On
May 16 and 17 2009, the worlds greatest surfboard festival, the SACRED
CRAFT Consumer Surfboard Expo, visits Ventura, California for a full
weekend of surfboards, live shaping, board demos, seminars, music,
movies, art, family fun, exhibits and good times…but mostly
surfboards.
The highlight of the weekend is the Tribute to the
Masters Shape-off presented by Channel Islands Surfboards honoring
legendary Santa Barbara surfboard craftsman John Bradbury. Bradbury was
a highly influential Santa Barbara shaper/surfer learning his craft
under the tutelage of legend Renny Yater.
Bradbury was a
‘local’s local’ and the epitome of the local shaper with a faithful
clientele of underground wave riders, a shaping bay in his backyard,
and a keen eye on approaching swells. Through the '60s and '70s,
Bradbury’s “Creative Freedom” logo was synonymous with the underground
Santa Barbara surfing scene. In the mid-eighties he was among a handful
of board builders who began experimenting with polystyrene epoxy.
Bradbury’s lightweight contemporary designs caught the attention of top
pros such as Martin Potter, Cheyne Horan and Brad Gerlach.
Sadly, John Bradbury died of leukemia in 1999.
Ten
years later, five shapers will honor Bradbury’s legacy in the “Tribute
to the Masters Shape-off” by replicating five different and classic
Bradbury design. Those shapers are Wayne Rich, Max McDonald, Marc
Andrieni, Matt Moore and Randy Cone.
“I’m super stoked to see
my dad and his work honored in this fashion,” said John’s son Josh
Bradbury. “My dad’s time on this earth was too short, but thankfully
people still appreciate his shaping skills and more importantly, what a
great person he was.”
“I had a round pin Bradbury when I first
moved up here, John was the man!,” said Al Merrick of Channel Islands
Surfboards. “You know what really struck me was how good a surfer John
was, that’s pretty unusual for shapers.”
In addition to the
Bradbury Tribute, SACRED CRAFT offers a chance for every attendee to
win a new Channel Island Surfboard in a random chance drawing.
The
weekend is filled with surfboard demos for the public, insightful
seminars, PRIMO Beer shaping demonstrations for the backyard hobbyist,
wetsuits, live music by Ashley Lloyd, Shane Stoneman, Joey Peete and
others, beautiful surf art, a food court, exhibits, a surf recycling
program and hundreds of absolutely gorgeous surfboards of all makes,
designs, and materials.
· WHAT: SACRED CRAFT Consumer Surfboard Expo
· WHO: Surf equipment lovers from all over
· WHEN: May 16 & 17 2009
· WHERE: Ventura County Fairgrounds, Surfers Point
· HOW: $5/day - U16 FREE
· WHY: Because surfers really only care about two things - waves and the equipment to ride them with.
