News & Events
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Hello World! I just wanted to take a second and give you a report on the recent Action Sports Show that took place in San Diego California. This year marked the second time that Trident Sports and Starboard have shown their new line of Stand Up paddle boards in Southern California. Last year we were the only "Non- California" based company to show SUP boards at ASR and were met with lots of skepticism and raised eyebrows. By fusing our proven construction methods with great SUP shapes …in 2008 we were able to really turn some heads and make some great in-roads into the largest surfing market in the world. With the birth of Stand Up Paddle racing in California brought on by the awesome Rainbow sandals "Battle of the Paddle" event last October. This years 2009 Action Sports Show was a completely different animal. To go from a virtual outsider, in 2008, trying to show a skeptical public how cool the fledgling sport of Stand Up Paddle surfing is. To a full blown Presentation of all the new facets of the sport…I would say that this year at ASR, Starboard and Stand Up paddling were the stars of the show! Trident sports and Starboard made a huge commitment this year with a brand new booth construction, display stands… complete with the latest graphics and POP materials ready to launch all of our New 2009 products to a super receptive and ultra eager marketplace. To bring the Stoke to the shops attending the show Trident sports even sponsored the first ever SUP booth party with Ekolu Kalama flying in from Hawaii to meet and greet buyers and shop staff… plus play a few of his original hits during our booth party. At first when we tossed around the idea of bringing Beer into the booth we were concerned that the message would be all about the beer and little else…man, were we ever surprised. All who attended our Booth party on the second night of the show came by to see our boards and innovations first…the Beer acted…as beer usually does…to get people of like minds together and talk about their new love : in this case SUP ! Svein came all the way from Thailand to bring us some prototype boards …this show was witness to the first K-15 flat water race board, the prototype of the new 12'6" racing class "the Pin", the new 8'5" Kids board the Tiki, The debut of the candy color way on a 10'5" "Drive" and finally the only Split Board in the world "The Transporter" The innovations on hand at our booth were staggering and once again we set the pace…and on more than one occasion, caught competing brands in our booth snooping to see what we have been up to…after genuine conversations with all of them…needless to say…they were all very impressed. On a more comical note…while setting up the booth on the Wednesday night we found the box that should have contained the new 2009 Starboard SUP catalogs. When I say SHOULD HAVE…I really mean, Somewhere along the line the 500+ catalogs we had slated to give out for the ASR show…did not show up. What followed next was the most awesome display of Courage and commitment to the brand I have ever seen. Svein picked up his Cell phone on the spot, phoned back to the head office in Thailand and got Duncan Milne to jump on the next flight leaving Bangkok to San Diego, and hand carry 500 catalogs over to our shores so that the California and North American market could bask in the glory of the best damn SUP catalog the world has ever seen. I mean this thing is a Jewel, from the award winning photography to the logical layout and concise description of each of the new models and constructions. There is no doubt that the catalog …to all that received it…is currently occupying the most prominent position on top of the pile on the back of the toilet tank ….It's even spec'd to fit on the back of the tank. Man they thought of everything this time. Lastly the most important thing that I was witness to at the show was really the birth of the SUP movement in Southern California. To go from virtual out-siders to full fledged leaders of a growing sport in under 1 year in the largest market in the world really says a lot to the dedication and determination that Svein and his team have put towards the growing sport of SUP. I would say the feeling that best describes the vibe of the show for Starboard and our new SUP products is that it was our Coming Out Party. We are now in the scene, on the map…and kickin' ass! Please take a long look at all the pictures to follow they say much more that I have above. My hopes are that each one of you that reads this far will feel a little bit of the energy and stoke that I was a part of at this last ASR show. And if it helps you all to get out on the water to experience the sport even just one day more…then my job is done. Much aloha from Scott at Trident sports…and Happy SUP. |
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