Apple today shared a video showing off the Apple Watch in use at the World Surf League Championship Tour, with surfers describing how they use the watch when competing.
Surfers can be hundreds of meters away from the beach during competitions and can't hear announcements over the sound of the water and the wind. The World Surf League has adopted the Apple Watch to solve the problem, linking the device to the scoring system. Surfers can get up-to-date information right on the watch.
"I know what it was like competing without this piece of technology," said professional surfer Lakey Peterson. "There's nothing more frustrating than being in a competitive heat without this piece of technology."
The Apple Watch makes sure surfers know how much time is left in a heat, who has priority, and what the score is. The watch is updated in real time, with surfer Isabella Nichols calling the information "crucial" to the outcome in a competition. Mateus Herdy said the watch vibrates when priority changes, so competitors don't even have to look at the screen.
"The Apple Watch has become part of our equipment," said Nichols. "It's like a surfboard or rashie."
The World Surf League hasn't lost an Apple Watch despite the intense conditions surfers put the device through. Surfers have worn the watch at dangerous surfing spots like Pipeline in Hawaii and Teahupo'o in Tahiti, and it has come out unscathed.
The video appears to be part of a new "Apple at Play" series. Apple previously had a partnership with the World Surf League, and the 2021 and 2022 championship tours were shown on Apple TV in the "Make or Break" docuseries.