Cory Lopez

Cory Lopez

Cold Water Soul — Exploring the mind of the Florida surfer as part of our new Cold Water Classic photographic brief.

Surfing, like life, can get bogged down in numbers – figures and facts that decide who wins and who loses. For those who brave the O’Neill Cold Water Classic, stats on a scoreboard don’t really mean shit when you’re duck diving into icy extremes.

At the point when flesh hits sub-zero conditions, it’s not about the heats you win, the points you score or the trophies and pay-cheques you may or may not carry home. It’s about the moments that fall in between.

We sent Bryan Derballa out to document surfer Cory Lopez while out competing at the Cold Water Classic in Tasmania. This is what he came back with.