ASB MAGAZINE: Members of the Surf Boardsports Industry Association (SBIA) gathered in Sydney last night to honour Dougall Walker as he received the ‘Service to the Industry Award’. Dougall was recognised for his service across the board sports industry, as a competitive surfer, industry executive with Billabong and Volcom and as a mentor for upcoming generations. In all 51 awards, across 26 categories were presented throughout the night with full results below.
The Service to the Industry Award is an integral part of the SBIA Awards and recognises those individuals or organisations who have made a significant and substantial contribution to the Australian Surf Industry. This award was first inaugurated in 2012 when Anthony Wilson – Founding President of SBIA (Previously SRF), owner of Wilson Retail, Saltwater Wine & Stormriders won the prestigious award. Past recipients of this Award also include Simon Anderson (2018), John ‘Sparrow’ Pypurne (2017), Mark Richards (2016), Surfing Australia (2015) Don Burford, Midget Farrelly & Barry Bennett (2014) Alan Green, John Law, Gordon Merchant, Brian Singer and Doug Warbrick (2013) and Anthony Wilson (2012)
Watch our full length interview with Dougall Walker below
This year also saw a number of updates to the awards including a secret shopper component awarded to Aquatique (Nowra) with a perfect 100% Secret Shopper Score. The updated category of Excellence in Retail Marketing was awarded to Wilson Retail Co – Red Herring, closely followed by Rip Curl Newcastle and Sanbah Grindhouse.
On the brand front it was a huge night for Rip Curl with a massive ten awards heading back to their Torquay head office including both Men’s Brand of the Year and Ladies Brand of the year as well as Wetsuit of the Year for the eighth year in a row.
In a surprise result, the Breakout Brand Of The Year the winner was Sex Wax, the popular wax formulae which was first produced by Frederick Charles Herzog, III (Mr. Zog) and chemist Nate Skinner in 1972. Runner up in this category was Salty Crew.
The Environmental Award, presented by Surfrider Foundation, went to Patagonia for their campaign ‘Big Oil Don’t Surf’. While JS and REEF again won Surfboard Of The Year and Footwear Brand Of The Year, after receiving the award in 2018. 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 Volcom won the Men’s Marketing Campaign for their ‘Truly Checked Out’ campaign
Oakley returned to the winner’s circle with Sunglass of the Year with their ever-popular Holbrook (XL) model as did Creatures of Leisure taking out the Surfing Accessory of the Year with their Thermo-Moulded Lite Traction.
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The top Australian retailer awards went to Strapper Surf for Multi Store Retailer of the year and Star Surf and Skate for the Single Store Retailer of the year with Sanbah Surf again 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.
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.
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*It must be noted that these awards are open to SBIA members only.
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
ABOUT THE SBIA AWARDS:
The Australian Surf Industry Awards have been held annually since 2011 to celebrate the industry’s outstanding retailers, products, brands and contributors. Entries to the 26 categories opened in May this year, with the award winners of the voted categories crowned after voting by manufacturers and retailers. Winners of the judged categories were awarded after assessment from expert marketing, retail, architecture and environmental panels. For more information visit sbia.com.au
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