Correct Craft Forms New Partnership And Launches New Event
PRESS RELEASE:
BILLABONG AND CORRECT CRAFT FORM PARTNERSHIP
Irvine, CA - Billabong and Correct Craft (Air Nautiques) are partnering up in a cross promotion agreement where Billabong, one of the world's leading apparel companies in action boardsports, and Correct Craft, the World's foremost wakeboard boat manufacturer, will utilize their individual strengths to further tighten each company's hold on their respective markets while each continues to expand their global reach.
The "Billabong Air Nautiques" boats will make their appearance with the current fleet of Billabong marketing vehicles to include the Billabong Bus and the Billabong Clipper Seaplane, which was conceptualized to take the world's best surfers to exotic new destinations on a flying boat. The Billabong Air Nautiques boats will be used for wakeboarding promotions, Billabong Jr. Pro competitions, surf camps and during the Billabong Teahupoo Pro. One of the boats will be given away to a lucky winner through an online website sweepstakes and retail promotion.
"We are excited to partner with Correct Craft and feel the partnership will be mutually beneficial as we both strive to expand our relevance in each of our specific markets," said Graham Stapelberg, vice president of marketing for Billabong.
Correct Craft and Billabong will also be teaming up for some cross promotions during many of Correct Craft's events including the world's most prestigious wakeboard competition, the 46th Masters Water Ski and Wakeboard Tournament, at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.
"Correct Craft is proud to align the Air Nautiques brand with a global leader like Billabong. We feel that this partnership is groundbreaking under the action sports umbrella and will take both companies to the next level," said Gary Meloon, vice president of marketing/special events for Correct Craft.
Billabong was awarded manufacturer of the year by SIMA in 2004 and Correct Craft is the current holder for the second consecutive year of the J.D. Power and Associates Award for Customer Satisfaction for Ski and Wakeboard Boats.
Correct Craft and World Sports & Marketing Join Forces To Launch New Event in 2005: The Air Nautique Pan American Wakeboarding Championships
Orlando, Florida - Two leaders in the watersports industry, Correct Craft Boat Company, a leading manufacturer in the wakeboarding industry and World Sports & Marketing a leading event organizer have joined forces to announce the creation of a new event in 2005, the Air Nautique Pan American Wakeboard Championship. The event
will debut in Orlando, Florida at Orlando WaterSports Complex September 21-25, 2005.
The Pan American Championship will be open to all divisions and age groups including the Pro Men's and Women's divisions, promising the top competitors in the world. The Pro Men's and Women's Pan American Championship will be a World Cup of Wakeboarding event, handled in much the same way as the Wakeboard Nationals open to all participants throughout the world.
The Pan American amateur championship will be open to competitors from the Western Hemisphere, encompassing North, Central and South America, marking the first time a competition has been held to recognize the top wakeboarders in this region.
"Correct Craft is a family-oriented company, producing boats with families in mind," said Gary Meloon, vice president of marketing for Correct Craft. "It seems that the majority of the big events include only pro riders. With the growing number of participants at the Nationals and Worlds we saw the need for more competitions to help encourage the growth at the amateur level. This event will be open to
all ages, and we hope families get excited and make the trip to Orlando."
Correct Craft has been a long-time water ski and wakeboard event organizer, annually hosting the longest-running and most successful event in watersports history, the Masters Water Ski and Wakeboard Tournament for many years. In wakeboarding, Correct Craft has been the official towboat of the WWA Wakeboard National for many years and will continue in that capacity in 2005.
World Sports & Marketing has worked with Correct Craft and the WWA as the event producer for the WWA Wakeboard Nationals since 1996.
"We are very excited to have the opportunity to continue our relationship with Correct Craft," said Sean Dishman sales and marketing director for World Sports & Marketing. "It is an exciting prospect to bring an event of this magnitude to the market. We are happy to help out in further developing the next crop of great wakeboarders."
