Welcome to Covenant Health Covenant Health is the region’s top-performing healthcare network with nine acute-care, outpatient and specialty, and, our area’s fastest-growing physician practice division. Headquartered in Knoxville, Covenant Health is a community-owned, not-for-profit healthcare system and the area’s largest employer. Our more than 10,000 employees, volunteers, and 1,500 affiliated physicians are dedicated to improving the quality of life for the more than one million patients and families we serve every year. Covenant Health is the only healthcare system in East Tennessee to be named three years in a row by Forbes as One of America’s Best Employers. Covenant Health complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. To learn more.
CLEARWATER Inside the Surf Style megastore on Clearwater Beach, a handful of youths in swimwear brave a thin layer of 80-degree water surging toward them at 25 to 30 mph. Some ride body boards on their bellies; others stand on 'flowboards.' They wriggle. Meanwhile, parents hover outside the giant glass tank, cellphone cameras in hand, documenting this novel fun called flowriding. No question, this simulated surfing activity in which a powerful stream of water rushes up a sloped, cushioned platform to emulate a giant wave, is a gnarly delight for both participants and spectators alike.
Live streaming video can be seen at surfstyle.com. 'Flowriding is different from surfing (in the ocean) because the water is coming toward you, not from behind you,' explained Surf Style spokesperson Erin Domash. And, she said, wipeouts don't normally hurt. 'The FlowRider has a trampoline surface so if you fall down, you bounce back up,' she said.
These indoor surfing machines eliminate the threats of sharks, lightning and powerful undertows, but the slippery activity is not without risks. Serious injuries have been reported in the industry and participants are required to sign waivers. There are no age limits, but riders need to be 42 inches or taller. Instructors dole out tips and hold ropes for novices until they get their balance. 'It's not scary, just a lot of fun,' proclaimed Connor Woodward, 7, of Chapel Hill, N.C. 'Yeah, it's great. It's the whole enchilada — surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding,' said his brother Dylan, 12.
FlowRider enthusiasts should come prepared with bathing suits and towels. It is suggested that girls and women wear one-piece bathing suits, or, water shirts to cover bikini tops, thereby avoiding embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions. Domash said the FlowRider, which opened at their store on Labor Day 2011, appeals to all ages, including some regulars in their 60s and 70s who come for the enjoyable and unusual workout.
Erin S Isle Restaurant
Tank manager Joe Rodowsky said he has seen some of the more experienced riders perform skater tricks like 'kickflips' and 'shove-its' (where the board is rotated in midair). Some even do headstands on the board.
A national competition featuring some of the world's best riders, Flow Tour, is coming to the Clearwater Beach Surf Style store Aug. 'People can come see some really crazy stuff,' he said, noting that the competition will start at 10 a.m. And likely last until about 6 p.m. At 50,000 square feet, this Surf Style is the largest of 40 scattered throughout the Southeast.
Besides hosting 'the only indoor surfing experience for 150 miles,' the two-story retailer overlooking the Gulf of Mexico offers beachwear items, a convenience shop featuring fudge and saltwater taffy, a skate shop, henna tattoos, lifeguard products, Guy Harvey merchandise, a tourist information center, and a selection of surfing, skimming, boogie and standup paddleboards. 'Everything you could possibly need for the beach,' Domash said. Terri Bryce Reeves can be reached at.