Carl is in town working on a Sustainable Surf Tourism project that is taking place right here at Turtle Bay Resort. Jodi has traveled for the past 20 years with the ASP World Surfing Tour to surf destinations around the planet that range from the jungles of Java to remote waves in Portugal, Brazil, Africa and the South China Sea. Both will provide insight into the fascinating life opportunities that surfing and surf travel present. And much of the surfing world knows Randy is one of the most traveled surfers over the last 4 decades...so this will be good.

During an epic day of amazing waves and tremendous surfing performances, the 2013 ISA World Masters Surfing Championship officially closed.

The waves were incredible throughout the Finals. The morning heats saw glassy surf in the 6-8 feet range at the perfect right hand point-break in Montañita, Ecuador. A gentle onshore breeze picked up mid-morning, but the waves remained consistent and pumping all day
Team Hawaii successfully defended their title of World Team Champions and winners of the Eduardo Arena Perpetual Team Trophy, named after the Peruvian founder and first President of the ISA in 1964.

The 2013 ISA World Masters Surfing Championship confirmed all finalists on Saturday. Day 7 of the competition featured all the Repechage Finals that determined the last two athletes who would make it into the Grand Final.

Day 7 also featured a Balsa Surfboard Demonstration and the ISA Aloha Cup, a tag-team relay competition featuring the top 8 finishing teams from last year’s ISA World Masters, each with squads made up of 4 men and 1 women.

“Today was an incredible day with amazing surfing action, including the semifinals of the ISA Aloha Cup. I also had the very special experience of the Balsa Surfboard Demonstration,” remarked ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “I feel very inspired and honored to have been able to share some waves with the local surfers, while riding their balsa surfboards, that have a long and deep rooted tradition and history in Ecuador.”

The first competitors confirmed for Sunday’s Finals were the Grand Kahunas.

The nominees in three of the most popular categories of the 2013 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards have been revealed. Ballots are about to go out to the surfing world's top athletes, photographers and journalists this week to determine the winners. 

In contention for the famed XXL Wipeout of the Year honors are five surfers at four notorious big wave breaks sprinkled around the world. Heading up the candidates for 2013 are the only two Australians to garner nominations this year: Brett Burcher of Ulladulla, New South Wales and Chris Shanahan of Denmark, Western Australia. Both suffered horrendous missteps at a viciously shallow break in West Oz known simply as "The Right" and both were captured by videographer Darren McCagh.

Santa Cruz standout Nat Young (USA), 22, has clearly been in striking form amidst the Australian leg of the ASP WCT. Following a strong showing at Snapper and a brilliant runner-up performance at Bells, the goofy-footer is currently the leader of his rookie class heading in to the third stop on the ASP WCT. SURFER Magazine recently sat down with Young to get his first impressions of the Dream Tour. This… is their story…

From air to injury, John John Florence kills it. His latest video is titled Free To Roam and highlights his first few sessions in Australia, before he broke his ankle.

You wanna feel good? Watch this then go surfing!

An aerial view of the contest site and the perfect waves in Montañita.
Photo: Raul GuerraThe Right-Hand Point Break of Montañita Showed Its True Potential

The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship kicked off with excellent waves in the 4-6 feet range in the perfect right hand point-break in the beautiful town of Montañita. Thousands of fans gathered to see the world’s best over-35 year old surfers put on spectacular performances in the surfing capital of Ecuador.

The Mayor of Kauai has declared April 2nd as the Jeff Hubbard Day.

The multiple time bodyboarding champion from the Hawaiian Islands and his family accepted the honor and the official statement from Bernard Carvalho Jr., the Mayor of Kauai.

"Peaking - A Big Wave Surfer's Perspective" is a new, six-part original series featuring six different athletes at six different waves and document the intense 72-hour window around major swell events.

The first episode features former Big Wave World Champion, Jamie Sterling, at the 2013 Mavericks Invitational.