Surfing Magazine Sets Out to Catch a Wave of Readers

Surf News, a new magazine being published by former Katin Inc. President Bill Sharp, will be in surf shops May 26.

The tabloid promises “in-depth, grass-roots coverage of the surfing scene from Santa Barbara to San Diego with a subversive, underground tone (without exhibiting bad taste too frequently).”

The free magazine is the latest venture for the 38-year-old Sharp, who helped transform Katin into a multimillion-dollar business before leaving the Costa Mesa-based company in December. Sharp gained fame in 1997 by conceiving the K2 Big Wave Challenge, which paid $50,000 to the surfer who could catch the biggest wave that winter. He also was previously publisher of the San Clemente-based Surfing magazine.

Two men who worked with Sharp in his previous ventures are now on board at Surf News in Costa Mesa. Sam George, formerly with Surfing magazine, is managing editor of the new tabloid. And Les Walker, who shot the winning Big Wave photograph, is the magazine’s photo editor. All live in Newport Beach.

“I’m putting the band back together,” said Sharp, who is Surf News’ publisher, editorial director and owner. “The creative juices are flowing.”

Advertisers also have stepped forward, he said, including Costa Mesa-based Billabong USA, which has signed on for the first edition’s center spread, Volcom in Newport Beach and Irvine-based Rusty International. Katin has claimed the back cover, Sharp said.

A tide of 25,000 copies will be distributed to Southern California surf shops and other beach-area businesses.

“We’re culling our distribution list from the retailers of our advertisers,” Sharp said. “We’re making sure any place that carries their products will get a few big stacks of our magazines.”