World Surfing

From England to Hawaii, Surfing images from around the world.

Surfing is one of the oldest practiced sports on the planet. The art of wave riding, is a blend of total athleticism and the comprehension of the beauty and power of nature. Surfing is also one of the few sports that creates its own culture and lifestyle.

The act of riding waves with a wooden board originated in Western Polynesia over three thousand years ago. The first surfers were fishermen who discovered riding waves as an efficient method of getting to shore with their catch . Eventually catching waves developed from being part of everyday work to being a pastime. This change revolutionized surfing.

Pro surfers are constantly pushing all limits to modernize the sport. Surfers like Kelly Slater, Taj Burrow and Laird Hamilton are a few of the many who push themselves to ride the biggest waves, jump the biggest airs and take the biggest risks.

Magazines, documentaries, accessories and advertisements all contribute to the mainstream popularity that surfing has today. But for most soul surfers and those who can appreciate the stoke, or natural high, of riding a wave and being part of the ocean, the passion remains.