The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) announced the winners of the fifth annual SIMA Image Awards. The winners included Billabong, Volcom, Vans, Vestal Watch, L*Space and Future Systems.

The following is a list of awards winners and nominees:

  • Company of the Year: BILLABONG USA (Finalists: Billabong USA, Electric Visual, Quiksilver, Inc., Vans, Volcom)
  • Breakthrough Brand of the Year: VESTAL WATCH (Finalists: Firewire Surfboards, Insight, Mada, Sanuk, Vestal Watch)
  • Men’s Ad Campaign of the Year: INSIGHT’S “DEAD MODERN” CAMPAIGN (Finalists: Billabong’s Boardshort Campaign, Insight’s “Dead Modern” Campaign, Nixon’s “Look Closer” Campaign, Sanuk’s “Sidewalk Surfers” Campaign, Volcom’s “V.Co-Logical” Campaign)
  • Men’s Boardshort of the Year: ANDY IRONS RISING SUN by Billabong (Finalists: Advantage Phantom by Hurley, Andy Irons Rising Sun by Billabong, Bruce Pro Modulator by Volcom, Lopez Freak by O’Neill, Superfreak II by O’Neill)
  • Men’s Apparel Brand of the Year: VOLCOM. (Finalists: Billabong, Mada, Matix, Quiksilver, Volcom)
  • Women’s Ad Campaign of the Year: BILLABONG JUNIORS (Finalists: Billabong Juniors, Hurley Girls,Roxy, Vans Girls, Volcom Girls)
  • Women’s Swim Brand of the Year: L*SPACE (Finalists: Billabong Swim, L*Space, O’Neill Girls, Roxy, Salinas)
  • Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year: VOLCOM GIRLS (Finalists:
    Billabong Girls, Lucy Love, O’Neill Girls, Roxy, Volcom Girls)
  • Accessory Product of the Year: VECTOR TECH FOILS by Future Systems (Finalists: 9800 Gear Bag by Ogio, iPod Travel Speaker System by Roxy, Limited Series Sunglasses by Electric Visual, Lodown Tide Watch by Nixon, Vector Tech Foils by Future Systems)
  • Footwear Product of the Year: SLIP-ON by Vans (Finalists: Dram Sandal by Reef, Photographer Series shoe by DVS, Rabbit Kekai Sandal by Olukai, Sidewalk Surfer by Sanuk, Slip-On by Vans)
  • Surfboard Model of the Year: FIREWIRE FLEXFIRE (Finalists:
    Channel Island Flyer 2, Firewire Flexfire, Merrick K-Small Quad Fin,
    Rusty EPS Range, Surftech Tuflite Stretch Fletcher Four)
  • Wetsuit of the Year: INFINITI SERIES by Xcel (Finalists: F-Bomb by Rip Curl, Infiniti Series by Xcel, Mutant by O’Neill, Psycho II by O’Neill, Vapor by Body Glove)

Sima said the goal of the SIMA Image Awards is to identify the surf industry’s most influential companies and recognize them for their efforts to advance and grow the industry over the past year. Winners were honored in 12 categories in a ceremony on May 18 at SIMA Surf Summit 10 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The organization said all SIMA members were given the opportunity to submit nominations. These nominations were then reviewed by a panel of industry experts, including both manufacturers and retailers, with a variety of expertise and knowledge. The outcome of the panel vote determined the five nominees in each category. Winners were determined by a final vote open to all SIMA member companies; all SIMA member companies were allowed five votes through the main SIMA contact for that company. For more details on the nomination and voting process visit www.sima.com

The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is the official working trade association of more than 300 surf industry suppliers.