Rip Curl
 | |
| Type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Torquay, Victoria |
| Key people |
Doug Warbrick (founder) Brian Singer (founder) François Payot (founder and director) Michael Daly (CEO) Kelly Gibson (President and CEO of Rip Curl USA) |
| Products | surfing gear & apparel |
| Website | www.ripcurl.com |
Rip Curl is a major Australian designer, manufacturer, and retailer of surfing sportswear (also known as boardwear) and accompanying products, and a major athletic sponsor. Rip Curl has become one of the largest board wear brands in Australia, Europe and South America and is also active in North America and South Africa.[1][2] In December 2013, Rip Curl remains a private company and Michael Daly is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Rip Curl Group.[3]
History
The name "Rip Curl" was taken from a vee-bottom surfboard that co-founder Warbrick bought in 1968, upon which he'd written "Rip Curl Hot Dog." The words didn't mean anything, he later admitted. "Except ripping was groovy; surfing the curl was groovy; we wanted to be groovy – so that was it."
— Matt Warshaw, Encyclopedia of Surfing[4]
The company was founded in 1969 by Doug Warbrick and Brian Singer in Torquay, Victoria, Australia and initially produced surfboards. In 1970, they decided to begin production of wetsuits, with emphasis on transforming diving technology into a wetsuit suitable for surfing.[citation needed]
In mid-2012, Singer and Warbrick engaged the services of Bank of America Merrill Lynch to sell the brand, but the plan was abandoned in March 2013 due to a lack of interest at the asking price of A$400 million.[5]
As of September 2013, Rip Curl operates corporate stores in Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Europe, USA, Canada, Peru and Israel, in addition to selling to independent retailers worldwide.[citation needed]
Sponsored ASP World Tour events
- Rip Curl Pro – Bells Beach, Jan Juc, Victoria, Australia
- Rip Curl Boardmasters – Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall, England
- Rip Curl Pipeline Masters – Banzai Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii, US
- Rip Curl Pro Mademoiselle – France
- Rip Curl Pro Search- Floating License
- Rip Curl Pro Portugal – Supertubos Beach, Peniche, Portugal
Sponsored athletes
- Alana Blanchard
- Dean Brady
- Matthew Collier
- Tom Curren
- Ben Dunn
- Mick Fanning
- Gabriel Medina
- Andy Finch
- Bethany Hamilton
- Nathan Hedge
- Taylor Knox
- Jackson Lock
- Jessi Miley-Dyer
- Dillon Perillo
- Enrique Salvadore
- Bruno Santos
- Pancho Sullivan
- Matt Wilkinson
- Owen Wright
- Tyler Wright
- Tom Sullivan
Steven Leaney
References
- ↑ Alison Aprhys (24 March 2008). "Rip Curl executives happy to be wet behind the ears". The Age (Melbourne). Retrieved 1 March 2009.
- ↑ Paul Ham (4 June 2006). "Aussie who has board meetings on the beach". London: Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 March 2009.
- ↑ Michael Daly (13 December 2013). "Michael Daly". LinkedIn. LinkedIn Corporation. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
- ↑ Matt Warshaw (2005). The Encyclopedia of Surfing. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 508. ISBN 0-15-603251-1
- ↑ Andrew Warren (25 September 2013). "Regaining their "cool": can the big three surf brands recover?". The Conversation Australia. Retrieved 25 September 2013.