Riding the waves

Riding big waves or small, or riding the wind and catching some air, people across the world have been busy surfing over the past few months - in competitions, as therapy, or just for serious fun. Here, you'll find a collection of images of people recently enjoying the surf in several ways. (23 photos total)

In this handout photo provided by Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) and Covered Images, Andy Irons of the United States of America competes in round two during the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, part of the ASP World Tour at Supertubes on July 11, 2008 in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. (Kelly Cestari/Covered Images/ASP via Getty Images)



Pat O'Connell cruises down a wave during the Stand-up Paddle Surf Challenge at the U.S. Open of Surfing on Sunday, July 27, 2008, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Sean DuFrene)


South Africa's Barry Futter rides a wave during the 2008 Big Wave Africa surfing event held at Dungeons Reef off Cape Town's Hout Bay, July 26, 2008. The event featured 24 international and local big wave surfers taking on the reef's 7 meter swells. South Africa's Twiggy Baker won the event, with Burle second. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)


Anthony Tashnick of the U.S. gets airborne during the 2008 Big Wave Africa surfing event held at Dungeons Reef off Cape Town's Hout Bay, July 26, 2008. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)

Anthony Tashnick of the U.S. on the way down during the 2008 Big Wave Africa surfing event held at Dungeons Reef off Cape Town's Hout Bay, July 26, 2008. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)


This handout photo taken on July 17, 2008 shows eight-time Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Champion Kelly Slater of the U.S. in a pre-final heat on his way to winning the 2008 Billabong Pro in Supertubes at Jeffreys Bay. Slater defeated current World Champion Mick Fanning to win the event. (KELLY CESTARI/AFP/Getty Images)


A military amputee catches a wave during Operation Amped, a surf camp for injured service men and women on August 2, 2008 at Camp Pendleton, California. Patients from Naval Medical Center San Diego (Balboa) with amputations, spinal injuries and traumatic brain injuries learn to address cognitive, physical, and psycho-social skills during the surfing instruction as part of their rehabilitation program. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)


This photo provided by Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) and Covered Images shows Tiago Pires of Ericeira, Portugal competing on his way to winning his heat in the opening round of the Rip Curl Pro Search July 30, 2008 in Indonesia. (Kirstin Scholtz/Covered Images/ASP via Getty Images)


British Kiteboard World Champion Aaron Hadlow gets air on his kiteboard off a Tarifa beach in southern Spain, on July 5, 2008, during the Kiteboard Word Championship 2008. (JOSE LUIS ROCA/AFP/Getty Images)


Russian Petr Tyuskevich gets air on his kiteboard at a beach in Tarifa, southern Spain, on July 5, 2008, during the Kiteboard World Championship 2008. (JOSE LUIS ROCA/AFP/Getty Images)


Anthony Tashnick of the U.S. rides a wave during the 2008 Big Wave Africa surfing event held at Dungeons Reef off Cape Town's Hout Bay, July 26, 2008. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)


In this handout photo provided by Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) and Covered Images, Nathaniel Curran of Oxnard, California competes to claim the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing Presented by O’Neill on July 28, 2008 in Huntington Beach, California. (Kenny Morris/Covered Images/ASP via Getty Images)


South Africa's Grant 'Twiggy' Baker rides a wave to win the 2008 Big Wave Africa surfing event held at Dungeons Reef off Cape Town's Hout Bay, July 26, 2008. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)

A seal pops up in front of South Africa's Grant 'Twiggy' Baker as he rides to win the 2008 Big Wave Africa surfing event held at Dungeons Reef off Cape Town's Hout Bay, July 26, 2008. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)


Workers clean up blue-green algae from the sea as windsurfers sail behind, at Qingdao, the host city for sailing events at the 2008 Olympic Games, in eastern China's Shandong province Tuesday June 24, 2008. The Qingdao government organized 400 boats and 3000 people to help remove the algae after Olympics organizers ordered a cleanup. Experts say the algae, which has clogged the coastline of the Olympic city, is a result of climate change and recent heavy rains in southern China, according to the Xinhua news agency. (AP Photo/EyePress)


Spain's Marcos Perez is airborne during the wave sailing event at the Gran Canaria World Windsurfing Championship at Pozo Izquierdo beach in the Canary Islands July 10, 2008. (REUTERS/Borja Suarez)


Greg Long of the U.S. rides a barrel during the 2008 Big Wave Africa surfing event held at Dungeons Reef off Cape Town's Hout Bay, July 26, 2008. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)


Malia Manuel of Hawaii wins the GO211 LIVE featuring the Women's Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill title over fellow finalist Coco Ho of Hawaii, 17, at the Huntington Beach Pier on July 26, 2008 in Huntington Beach, California. (Sean Rowland/Covered Images/ASP via Getty Images)


Surfer Jen Smith pictured, winning her heat at the Roxy Jam Biarritz in Biarritz, France, Sunday, July 13, 2008. (AP Photo/ASP Rowland Covered Images, Sean Rowland)


Adrian 'Ace' Buchan of Avoca Beach, Australia competes on his way to placing first in his round two heat at the Rip Curl Search July 31, 2008 in Indonesia. Buchan posted a total heat score of 17.90 (out of a possible 20) in 6-8ft (2 metre) surf defeating his fellow countryman Daniel Ross. (Kirstin Scholtz/Covered Images/ASP via Getty Images)


A boston terrier participates at the 3rd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort surf dog competition (the largest surfing competition for dogs) in Imperial Beach, south of San Diego, California, on June 28, 2008. (GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)


Luke Munro of Australia competes in round two during the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, part of the ASP World Tour at Supertubes on July 11, 2008 in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. Munro posted 9.33 to win his round and go through to the next round. (Kirstin Scholtz/Covered Images/ASP via Getty Images)


Hawaiian Mark Healey takes a fall during the 2008 Big Wave Africa surfing event held at Dungeons Reef off Cape Town's Hout Bay, July 26, 2008. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)




More links and information
Red Bull Big Wave Africa 2008 - A view from the hill - Youtube
Association of Surfing Professionals - official site
On Frigid Celtic Waves, Surfers Where You’d Least Expect Them - NYTimes.com 3/27



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