop in, and surf waves up to 4+ feet.
Applying speed and control this surfer can ride both forehand and backhand demonstrating top to bottom turns whilst linking up other surfing manoeuvres with flow and style along the wave.
Pretty soon this surfer will be joining the likes of the legendary Kelly Slater, the inspiring Bethany Hamilton or even local heroes Ben and Lukas Skinner as a champion of the waves!
How will a surfing ability measure benefit me?
The Loop sets out a very clear pathway for a surfer to progress their surfing. A surfer will be able to look at each loop, and pinpoint a section within that loop that they need assistance with, in order to progress their surfing. However, the benefits don’t stop there. The Loop is designed to guide the surf coach as much as the surfer. Simply put when you have a surf lesson with Stoked Surf School it allows the surf instructor to assist you with whatever section of the loop you may need help with. A win/win situation. We assist and you get results.
How much does it cost?
Nothing! A surfing ability assessment by a fully qualified Stoked Surf instructor is free. It is also not compulsory and if you wish to surf without being assessed then that’s totally up to you.
If you wish to buy a Loop wrist band at the end of your session, then there is a reasonable charge for this, but you are under no obligation. We have found in the past that surfers like to have something that acknowledges their level of progression, and The Loop wristbands serve this purpose.
