What's It Like Surfing In One of The Coldest and Most Unexpected Places on Earth?

Finland may not be the first (nor thirtieth) country you think of when it comes to surfing but for the last decade the local surf scene has been flourishing. The dedicated Nordic surfers surf mediocre and mushy waves in snowstorms, hail, freezing rain, and slush.

All this is powered by Finnish sisu, translated as: stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness. After all, determination and grit are what you need when it comes to surfing near the Arctic Circle; that and an incredibly warm 6mm wetsuit.

Admittedly, none of us here at SURFER have ever surfed in Finland so we connected with Tanja Piha whose story embodies the very spirit thats needed to break the ice and ride the waves of one of the coldest and most unexpected surfing destinations in the world.

"I didn’t start surfing until I was 40, but it changed my life — and, in a way, it’s changing Finland too. Our community has grown from a handful of icy-water dreamers to a movement built on passion, equality, and grit. I was recently elected as only the world’s second-ever female chair of a national surfing association, and our board is majority women. In Finland, surfing isn’t about perfect waves — it’s about heart, resilience, and sisu."

For those of you who are geographically challenged, Finland is in Northern Europe, like way Northern Europe. It has zero miles of coastline exposed to the groundswells of the Atlantic Ocean so it's reasonable to think that they would have zero surf--but, if you don't know where a country is on the map, you clearly don't know whether or not it has surf. The frigid Baltic Sea serves up mushy windswell that the brave and determined Finnish frothers take on with gusto--and then quickly rush to the nearest sauna. Honestly, the sauna sounds like the best part of the experience.

Tanja says that, "a vibrant and determined surf community has been growing in the Arctics for about a decade now. In a country that’s famous for Santa Claus, Lapland and - according to surveys - is officially the happiest nation in the world." Makes me wonder if such surveys have ever been to Fiji, Costa Rica, or even Rio de Janeiro.

Tanja laughs when she hears this, because she’s proof that true happiness can be found even in the coldest waters. Let alone, not even in the ocean, but an almost a-lake-like Baltic Sea where the waves are formulated by storms that blow new windswells through the Danish Strait and across the Polish coast up until the Gulf of Botnia. Ask any Finnish surfer where they ride, and you’ll likely hear about Pori, a rugged coastal town on the Baltic Sea that’s become the beating heart of Finnish surf culture.

As we speak, Tanja Piha is the world’s second-ever female chair of a national surfing association (Suomen Lainelauttaliitto). She’s undoubtedly part of a quiet revolution happening far from the tropics. “Our surf community might be small,” she says, “but it’s strong, and it’s full of powerhouse women who keep on pushing the surf in the cold water.” 

In Finland, four out of six board members of the Finnish Surfing Association are women. Together they’re shaping a uniquely Nordic surf scene, a one that blends grit and community spirit. In the land of eternal twilight and endless summer light, the surfers are not just chasing waves but connection and belonging.

Because this is what you need in those harsh snowstorms and gusts of wind when sitting in the lineup with your 6mm full wetsuit and 7mm mittens. “We’re used to extreme weather, and maybe that’s why we’re the happiest people in the world,” Piha laughs. “But I think Finnish surfers are even happier.”

From the Baltic Sea to the Olympics

Being that the local surf is uncomfortable as it is from a tropical perspective, it’s actually not all ice and suffering, though. Finland is aiming high - actually all the way to Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. With two rising talents, Eeli Timperi and Lukas McMahon, the Finnish Surfing Association is preparing to make history. Both Eeli and Lukas live in North County, San Diego, so they're not putting in many hours in the Baltic Sea but they're not far from Lowers.

If they're to qualify, Finland will be a huge underdog against surfing powerhouses like Brazil, Australia, France, and the US, but their surfers will at least have a solid familiarity with the playing field.

A major part of that effort comes from newly appointed head coach Matt Myers from Santa Cruz, CA, an internationally experienced mentor who’s bringing global expertise to Finland’s young team. “Matt brings an incredible level of know-how,” says Piha. “He’s helping our athletes not just compete, but believe they can succeed on the world stage.”