Surfboards more responsive tougher with Innegra fiber

Surfboards more responsive tougher with Innegra fiber

Industry News Surfers Experience A More Responsive, Tougher Board Thanks To Innegra Fiber Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 August, 2009 : - - Surfers, shapers, surf shop owners and even competitive surfers are beginning to take advantage of the responsive ride and tougher boards made with Innegra™ fiber. “It takes the chop out of the wave, combining the impact resistance of epoxy surfboards with the softness of polyurethane boards. It’s all about the feel,” said Arnaud Bezat, owner of Abezat Surfboards in the Netherlands. The fabric not only gives a better ride, but also adds incredible toughness to the boards. “I had it in my booth at Surf Expo 2008 and gave a hammer to everyone who came into the booth. Nobody could ding it. Then one guy asked if it would stand up to driving his truck over it, so we went out into the parking lot and drove over the board twice. It looked great!” said Roy Scafidi, owner of Island Surfboards and Oceansports World in Cocoa Beach. Scafidi has made and sold boards to Ron Jon Surf Shop where they are taking advantage of the durability in their rental boards. This durability gives you more time on the water and less time repairing your board! The fiber is the lightest composite reinforcement fiber available as well as one of the toughest. It is currently used in ballistic protection, high performance ropes, and a variety of composites including winning Formula One race cars with Technical Partner, Brawn GP Formula One Team. Scafidi of Oceansports World has also supplied Innegra fabrics to NASA engineers for testing in various applications where light weight and toughness is mission critical. These key advantages, in addition to its compatibility with many thermoset composite application methods are making it the fiber of choice for many demanding applications… including surfboards. On the West Coast, here’s what Joe Virgilio and George Gall from Plus One Surf had to say, "Innegra? Amazing. This stuff couldn't have come at a better time. Innegra is making us rethink how we make boards... ...we are just starting to see the potential." A team rider from a major, international brand commented, “My new Innegra board was so light and so responsive, when it rips for 100 surfs I’ll be convinced.” Hank Johns, co-owner of Graphite Master and SIMA board member said," A surfboard's flex and re-flex are what surfers feel (or don't feel) on the face of the wave. Innegra's significant property for surfboards is its dynamic tenacity. We will be investing a lot in this technology and really believe Innegra can represent a paradigm shift in custom board design." Through his distributorship he'll be selling Innegra fabrics to builders on the west coast as well as internationally. Also, Resin Research’s Greg Loehr offered his support by saying, "Many advanced composite materials have been used to build custom surfboards, but most haven't really made their way into the mainstream consumer market. I think Innegra has the opportunity to break through this barrier of "tradition" the way epoxy has. Innegra has the characteristics necessary to become a commercial success in surfboards: it is obviously incredibly tough, has unique flex characteristics, and best of all is the fact it is lighter than glass or resin and even lighter than carbon or Kevlar®.” Innegra’s advantages are being felt in the paddleboard market too according to Bob Boeche at Diamond Glassing. "A growing, important part of our custom glassing business is Stand Up Paddleboards. SUP'S from our customers like Stu Kenson Surfboards are evolving at a very fast pace. Their larger size puts a greater demand on weight than any other type of board. We've learned to maximize the strength-to-weight ratios. Glass is great , but the ultralight weight of Innegra is awesome. We are going to solve paddlestrike dings and rail cancer without adding weight or the costs of carbon." Boards are currently available from Oceansports World, Plus One Surf, and Abezat Surfboards in the Netherlands. Others soon to be offering boards are Diamond Glassing and Stu Kenson Surfboards in southern California, Gzero Boardsports in Brazil and Hellfish in Australia, UWL Surfboards in France and many more by the end of 2009. Fabrics are currently available from weavers Absecon Mills, BGF, J B Martin, and Lewcott and distributors Graphite Master, Oceansports World, and Advanced Composite Technology in North America as well as Colan Industries in Australia. The fabrics are compatible with standard surfboard manufacturing and are most effectively used next to the foam with a cover layer of glass over the graphics. Click here to see video of an Innegra built surfboard run over by a truck Innegrity manufactures high performance Innegra™ fiber for use in ballistic, composite and rope applications. The fiber delivers light weight and toughness at a cost that is reasonable compared to other high performance fibers, and has been used in combination with carbon, aramid and polyethylene fibers. Innegra fiber is being tested in sporting goods applications from tennis racquets, bicycle frames, baseball bats, kayaks, canoes and more. The company was founded in 2004, began pilot manufacturing in 2007 and started full-scale production in early 2009 in their 120,000 square foot facility in Mauldin, SC. Mark Shioleno; 1312 Old Stage Road, Simpsonville, SC 29681; 864...; 864-373-7080fax; mark.shioleno@innegrity.com

BARBADOS TOP JUNIOR SURFERS DOMINATE USA EVENT

BARBADOS TOP JUNIOR SURFERS DOMINATE USA EVENT

Chelsea Roett,Chelsea Tuach and Ametza Nicholls dismantled the American girl surfers in the 16 under division while Dane Mackie just missed out on Champion status in a close fought 12 under at the just concluded 2009 Ripcurl Gromsearch event in New Smyrna beach Florida last weekend.Roett started the final with a strong right hander all the way to the beach while Nicholls favored her forehand going left executing some quick turns and down the line power surfing but failing to make the connection to the inside.Tuach opened up with a right generating lots of speed and performing her signature slash off the top on a two maneuver wave.American Kayla Durden who finished 2nd in last years event had a hard time choosing the right waves to show her true talent.Roett collected another good right to earn another high score.Tuach and Nicholls brought on a Regular foot VS Goofyfoot battle as each favored the forehands getting nice turns and good speed out of the 3-4ft semi glassy conditions but it was Roett's day,catching the best ride of the finals in the dying seconds throwing big turns and stepping off on the beach in front of hundreds of spectators to claim her first major win and a trip to Salt Creek California on Nov 14th for a chance to qualify for the finals in Bells Beach Australia.

In the 12 under Boys division Round one, Dane Mackie and Joshua Burke were in heat four together against four American surfers ,coach for the Barbadian contingent Alan Burke states" In what appeared to be a strong possibility that we were going to have at least one bajan eliminated Dane and Josh did not disappoint,even though there was a 4-5ft Bull shark 15 ft from the beach,Dane and Josh exchanged wave for wave and finished 1st and 2nd respectively advancing to the next round","Myself and a Ripcurl photographer were standing at the waters edge when this 4-5ft Bull shark swam right infront of us feeding on some bait fish". Mackie and Burke continued their exhibition of excellent surfing with Burke been eliminated in the semi finals and Mackie taking to the finals to be Barbados's lone representative in a boys finals placing a commendable 2nd behind American Justin Croteau in a close 12 under final and just missing out on a birth to Saltcreek.

In the 14under boys Joshua Burke and Gavin Fernandes were surfing well and met in Heat 1 of the quarter finals,Fernandes came up short while Burke advanced with excellent surfing and look as though he was on his way to the finals but made a tactical error that would cost him a chance at Saltcreek,California." In the first 3 minutes of the Semi ,Josh caught the highest scoring ride of the 15 min heat,riding to the beach,but the current was strong and instead of him opting to run up the beach and paddle through the rip,which he is trained to do ,he took 11 minutes to make it back to the line up and never got a second scoring ride which is vital,all he needed was a poor second wave to advance as his first score was almost high enough to go to the finals" Coach Burke said.

Overall results:

12 under Boys:1st Justin Croteau USA,2nd Dane Mackie Barbados,3rd Logan Hayes USA,4th Cobie Grittner USA.equal 5th Joshua Burke Barbados.equal 16th Gavin Fernandes Barbados,equal 20th Andrew Rose Barbados.

14 under Boys: 1st Corey Howell USA,2nd Noah Schweizer USA,3rd Eros Exarou USA,4th Daniel Calloway USA. equal 5th Joshua Burke Barbados.equal 11th Gavin Fernandes Barbados.equal 16th Dane Mackie.

16 under Girls: 1st Chelsea Roett Barbados,2nd Chelsea Tuach Barbados,3rd Ametza Nicholls Barbados. 4th Kayla Durden USA.

Final stop of the Rip Curl GromSearch hits New Smyrna

Chelsea Roett : photo courtesy Rip Curl Rip Curl GromSearch New Smyrna Beach Florida 16 August 2009 Final stop of the Rip Curl GromSearch hits New Smyrna Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 18 August, 2009 : - - This past Sunday, August 16, groms from across the Sunshine State invaded New Smyrna Beach for the fourth and final stop of the Rip Curl GromSearch fueled by H2O Overdrive. A fun, crossed up swell welcomed the competitors who carried aspirations of the title, the cash, the loot, the coveted National Finals slot, and the bragging rights awarded to the 2009 Rip Curl GromSearch Florida Champion. The Boys 12/under was the first final to hit the water on Sunday as the tide turned and the swell pushed. The closest final of the day, Justin Croteau narrowly took the upper hand over Dane Mackie and snatched the sole invite to the National Finals. In the Boys 14/under, Noah Schweizer and Corey Howell exchanged blows, but Howell ultimately took hold of the reigns and rode out on top. Howell was in prime form, making two finals, winning the 14/under division, and rounding out the day with the H20 Overdrive Maneuver of the Event and $100 cash prize by throwing a massive carving reverse. Justin Couteau : photo courtesy Rip Curl The ladies also brought their A-game, but only one could win the title and the invite to the Salt Creek Finals. With so much on the line, tension was high, but at the end of the day, Chelsea Roett’s skills shined the brightest, as she dropped a high score in the dying minutes of the heat and solidified her win. Rip Curl’s own Florida ripper, Christian Miller, started strong in the Boys 16/under final, putting the pressure on young Evan Geiselman and fellow finalists. But EG would not be outdone and stormed back to claim a near perfect ride of 9.5. “I am so stoked! I never get to surf events at home any more and to have a few waves to ride made it that much better,” Geiselman enthused as he collected his winnings. “I am just stoked to make the National Finals and come out to California to get a shot a making it over to Bells.” The 2009 Rip Curl GromSearch regional qualifiers are wrapped up and a solid crew of surfers will be heading to California for the Rip Curl National Finals on November 14th at Salt Creek. An invitee list will be posted to Ripcurl.com/gromsearch as well as notified through email. For post event coverage log on to surfingthemag.com and cast your vote for the "Rip Curl GromSearch Video Elections presented by Surfing Mag", as well as get connected at Surfline's exclusive community site at surfline.com/gromsearch. For all media inquiries, please contact Rip Curl marketing coordinator Chelsea Johns: cjohns@ripcurl.com. Christian Miller : photo courtesy Rip Curl OFFICIAL RESULTS OF STOP #4, 2009 RIP CURL GROMSEARCH FUELED BY H20 OVERDRIVE, New Smyrna Beach, Florida: H20 Overdrive Maneuver of the Event: Corey Howell- $100 BOYS 16/UNDER 1. Evan Gieselman- $250 2. Christian Miller 3. Corey Howell 4. Noah Schweizer BOYS 14/UNDER 1. Corey Howell- $250 2. Noah Schwiezer 3. Eros Exarhon 4. Daniel Calloway BOYS 12/UNDER 1. Justin Croteau- $250 2. Dane Mackie 3. Logan Hayes 4. Cobie Gittner GIRLS 16/UNDER 1. Chelsea Roett- $250 2. Chelsea Tuach 3. Ametza Nicholls 4. Kayla Durden www.ripcurl.com www.ripcurl.com/gromsearch