http://mpora.com/videos/25VjjByYG

Jeff Simonson has taken on the role of ambassador for surfing’s most cutting edge: Freestyle Surfing. Documenting seven surfers that are leading the charge in skate-inspired aerial surfing and pushing surfing to new levels, The Division: Simple Math is not only an excellent film from a cinematic point-of-view, but also covers what is arguably the most influential progressive surfing happening outside of the World Championship Tour.

Bill “Beaker” Bryian, Gavin Sutherland, Zach Rhinehart, Jeremy Sommerville, Eric McHenry, Derek Bockleman and Sean Murphy aren’t names you’ll recognize from the cover of Surfer Magazine. But when you witness the technical aerial surfing that they’re mastering and the fluidity with which they mix traditional rail surfing with airs, you’ll be amazed that you haven’t seen more of them in the mainstream surfing press.

Jeff Simonson is an excellent film-maker and his affinity for documenting the progression of surfing amongst this core group has led to their banding together as The Division. The fact that they’re not on the cover of Surfer drives home the point that these guys are in it for the love of surfing and the stoke that comes from pushing the sport to new levels. Kelly Slater, Andy Irons or Timmy Curran may get the shot in the magazine, but the odds are they were inspired by the surfers on this film to try the trick in the first place.

Every grom out there should own this flick, if only to see what the standard is going to be in the next few years.