by Board Retailers Association | Jan 21, 2022 | Competitions, Industry, News, Surf
If it ain’t broke. Photos: WSL Well, it went so swimmingly, why not do it again? Following a World Surf League finals event in September that saw a fantastic mix of swell and conditions, the League announced today that its championship tournament will return to Southern California’s Lower Trestles. “The inaugural edition of the Rip Curl WSL Finals was an incredible success,” said Erik Logan, WSL CEO, in a release. “To see the WSL Final five go head-to-head in amazing waves and to witness the women’s and men’s World Titles be decided on the same day, in the water, for the first time was special. This new format captivated our audience and drove consumption like never before and was the most-watched day of professional surfing with the largest live digital audience in WSL history. We are excited to return to Lowers this season.” The high performance wave at Lowers, the closest thing in the ocean to a wave pool, will once again host the best five surfers from the men’s and women’s season. That season, says the WSL, will start with 32 men and 18 women before a mid-season cut will cull the field to 24 and 12, respectively. In 2022, the WSL hopes to run its full 10-event schedule without any interruptions like last year, when the pandemic completely rerouted the Hawaii and Australian legs. The men and women will compete together at every event this season. That doesn’t mean things will remain the same throughout the year, especially with the constantly changing world we’re living in. “Given the complexities of global travel during this pandemic and the fluid nature of the...
by Board Retailers Association | Jan 11, 2022 | Manufacturing, Retail History, Surf, Trade Shows
If your surfboard doesn’t dent up a little bit, it’s not a good thing. Photo: Rusty Surfboards/Instagram Editor’s Note: This feature was made possible by our friends at Rusty Surfboards. Like a fine pair of shoes, new boards need to dent up a bit. They need to get broken in. If a board doesn’t, chances are it doesn’t flex. And that would not be good. In the early 1970s, companies offered up composite boards. Aqua Jet, Hansen, W.A.V.E. and more. They leaked and had other issues. Founded in Santa Cruz in the mid-nineties by shaper Randy French, Surftech made a very strong, light board. Composite construction. At first it was long boards. Then in the early 2000s, they started getting a few shortboards from various shapers. Several major builders jumped in around 2003. I felt it was a viable construction. Excellent for beginners and weekend warriors. I did have some issues with the boards because they were made overseas in Thailand, but I signed up. Several of our best sellers. Early 2005. The lead time was approximately nine months. Blank Monday. December 5, 2005. Clark Foam shut its doors. No warning; just a fax coming through at about 11 a.m. Less than a month later we were at the Orlando Surf Expo. Arguably the biggest. We agreed to let Surftech show our models in its booth. Conspiracy theories ran amuck. It was just timing and good luck? Polyurethane foam was next to impossible to get. I had built EPS boards in the mid eighties, primarily for a wave pool contest put on by the then-ASP. It was in 1985 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It was...
by Board Retailers Association | Jan 7, 2022 | Awards, Community, Industry, Surf, Trade Shows
Photo: Mez/ESM The East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame inducted its esteemed class of 2021 yesterday in a ceremony at Surf Expo in Florida. A star-studded class featuring world champs, matriarchs, shapers and media moguls. Congratulations to all those who’s names are now etched in history. East Coast Surfing Hall Of Fame class of 2021: Jeannie Chesser, Bill Hixon, CJ Hobood, Chris Lundy, Danny Melhado, Kristy Murphy, John Parton, Eric Penny, Kathy Philips (Cecil Lear President’s Award), Matt Walker (Media), Spyder Wright (Legends). Learn more Coast Surfing Hall of Fame by clicking this link: https://eastcoastsurfinghalloffame.org We, at Board Retailers Association, love the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC). We absolutely appreciate the entire staff for everything that they do to preserve the remarkable culture and history of Surfing and to promote surf shops. BRA would like to sincerely thank Glenn (former SHACC Executive Director) and the epic staff at Surfing Heritage and Culture Center for hosting the BRA Retailer Roundtable Event in November 2019 as well as each of the Supporting Event Partners including Solite Boots, Exchange Collective, Locally, Action Watch and Sambazon. Board specialty retailers from throughout Southern California and beyond as well as board sport related manufacturers and trade organizations participated in this open forum solutions-oriented discussion about the issues and opportunities facing our industry today and in the future. – Doug Works, BRA Executive Director If you are a board specialty retailer interested in either Regular or Distinguished BRA Retail Membership, please complete this super simple join...
by Board Retailers Association | Dec 16, 2021 | Retail Strategy, Surf, Women's Market
Interested in staying warm? Look no further. Kelin Victoria Editor’s Note: Welcome to The Inertia. Find out more about us and explore some of our archives here. Wetsuits are both the biggest blessing and curse of surfing. They keep us warm and allow us to surf year round, but they’re pricey and can be a pain to put on and surf in. Luckily, wetsuit technology is constantly improving and the suits keep getting better. In a male-dominated sport however, it can be difficult to find gear specifically tailored to women, but the times they are a-changing, and plenty of awesome wetsuit manufacturers are making wetsuits with women in mind. So, I considered what qualities make a good suit and set out to find the best in the game. Here are seven of my favorites. What are the best women’s wetsuits for surfing? 1. O’Neill Hyperfreak Chest Zip 4/3 ($349.95)2. Roxy 3/2 Syncro Plus Chest Zip ($209.95)3. Cynthia Rowley x Roxy 3/2 Full Suit ($250)4. Patagonia R2 Yulex Front-Zip ($459)5. Billabong 3/2 Salty Dayz ($239.95)6. Billabong 4/3 Salty Dayz ($259.95)7. Kassia Surf Sea Caves 4/3 ($419) For booties, check out our guide to the best booties. Learn more about men’s wetsuits here. Want to avoid getting your ears drilled? Read our earplugs review here . Nothing is more comfortable or stretches better than O’Neill Technobutter. Photo: Jody Marcon What makes a good wetsuit? When it comes to selecting a suit, there are a few things to consider before shelling out your hard earned cash. My criteria when selecting a suit is warmth, durability, comfort/flexibility, and admittedly, style. A good wetsuit is warm. Warmth is the number one most important factor when selecting a suit. If it’s...
by Board Retailers Association | Dec 9, 2021 | Competitions, News, Surf
Bettylou Wins Haleiwa Photo: Tony Heff/WSL No better way to start your rookie season than by beating the best of the best. And 16-year-old North Shore local Bettylou Sakura Johnson did just that yesterday in the finals of the Haleiwa Challenger, overcoming five-time champ Carissa Moore to top the podium and clinch her spot on the 2022 Championship Tour. “Getting on the tour has been a goal of mine since I was little, but I definitely did not expect to have a chance so soon,” said Sakura Johnson ahead of Haleiwa. “This last year has been a huge learning experience for me especially these last three Challenger Series events. As the name implies, it’s a challenge. I’ve learned that it’ll take more than just good surfing to win at this level because everybody rips. Strategy and decision making play a big role in the outcome, and a little bit of luck doesn’t hurt either.” All smiles for the 16-year-old. Photo: Brent Bielmann/WSL It was a nail biter all the way to the end, with five women in the semifinals competing for three spots on tour. When it was all said and done, Bettylou, fellow Hawaiian Luana Silva, and Australia’s India Robinson had claimed those three spots. But they’re not the only new faces on tour this year. They will be joined by Gabriela Bryan and Brisa Hennessy who clinched their spots on tour earlier in the Challenger Series, as well as wonder-grom Caitlin Simmers who has been cruising through the CS since she won the first event, the US Open of Surfing in Huntington. Overall, this rookie class marks a generational shift on the women’s...
by Board Retailers Association | Dec 8, 2021 | Industry, News, Surf
PRESS RELEASES | Published Dec 7, 2021 – Reposted with permission from Vipe Desai of SIMA Orange County, CA (December 7, 2021) – The Board of Directors of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) are excited to announce the appointment of industry marketing veteran and environmental advocate, Vipe Desai, to the role of Executive Director effective immediately. Vipe brings more than 35 years of experience spanning retail, brand building, event planning and philanthropy to SIMA, and will be instrumental in guiding the organization and its members towards new opportunities for growth. Since 1989, SIMA’s goal has been to grow and support the surf industry through advocacy, market analysis, sustainability, networking and educational programming. Bringing together pioneers and startups, SIMA works to create a singular voice to support its members’ efforts to drive Billions in economic activity while supporting organizations that work tirelessly to protect the ocean. Vipe began his career in the surf industry as owner of H2O Surf Shop in Sunset Beach, CA. After 10 years in business,he went on to found the youth marketing agency Propaganda Headquarters, which counted Red Bull, Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge, FedEx, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos, and numerous other clients. He has held leadership roles with Monster Energy and TransWorld Media, and currently sits on the board of such notable organizations as Ocean Institute, Business Alliance for Protecting the Pacific Coast, and Skateistan, in addition to his corporate board appointments that include Brix REIT, Inc and Elevate.Money. “I am stoked to announce the appointment of Vipe as the Executive Director of SIMA and that he is excited to serve and looking forward to working with all our members....
