The Surfrider Foundation announced this week that professional surfers Alex Gray and Dave Wassel have signed on to be this year’s International Surfing Day Ambassadors. Observed globally on June 20th, International Surfing Day celebrates the sport of surfing and helps raise awareness about issues facing our oceans, waves and beaches.
No matter the wave size, Alex Gray is always down for a good surf mission wherever the waves are good. Growing up in the South Bay near Los Angeles, Alex is probably one of the last people you would think would end up on Oahu’s North Shore for six months out of the yea
r and chasing giant swells around the world, but it was only a few years ago when he made the decision to transition from aspiring WCT surfer to Freesurf freak, slaying waves anywhere between two and twenty feet.
In 2011 Alex won “Best Barrel of the Year” at the Surfer Poll Awards, and has been invited to the Quiksilver “In Memory of Eddie Aikau” contest at Waimea. He’s also graced the covers of multiple surf magazines including Surfer, Surfing and TransWorld SURF. Additionally, the charismatic Alex has co-hosted the prestigious Surfer Poll and Billabong XXL Awards multiple times.
“International Surfing Day is a fun way to inspire ocean awareness through a day dedicated to the greatest sport and lifestyle in the world…surfing,” says Alex.
Big wave surfer, North Shore lifeguard, and free diving addict Dave Wassel encompasses everything that it means to be a waterman. For over a decade, Dave has been in an elite group of big wave surfers. In the last three years, he’s been invited to the prestigious “In Memory of Eddie Aikau,” and scored the covers of both Surfer and Surfing magazines for his rides at Tavarua. Last year, Dave won the Monster Paddle Award at Billabong’s XXL Big Wave Awards for a 53-foot wave at the famed Jaws break in Maui.
“I am thrilled to be working with Surfrider Foundation for this year’s International Surfing Day,” says Dave. “Who knew I needed another excuse to go surfing? Stay wet and we’ll see you in the water!”
“We are excited to have both Alex and Dave as this year’s International Surfing Day ambassadors,” says Surfrider Foundation Director of Marketing & Communications Laura Lee. “Their positive contributions to surfing and stoke align perfectly with the goals of ISD and we hope their involvement helps us reach a wider audience.”
To stay updated on ISD happenings, follow Alex Gray on Facebook, Twitter (@turkeymelt1) or Instagram (@a_gray), Dave Wassel on Instagram (@davewassel), or visit us online at www.intlsurfingday.com.
*Photos courtesy of Body Glove
