When The Boardroom International Surfboard Show rolls into the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California this weekend (October 6-7, 2012) four-time World Champion Mark Richards will be honored as the “ultimate surfer/shaper” during the Icons of Foam shaping Tribute.
The sensational and stylistic MR firmly stamped his mark on surfing history by winning the ASP world title four-times. One of only two world champions to shape and compete on his own handcrafted surfboards (PT), the legendary MR will be at The Boardroom to watch six shapers replicate a classic MR twin fin. A board that MR shaped, sprayed, glassed, and sanded all by himself. And oh yeah, then Richards went out and won the Mainstay Magnum 500 (South Africa 1982) ASP event on the board.
Follow the jump for all the official details, ticket prices, live webcast info, and more.ICON OF FOAM: LEGENDARY MARK RICHARDS, THE ULTIMATE SURFER / SHAPER, TO BE HONORED DURING SHAPING TRIBUTE
Greg Long documentary short premiers; a full schedule of events for this weekend
DEL MAR, CA. – October 2, 2012 –The Boardroom International Surfboard Show, taking place October 6 & 7, 2012 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, will honor the ultimate surfer / shaper, 4X World Champion Mark Richards (MR), during the Icons of Foam Shaping Tribute presented by US Blanks.
The sensational and stylistic MR firmly stamped his mark on surfing history by winning the ASP world title four-times. One of only two world champions to shape and compete on his own handcrafted surfboards (PT), the legendary MR will be at The Boardroom to watch six shapers replicate a classic MR twin fin. A board that MR shaped, sprayed, glassed, and sanded all by himself. And oh yeah, then Richards went out and won the Mainstay Magnum 500 (South Africa 1982) ASP event on the board.
MR awaiting results, Mainstay Magnum, Durban. He won. photo Carlos Lorch
“I’m stoked and excited to be honored at The Boardroom International Surfboard Show during the Icons of Foam Tribute in October,” said MR. “It’s going to be great watching shapers I respect and admire attempt to replicate one of my classic boards.”
Shapers taking part in the Icons of Foam Tribute honoring Mark Richards presented by US Blanks include past shape-off winners Ricky Carroll, Wayne Rich, and Pat Rawson. Also on the docket is Hawaiian legend Reno Abellira, a shaper who was very influential in MR’s shaping career, 15-year-old Taz Yassin from the Canary Islands, and John Pyzel, who has been shaping incredible surfboards for the sensational ASP rookie John John Florence.
Mark Richards, from Merriwether, New South Wales, Australia, set the international competitive world on fire when, at 18 years of age, he won both the Smirnoff Pro-Am at Waimea Bay and the World Cup at Sunset Beach. Along with Rabbit Bartholomew, Shaun Tomson, Peter Townend and others, Mark Richards’ Free Ride generation was in full blossom. His unique knocked-knee style: fast, balanced smooth and flexible punctuated with spectacular deep set turns took the surf world by storm. MR was going places on the wave face in a futuristic fashion.
Mark Richards went on to win four consecutive ASP world titles (1979 – 1982). A key to Richards’ world title run was his re-fashioning of the twin fin. He’d been shaping his own surfboards since age 15, but was struggling to keep up with smaller, lighter pros when the waves dropped below three feet. Richards took notes in 1976 when Hawaiian surfer Reno Abellira came to Australia with a wide, blunt nosed 5’3″ board with two fins. The following year Richards crafted a longer more streamlined version of the twin fin. Doors where then busted down, most of them by Mark Richards.
As a 4X ASP World Champion, MR’s competitive track record is incredible. Some of his career highlights include winning the Rip Curl Pro at Bells four times; he’s a four time finalist in the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational (winning in ’79); and he’s a four time Pipeline Masters finalist (winning in ’80). MR retired in 1982, but in 1985 entered and won the Billabong Pro held at Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach, then successfully defended his Billabong Pro title at Sunset Beach in 1986 .
4X World Champion Mark Richards; 1979-1982 simply untouchable. 30 Year Anniversary of his last world title. Photo: Divine
A short documentary film featuring Greg Long and his take on the psychology of big wave surfing, headlines a stellar lineup of independently produced short films. The shorts are part of the The Cinema Grotto Short Films Festival being co-produced by the San Diego Surf Film Festival’s Pierce Kavanagh and KorduroyTV’s Cyrus Sutton. There will be a filmmaker ‘meet and greet’ on Saturday October 6 at 3pm. The festival’s films run on average about five-minutes each, on a loop, both Saturday and Sunday. A very special screening of Markus Davids’ award winning documentary film, BOARDROOM: LEGENDS OF SURFBOARD SHAPING shows at 1:30PM on Sunday Oct 7th.
A State of the Surfboard Industry roundtable panel discussion will broadcast live on Sunday, October 7, (noon PST) as part of the as part of THE BOARDROOM webcast. Panelists include Timmy Patterson, Pat Rawson, Jon Pyzel, Matt Calvani, Mark Kelly, and Daniel Thomson.
For a full list and schedule of events for both days click here now.
http://www.surfboardshow.com/surfboardshow-show-info/
LIVE WEBCAST
In addition, all of the events and exhibits which layer the cultural hive that is THE BOARDROOM will be featured during the webcast including the Icons of Foam shaping tribute to legend Mark Richards, a QnA shaping bay with top surfboard designers, the Best of Show presentation, Art-I-Zen performance art, the SurfAid Board Art Benefit live auction, the Cinema Grotto short film fest, a documentary premier featuring Greg Long, the Gun Club lounge, the Hansens Surfboard Demo Morning, the CATCH BALDY fun race, surf scribe book signings, live music, surfboard giveaways, surfboard appraisals & surf celebrities. SolSpot.com, SurfersVillage.com, and Surfermag.com, three leading providers of authentic surf content, have agreed to carry the webcast live.
The Boardroom Promo Video
All of this and much, much more make THE BOARDROOM at the Del Mar Fairgrounds the place to be for surfboard lovers October 6th and 7th, 2012.
WHO: SURFERS WORLD WIDE
WHAT: SURFBOARDS AND SURF CULTURE
WHEN: SAT OCT 6TH 10AM- 6PM ; SUN OCT 7TH 10AM – 4PM
WHERE: DEL MAR FAIRGROUNDS EXHIBIT HALL
WHY: BECAUSE SURFERS CARE ABOUT TWO THINGS: 1) WAVES AND 2) THE EQUIPMENT TO RIDE THEM WITH
$10/ U12 FREE
