Maroubra Beach, NSW / AUS, (Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023) – The partnership between Surfing NSW and Okanui is an exciting development for the surfing community, particularly for longboarders. The collaboration will see Okanui own presenting rights for two major surfing events in NSW: the Port Stephens Surf Festival and the Manly Longboard Classic World Surf League (WSL) Longboarding Qualifying Series (LQS) 1,000.
The road trip-style of events for longboarders will kick off with the Port Stephens Surf Festival from April 27th to May 3rd and culminate in the Manly Longboard Classic WSL LQS on May 4th and 5th.
Surfing NSW CEO Luke Madden expressed his gratitude and excitement for the partnership, stating, “We are incredibly grateful to announce a road trip of Longboard events in NSW. To be able to create a pathway for NSW and Australian Longboarders is a huge achievement.” Madden said, “The NSW Pro Surf Series has been extremely successful for several years for shortboarders. To implement that now for longboards, Surfing NSW hopes to see many Australian World Longboard Champions emerge from this new partnership.”
With such a rich surfing history in NSW, this partnership presents a unique opportunity for surfers to compete and showcase their skills at the home of surfing in Australia, where the first-ever World Champions Phyliss O’Donnell and Midget Farrelly were crowned on the shores of Manly Beach in 1964.
Okanui CEO Simon Kasprowicz “Longboarding runs deep in NSW surfing heritage, by partnering up with these two iconic events it presents a rare opportunity for today’s surfers to carve their names into the history books, riding the same waves that have inspired generations of Australian Surfers”
About Okanui
Okanui, is a family-owned Australian apparel business for over 40 years, has a unique history in the surfing community. Founder Dick Ash first sewed Okanui boardshorts on his mum’s Singer from canvas Australia Post bags he “borrowed” from the Avalon PO. His boardshorts were a hit with local surfers in the ’60s, and demand for them grew through word-of-mouth. By the ’70s, Ash introduced his famous hand-drawn hibiscus print and went full-time with his business. Today, Okanui is run by Ash’s niece Wendy and her husband Simon from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, and they offer a range of apparel for men, women, and children.
Events dates
Port Stephens Surf Festival NSW Longboard & SUP State Titles presented by Okanui 27th April – 3rd May
Manly Longboard Classic WSL LQS 1000 presented by Okanui 4th – 5th May
