International Surfing Festival Presented by Quiksilver official press conference, today at the 6-star Le Meridien Hotel. The main topic was the opening of the Festival, which begins competition on Sunday, January 8. The participants all agreed on the relevance to the country and the global surfing community, of having this ISA groundbreaking surfing event in the world’s most populated country.
Dignitaries present to speak with the more than 50 press on hand were: ISA President Fernando Aguerre; Womei Media CEO, Mr. Yang Dunhao; President of Quiksilver Asia-Pacific, Greg Healey; Deputy Director of Hainan Sports Bureau, Mr. Chen Yajun; Ms. Liu Bei, a representative from Headquarters of the Agriculture Bank of China; former ASP World Tour surfer, Cory Lopez (USA); former ISA gold medalist, Pauline Ado (FRA); and ISA junior gold medalist, Cristobal de Col (PER).
“This is a 3-year process that has finally come together – it was a dream, then a plan, and now a reality,“ said President Aguerre of the eight-day Festival. “We are bringing surfing and the aloha spirit of the sport to China.”
Turning Aguerre’s dream into a reality required partnering with a major media presence in China, and Womei Media proved to be the best organization for the job.
“Womei thinks surfing has a great future in China,” said Mr. Yang Dunhao, CEO of Womei Media, “not just as a sport, but for the lifestyle and the environmental awareness it can bring.”
The other valuable component in promoting a major event in China has been the association with the world’s biggest surf brand, Quiksilver.
“We really want to promote the lifestyle of surfing and all the positives that come with it,” said Greg Healey, the President of Quiksilver Asia-Pacific. “One of the great benefits of working at Quiksilver is that we get to promote a lifestyle we love and live everyday.”
With competition in the ISA China Cup ready to begin, the Official Forecaster, Surfline.com is predicting increasing swell and offshore winds throughout the contest, which has the surfers, coaches and everyone involved with the Festival anxious for the first heat horn. The surfers are excited, while they also grasp the magnitude of being involved in the biggest surfing event ever to come to China.
“This is a very exciting event for all of us. I love competing in ISA event. Competing for your country is the best,” said World Tour competitor Pauline Ado, who is surfing for Team France. “We never thought we’d be competing in an event in China. We’re honored to be part of such a historical happening.”
The Parade of the Nations and Sand of the World Ceremony will take place at the Le Meridien Hotel, on January 7, at 5:30pm local time (1:30am PST and 4:30am EST).
