Never mind the guns – when surf’s up in the war zone, it’s time to grab your board.

With tensions high between North and South Korea, the demilitarised zone between the two countries is one of the most volatile places on Earth.

“Surfers are always drawn to the exotic and challenging and most will travel huge distances to surf a wave in a strange place, war zone or not.”

But the threat of war doesn’t stop a tight surfing community from catching waves, even as soldiers stalk the beach and helicopters roar overhead.

The 38th parallel is the latitude along which North and South Korea were divided after the Korean War in 1953. Where the ancestors of Kiwi photographer Shannon Aston once fought, he now surfs – and documents.

Mr Aston used to surf the breaks off New Zealand’s peaceful east coast, near his home town of Christchurch, before moving to Korea to begin lecturing at a private university in Seoul.

read more @ stuff.co.nz

Jordy Smith just won his first X Games gold medal — and $50,000, — in the inaugural Real Surf presented by Oakley video competition. “I used to watch X Games as a kid and always wanted to be a part of it,” said Jordy, “so to actually be standing here, I’m tripping out. Super excited to have my first X Games medal.”

Corresponding with the global expansion of the franchise, surfing was added to the X Games Foz do Iguaçu this year via the all-video Real Series format, featured in tandem with each on-site action sports competition: eight 60-second video edits judged by a panel of industry experts (Taylor Steele, Kai Neville, Brad Gerlach and Chris Cote).

Beating seven other invited athletes — Kelly Slater, Chippa Wilson, Dion Agius, Josh Kerr, Gabriel Medina, Matt Meola and Albee Layer — Jordy’s footage featured just the right blend of power, speed, flow and technicality the judges were looking for.

read more at surfline

Hydroflex Surfboard Technology has recently teamed up with Fin-S, the unique tool-less fin system that utilizes their patented SpringLock Technology. Fin-S technology allows customers to no longer be bound to using tools and screws to manage and dial in their fin setups.

The Fin-S system will be available for any of the brands that Hydroflex works with including Lost, Roberts, Surf Prescriptions, Bufo and more. Order the Fin-S system for stock or custom boards for a quick fin change. “I have tried the Fin-S system and it works great.” Says CEO Rich Ciesco. “We are excited to expand the options of fin systems we have. Our retailers can request boards with Fin-S and we have updated our online custom order form to include this option immediately for custom orders.”

read more at surfline