Blackball (surfing)
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Blackball is a term used to describe a flag on a lifeguard tower or other highly visible area to show surfers that they must clear the water. A blackball flag is represented with a black circle in the center of a yellow or red flag; a yellow background being the most common. The flag is designed to protect swimmers from potentially harmful surfboards that may be moving at velocities after a "wipe out" from a wave. Swimmers maintain that the policy a safety measure, while many surfers contend that Blackball is an attempt to cull the in-water population in certain zones, providing preferential treatment to swimmers over surfers.
Newport Beach, California has regular headlines regarding the use of blackball [1][2][3][4] and dedicates a section of their official government site to the issue.[5] US House Representative Dana Rohrabacher[6] and Southern California politician Michael B. Glenn[7] have both made campaign issues out of the Blackball implementation. Rohrabacher made note that Newport Beach was the only city who practiced Blackball and also did not have a dedicated area for surf use.
References
- ^ http://www.ocregister.com/articles/blackball-656889-day-newport.html.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/2013/10/24/34270/a-real-wedge-issue-is-it-time-for-newport-beach-s/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Surfers, bodysurfers battle over Newport Beach's iconic Wedge". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
- ^ "Newport Beach debates 'blackball' surf rules". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
- ^ "City of Newport Beach : Blackball". Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
- ^ "Endless Bummer : Ban's Retention Raises Wave of Criticism". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
- ^ "Commentary: Give Newport surfers a place of their own". Daily Pilot. Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
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