Katin USA, an original surf lifestyle brand, is pleased to announce the return of the legendary Katin Pro/Am Team Challenge. With two new presenting sponsors in place, RC Surfboards (RC) and Jack’s, the event will offer more than $20,500 in cash and prizes for both individuals and teams. Two days of competition will be held, during a holding period of Jan. 20-25, at the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier, and for the first time ever will be broadcast to the world via a live webcast at www.KatinUSA.com.
“It's back and the excitement is building,” says Scott Waring, Katin USA Marketing Director. “The RC’s Katin Pro/Am Team Challenge Presented by Jack’s is back in its original format at its historical location – north side HB pier. We would like to give a special thanks to RC Surfboards and Jacks for stepping up to help bring back this legendary event.”
The format will feature 96 competitors competing both individually and in four-man teams for a total of 24 teams in an open-draw format. Team results will be determined by the placement of individual competitors. Surfers will receive points in each heat (4 pts for 1st, 3 pts for 2nd, 2 pts for 3rd and 1 pt for 4th place). The four teams earning the most points will share in $20,000 worth of advertising and the top eight individuals will receive a cash payout worth $10,000. The prize purse breakdown is:
TEAM PRIZING
1st: Two-page spread in Surfing Magazine
2nd: One-page ad in Surfing Magazine
3rd: $1,000 digital ad campaign on surfingthemag.com
4th: $1,000 digital ad campaign on wavewatch.com
PRO/AM PRIZING
1st: $4,000
2nd: $2,000
3rd: $1,500
4th: $1,000
=5th: $500
=7th: $250
New for 2009, RC’s Katin Pro/Am Team Challenge Presented by Jack’s will launch a first-ever LIVE event webcast, which will allow enthusiasts and fans to enjoy the action from the comfort of home. The webcast will feature live announcing and commentating, live scoring, special guests, on-beach interviews, online giveaways, instant replays, highlight video clips, and more.
Originally founded in 1977 by Nancy Katin, the Katin Team Challenge was an historically significant specialty event that was renowned for its focus on camaraderie. It lured both the world’s elite surfers – Mark Richards, Mark Occhilupo, Joey Buran, Michael Ho and Larry Bertleman – as well as the young-up-and-comers of the time – Shane Beschen, Rob Machado, Pat O’Connell, Chris Brown and Peter Mel. The event ran uninterrupted through 1989, and then from 1992 to 1999, and past winners have included World Champions Shaun Tomson, Tom Curren, Martin Potter, Sunny Garcia and Kelly Slater.
The 2009 return of the event has been much anticipated. With outreach to major surf industry brands, team managers and surfers, the teams who surface to enter the all new RC’s Katin Pro/Am Team Challenge Presented by Jack’s will be on the hunt for the bragging rights, prizes and the pride of winning one of the most legendary events in California.
Special thanks to RC’s Katin Pro/Am Team Challenge Presented by Jack’s sponsors including Katin, RC Surfboards, Jack’s, Surfing Magazine, WaveWatch.com, Taco Surf and Oceanaire Sportswear.
About Katin
Kanvas by Katin was founded in 1959 by Nancy Katin in Surfside, Calif., when she and her husband Walter transformed a canvas boat cover business into one of the nation’s first surfwear brands, specializing in high quality surf trunks. Currently enjoying a resurgence in interest, today the Katin brand is carried in surf shops and specialty stores throughout the U.S. and worldwide. More information is available at www.KatinUSA.com
About RC Surfboards
Robert Cirac (aka “RC”) originally founded RC Surfboards in Huntington Beach in 1969. With a solid surfing background and a talent for shaping, he quickly became the go-to guy for many top California surfers. Pursuing a need for adventure, he left RC’s to travel the world and venture into many different business endeavors, but 25 years later he returned to the surf industry as a shaper and owner of RC Surfboards and Nu Foam, one of the main surfboard blanks manufacturers and distributors in the world. He has since begun giving back through the RC Surfing Foundation where he plans to build a fund to help the less fortunate young surf lover, either with a dream to become a pro surfer or a master of shaping boards.
About Jack’s
Jack's Surfboards reached a milestone in 2007 celebrating it's 50th year in business. Since 1957, Jack's has built a reputation as an icon in surf retail. It has been the place to go for surf fans around the world to find the newest surf products and clothing labels. Offering a huge selection of surfboards, wetsuits, skateboards, snowboards, apparel and accessories, Jack's is Orange County's premier surf shop.