Surfing
River surfing enthusiasts attempt to surf along on the wave, which can be 2 metres (7 ft) high. The river was first surfed by WWII veteran Jack Churchill, a Military Cross recipient renowned both for carrying a claymore, and for being the only Allied soldier to kill an enemy with a longbow during the war. He became a surfing enthusiast in his later life and rode the bore on a board he designed himself.
In March 2006, Steve King, a railway engineer from Gloucestershire, attempted to set a record for the longest-ever surf. However, the exact distance of the ride was never verified and the record was later rejected by both the British Surfing Association and Guinness World Records.
In September 2005, several hundred surfers gathered in Newnham on Severn to celebrate 50 years since the first recorded attempt at surfing the Severn bore and to view the première of Longwave by Donny Wright, a historical film documenting the evolution of the sport since its inception in 1955.
The Gloucester Harbour Trustees, as competent harbour authority for this part of the river, have issued safety guidance for surfers, canoeists, small craft and river bank users in relation to the bore.
Read more about this topic: Severn Bore