Hurricane Irma Reduces Surf Expo From 4 Days To 2: Report & Images
SOURCE flew into Orlando, Florida for Surf Expo on Wednesday (Sept 6th) evening knowing it was probably the calm before the storm. The demo day allowed retailers a great opportunity to test the next year’s paddle boards under a murky sky. The following day Surf Expo opened for business as planned with retailers and brands already knowing the show’s last day was already cancelled. A number of exhibitors as a result decided not to show and retailers started to cancel appointments as the weather situation deteriorated. Then midday Thursday it was announced that the Friday was also cancelled and we were all advised to leave as soon as the show closed that afternoon. Surf Expo did their best, but even though we all like radical in our industry, this was mother nature dishing up her version. It took me 4 hours to find a flight out, with flights disappearing on flight aggregators before my eyes.
Let’s hope all those who stayed behind managed to do so unharmed.
SOURCE had all wake and SUP meetings scheduled for the Thursday and surf brands for the Friday, so with the Friday cancelled last minute, our 2017 Summer Surf Expo gallery is made up of wake and SUP only. Report and images by Clive Ripley.
The demo is at a new location this year
20 plus brands had booths at the demo
On a lake about 20 mins drive from the Expo centre
All lined up along the shore
Artinsurf superstrong low maintenance polycarnonate board, Marcus Pettini holds the bat
Boardwork's Carl Flora with new Navigator touring in super durable abs construction
F1's Nicholas Ostermann and Belar Diaz with the Taiba designer for entry level learners
Pulse's Jodi Ascherman and Joshua Weefur with the Atlas which comes with paddle, bag and leash
BIC now offer their own brand plus SIC, Oxbow, Earth and Body glove
Oxbow for only bricks and mortar stores
SIC is about high performance and core
Bote's WIll Howard
ECS out of Australia pushing into the USA market
Evolve were the only non paddling brand at the demo
Hobie's Ruth Triglia with the Duracruise with durable EVA wrap
Michael Dolsey Designs with super durable and motorised boards
Rich Price with Solace's bamboo deck c and enviromentally friendly core construction boards
Shark SUP Charlie Kuchznka, Robert and Denis Brue
The SUP ball game in progress.
BIC is targeted for a wide distirbution
Around the show
Adrienne Belk Surf Expo's Director of Marketing
Absolute's Jeff Goforth
Alan Kathan wit the mobile wake tower from Konecs wake parks, for travelling events
Axis T22 completely resdesigned for 2018 with power wedge electronically controlled hydrofoil
BBTalkin USA offers waterproof bluetooth connectability for teaching up to groups of 4 people.
Billabong stand
Boardworks Andrew Mencinsky
Boardworks booth
Boardworks Rogue hardboard performance line has been completely redesigned for 2018
Boot Show from Germany promoting themselves
Bote's HD gatorshell. six times stronger then epoxy boards
Centurion FI23 - sleek profile, heavy ballast with ultrawide bow to maximise water displacement
Connely's Jay Quam and Colin Spradlin
Connely's josh Twelker pro board with digital printing on the underside of the laminate.
Corkcicle stand
Dakine stand
Doomswell hand built wake surfboards
Evolve did both demo and show
Follow crew - Peter Klip, Steven Anderson and Irwin Noorman
Follow's new hexagon bar with bar with mouldable grip
Follow's Profit sleek fitting vests
Glen Brumage
Glidesoul booth
Hippy tree Stand
Hyperlite Riot boot, footwear fused with an innovaive plate
Hyrdoflask stand
Jet Pilot stand
Jet Pilot womens vest with new womens logo
Liquid Force stand
LiquidForce 4Dhook velcro binding with removable walkable liner for all cable park riders
Lost booth
Mystic booth
Mystic Stone vest with new panel layout and higher performance NBR in critical areas
Mystic's Max with MKX helmet with ajustable fiitting strap
Mystic's waterproof camoflage riding shirt
Naish were one of a number of brands with foils on their stand
Nautique G23 won the award for wakeboard boat of the year
Neff Stand
Never Summer new in the wakeboard market
Pro-Tec's Mark Gonzales fullcut helmet shell
Pro-Tec's Mark Gonzales helmet inner
Pulse's Sugar sandwich construction and painted rails for extra durability
Pulse's Tiffany Huddle
Repreve mobile showroom
Roark Revival stand
Ronix stand
Ronix stand exterior
Ronix's Dean Smith with his pro board.. first all wood boat board from Ronix, indestructible
Rovr mobile cooler
Roxy:Quiksilver stand
RVCA stand
Salty Crew stand
Sandbox's Kevin with black foral new colorway and the Spaceout, both in all over print
Sea to Summit with a huge range of camping accessories
Sea to Summit's sleeping mat
SIC's Anthony Scaturro with Nemo Designs Dave Wray
Slingshot Fwakefoll board with removable foil for a smooth ride whatever the weather
Slingshot's Colin Jacobs
Slowtide stand
Smith stand
Starboard's Go range with stable shape and fast glide for flatwater paddling
SUP area of show
Supra boats
Surf Expo has a full roster of supporting presentations
Surftech storm proof stand
Tony, Jeremy, Beni and Karsten Liquid Force powwow
Trvlr stand
Water Sports Industry association
WSIA's James Krawczyk and Larry Meddoc
Yakima car camping accessories
Yeti outdoor accessories