While Surf Expo is officially over, attendees are still unpacking their booths, following up on new contacts, and hurriedly writing orders to meet deadlines.

Show staff was also busy compiling the show’s attendance numbers, which required a little extra time with all the new attendees. This September’s show attendance climbed 13% overall from last year with a cumulative buyer attendance of more than 11,000 pulled from 6,400 retailers. The show also saw exhibitor numbers climb 14% with 825 exhibitors representing more than 4,000 brands.

“We were super stoked to see not only the increase in buyers, but in the business being done in the booths,” says Surf Expo Show Director Roy Turner. “Our demo day at the Orlando Water Park kicked things off in high gear and floor events were busier than ever. The TransWorld Wake Awards spilled over onto the floor; with many award recipients taking runs on the on-floor wake cable setup. If one word were to describe the show it would have to be diversity, with exhibitors and buyers representing surf, skate, wake, kite, SUP, freedive, and swim and resort categories. Exhibitors are feeling the magic of that diversity as they were able to connect with new cross category buyers as well as service existing clients. Buyers on the other hand were exposed not only to new products and companies but completely new categories.”

read more at transworld

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – Hawaiian George Downing, a pioneering big wave rider, innovative board shaper, Waikiki beachboy, mentor, contest director and all-around waterman, is among the 2011 inductees to the Surfers’ Hall of Fame. Downing joins Taylor Knox, Chuck Linnen and Simon Anderson in having their hand and footprints immortalized in cement for the ages on Friday, August 5 at 10:00 a.m. in front of Huntington Surf & Sport (corner of PCH and Main). Information is available at http://hsssurf.com/shof.

“The Surfers’ Hall of Fame is proud to honor George Downing one of the great pioneers of big-wave surfing, leaders of our sport, and major force in preserving oceans, reefs, waves and beaches. George is an ambassador to our sport of Surfing, a Legend and is true Surf Royalty,” said Surfers’ Hall of Fame founder, Aaron Pai. “We are thrilled to be able to thank George Downing for his contributions and achievements to our surfing world and stoked that he will be here for his induction into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame!”

Downing was born in 1930 and raised in Honolulu. He began surfing Waikiki at age nine and spent his teen years living with Wally Froiseth, one of the sport’s original big wave riders and co-creator of the Hot Curl surfboard. As the youngest in a group of World War II-era surfers that included Froiseth, John Kelly and Fran Heath, Downing was in on many of the earliest forays into big wave riding. Froiseth introduced Downing to the big surf at Makaha and later he was among the first to ride Laniakea on the North Shore and Maui’s Honolua Bay.

In a time before surf trips even existed, George sailed to California and spent two months in 1947 surfing up and down the coast. An unfortunate collision with the Malibu pier damaged the nose section of his board, but led him to learn about new materials called fiberglass and resin from a like-minded designer—the enigmatic Bob Simmons. Upon his return to Hawaii, Downing continued a systematic approach to gaining the knowledge that would allow him and his friends to ride ever-larger surf.

read more at hsssurf.com

A few years in the making and now officially part of the program, Nathan Fletcher is now onboard the Nixon Surf Team. A friend of Nixon for as long as anyone can remember, Nathan was voted onto the team with no hesitation from the current team roster which includes the likes of Bruce Irons, Dusty Payne, Josh Kerr, Lisa Andersen, Dean Morrison, Rob Machado, Claire Bevilacqua, Keith Malloy, and Mark Cunningham. Additionally, Nathan becomes the first new team addition to the Nixon surf program in over two years.

“From his amazing accomplishments, his ability in the water and overall talent on dry land, Nathan brings a lot to the table,” stated Nixon Marketing Manager, Mike Murciano. “He represents surfing at the most core level. I not only speak for myself, but on behalf of the entire Nixon crew, when I say we are excited about the future projects and collaborations that we have on deck with Nathan.”

Known for his prowess with huge airs, monster waves, paddle-ins and pretty much everything in-between, Nathan is best summed up as someone who takes it to another level when it comes to progressive surfing.

“Bruce (Irons) was initially the catalyst,” recounted Nathan about his introduction to Nixon. “He is part of a brand that people really seem to take pride in and I wanted to get involved with that. I like being a part of something that has bigger ideas; where your thoughts become events, projects and so on.”

Expect to see Nathan’s thumbprint on the brand globally beginning this fall. His sponsors include Analog, Vans, Astrodeck and Stretch.

read original at nixonnow.com