The Surf and Boardsports Industry’s outstanding brands, retailers and products were celebrated in true surf industry style at SBIA Awards.
The annual awards night held October 23 saw over 200 retail and brand peers gather for an evening of celebration and camaraderie. The event serves to recognise Australia’s best brands, products, environmental initiatives, retail performers and marketing campaigns and plays an important role in celebrating the uniqueness of the surf and boardsports industry.
This year’s festivities saw a fresh approach and new format plus the inaugural Women in Industry Breakfast. Coupled with the Surf Industry Summit the events play an important role in elevating men and women in our industry and strengthening the links between our brand and retail members.
Master of Ceremonies Jimmy Miles, host of “Lipped, the Surfers Podcast,” guided the presentation of the 26 trophies with a host of industry personalities and sponsors on hand. The categories up for grabs ranged from retailer and brand of the year, marketing, product, and environmental initiatives.
This year also saw a number of updates to the awards including a secret shopper scoring component to the retail awards, and the updated category of Excellence in Retail Marketing, both recognising the retail trailblazers of the industry.
On the brand front it was a huge night for Rip Curl with a massive 10 awards heading back to their Torquay head office including the top gongs of both Men’s Brand of the Year and Ladies Brand of the year as well as a record breaking 8th year in a row for Wetsuit of the Year.
The Environmental Award, presented by Surfrider Foundation, went to Patagonia for their campaign ‘Big Oil Don’t Surf’. While JS and Reef went back to back taking out the Surfboard of the year and Footwear brand of the year respectively. Billabong continued their winning streak with the Ladies Marketing Campaign award for the fifth year in a row for their ‘A Bikini Kinda Life’ campaign and the team from Volcom were in fine form with their win for Men’s Marketing Campaign.
Oakley returned to the winner’s circle with Sunglass of the Year as did Creatures of Leisure taking out the Surfing Accessory of the Year.
The top Australian retailer awards went to Strapper Surf for Multi Store Retailer of the year and Star Surf + Skate for the Single Store Retailer of the year with Sanbah Surf taking out the coveted Core Board Store of the Year and Shop Fit Out of the Year for Sanbah Grindhouse for their innovative new store in Newcastle.
A definite highlight of the night was a standing ovation for industry stalwart Dougall Walker as he received the ‘Service to the Industry Award’. Dougall was recognised for his service across the boardsports industry, as a competitive surfer, industry executive with Billabong and Volcom and as a mentor for upcoming generations.
The 2019 Australian Surf Industry Awards were sponsored Brandscope (Retail Awards), IA Hardwear/Pro Space (Shop Fit Out), Arch & Hook (Environment Award), Davidsons Business Advisors (Service Awards), Coastal Watch and Surfing World (Brand Awards), Shop! (Marketing Awards), Australian Retailers Association, Surfrider Foundation, Stryker Media, Langford Kelly and Surfing Australia.
2019 RESULTS:
SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICE OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Rip Curl National Customer Service – Torquay, VIC
- Runner Up: Creatures of Leisure / Otis Eyewear – Dunsborough, WA
ACCOUNT MANAGERS OF THE YEAR:
WA:
- Winner: Kerry Whitford: Rip Curl
- Runner Up: Marty Farrow: Quiksilver
SA/NT:
- Winner: Ryan Anderson (Instant Agencies): Creatures of Leisure / Otis / Billabong / Kustom
- Runners Up: TIED: Amy Mellen, Luxottica, Prue Staude Roxy/Quiksilver, Travis Ochota Rip Curl, Will Mills Will Mills Agency (Hurley/Electric)
QLD:
- Winner: Sean Finlay: Rip Curl
- Runner Up: Bryan Balthazaar: Quiksilver
NSW:
- Winner: Nathan Marsh: Creatures of Leisure / Otis
- Runner Up: Jodie Watson: Rip Curl
VIC:
- Winner: Daniel Jenkin: Rip Curl
- Runner Up: Lahnee Firth: Roxy
BOARDSHORT OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Rip Curl: Mirage 3/2/One Ultimate Boardshort
- Runner Up: Billabong: Tribong X
WETSUIT OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Rip Curl: Flashbomb Heatseeker
- Runner Up: O’Neill: Hyperfreak 3/2mm Steamer
SURFBOARD OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: JS Industries: Monsta Box
- Runner Up: Pyzel Surfboards: Pyzel Ghost
SURFING ACCESSORY OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Creatures of Leisure: Thermo-Moulded Lite Traction
- Runner Up: FCS: Neo Carbon MF & RIP CURL: Search GPS 2 Watch
SUNGLASS STYLE OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Oakley: Holbrook XL
- Runner Up: OTIS Eyewear: ‘After Dark’
FOOTWEAR BRAND OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: REEF
- Runner Up: Havaianas
SWIMWEAR BRAND OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Rip Curl
- Runner Up: Billabong
LADIES BRAND OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Rip Curl
- Runner Up: Billabong
MENS BRAND OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Rip Curl
- Runner Up: Billabong
BREAKOUT BRAND OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Sex Wax
- Runner Up: Salty Crew
CORE BOARD STORE OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Sanbah Surf Shop: Newcastle
- Runner Up: Surf Culture: Bondi
LADIES MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Billabong – A Bikini Kinda Life
- Runner Up: Roxy – Make Waves, Move Mountains & Billabong x Elle Ferguson
MEN’S MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Volcom – Truly Checked Out
- Runner Up: Dragon – #donthidebehindyourshades
EXCELLENCE IN RETAIL MARKETING:
- Winner: Wilson Retail Co. | Red Herring
- Runner Up: Rip Curl Newcastle & Sanbah Grindhouse
PRODUCT INNOVATION:
- Winner: Rip Curl Flashbomb Heatseeker
- Runner Up: Volcom Farm to Yarn
ENVIRONMENT AWARD:
- Winner: Patagonia – Big Oil Don’t Surf
- Runner Up: Vissla- Protect & Surf Initiative
SHOP FIT OUT OF THE YEAR:
- Winner: Sanbah Grindhouse
- Runner Up: Rip Curl – Sydney Domestic & Water Pistols Surfboards
AUSTRALIAN RETAILER OF THE YEAR – SINGLE DOOR:
- Winner: Star Surf + Skate
- Runner Up: Water Pistols Surfboards Studio
AUSTRALIAN RETAILER OF THE YEAR – MULTI DOOR:
- Winner: Strapper Surf
- Runner Up: Coopers Surf
SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY AWARD:
- Recipient: Dougall Walker
The Australian Surf Industry Awards have been held annually since 2011.
