This week, Prague’s Štvanice Island was transformed into a mini-California beach as seven Czechs prepared to represent their country for the first time ever at the World Surfing Games. Jana Kašová, Anna Růtová, Paula Kutá, Jakub Michna, Robert Vysloužil, Petr Novotný and David Lenc will be travelling to El Salvador to compete in the planet’s premier surfing event.
The Czechs are all experienced surfers, having spent most of their time abroad chasing the waves. However, when they are in Czechia they still try to do as much as possible, such as practicing surfing in the river or going for a paddle in the still waters.
The origins of surfing in the landlocked country can be traced back to the early 2000s, when the sport was largely introduced by members of various “surfing camps” around the world. In 2020, the Czech Surfing Association was finally recognised by the International Surfing Association (ISA).
The team is accompanied by a young documentarist, Františka Bakošová from Prague’s FAMU film school, who will be capturing the group’s adventures on camera. Those looking to follow the exploits of the Czech surfers at the World Surfing Games can check out the ISA’s website for more details. Alternatively, those looking to eventually break into Czechia’s Olympic surfing team, or just have some fun on a free day would do well to check out Prague’s Vlna Štvanice.