Liquid Force at Surf Expo... Kills it
By cramey on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 @ 11:40 am
Business up front, party in the back… Liquid Force makes the cut.
Liquid Force rocked the roof off the Surf/Wake Expo scene all day every day. A magical buzz emulated from the booth as people gathered around to see what Tony Finn refers to as, "the best product line in the history of the world". It was a daily feeding frenzy as LF released the new limited edition bindings. Dealers could not get enough, literally. These hot commodities were completely sold out each day. "It's a great way to reward and support the key dealers that do such a great job of supporting us and helping the sport grow. Thanks guys" said Don Wallace. Look for the LTD bindings to be in stores by March.
As if that wasn't enough to satisfy the hunger for great product, the new Pro Model series from Watson and Shane will be in stores mid October. Both boards are completely unique in riding style, as well as graphic style. They were definitely the talk of the show. Phillip Soven's pro model and the rest of the amazing 2006 product line hits stores now and is guaranteed to please.
In Company accolades news
Excitement and anticipation filled the air Sat night at the 2005 Wake Awards, presented by WakeBoarding Magazine and the WSIA. Liquid Force has been nominated for awards in the past but this was different. The team felt the overwhelming tension build just before the envelope for the newly created award "Manufacturer of the Year" was opened. After watching videos created by each nominee, including a mind-blowing one by Justin Stephens for LF, the crowd grew anxious to hear the announcement from Jim Emmons of the WSIA and WBM…
And the inaugural winner for "Manufacture of the Year" is…LIQUID FORCE!
The crowd was electric with a pulse of energy as the LF family members made their way towards the stage. The crew consisted of reps, riders, designers, customer service, etc… It was a thrilling experience filled with hugs, high fives, cheers, and of course hoots and hollers that rivaled with Tony Finn's volume. The VP of Surf Expo, Lori Kisner had the following to say after watching the LF crew storm the stage. "I'm really proud and happy. The excitement of Liquid Force made it look better than the MTV Music awards". Everyone in the room was infected with the stoke!
In Team accolades news
The same vibe carried thru when the industry showed respect for the other LF winner's. Shane Bonifay's talents named him the well deserved "Rail Master". As they played footage it was obvious that he had made his mark with a definitive style. He paid respects to the people who inspired him and stated his motive was to make wakeboarding look good, something everyone could relate to.
Kevin Henshaw was "On Point" and let the world know he is no longer a rookie. Seeing his confidence and stage presence confirmed he will be accepting awards for years to come.
Shawn Watson truly beamed with happiness when the crowd screamed the lyrics to his "Video Part of the Year" segment from Relentless. Smooth riding and editing combined to make his section a memorable experience.
Last, but definitely not least, the crowd was on its feet to recognize and applaud the amazing talents of Justin Stephens and the LF Films crew as they accepted the honor of "Video of the Year" for Relentless/Encore. After two years of working on this project the LF Films crew had felt a sense of relief and gratification. Look for more remarkable award winning productions from this powerhouse run by Justin Stephens.
It was one for the history books and some would say you had to be there to experience it. The vibe is sure to gain strength with the LF crew throughout the upcoming year. Tony Finn said it best, "I'm super stoked and honored to be a part of such a great crew. All the people that work for and are associated with LF are so passionate about the sport that I'm glad their hard work was acknowledged. The funny thing is that although we did well, we are excited to have a ton of room for improvements. 2005 was good but 06' is going to be huge".
Well… that's it for now… check back soon for another edition of "The Truth".
Attached: Images & video (6)