Press release:
THURSDAY 21st MARCH 2013: Australia’s Surf Industry celebrated in style this week at the gala Surf Industry Awards dinner held at Sydney’s Novotel Manly Pacific. Hosted by Australia’s Surf Retailers Federation the Awards night was held on a picture perfect autumn evening overlooking Australia’s spiritual home of surfing Manly Beach. The awards celebrated the Australian surf industry’s best Products, Brands and Retailers and were hailed an overwhelming success.
“There were a lot of memorable moments throughout the night, the big ones were naturally the Brand of the Year awards with Hurley taking out the coveted Mens Brand of the Year for the second year running, Billabong winning the Ladies Brand of the Year, Vans the Footwear Brand of the Year and GoPro taking out Breakthrough Brand of the Year” enthused Surf Retailers Federation President, Anthony Wilson “the crew from Rusty dominated the finalist for Sales Office of the Year with their Victorian office claiming the win”.
Bragging rights were settled with a tag team surfing event held just hours before the Awards night kicked off. Quiksilver’s Troy Brooks dominated with the highest score leading “Brands United” team to victory over the “Retail Allstars” team.
Product awards saw Hurley win the prized Boardshort of the Year for the second year running and Rip Curl also dominated the Wetsuit of the Year for the second year running. Go Pro took out Surfing Accessory of the Year and Surfboard of the Year went to JS Industries “Monsta” model, which Joel Parkinson rode to a World Title last year.
“What a fantastic night to bring our industry together, we are really honoured winning back to back awards for Sunglass of the Year” said Oakley Australia’s Damian Campbell.
Judged categories saw Etnies win the Environment Award, Quiksilver took out the Online Channel Brand of the Year and Product Innovation went to GoPro.
Retail categories kicked off with Southern Man judged as the Shop Fitout of the Year. The Retailer of the Year categories saw JT Surf take out South Australian Retailer of the Year for the Second year in a row while JR’s Collonades picked up the Single Store Retailer of the Year for South Australia.
Victorian winners were Mordys Surf, taking out the Victorian Retailer of the Year and Hodgy’s Surf Centre the Single Store Retailer of the Year. NSW Retail Awards went to Wicks Surf for Single Store Retailer of the Year and Saltwater Wine won NSW Retailer of the Year for the second year running.
The hotly contested Core Boardstore of the Year went to Cooly Surf and National Chain Retailer of the Year was taken out by SDS.
The big retail winners were Last Wave Watersports winning both Single Store and Retailer of the Year for Queensland and Todd Taylor’s Corner Surf winning both Single Store and Retailer of the Year for WA.
The highlight of the evening was the founders of Quiksilver, Billabong and Rip Curl recognized with the 2013 Service to the Industry Award. Gordon Merchant from Billabong, Brian Singer and Doug Warbrick from Rip Curl were on hand to receive their awards. “it was really special to acknowledge the founders for their contribution to the industry and sport of surfing. To see them receive a standing ovation was definitely the highlight for me” enthused SRF President Anthony Wilson.
See Page 2 for the full list of winners
The full list or Winners and Runners up are:
2013 SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY AWARD
SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY, Alan Green
SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY, John Law
SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY, Gordon Merchant
SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY, Brian Singer
SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY, Doug Warbrick
BRAND CATEGORIES
MENS BRAND OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Hurley
RUNNER UP, Billabong
FINALIST, Quiksilver
FINALIST, Rip Curl
FINALIST, Rusty
LADIES BRAND OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Billabong Girls
RUNNER UP, Rusty
FINALIST, O’Neill Women’s
FINALIST, Rip Curl
FINALIST, Roxy
BREAKTHROUGH BRAND OF THE YEAR
WINNER, GoPro
RUNNER UP, Vans
FINALIST, Hurley
FINALIST, Rusty
FINALIST, RVCA
FOOTWEAR BRAND OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Vans
RUNNER UP, Havaianas
FINALIST, Kustom
FINALIST, Nike
FINALIST, Reef
PRODUCT CATEGORIES
BOARDSHORT OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Hurley – The Phantom Fuse
RUNNER UP, Billabong – Parko Transverse
FINALIST, Quiksilver – The Original Scallop
FINALIST, Rip Curl – MF 1
FINALIST, Rip Curl – Mirage Flex
SUNGLASS OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Oakley – Julian Wilson Signature Holbrook
RUNNER UP, Dragon – The Jam
FINALIST, Dragon – Owen Wright Signature Remix
FINALIST, Oakley – Garage Rock
FINALIST, Otis – Louie
WETSUIT OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Rip Curl – Flashbomb
RUNNER UP, O’Neill – Superfreak
FINALIST, Billabong – Solution Xero
FINALIST, O’Neill – Psycho 3
FINALIST, XCEL – Drylock
SURFBOARD OF THE YEAR
WINNER, JS Industries – Monsta
RUNNER UP, Rusty – Magic Thumb
FINALIST, Channel Island Surfboards by Al Merrick- DFR Model
FINALIST, Hayden Shapes – Hypto Krypto by Global Surf Industries
FINALIST, JS Industries – Revolution
SURFING PRODUCT OF THE YEAR
WINNER, GoPro – HD3
RUNNER UP, Hurley – The Phantom Fuse Boardshort
FINALIST, Creatures of Leisure – Pro Leash
FINALIST, FCS – FCS MF-2 (Mick Fanning Signature Fin)
FINALIST, Ocean & Earth – One Piece Leash/Technology
MARKETING CATEGORIES
MENS MARKETING CAMPAIGN
WINNER, Billabong – Life’s Better In Boardshorts
RUNNER UP, GoPro – Be a Hero
FINALIST, O’Neill – 60th Anniversary
FINALIST, Rip Curl – Flashbomb
FINALIST, Rip Curl – Mirage
LADIES MARKETING CAMPAIGN
WINNER, Rip Curl – My Bikini
RUNNER UP, Billabong – Colour My Summer
FINALIST, Billabong – CLEO + Billabong Collaboration
FINALIST, ROXY – Let The Sea Set You Free
FINALIST, Rusty – Our Kind
JUDGED CATEGORIES
PRODUCT INNOVATION OF THE YEAR (Judged)
WINNER, GoPro
RUNNER UP, Firewire
FINALIST, 3D Fins
FINALIST, Arnette
FINALIST, Quiksilver
ONLINE BRAND OF THE YEAR (Judged)
WINNER, Quiksilver
RUNNER UP,Oakley
FINALIST, Billabong
FINALIST, Dragon
FINALIST, Roxy
ENVIRONMENT AWARD OF THE YEAR (Judged)
WINNER, Etnies
RUNNER UP, Billabong
FINALIST, Global Surf Industries
FINALIST, Hurley
FINALIST, Rusty
RETAIL CATEGORIES
SHOP FIT OUT OF THE YEAR (Judged)
WINNER, Southern Man
RUNNER UP, Three Stories
FINALIST, SDS Manly Corso
FINALIST, BLVD
FINALIST, Mordy Surf Centre
NEW SOUTH WALES SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Saltwater Wine
RUNNER UP, Slimes
FINALIST, Akwa Surf
FINALIST, Beach Without Sand
FINALIST, Coopers
NSW SINGLE STORE SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Wicks Surf Shop
RUNNER UP, Akwa Surf
FINALIST, Finbox
FINALIST, Sanbah
FINALIST, Zink Surf
VICTORIA/TASMANIA SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Mordy Surf Centre
RUNNER UP, Strapper Surf
FINALIST, Fearless Street Skate & Surf
FINALIST, Planet Surf
FINALIST, Trigger Brothers
VIC/TAS SINGLE STORE SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Hodgy’s Surf Centre
RUNNER UP, Fearless Street Skate & Surf
FINALIST, Murf’s Longboards
FINALIST, Passport Surf
FINALIST, Canoe N Surf
QUEENSLAND SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Last Wave Watersports
RUNNER UP, Skin Ski & Surf Townsville
FINALIST, Surf Extreme/The Surf Hut
FINALIST, Surf FX
FINALIST, Mt Woodgee
QLD SINGLE STORE SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Last Wave Watersports
RUNNER UP, Skin Ski & Surf Townsville
FINALIST, Billabong Airlie Beach
FINALIST, Spire Clothing Cairns
FINALIST, Surf FX
SA/NT SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, JT Surf & Skate
RUNNER UP, JR’s Surf & Ski Colonnades
FINALIST, Saltbush Surf
FINALIST, Steve’s Place
FINALIST, The Surf Shop
SA/NT SINGLE STORE SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, JR’s Surf & Ski Colonnades
RUNNER UP, The Surf Shop
FINALIST, Extreme Boardriders
FINALIST, Saltbush Surf
FINALIST, Steve’s Place
WESTERN AUSTRALIA SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Country Waves
RUNNER UP, Star Surf + Skate
FINALIST, Corner Surf Shop
FINALIST, The Surf Boardroom
FINALIST, Three Stories
WA SINGLE STORE SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Country Waves
RUNNER UP, The Surf Boardroom
FINALIST, Corner Surf Shop
FINALIST, Three Stories
FINALIST, Beach Life Surf Shop
NATIONAL CHAIN SURF RETAILER OF THE YEAR
WINNER, SDS
RUNNER UP, Ozmosis
FINALIST, Quiksilver
FINALIST, Surf Shops Australia
FINALIST, Surfection
CORE BOARDSTORE OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Cooly Surf Cooloongatta QLD
RUNNER UP, Saltwater Wine Boardstore Port Macquarie NSW
FINALIST, Surfculture Bondi Beach NSW
FINALIST, Strapper Surf Torquay VIC
FINALIST, Star Surf + Skate Perth WA
SALES & CUSTOMER SERVICE CATEGORIES
SALES OFFICE OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Rusty – Victoria
RUNNER UP, Hurley – South Australia
FINALIST, Billabong – New South Wales
FINALIST, Rusty – Queensland
FINALIST, Rusty – Western Australia
NSW SALES REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Lincoln Jubb – Quiksilver
RUNNER UP, Lee Keates – Creatures of Leisure
FINALIST, Matt Hall – Dragon
FINALIST, Leigh Colyer – Havaianas
FINALIST, Adam Sharp – Rip Curl
FINALIST, Tim Davy – Rusty
QLD SALES REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Mitch Hayes – Rusty
RUNNER UP, Luke Boman – Oakley/Arnette
RUNNER UP, Adam Leslie -Rip Curl
FINALIST, Sarah Harland – Rusty
FINALIST, Shaye Newman – Billabong
SA/NT SALES REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Will Mills – Hurley/WillMills Agency
RUNNER UP,Ryan Anderson – O’Neill Australia/Instant Agencies
FINALIST, Sam Sutton – Billabong
FINALIST, Tim Persse – Oakley/Arnette
FINALIST, Travis Ochota – Rip Curl
VIC/TAS SALES REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Mark Nielsen – Dragon/Lark Agencies
RUNNER UP, Tom Nolan – Rusty
FINALIST, Josh De Souza – Hurley/Unwritten Agency
FINALIST, Matt Drape – O’Neill Australia/Evolve Agencies
FINALIST, Erin Smith – Rusty
WA SALES REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR
WINNER, Kerry Whitford – Rip Curl
RUNNER UP, Kristel Hallem – Billabong
FINALIST, Jamie Thompson – Otis Eyewear
FINALIST, Adam Morrison -Rusty
FINALIST, Mike Maxted – Volcom/Onboard Agencies
About Surf Retailers Federation Inc:
The Surf Retailers Federation Inc (SRF) is a non profit organization, founded by, and run by Surf Retailers. The association serves as the preeminent voice for surf retailers on a grassroots level with manufacturers, suppliers, and other associations.
The Surf Retailers Federation works to improve the overall vibrancy and business opportunities for the surf industry and its members. Central to this are its two annual flagship events;
– the SRF Industry Awards and
– the Surf Industry Summit
For further information please contact; melissa.bawden@surfretailers.com.au
