With five more events to go in this years WSL tour, the race for the world title is heating up. The Top 5 are all within a few hundred points of each other. At the top of the rankings, @mattwilko8 is hoping to carry his lead all the way through to Hawaii. We caught up with Wilko on his way back from J-Bay for the latest "In The Hot Seat". Click the link in bio for the full article. Photo: @tallteef. #SURFERphotos

"When you have power and influence, you should use it in a positive way. You should use it to make a difference — to speak up. One person can start a big change if they use their powers properly. Our surf world needs those people right now." - @rizaltandjung • From our latest "Wisdom" feature from our recent Big Issue, Balinese legend Rizal Tanjung shares his guidance to us all. For his full feature head to our site. Photo: @childsphotos. #SURFERphotos

Tip toes on the nose, @franksterseely perched perfectly in Malibu. Photo: @andreacolemanphoto. #SURFERphotos

In the third installment of SURFER Staff Photographer @chachfiles' maiden voyage down under, we follow him to Tasmania for his first look at Shipsterns Bluff. Chachi breaks down the hike, weather and everything in between for a first timers visit to Tasmania's infamous slab. Click the link in bio for the full guide and gallery. #SURFERphotos

Turquoise Balinese perfection. @alexsmith_ about to pull in. Photo: @chachfiles. #SURFERphotos

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? An ideal lineup in Indonesia. Photo: @ryzphoto. #SURFERphotos

A Tasmanian civil engineer is proposing the creation of an artificial reef that could potentially produce 100-meter long rides off the shore of Park Beach. There has been some pushback from the community and local big-wave charger @tyler_hx (pictured here), about the environmental impact of such a reef. The project is still years away but proposals have already begun. Full story in link in bio. Photo: @andychiza. #SURFERphotos

Colter Deupree of @coltsurfboards has a unique approach to designing his boards. Inspired by snowboarding the mountains of Oregon, Colter designs his boards to mimic the sensation of riding down a mountainside full of powder, utilizing attributes from snowboard design to make it work in the ocean. For Colter's full Design Forum, head to our site. Photo: Trautman. #SURFERphotos

Photo of the Day: @bisonbonesjones at The Wedge yesterday. Shot by @zanmilan. #SURFERphotos

Surfing's first appearance in the Olympics is getting closer by the day. According to an article in the Moscow times, Russia has begun their own preliminary contests to determine who will represent Russia in the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Click our link in bio for more info. Photo: @chrisburkard. #SURFERphotos