Sanuk, a division of Deckers Outdoor Corporation, added Matt Meola to the brand's surfing team. In the last year, the 22-year-old has taken the surfing industry by storm with his groundbreaking technique and catlike reflexes, garnering him cover shots on three surfing magazines.
Meola, a Maui native, got his big break in 2010 when he rose from relative obscurity to international fame after winning the first Innersection competition, an online contest that allows members to enter and rate user submitted surfing videos. The win earned him a feature in Surfing Magazine, a sponsorship deal, and the chance to travel to some of the best surfing locations in the World. While Meola’s success has come from surfing, his hobbies and aspirations extend far beyond salt water with interests ranging from philanthropy to farming to Hollywood – he screen tested for a major motion picture this year.
“Having someone like Matt on the team is really great,” said James Crush, Marketing Manager, Sanuk. “He is a highly innovative surfer who has managed to become a household name in the surf world overnight – not many people can say that.”
Twice recognized at the SIMA Image Awards as the 2007 and 2010 Footwear Product of the Year, the closed-toe sandals maker sponsors a spectrum of premier athletes, including surfers Donavon Frankenreiter and Dave Rastovich and rock climbers Chris Sharma and Daniel Woods.
