For the first time ever, the World Surf League is holding a contest in South Korea.
Not in the ocean, but in a wavepool, the Siheung Korea Open features both Qualifying Series (QS) 3,000 and Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS) 1,000 events.
And on opening day of competition, it snowed.
Per the WSL:
“Snowflakes began to fall midway through the morning, and soon a full-blown flurry turned Siheung Wave Park into a winter wonderland; the crisp turquoise lines of swell standing in stark contrast to the falling snow. For many competitors, especially those from Indonesia and the Philippines, it was their first time ever seeing snow, including Men’s QS 3000 Round of 48 standout Dhany Widianto (INA).”
Snow, obviously, isn’t typically forecasted in your everyday surf contest. But this contest is different than others. For one, it’s in a wavepool, and not one owned by the WSL, like Surf Ranch or the soon-to-be-opened Surf Abu Dhabi.
And two, it’s in South Korea – the first time a WSL contest has been held there.
Back to the WSL:
“It was a historic day for the South Korean surf community, with many local surfers competing in a WSL event in their nation for the first time. Dongcheon Yu (KOR) claimed the honor of being the very first when he surfed in the Men’s LQS. Seohyun Jun (KOR), Dohoon Yun (KOR) and Hajin Mok (KOR) progressed to the Round of 48 in the Men’s QS 3000, while Kim Viju (KOR), Nala Lee (KOR) and Im Sujeong (KOR) each had great showings in the Women’s QS 3000 Round of 32.”
Stay tuned for more surfers coming out of Korea.
***
Don’t miss another headline from SURFER! Subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on Instagram, and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of surfing. We’re always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging surf-related videos to feature on our channels.
Whether you’re a professional surfer or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on SURFER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality surf videos.