SIMA Image Awards Winners

Posted 02/18/2015

Sixty-five nominees representing the best of the surf industry from 2014 were honored at the 12th annual SIMA Image Awards ceremony. Nearly 1,000 attendees from surf companies and specialty retail shops packed the City National Grove of Anaheim to celebrate the outstanding innovations and contributions made by the SIMA Image Awards nominees, and to see the winners announced.

The SIMA Image Awards nominees were celebrated with a high-energy ceremony hosted by multi-media action sports personalities, Chris Cote and Nicole Dabeau, who were accompanied on stage by DJ Tina T who provided music for the winners’ victory lap. Award winners accepted their honors from the likes of celebrity guest presenters, including Jon and Tim Foreman of Switchfoot, and professional surfers Bruce Irons, Kalani Robb and Kassia Meador.

A very special portion of the evening came when surf legend Shaun Tomson took the stage to honor the 2015 SIMA Surf Shop Gold Wave Award recipients. The inaugural Gold Wave Awards serve to honor specialty surf retail stores that have been in business for 50 or more consecutive years. Last night twenty of the nation’s longest-standing surf shops received a standing ovation as they took the stage to be honored for their longevity, impact on surf culture and dedication to helping build surfing into the vibrant industry and community it is today. The 2015 SIMA Gold Wave Award recipients included: Atlantic Beach Surf Shop; Bert’s Surf Shop; Bunger Surf; Dive N’ Surf; Frog House; Hansen Surfboards; Harbour Surfboards; Haut Surfboards; Heritage Surf Shop; Hobie; Jack’s Surfboards; Katin; McKevlin’s Surf Shop; O’Neill Surf Shop; Ron Jon’s; Surf ‘n Wear’s Beach House; Surf n Sea; Surfers Supplies; Val Surf, and West Coast Surf Shop.

“Every single one of these shops honored tonight have changed lives,” said Tomson said from the stage. “If surfing is a religion, surf shops are the temples of stoke.”

As the only awards program of its kind, the goal of the SIMA Image Awards is to identify the surf industry’s most influential companies and recognize them for their efforts to advance and grow the industry during the past year. The 2014 SIMA Image Awards winners are:

2014 SIMA Image Awards Winners

OVERALL AWARD

Breakout Brand of the Year: Vissla

MEN’S AWARDS

Men’s Apparel Brand of the Year: Vans

Men’s Boardshort of the Year: Mod-Tech by Volcom

Men’s Marketing Campaign of the Year: “Volume 7: Rocketship to Reykjavik” by Roark Revival

WOMEN’S AWARDS

Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year: Volcom

Women’s Marketing Campaign of the Year: “My Bikini” by Rip Curl

Women’s Swim Brand of the Year: Beach Riot

PRODUCT AWARDS

Accessory Product of the Year: Socks by Stance

Environmental Product of the Year: Yulex Nexkin Wetsuit by Patagonia

Footwear Product of the Year: Surf Siders by Vans

Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year: FCSII Essential Series Fin Collection by FCS

Surfboard of the Year: The Average Joe by Channel Islands Surfboards

Wetsuit of the Year: Yulex Nexkin Wetsuit by Patagonia

2015 SIMA Surf Shop Gold Wave Award Recipients

Thank you to Surf Expo for your continued partnership as the official Premier Sponsor of the SIMA Image Awards ceremony, to the Blue Carpet Sponsor Audi and to RepSpark Systems for your supporting sponsorship.

Photos: Brent & Kristin Hilleman/SIMA