Surfing May Have Found Its Break

A decade ago, surf contests were a sure hit with advertisers and surfers. The big businesses were drawn by the sex appeal of the sport; the young board-riders were lured by the possibilities of making it big.

But in recent years, sponsors have lost their loyalty to the sport and the surfers have been left with a confusing and unorganized circuit to navigate.

The lack of stable leadership, good organization and a gunshy corporate America have resulted in a steady decline in the caliber of competitive surfing in the United States, many in the sport believe.

The surfing industry -- largely based in Orange County -- has stepped in with Surfing America, a nonprofit organization based in Huntington Beach, to promote the growth of surfing and improve its image.

The nonprofit has teamed with Foster’s beer for a pro surfing tour in the United States. On Tuesday, they kicked off a pro contest at Trestles, the famed surf break in north San Diego County.

The group hopes to provide structure to the amateur ranks, making it easier for surf moms and dads to chart their child’s progress.

In a way, the surfers hope to mimic the time-tested success of Little League baseball, with children joining surf teams and competing in contests under the watchful eye of a single umbrella organization.

“We want to bring back the glory days of surfing in the ‘80s and early ‘90s,” said Peter Townend, an ex-world champion and past president of the Surf Industry Manufacturer’s Assn., which is backing Surfing America.

The organization hopes to provide a steady stream of young talent to someday succeed today’s stars, such as Kelly Slater, Rob Machado and others.

Townend and others point to 1996 as a cataclysmic year. That was the year professional surfing dumped the popular U.S. Open of Surfing from its tour schedule. Professional surfers voted then to move that date from the shores of Huntington Beach to a more exotic, big-wave coastline.

The decision, Townend said, marked a turning point for competitive surfing in America.

Meanwhile, Australia, Brazil and other countries, which have relied on strong competitive systems that offer eager young surfers a clear route from amateur surfing into the professional ranks, have begun to dominate surfing’s professional circuits.

For years, organizations that run amateur surfing contests have fought for their share of the top surf events, but some have been sidetracked by leadership battles and confusing rules regarding whether surfers could surf in another group’s competitions.

“It’s gotten so that surf moms can’t figure out which group to send their kids to because of the confusion,” said Mike Kingsbury, a water sports events promoter. “We need an umbrella, one large organization, because there’s no clear path on the competitive level.”

If so, the duty of peacemaker as well as top organizer will probably fall to Mike Gerard, Surfing America’s recently hired executive director.

Gerard, 43, and others said it’s too early to tell whether the lead group will be Surfing America, an- other group or a combination of many.

Gerard’s resume includes selling surfboards at Dana Point’s Hobie surf shop, serving as director of skiing at Bear Mountain Resort and running Gerard Sports, an Orange County marketing firm that included the Arrowhead Pond among its clients.

“Our first focus is the Foster’s Pro Surfing Tour because we have to establish consistency and prove we can do it,” Gerard said. “Then we can focus on the next phase and help build the amateur side of the sport.”

That means Surfing America will be turning to the estimated $5-billion-a-year industry that revolves around surfing and its lifestyle.

Some of that money already supports amateur groups by supplying wetsuits, surfboards, and other equipment and donations from surfing association members like Ocean Pacific, Billabong, Reef, Quiksilver, O’Neill and Body Glove.

Members say Gerard’s business background will help him make the corporate connections for more sponsors while his surfer roots will help him reach out to young board-riders.

Already, Surfing America has landed Foster’s as a major sponsor. That has had an immediate advantage: All nine Foster’s pro surfing events are in the U.S. and have been promoted with an infusion of more than $300,000.

In past years, U.S. surfers had to travel abroad to compete to keep their sponsors happy and garner ratings to stay in the hunt for advancement into the more lucrative World Championship Tour circuit.

Many corporate sponsors are eager to tap surfing’s youthful market although it’s regarded as a “tertiary sport,” ranking well below baseball, basketball and football, said Rich Reider, manager for sports and event marketing at Miller Brewing Co.

Miller distributes Foster’s in the U.S. and has partnered with the Australian brewery to sponsor the surfing tour.

“You people on the West Coast don’t see surfing as we do in Milwaukee,” Reider said.

“When you see Chanel ads in the New York Times and they use a surfboard as a backdrop, it’s an indication that surfing is more than a sport. It enjoys an iconic status in this country.”