Seven teams from around the U.S. are en route to Southern California to compete at the 2016 Oakley Surf Shop Challenge National Championship, October 6-7. This year has seen nearly 300 surfers from 70 shops around the U.S. compete as four-man teams (two shop pros and two shop employees) at seven regional stops. The winning teams from each of those events received an all-expense-paid trip to San Clemente, California courtesy of Oakley to compete in the National Championship for a grand prize trip to the 2016 SURFER Awards at Turtle Bay on the North Shore of Hawaii and title of “America’s Most Core Surf Shop.”
Two-time reigning National Champions Sunrise didn’t make it back to defend their title this year. Quiet Flight swooped in, with former World Championship Tour surfer CJ Hobgood leading their charge, and ousted the seven-time Southeast Regional Champions.
Quiet Flight, who will be making their first National Championship appearance, will be going up against a roster of veteran Oakley Surf Shop Challenge National Championship competitors. Surf Ride (Southwest), Sweetwater (Mid-Atlantic) and Huntington Surf & Sport (West) have all won the National Championship at least once and Huntington Surf & Sport also has the advantage of a former WCT competitor, Brett Simpson, on their team. Heritage (Northeast), Town & Country (Hawaii) and Pacific Wave (Northwest) have all earned a berth into the National Championships at least four times previously and are hungry for their first win.
The following 2016 Regional Qualifiers will compete in the National Championship this weekend:
Southwest – Surf Ride
Mid-Atlantic – Sweetwater Surf Shop
Northeast – Heritage Surf & Sport
Southeast – Quiet Flight Surfboards
Northwest – Pacific Wave
West – Huntington Surf & Sport
Hawaii – Town & Country Surf Factory
Official Forecaster Surfline.com is predicting new, moderate south swell to build and peak, with chest-to-shoulder-high surf hitting head+ at times. Those conditions will hold into Friday morning and then ease into the afternoon. Competition will run 8 am to 3 pm on Thursday and 8 am to noon on Friday (conditions permitting).
For all of the latest information including photos, video footage, results and more, check out surfshopchallenge.com.
Special thanks to Oakley, SURFER and event partners, Futures Fins, GoPro, Xcel Wetsuits, JS Industries and Official Forecaster Surfline.com for their support, without which the Surf Shop Challenge series would not be possible.
About Surf Shop Challenge
Originally conceived to provide a fun and competitive format for the hardcore surf shop riders, the SURFER Shop Team Challenge was one of the most popular and exciting Southern California contests of the early 1980s. Through the years the contest has evolved, with seven qualifying regional events around the country, culminating in a national championship in Bali, Indonesia for the first time in 2012. The underlying principles, however, have remained the same. The Oakley Surf Shop Challenge is still about giving back to the shops, the true backbone of the industry and the heart of the sport of surfing. Each year the competition level rises, the stakes become greater and the prizes become bigger.
About Oakley, Inc.
Established in 1975 and headquartered in Southern California, Oakley is one of the leading product design and sport performance brands in the world. The holder of more than 600 patents, Oakley is a culture of creators, inventors, idealists and scientists obsessed with using design and innovation to create products and experiences that inspire greatness. This philosophy has made Oakley one of the most iconic and inimitable brands on the market, with products that world-class athletes around the globe depend on to compete at the highest level possible. Oakley is known for its High Definition Optics®, which feature unparalleled optical clarity and precision along with impact resistance and UV protection, incorporated into all of the brand’s sun, prescription eyewear and premium goggles. Oakley extended its position as the world’s leading sports eyewear brand into apparel and accessories. Oakley has men’s and women’s product lines that appeal to Sports Performance, Active and Lifestyle consumers. Oakley is a subsidiary of Luxottica Group. Additional information is available at www.oakley.com.
About SURFER
In 1960, SURFER began as the original surf magazine. With a long history of delivering provocative and insightful editorial features, revealing interviews and award-winning, state-of-the-art photography, SURFER remains the authoritative voice of the surfing world and thus earned the moniker “the bible of the sport.” Through its website, social media channels, magazine, and television programming, SURFER continues to be the most current and reliable source of information to the surf community, reaching more than 22-million active sports enthusiasts. SURFER is published by TEN: The Enthusiast Network. To learn more, visit surfermag.com
About TEN: The Enthusiast Network
TEN: The Enthusiast Network is the world’s premier transmedia network of enthusiast brands, such as MOTOR TREND, AUTOMOBILE, HOT ROD, SURFER, TRANSWORLD SKATEBOARDING, and GRINDTV. With more than 60 websites, 50 publications, 50 annual events, the Motor Trend OnDemand subscription video-on-demand service, as well as the world’s largest automotive and action/adventure sports media platforms, TEN inspires enthusiasts to pursue their passions. For more information, visit enthusiastnetwork.com.
