Norway just became the newest country to join the ISA. Photo: Vimeo/Max Larsson
Nestled in the most northerly tip of Europe, Norway isn’t the most surf friendly nation in the world. But where there’s ocean, people will surf. With frigid waters and snowy beaches, a mere handful of Norwegian surfers don super thick wetsuits and brave the waters of the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea. And despite being a highly unlikely surfing destination, Norway has just become the latest inductee into the International Surfing Association.
The ISA announced the news on Monday – just in time for Norway to send a surfer to the inaugural Adaptive Surfing Championship in La Jolla, Ca this week. They will also be competing in the 2015 ISA World Junior Championships in October. As ambassadors for a global community of surfing, the ISA has welcomed many members from far-flung locations, some far more unlikely than even Norway. From Afghanistan to Algeria, Slovakia to Somalia – the ISA doesn’t discriminate. In the ISA’s mind, a global community of surfers is a necessary push in achieving their goal of making surfing an Olympic sport.
Norway may not fit the traditional mold of surf perfection – white sand beaches, palm trees and blue water. But the natural beauty of the country is undeniable. The waves are battered by howling off-shore winds as they break below towering, snow-capped mountains. It’s like surfing in a Nat Geo film. And the waves aren’t half bad. Don’t believe me? Check this out.
COLD SEDUCTION from Max Larsson on Vimeo.
