Oxbow World Longboard Tour France
ASP World Longboard Tour Event #1
Les Cavaliers Anglet France
5 - 11 May 2008
A convivial event dedicated to the spirit of longboarding In the history of surfing, the longboard was the first type of board shaped by men the Hawaiians who surfed on massive, all-wood boards back in the 15th century. Thus, longboarding embodies the ancient tradition of board-riding sports. But nowadays, longboarding is also synonymous with modernity.
Thanks to current technical prowess, longboards of all sizes and shapes permit us to ride all kinds of waves aesthetically. The Tour is not just an innovative sports contest. Oxbow wanted to create a real environment around sport and festivities, shared by the maximum of people.
Plenty of activities are on the agenda. This will be the place to discover the whole world of longboarding : educational work groups with “Surfrider Foundation,” to involve riders in environmental conservation; workshops led by top French shapers; field trips for kids; an art gallery; live music; sprees and much more.
Oxbow, a history of supporting world longboarding Investing in longboarding Oxbow can boast to be the company that made longboarding impressive ! Hands-on involvement for so long a time in the sport, has helped Oxbow become the surf brand with the greatest surfers attending all the 12 worldwide events, like those at Haleiwa, Malibu, Saint Leu, Makara, Jeffrey’s Bay, Cabo San Lucas and Raglan.
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Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 10 April, 2008 : - - Oxbow and the international Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) will organize this event, which brings together the 48 best longboarders in the world. Modern longboarding, stylish and radical, has led to the creation of a truly global competitive field, which attracts many skilled young surfers. Oxbow, a long-time sponsor of this discipline, has contributed to longboarding’s revival.
With $50,000 US in prize money, this major competition will gather the biggest stars of the sport : Duane de Soto, Antoine Delpero, Bonga Perkins, Colin McPhillips, previous world champion Joel Tudor, and let’s not forget Josh Constable, current world champion
Since the creation of the first world championship in 1992, with 70's surf legend Nat Young, Oxbow has been involved in the world of board sports. This gives the brand a key feature that of being groundbreakers.
A leading brand: Based in Bordeaux on the French atlantic coast since its creation in 1985, Oxbow is now a leading player in the worldwide board sports market, targeting all types of surfers, windsurfers, and freeriders. Many master surfers are part of the brand : Laird Hamilton, Jason Polakow, Duane de Soto, Guerlain Chicherit all recognized in the boardriding world as forerunners in their own fields.
The Basque Coast
The Basque Coast was the birthplace of European surfing thanks to its myriads of surf spots. It is now known as the European California, because surfing plays such a dominant role there. This popularity allowed the creation of the World Longboard Tour. In spring, surfers can count on nice weather, well-shaped sand banks, and consistent swells, which combine to give Anglet the best beach breaks of the coast.
Anglet
Anglet knows just how to welcome surfers, and has adapted its coastline to jibe with surfers’ wishes. The beach is now endowed with a 4-kilometer covered walkway, which gives people the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful sights. " Cavaliers " is the main site for the Oxbow World Longboard Tour. It has been well-fitted out to host such a big contest. For example, a sundeck overlooks the legendary wave.
The spot at " La Barre " famous in the 70's, is being completely changed to receive the fast-growing number of spectators : a bigger car park, easier to navigate. And last but not least, the beach at the " Dunes " is available for all other activities.
Partners for a success
Orange is partnering the Oxbow WLT event for the first time, to promote expression of the virtues of daring, modernity and vibrancy that characterize surf and ski sports. The event will be covered on the Orange Sports TV channel, accessible on channel 60 of Orange TV, Orange mobiles, internet and the BIS TV bouquet.
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Orange Sports gives full enjoyment across the full scope of the sports world, in three formats :
- Round-the-clock news, a sports mosaic in pictures, paced by news flashes every quarter of an hour, thematic items, and magazines with feature stories such as surf and the Olympics.
- Interactive service for choosing vide-on-demand (VOD) programmes and keeping in touch with sports events.
- Temporary special-event channels (channels 54 to 59) for live or short-lag coverage of major fixtures. Surf and ski get regular coverage, as with the Oakley Artic Challenge on 24 February.
Orange Sports TV reaches over 180,000 viewers per day, and Orange TV has over 1.2 million subscribers in France.
About Oxbow
Oxbow is based in Bordeaux on the Atlantic Coast, and is a leading actor in board sports. By drawing inspiration from surfing events, surf masters and recreational riders, Oxbow brings innovation to board sports, and it has become a benchmark brand. Oxbow gave longboarding a new momentum, and has followed the career of Laird Hamilton, one of the world’s most celebrated watermen, for more than 17 years. From its very creation, and on every level, this brand has capitalized on its basic premise : to combine design, creativity, originality, and technical expertise.
Oxbow products, by their styles, colors and cuts, have influenced successive generations, all proud of displaying Oxbow’s " Pads ", the unique marking on the left shoulder of all tops, the true signature of their products. The " Four Flowers " logo and its label fitted to the left shoulder of each garment exemplify the intrinsic identity of the brand. Quality, originality, and comfort are the key features in all its collections, and are the essential ingredients used to satisfy an ever-growing clientele, whether kids, women or men.