Surfline Hosts Shapers' Roundtable

Eric Arakawa, Matt Biolos, Darren Handley, Britt Merrick and Rusty Preisendorfer on more than just shaping surfboards


HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Nov. 6, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Surfline/Wavetrak Inc. will release the fourth installment of its Round Table series, this time featuring five of the world's best surfboard shapers; Eric Arakawa, Matt Biolos, Darren Handley, Britt Merrick and Rusty Preisendorfer. Together, this group has well over 100 years of shaping experience between them, and this depth of knowledge is clear in the discussion that unfolds about surfboards.

Surfline's Roundtable series is a unique, unscripted conversation between icons of surfing — less of a formal interview, more of a freeform dialogue between experts. In this episode, viewers are treated to a five-chapter, 35-minute show, ranging from shaper-to-shaper competition to who the best pro is at giving feedback (Michael Ho) to the future of eco boards to how much the average Joe knows about surfboards (a lot) to the Thruster to what they're excited about.

"I know in the '90s, we all talked about, man these boards that Kelly and all these guys are riding, these never translate to the normal surfers. But now, it feels like stuff is a little more realistic," says Britt Merrick, referencing the progression of the modern thruster shape.

The shapers who make up the Shaper's Roundtable are behind many of the shapes ridden by the world's top professional surfers and revered by the Average Joe -- ...Lost, Rusty, Channel Islands, DHD Surfboards and Eric Arakawa Designs.

The Shaper's Roundtable follows the success of Surfline's World Champ Round Table, featuring current champions of the sport, the World Champ Round Table: Legends Edition, featuring four of surfing's legendary champs, and the Big Wave Round Table featuring standout big wave surfers on the future of big-wave surfing.

"I remember years ago, I was just a kid and I think it was the first surf movie I saw. It was at the drive-in theater, and it was Five Summer Stories," says Eric Arakawa, commenting on the progression of the sport and surfboard design. "And I remember as a kid watching that and it was just blowing my mind, and I'm going, surfing is never ever going to get better than this. How can it? It's impossible. It will never get better than this. And then I watched a remix of it on tape and I hadn't seen it in like 30 years, and it was so painful to watch. I remember thinking, like, Do something! Do something!"

ABOUT SURFLINE/WAVETRAK, INC.

Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc. specializes in providing live and predicted ocean weather information, editorial content, and consulting services to consumers, businesses, and government agencies worldwide.

Headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Surfline/Wavetrak Inc. is focused on enabling its customers to pursue peak surfing, marine, and fishing experiences through the Surfline.com, Buoyweather.com, and FishTrack.com brands on web and mobile platforms.

The Company offers paid premium subscription services on both web and mobile platforms. In addition to paid subscriptions, the Company also offers advertising and provides a range of marketing services designed to reach and connect with users of Surfline, Buoyweather, and FishTrack.

For more information on Surfline, please visit http://www.surfline.com and check out our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/surfline. You can follow us on Twiter at: http://www.twitter.com/surfline and Instagram: @surfline.


            

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