Surfing superstar Kelly Slater has taken to Twitter — and may travel to wintry Chicago — in defense of Rex Flodstrom, the guy arrested Tuesday for catching freezing, fresh-water waves in a no-surf zone.

Flodstrom, a 40-year-old artist, poet and online tea company employee, was charged with disorderly conduct and being at a closed beach when police spotted him surfing 4-foot swells at Oak Street Beach. He was handcuffed in his cold-weather wet suit and hauled to a police lockup, where he was held for four hours.

Chicago ended its surfing prohibition in 2009 when the park district caved to pressure from surfing advocate groups including the Surfrider Foundation. But surfing remains heavily regulated. Catching waves is limited to only certain beaches — Oak Street is not one of them.

Flodstrom plans to fight the charges in court on Feb. 16.

“Surfing is not a crime,” the 11-time surfing world champion tweeted Wednesday. “Say what?! Maybe a few of us should attend court with him.”

On Thursday, Slater told the Sun-Times he’s perplexed by Chicago’s rather harsh surfing regulations.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s just a body of water. What’s with the regulations?” said Slater, the 2011 Association of Surfing Professionals champ. “ It makes no sense. … It sounds like a police state.”

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The largest event since 2005, Surf Expo in Orlando, Florida, attracts thousands of retailers, exhibitors and media from all over the world to view the upcoming collections and new releases of board sport and action sport innovations.

Retailers are returning to business and brands are filling orders following Surf Expo’s largest event since 2005. More than 14,000 retailers, exhibitors and media from around the globe traveled to Orlando, FL for Surf Expo, the global boardsports and beach lifestyle trade show. The event took place January 12-14 and offered buyers a chance to preview summer and fall 2012 lines and write orders with more than 2,500 brands. All 240,000 square feet of Surf Expo’s floor space was accounted for during the sold-out show, as brands continued to search for more room right up to the last minute.

“Our show was bursting at the seams with exhibitors and buyers – all in a positive mood and doing business on the floor,” says Roy Turner, Show Director for Surf Expo. “From the minute we opened the doors until the show closing, there was an energy that I haven’t seen in years. The positive vibe at Surf Expo shows an industry headed in the right direction as it continues to rebound after the recession.”

Orlando continues to prove itself convenient to buyers from across the U.S., the Caribbean, Canada, Latin America and Europe. A small sampling of the 7,000 storefronts in attendance includes Amazon.com, Target, Archies (Canada), Red Sail (Caribbean), Moosejaw, Glick’s, Palace Entertainment (water and amusement parks), Bells, Hanger 94, Emerald City, 17th Street, Jack’s and the Frog House.

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