Is Surf Back? Four Executives on the Momentum Building in the Industry

Rip Curl CEO Ashley Reade, Vissla CEO Paul Naude, SIMA president Vipe Desai, WRV's LG Shaw and more on the cultural and commercial forces behind surfing's upswing.

Published: June 10, 2026By Anna Dimond

Clockwise from top left: Carissa Moore's big win in New Zealand as a new mom; Stephanie Gilmore celebrating her victory with large crowds on the Gold Coast; the Stab High contest at Atlantic Park Surf in Virginia Beach drew thousands of spectators; Heritage brands like Rip Curl are getting a boost from Y2K fashion trends; Vissla's groovy Cosmic Creek Surf Festival in Dana Point, California last weekend. Photos courtesy of the WSL, Atlantic Park Surf, Rip Curl and Vissla.

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Posted in: Executive Edition

Tagged with: Atlantic Park Surf, Rip Curl, Stab High, VISSLA