Pro surfer talks testing

Beginners, we have a secret for you. You don't need high-end gear or a fancy training plan to get better at skiing, running, or climbing. All you have to do is embrace the embarrassment and the pain—and don't forget to laugh. Trust us: It'll be good for your brain.

Unless you're a professional videographer and friends with athletes Julia Mancuso, Kelly Slater, and J.T. Holmes, it's unlikely that any video you shoot with GoPro's Hero 3 Black camera will come off as tight as the five-minute clip the company has put together. That's not the point though.

Riots, threats at U.S. Open of Surfing

With the energy from the fans comes more pressure, and Slater must fight to stay focused

It's Slater's first time returning to Japan since 1990

The region is known for its powerful surf, sweeping wineries, and stunning vistas

Slater reconnects with an old friend and colleague who is planning their own retirement

While preparing for the championship tour, Slater finds the time to meet with young surfers and inspire their surf dreams

This proves easier said than done when he’s hit with a back injury and faces tough competition in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa