8 Riding the waves

1 Have you ever done any water sports, like surfing or water 2 Read the article. Why do people go
skiing? If so, what was it like? If not, what kind of water typhoon surfing in Taiwan? Find at
sport would you most like to try? Why? least three reasons.

the surfers into trouble with the

Typhoon surfers: authorities. But despite the extreme

weather conditions, these dedicated
surfers say conditions are safe enough
risking life and limb if you know what you’re doing.
5 So what is it that
makes people
pursue this sport
with such passion?
‘The thing they
don’t understand is
that we are living
on an island, so Ross Clarke-Jones,
of course people big-wave surfer
will go in the ocean,’ Hsia said. This
may be true, but some of the most

E
1 very year between June and
October, four or five typhoons hit
the coast of Taiwan with strong winds
extra reading:
hotel for surfers. The best waves –
experienced typhoon surfers will
from a surfer’s point of view – occur
travel far and wide in order to find
just before or after a storm hits.
giant waves. Over 15 years ago,

and heavy rain. Around Taiwan, 3 The sport, which was once dominated Australian surfer, Ross Clarke-Jones,
Photocopiable

typhoons usually kill between 10 and
20 people annually, with as few as
three deaths in 2006 and as many as
643 in 2009. But for a growing group
of surfers, the typhoons generate the
perfect conditions for their sport –
typhoon surfing.
2 Typhoons can generate big waves,
known as swells, of three to four
metres along the coast of Taiwan,
but waves of up to 32.5 metres were
recorded during Typhoon Kosa in
2007. ‘Typhoon swells are probably
the best surfable waves in Taiwan,’
said Chris Hsia, 30, who runs a small
by Westerners living in Taiwan, has
taken off locally in the last few years.
Some Taiwanese teenagers surf to
rebel against the older generation
who disapprove of the sport. Others
do it to challenge themselves and to
beat records. About 200 people go
surfing during each typhoon.
4 The Taiwanese authorities are keen
to discourage the growing interest in
this extreme sport and have declared
typhoon surfing illegal. Dramatic
films of the surfers shown by local
television networks emphasise the
dangers of the sport and often get
set himself the challenge of riding
all the biggest waves on the planet.
That ambition has taken him all over
the world in search of typhoons.
At 45, Clarke-Jones shows no signs
of slowing down, despite suffering
several near-drownings and a number
of broken bones. But the risks appear
to be worth it in order to be part of
the surfing community. ‘The best
thing out of nearly 30 years of surfing
is the great people I’ve met and the
places I’ve been to along the way. It’s
just incredible ... it’s priceless what
surfing has given me.’

3 Read the article again. Match topics a–g to paragraphs 1–5.

a one typhoon surfer’s ambition e action taken by those against the sport
b the dangers of typhoons f the number of typhoon surfers in Taiwan
c the best moment to surf during a typhoon g the surfers’ point of view about the risks involved
d what the sport has offered one surfer

4 What other dangerous sports do people do around the world?

Would you like to try any of them? Why?/Why not?
declared typhoon surfing illegal) f3 (about 200) g4 (it’s safe enough if you know what you’re doing)
kill between 10 and 20 people annually) c2 (just before or after a storm hits) d5 (great people and places) e4 (the authorities have
to beat records; because they live on an island; because they enjoy it   3   a5 (to ride the biggest waves on the planet) b1 (typhoons
2   Because typhoons produce the best surfable waves in the country; to rebel against the older generation; to challenge themselves;

224 face2face Second edition Intermediate Photocopiable © Cambridge University Press 2013 Instructions p215