The finalists for the 2017 Australian Surf Industry Awards have been decided! With over 120 nominations across 30 categories ranging from State Retailers to Men’s and Ladies Brand of the Year, the Awards are a true celebration of industry achievement.
Launched in 2011, the annual awards winners will be announced at the gala SBIA Banquet being held at Crown Plaza Coogee, Sydney, on Thursday May 25th. The evening also recognise outstanding Service to the Industry, last year saw Mark Richards inducted into the Honour Roll. SBIA’s Dylan Beach added “we are really excited about this years Service to the Industry award, the recipient is very deserving of the recognition to our industry and sport”.
Vissla and RVCA have continued their momentum after taking out the top two places in the Breakthrough Brand of the Year in 2016, and are now for the first time ever in the running for Mens Brand of the Year. Vissla will also be looking to do one better in the Wetsuit of the Year after coming second behind Rip Curl’s Flashbomb in 2016.
The past year has been big for new and establishing brands in the Australian Surf Industry. The ladies fashion and swimwear brand, Tigerlilly is one such brand that has been making their impact on the Australian surf market, and this year the hard work looks to be paying off with a final placing in the Swimwear Brand of the Year and Ladies Brand of the Year, going up against the likes of Roxy, Rip Curl, Billabong and O’Neill.
One of the biggest movers from a new brand is Slater Designs. The surfboard brand of 11-time world champion Kelly Slater has made a big impact with his range of boards and accessories, and is a finalist in the Breakout Brand of the Year, Surfboard of the Year, and their Algae Traction Pad is also up for the Surf Accessory of the Year and Product Innovation of the Year. Impressive stuff!
Voting for the awards was conducted throughout a 3-week period, in which the voting premise was simple: Brands and Manufacturers vote for Retailers, and Retailers vote for Brand, Product and Service Awards. This years Marketing awards will be judged by an expert panel from POPAI, The Global Association of Marketing for Retail.
The 2017 Surf Industry Banquet and Awards night is a great opportunity for Australia’s brands and retailers to get together to celebrate the amazing surf and boardsports industry. The 2017 Banquet and Awards night is being held on the 25th May 2017 at the Crown Plaza at Coogee in Sydney.
NSW Retailer of the Year Men’s Marketing Campaign of the Year Award
Aquatique Billabong: Life’s Better In Boardshorts
Coopers Surf Australia Patagonia: 100% For The Planet
Saltwater Wine | Stormriders Quiksilver: Mongrel Mike
Sanbah Surf Shop RVCA: Inspired By…
Southern Man Vissla: Creators & Innovators
Dream Steeple Campaign
QLD Retailer of the Year Ladies Marketing Campaign of the Year Award
Beach Beat Amuse Society: Beach Vida Bling
Crave Surf Industries Billabong: A Bikini Kinda Life
Freetime Surf Rip Curl: My Bikini
Suburban Surf Roxy: POP Surf
Tript Port Douglas Volcom: Caught Up In A Good Thing
SA/NT Retailer of the Year Breakout Brand of the Year
Beaches Apparel Afends
Extreme Boardriders Creatures of Leisure
JR’s Surf & Ski Patagonia
JT Surf & Skate Reef
The Surf Shop Slater Designs
VIC/TAS Retailer of the Year Ladies Brand of the Year
Inland Surf Billabong
Passport Surf Rip Curl
People Roxy
Red Herring Surf Rusty
Strapper Surf | Blunt Skateboarding Co Tigerlily
WA Retailer of the Year Mens Brand of the Year
Clear Water Surf Billabong
Destination Surf Quiksilver
Evolution Surf Rip Curl
Hillzeez RVCA
Vidlers Surf Vissla
Core Boardstore Award Environment Award
Aloha Surf, Manly Billabong
Sanbah, Mereweather Firewire
Cooly Surf, Coolangatta Patagonia
Kirra Surf, Kirra Rip Curl
Strapper Surf, Torquay Slater Designs
Quiksilver Boardriders, Coolangatta Volcom
Sales and Customer Service Office of the Year Breakout Retailer of the Year
Creatures of Leisure / Otis Head Office Coopers Surf, NSW
Quiksilver Head Office Extreme Boardriders, SA
Rip Curl Head Office Hillzeez, WA
Rusty Head Office Sanbah, NSW
Volcom Australia Head Office The Board Store, WA
Account Manager of the Year – NSW Product Innovation Award
Dayyan Neve: Surf Hardware International Afends: Hemp Revolution
Jodie Watson: Rip Curl Nixon: “Mission” Smartwatch
Michael Peters: Rip Curl Oakley: Prizm Lens Technology
Nathan Marsh: Creatures of Leisure / Otis Patagonia: Mens Reversible Bivy Down Vest
Ross Curtin: RC Agencies Slater Designs: Algae Traction Pad
Account Manager of the Year – VIC/TAS Shop Fit out of the Year Award
Lachlan McDonald: Oakley Nixon, Bondi Junction, NSW
Lahnee Firth: Roxy Rip Curl, Torquay, VIC
Lucas Nicol: Billabong Sanbah, Mereweather, NSW
Paul Sunderman: Creatures of Leisure / Otis Strapper Surf, Aireys Inlet, VIC
Rob Cottrell: Lark Agencies The Board Store, Vasse WA.
Account Manager of the Year – QLD Boardshort of the Year
Bryan Balthazaar: Quiksilver Billabong: Tribong Boardshort
Drew Petrohilos: Havaianas O’Neill: Hyperfreak Jordy Boardshort
Jess Hitchcock: Roxy Quiksilver: New Wave Highline Boardshort
Joel McCabe: Inspired Youth Agency Rip Curl: Mirage MF Focus 21 Boardshort
Kent Wright: Afends Vissla: Upcycled Coconut Boardshort
Simon Bonny: Billabong
Account Manager of the Year – SA/NT Wetsuit of the Year
Paul Bock: Havaianas O’Neill: Psychofreak
Prue Staude: Roxy Patagonia: Mens R1 Yulex Front Zip Full Suit
Ryan Anderson: Instant Agencies Quiksilver: Syncro High Dye Wetsuit
Travis Ochota: Bishop Agencies Rip Curl: Flashbomb Chest Zip Wetsuit
Will Mills: Will Mills Agency Vissla: Vissla 7 Seas Wetsuit
Account Managers of the Year – WA Surfboard of the Year
Ainslie McLean: Roxy Firewire: Greedy Beaver
Brad Fraser: Creatures of Leisure / Otis JS: HYFI Monstabox
Kerry Whitford: Rip Curl Rusty: Smoothie
Marty Farrow: Quiksilver Slater Designs: Sci-Fi
Mike Maxted: Onboard Agencies
Surfing Accessory of the Year Sunglass Style of the Year
Creatures: Triple Shortboard Cover Arnette: Cornerman
FCS: Essential Series Surfboard Covers Dragon: Monarch
Futures Fins: Alpha Series Electric: Swingarm
Rip Curl: F-Light Global Stacka Travel Bag Otis: Youngblood
Slater Designs: Algae Traction Pad
Footwear Brand of the Year Swimwear Brand of the Year
DC Billabong
Havaianas O’Neill
Kustom Rip Curl
Reef Roxy
Vans Tigerlily
About the SBIA
The Surf & Boardsports Industry Association Inc (SBIA) is a non-profit organisation, founded by, and run by Surf & Boardsports Retailers and Industry Brands. The association serves as the preeminent voice on a grassroots level with manufacturers, suppliers, and other associations.
The SBIA is run by its members, who through the elected Board determine policies and sets strategic goals. The Board is directed and maintains its strength and focus through the input of its members and is the public voice of the Association.
The Association’s vision is to “Support the development of the Surf & Boardsports Industry” and does this through its Industry Awards, forums, summits, research and communications.
