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Cool Factor

Kelly Slater is surfing’s rock star.

His celebrity status in and out of the waves rings up big sales for Huntington Beach-based surf-inspired clothing maker Quiksilver Inc., which has sponsored Slater since 1990.

Slater is so valuable to Quiksilver that last year the company granted him 3 million shares as a bonus.

What does Quiksilver get in return? Cool factor.

Sponsoring surfers, skateboarders, snowboarders and other athletes is part of doing business for local makers of action sports clothing.

Few sponsored names are as big as Slater. But even those who aren’t can help spur sales of T-shirts, shoes, wetsuits, surfboards and other products.

Others include Jordy Smith, a top-ranked surfer who rides for O’Neill, part of Irvine-based La Jolla Group, and Julian Wilson, who left Quiksilver this year for a reported $5 million, five-year contract with Nike Inc.’s Nike 6.0 action sports brand.

Beyond the pros are younger riders, aged 8 to 20, who are being shaped by action sports companies to become top surfers.

“It’s like baseball,” said Toby Bost, chief executive of La Jolla Group. “The amateur farm team is being developed to become the top surfers. As these guys become the top professional surfers, they can sell products.”

Up and comers include Huntington Beach’s Derek Peters and Kanoa Igarashi, who both ride for Quiksilver. Colton Ward is sponsored by O’Neill. Santa Barbara’s Parker Coffin is sponsored by Costa Mesa-based Volcom Inc.

Nike 6.0 backs Kolohe Andino of San Clemente. Hawaiian brothers Seth and Isaiah Moniz ride for Irvine-based Billabong USA.

Apparel companies can invest hundreds of thousands of dollars developing young riders.

“Our return is at the cash register,” Bost said.

A young surfer can have several backers, such as a shoe company sponsor, a watch sponsor and a drink sponsor.

The big apparel companies play hands-on roles developing young riders.

Company surf team managers take young riders to the world’s greatest surf spots so they can get well-rounded experience surfing in different climates and different waves.

They pay their way into amateur contests and take them to professional contests where they can learn from the pros.

“We give them the tools for success, the opportunities,” said Chad Wells, surf program coordinator for Quiksilver.

The Quiksilver program sends riders to regional training camps where a technical surf coach evaluates and tweaks their performance.

Many of the surfers do yoga, fast-twitch muscle work and other kinds of fitness training at Dean Sports Consultants, which trains surfers in Huntington Beach and San Clemente.

Some rookies might get financial support for training, Wells said.

Travel

Wells will take a few of the best kids to Quiksilver-sponsored contests in Australia and France. They get to mingle with the best surfers, such as Slater and Dane Reynolds, he said.

“It’s really great for the kids,” Wells said. “That’s stuff a lot of kids dream about.”

Companies vie to sponsor the best of the amateurs.

O’Neill wooed Smith, now in his early 20s, away from Billabong in 2007. Billabong sponsored Smith for 10 years.

Australian surfer Wilson started with Quiksilver when he was a teen. He was snapped up by Nike this year at the age of 23.

“It’s highly competitive,” Wells said.

It’s especially competitive around the national contests, when team managers are together, he said.

“That’s when the bidding is the highest for kids,” Wells said.

Rookies get various performance-based incentive packages, depending on their skill level and marketing potential.

If they get their photo in surfing magazines or other publications, they may get cash or clothing and gear.

“Some kids are product kids,” Wells said. “They come on board for product and try and prove themselves—that they’re going to be worthy of getting financial support.”

Product kids play an important role representing the brand at the local level by influencing their friends and classmates, Wells said.

“Without knowing, they’re already helping sell your product because they love Quiksilver,” he said.

Aside from raw talent, Wells said he looks for kids who like Quiksilver.

“I look at kids who really love the brand—they really want to be with Quiksilver because we’re Quiksilver, not because of dollar signs,” he said.

Wells often brings on new talent at the end of Quiksilver’s fiscal year in October.

“That’s when I have a new budget to accommodate them coming on the team,” he said. “If he’s exceptional, I’ll bring him on in the middle of the year.”

Scouting

He said he looks for a “good kid outside of the water,” one who has a “positive vibe.”

Wells said he has an eye for talent. He coached surfing for five years in the Huntington Beach school district.

Even a kid who isn’t necessarily the best can be valuable, he said.

“A great regional guy who has the respect of his community ends up being an ambassador of your brand,” Wells said.

Quiksilver looks for marketability. Good looks don’t hurt.

“If they flourish into an athlete, you want someone you can market,” Wells said.

He often hears about surfers through word of mouth.

“I get a lot of referrals through my own team riders,” he said. “They’re kind of my eyes and ears out on the street.”

The younger the kid is brought on, the better.

“You want the kids to come up through the program,” Wells said. “But we’ll sign anybody as long as they’re kicking ass.”

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