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California Governor Recognizes Surfing As The Official State Sport

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California Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown said Monday he signed a bill recognizing surfing as an “iconic California sport.”

Surfing became an official state sport with a new law claiming that California is the focal point of the surfboard building industry, according to The Associated Press.

Democratic state Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, a surfer, claimed in a statement that surfing brings in approximately $6 billion in annual sales, playing an important role in tourism.

“I am stoked that surfing is now California’s official sport. No other sport represents the California Dream better than surfing — riding the waves of opportunity and living in harmony with nature,” said Muratsuchi, who also authored the bill.

California has many tourist attractions dedicated to surfing such as the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, the International Surfing Museum and the California Surfing Museum. The state also hosts the International Surf Festival. (RELATED: WATCH: Brazilian Surfer Rides 80-Foot Wave To Break Global Record)

Wetsuits that many people use for surfing were invented in California, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The law also recognized that surfing is originally from Polynesian people and was brought over from Hawaii to California.

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