Identifying high-performing and promising athletes is an important task of national surf associations. However, the scientific foundation of performance indicators in surfing has only developed in recent years. This review aimed to (1) find out which performance characteristics discriminate between surfers of different skill levels, and (2) point out gaps in the existing literature and direct future studies by applying the Groningen Sport Talent Model (GSTM) to categorize findings. A systematic review of PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE and PsycInfo databases was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. A total of thirty-one studies were included. Studies were found on anthropometric, physiological, technical, and tactical, but not on psychological characteristics of surfing performance. In total only six studies included female surfers. Findings suggest that a few performance indicators exist in relation to associations between physical capacities and surfing skill. For one, relative arm span seems to be beneficial to surfing performance and discriminates between differently skilled surfers. Additionally, 15 m and 400 m in-water paddle performance, as well as relative upper and lower-body strength also tend to be better in superior surfers. Technical skills, such as the ability to perform aerials and tube rides with a high completion rate, translate directly into an enhanced scoring potential and therefore success in surfing competitions. While a variety of characteristics for high-performance surfing are already indicated, future research needs to focus on developing reliable methods with higher ecological validity to assess these skills. Apart from the in-water paddle tests, most indicators lack a broadly accepted testing method. Especially, the field of psychological skills in surfing should be addressed more in the future.

确定表现出色和有前途的运动员是国家冲浪协会的一项重要任务。然而，冲浪性能指标的科学基础只是近年来才发展起来的。本综述旨在 (1) 找出哪些表现特征区分不同技能水平的冲浪者，以及 (2) 通过应用格罗宁根体育人才模型 (GSTM) 对发现进行分类，指出现有文献中的差距并指导未来的研究。根据 PRISMA 指南对 PubMed、Web of Science、MEDLINE 和 PsycInfo 数据库进行了系统评价。共纳入 31 项研究。研究发现了人体测量学、生理学、技术和战术，但没有研究冲浪表现的心理特征。总共只有六项研究包括女性冲浪者。调查结果表明，存在一些与身体能力和冲浪技能之间的关联相关的绩效指标。一方面，相对臂展似乎有利于冲浪性能并区分不同技能的冲浪者。此外，优秀冲浪者的 15 m 和 400 m 水中桨性能以及相对的上肢和下肢力量也往往更好。技术技能，例如以高完成率执行空中飞行和管道骑行的能力，直接转化为增强的得分潜力，从而在冲浪比赛中取得成功。虽然高性能冲浪的各种特征已经被指出，但未来的研究需要专注于开发具有更高生态有效性的可靠方法来评估这些技能。除了水下划桨测试，大多数指标缺乏广泛接受的测试方法。尤其是冲浪中的心理技能领域，未来应该得到更多的关注。