Hurricane Irma Reduces Surf Expo From 4 Days To 2: Report & Images
SOURCE flew into Orlando, Florida for Surf Expo on Wednesday (Sept 6th) evening knowing it was probably the calm before the storm. The demo day allowed retailers a great opportunity to test the next year’s paddle boards under a murky sky. The following day SurfExpo opened for business as planned with retailers and brands already knowing the show’s last day was already cancelled. A number of exhibitors as a result decided not to show and retailers started to cancel appointments as the weather situation deteriorated. Then midday Thursday it was announced that the Friday was also cancelled and we were all advised to leave as soon as the show closed that afternoon. Surf Expo did their best, but even though we all like radical in our industry, this was mother nature dishing up her version. It took me 4 hours to find a flight out, with flights disappearing on flight aggregators before my eyes.
Let’s hope all those who stayed behind managed to do so unharmed.
SOURCE had all wake and SUP meetings scheduled for the Thursday and surf brands for the Friday, so with the Friday cancelled last minute, our 2017 Summer Surf Expo gallery is made up of wake and SUP only. Report and images by Clive Ripley.
The demo is at a new location this year20 plus brands had booths at the demoOn a lake about 20 mins drive from the Expo centreAll lined up along the shoreArtinsurf superstrong low maintenance polycarnonate board, Marcus Pettini holds the batBoardwork's Carl Flora with new Navigator touring in super durable abs constructionF1's Nicholas Ostermann and Belar Diaz with the Taiba designer for entry level learnersPulse's Jodi Ascherman and Joshua Weefur with the Atlas which comes with paddle, bag and leashBIC now offer their own brand plus SIC, Oxbow, Earth and Body glove Oxbow for only bricks and mortar storesSIC is about high performance and coreBote's WIll HowardECS out of Australia pushing into the USA marketEvolve were the only non paddling brand at the demoHobie's Ruth Triglia with the Duracruise with durable EVA wrapMichael Dolsey Designs with super durable and motorised boardsRich Price with Solace's bamboo deck c and enviromentally friendly core construction boardsShark SUP Charlie Kuchznka, Robert and Denis Brue The SUP ball game in progress.BIC is targeted for a wide distirbutionAround the showAdrienne Belk Surf Expo's Director of MarketingAbsolute's Jeff Goforth Alan Kathan wit the mobile wake tower from Konecs wake parks, for travelling eventsAxis T22 completely resdesigned for 2018 with power wedge electronically controlled hydrofoil BBTalkin USA offers waterproof bluetooth connectability for teaching up to groups of 4 people.Billabong standBoardworks Andrew MencinskyBoardworks boothBoardworks Rogue hardboard performance line has been completely redesigned for 2018Boot Show from Germany promoting themselvesBote's HD gatorshell. six times stronger then epoxy boardsCenturion FI23 - sleek profile, heavy ballast with ultrawide bow to maximise water displacement Connely's Jay Quam and Colin Spradlin Connely's josh Twelker pro board with digital printing on the underside of the laminate.Corkcicle standDakine standDoomswell hand built wake surfboardsEvolve did both demo and showFollow crew - Peter Klip, Steven Anderson and Irwin NoormanFollow's new hexagon bar with bar with mouldable gripFollow's Profit sleek fitting vestsGlen Brumage Glidesoul boothHippy tree StandHyperlite Riot boot, footwear fused with an innovaive plateHyrdoflask standJet Pilot standJet Pilot womens vest with new womens logoLiquid Force standLiquidForce 4Dhook velcro binding with removable walkable liner for all cable park ridersLost boothMystic boothMystic Stone vest with new panel layout and higher performance NBR in critical areasMystic's Max with MKX helmet with ajustable fiitting strapMystic's waterproof camoflage riding shirt Naish were one of a number of brands with foils on their standNautique G23 won the award for wakeboard boat of the yearNeff StandNever Summer new in the wakeboard marketPro-Tec's Mark Gonzales fullcut helmet shellPro-Tec's Mark Gonzales helmet innerPulse's Sugar sandwich construction and painted rails for extra durabilityPulse's Tiffany HuddleRepreve mobile showroomRoark Revival standRonix standRonix stand exteriorRonix's Dean Smith with his pro board.. first all wood boat board from Ronix, indestructibleRovr mobile coolerRoxy:Quiksilver standRVCA standSalty Crew standSandbox's Kevin with black foral new colorway and the Spaceout, both in all over printSea to Summit with a huge range of camping accessoriesSea to Summit's sleeping mat SIC's Anthony Scaturro with Nemo Designs Dave WraySlingshot Fwakefoll board with removable foil for a smooth ride whatever the weatherSlingshot's Colin JacobsSlowtide standSmith standStarboard's Go range with stable shape and fast glide for flatwater paddlingSUP area of showSupra boatsSurf Expo has a full roster of supporting presentationsSurftech storm proof standTony, Jeremy, Beni and Karsten Liquid Force powwowTrvlr standWater Sports Industry associationWSIA's James Krawczyk and Larry Meddoc Yakima car camping accessoriesYeti outdoor accessories
