Surf Park Central, an organisation which works to accelerate the successful growth of surf parks, has named the winners of the Annual Surf Park Summit Awards.
The Surf Park Summit took place from 18-20 September at Scripps Seaside Forum in La Jolla, California, and is the leading event for surf park developers, operators, and professionals.
The awards take place each year at Surf Park Central’s Summit, and honour the remarkable accomplishments of businesses and individuals in the surf park sector, recognising excellence that ultimately helps the sector expand and succeed.
The awards were open to all businesses and people representing existing surf park developments, owners, operators, designers, technology manufacturers, and industry suppliers. They celebrated the leaders and innovators who have contributed to the advancement of the surf park industry, in the categories of sustainability, innovation, democratising access, and leadership.
Sustainability & Positive Impact
The Sustainability and Positive Impact award honours organisations and individuals that work to develop environmentally responsible surf parks, lessen their carbon footprint, and incorporate sustainable practices into their daily operations. Furthermore, the category recognises the significance that these surf parks have on their local communities as they endeavour to develop a sustainable future for the surfing community.
The finalists in this category were The Wave, EpicSurf, STOKE, and Sustainable Surf, with STOKE being named as the winner.
Innovation
The Innovation award recognises the innovative people and organisations that are contributing to the success of the industry through their groundbreaking ideas and processes. This category honours those who are dedicated to exploring new opportunities, pushing for excellence in all elements of technological development, visitor experience enhancement, and operational practises.
The finalists in this category were Wavegarden, Surf Lakes, and Flowstate. Flowstate was announced as the winner.
Democratization & Accessibility
The category emphasises the importance of inclusivity in the surfing community and recognises those who are endeavouring to make the sport accessible to everyone. These people and organisations are working to remove the obstacles that have long made participation in the sport difficult for individuals from landlocked regions or marginalised communities. This award honours surf parks that promote accessibility by offering inexpensive, safe, and inclusive facilities to diverse audiences.
The finalists were Skudin Surf, URBNSurf, and Unit Surf at Wellenbezwingen. Skudin Surf was announced as the winner in this category.
Excellence in Leadership
The Summit Leadership award honours a member of the surf park sector who has shown vision, commitment, and innovation, resulting in remarkable contributions to the advancement and expansion of the sector. This honour recognises the recipient’s capacity to influence others and bring about change through innovative concepts and unwavering dedication to excellence.
Damon Tudor of URBNSurf and Sean Young of Wavegarden were awarded honourary designations.
Tom Lochtefeld of Surf Loch was named as the category winner.
Surf Park Central’s 10th Annual Surf Park Summit included a keynote from Jeff Pensiero, founder of Baldface Lodge, new Developers Track breakout sessions, and the presentation of the 2023 Consumer Trends Report by Ponting in partnership with Surfline.
Image kind courtesy of John Cocozza Photography.
Caption: Tom Lochtefeld wins Excellence in Leadership award. Tom Lochtefeld and Surfloch team.
